TGO Challenge Parcel Service

 

 

 

Up to Penrith in time for the nine o'clock parkrun, after which Mike P left a parcel with me. We enjoyed a chat, then I headed up to Bridge of Orchy to deposit a parcel.

Buachaille Etive Mòr, like all the hills passed on today's journey, was grey under a thick haze. However, it was t-shirt weather, so I shouldn't complain.

Well,  perhaps I should, as by the time my 400 mile journey ended in Newtonmore at 6pm it was raining! Sue confirmed that the weather in Birmingham was still bright and sunny...

Ali, Adrian and their daughter Ellen were in residence. We enjoyed a very pleasant evening talking about all things 'Challenge' (well, tents), in between mouthfuls.

Thanks for having me, