Thursday 16 January 2025 - The Fallowfield Loopline

We start with a picture from yesterday, when I recommenced bike rides after a two week break due to snow and ice. Sadly, our friend Don didn't wait quite as long and had a black ice adventure that will curtail his activities for six months. Our thoughts are with you Don.

The picture above is near the far point of my 6 mile there and back route that I'm trying to do every day to help my dodgy knee get better. I turn around at the end of the resurfaced section of towpath beyond where the Bay Malton used to ply its trade. Not far beyond this is the breach of the canal due to an inundated conduit that occurred during a recent storm. That section of towpath/canal may be lost for years to come.

Anyway, this morning I decided to brave the frost and any remaining ice and enjoy the 42.5km ride from home that follows the Fallowfield Loop. I've reported on this before, here, so today I'll simply annotate the photos. Slightly more than usual due to me being on my own and therefore not keeping anyone waiting when I stopped.

The towpath near home, with the canal's icy surface glinting in the sunshine.

The Bridge, by Dane Road, with several barges moored beside the pub.

The canal near Stretford, just before my route leaves the towpath.

I stopped here to finish my coffee on the way back.

Woodland in Chorlton Ees Nature Reserve.

Jackson's Boat Bridge, near my old house in Chorltonville.

On Sustrans Route 6 in Fallowfield.

Coffee break after about 20km near Levenshulme.

The Ashton Canal is reached in Audenshaw. There were lots of good reflections today.

The rise out of Manchester on the Loopline is imperceptible, but there are numerous locks on the descent back down to the city centre, which can be speedy, but today caution was needed to avoid any ice (just one small patch on a bridge in the city centre), and despite appearances above, the towpath was full of pedestrians, runners and dog walkers today. Plenty of space for everyone, but progress on a bike was slow if you were to be polite.

More reflections as the city centre is approached.

The towpath tunnels under roads and buildings as it passes through the city centre.

This is before the canal runs next to the River Irwell. Note the nice brick towpath.

A little further on, evidence of the incursion of the River Irwell onto the towpath in recent storms has left a muddy residue. A good hosing down of the bike was needed later.

My last picture was taken at the bridge at Water's Meet, where the branch of the canal pictured leads to the Trafford Centre, Worsley, and our route to RHS Bridgewater and Pennington Flash.

Here's my route - you can make out the slightly bolder lollipop below. It's 42.5km, with about 170 metres ascent, taking me a little under 3 hours today, plus 20 minutes of stops for photos, coffee, etc.

A great way to spent a sunny morning in Manchester. Where were you!?

October 1997 - The 'Shipton/Tilman' Route - Day 9 - October 19

 Sunday 19th October

Breakfast at the campsite near Dekhandhar

Today we began as usual on another fine morning, leaving at a leisurely 9am for the 4 hour trek to Ghunni.

Feeding time for the ponies

I walk with Anil and converse with him about Himalayan routes. 

There is high cloud but it is still ok for shorts and sandals. John also wears sandals today. Pass children in rags then come to Ala, where we linger at length by a house with a beautiful wooden doorway and external decorations (carvings). 

There is pink and blue convolvulus here - used to make ink. A leaf bird is spotted, and a sort of prickly tomato plant is abundant here, as are a vicious variety of nettle.

More belvedere paths, cutting into side valleys with a few ups and downs involved.

Pass through a pleasant wood at the halfway point, then on the next open hillside we spend some time watching eagles / vultures gracefully playing with the thermals. Some come very close.

Ponies pass through one of the villages en route

On the trek to Ghunni (all four of us together for a while)

Drying crops

Passing through a village

I continue alone after the lunch stop, along the path above a 700 ft drop to fields and terraces below. 

Interlude: more Flowers of the Himalaya

On the lovely belvedere path

Naughty monkeys

A house in Ghunni

"Moo"

I reach camp at 1:15pm, at Ghunni, next to the school which serves nearby Ramani.

The weather by now was cloudy but fine, after rain shortly after I arrived. The others had sheltered under a tree almost within sight of camp.

Later the usual tea is served, this time accompanied by halva.

Camp kitchen

By 5pm we decide to visit Ramani, which is a prosperous place with solar powered electricity. The streets are a mixture of mud, stones, dung, cattle and leaf mould. Men play cards on a patio. New houses are being built, and there are lovely chrysanthemums and sunflowers in the garden.

Ramani

A lovely village. I return by the same route by dusk, but the others divert to look at temples and arrive after dark for another lovely meal:

• sweetcorn soup
• goat curry
• momos (Tibetan dumplings stuffed with spicy veg)
• pan fried crispy noodles with veg and fried egg
• tomato relish (sauce)
• rice
• Pudding was - kir - a sort of sweet noodle dish with nuts and sultanas in a milk sauce.

Followed by the usual drinks, laphroaig whisky, and a fairly early night.

Last photo of the day - these people, shod with flip flops and armed with
 walking sticks carry huge loads

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October 1997 - The 'Shipton/Tilman' Route - Day 8 - October 18

Saturday 18th October

Early morning at the Sutol campsite

Usual 6:30, 6:45, 7:30, 8:00, 8:30 routine. We lingered at this campsite on a warm morning despite there being no sun. The mill race makes the route to the bridge a sometimes damp one, so care is needed. We observe the mill, where a mixture of seeds are being ground to flour.

The mill

Anil inspects the flour

There are tree creepers or similar on the trees at the site, and white capped river chats by the stream (river).

Before we leave, the sun rises ephemerally through a haze of smoke from the daily fire used by the pony men. 

There are always two fires - the pony men have one, lit in the afternoon / evening, which is well stocked with dead wood from any nearby forest. It's a good fire. Before departure there is also always a small fire near the cook's tent, used simply to burn rubbish.

                                                               Leaving camp

Just over the bridge is an English foursome who have come from Joshimath over the Kauri Pass and are about to go up Roop Kund. They are a lighter weight trip than us, using several porters but no ponies. They plan to get to Mandoli from Joshimath in 9 days, covering more ground than we do in 10 days.

Views from the walk in to Sutol, with Trisul dominant

Soon we enter Sutol - "a lovely village with paved alleys and heavy slate roofs". It even has a post box, but only John has kept a card to post. We stop for sweet tea, which I find quite acceptable. As this takes some time the ponies go ahead and stay there for the rest of the day. The square where we drink tea is next to a small Krishna temple which we admire. Shoes must come off if you want to climb the few steps to look inside. The temple is maybe 12 feet high and 6 feet on each side.

The small Krishna temple

A smart Sutol residence

Eagles hover above us as we continue past cannabis plants, the leaves and seeds of which are apparently used as food ingredients hereabouts, as well as the obvious use.

Continuing along the path we see lots of yellow butterflies, and langur monkeys (white head, black face, grey body) being chased up the hillside by the locals. They are obviously pests.

On the path from Sutol

This is a lovely sunny day and soon shorts replace the long trousers with which I customarily start the day. Sandals as usual. Fields are being ploughed using oxen, and far below crops (chillies or beans?) are laid out to dry on black mats. There are incredible mountain views from this undulating belvedere track, the main road between villages hereabouts. Lots of lovely flowers, butterflies, and many grey lizards about 8+ inches long, plus some smaller ones.

We drop to a river and peruse rag like washing drying below the iron girder bridge peppered with lizard holes.

Local agriculture beside the track to Dekhandhar

We got great views towards the local mountains

More 'Flowers of the Himalaya'

Pictures from the path to our 2120 metre campsite near Dekhandhar

Beautiful waterfalls in the distance

After the girder bridge we rise to a little temple on a col at 8200 feet. 

More outstanding views east to Trisul (7120 metres). Take a second lunch here - cheese, tomato and onion sandwich, a slice of goat's liver, a boiled potato, a boiled egg, a packet of biscuits, and a chocolate bar, together with the mango drink (expiry date May 1997 but it tastes ok) is standard fare.


                                                     A view from the temple

There are beautiful falls to the north. It's hot. Pass many more yellow butterflies, and pretty yellow flowers on cucumber type plants. 

                                           A view from the belvedere path

A lovely high precipitous belvedere path led then to today's idyllic campsite, high on a promontory near Dekhandhar at 2120 metres with superb views both down to the river and across to forests (Ian seems to have ventured on unmarked paths across the other side of the valley, if his map is to be believed), as well as over to Trisul.

This was a well populated path - the main track between villages. Eagles soaring, birds with blue tails, and locals occasionally with transistor radios. One house even had solar panels, and beans were being dried on black mats.

                                                  Campsite near Dekhandhar

We arrived to find our tents pitched, and spent a happy few hours before ascending the nearest hill, to try to catch sunset from the summit (we were delayed by John's hindu lesson assisted by a local school boy). We ascended quickly - 300 to 400 metres. John and I making the top just as the sun set. The others also saw the sunset as during the ascent the sun had appeared from behind the shadow of a nearby hillside.

We descended at about the same speed as we went up - about 45 minutes for the 1000ft or so, to reach the camp in darkness, which falls quickly here, on another lovely starlit evening.

Apart from the warmth and beautiful belvedere paths, today was memorable for an especially good dinner:

• nibbles on arrival at campsite
• veg soup - mainly cauliflower
• macaroni with onions, tomatoes and other things
• tender fried goat
• rice
• toast
• baked beans
• cauliflower cheese
• bread and butter pudding
followed as always by tea, coffee or Ovaltine (my preference) and then some stronger duty free - glenmorangie tonight - before sleep on hitting the sack at about 9:30.

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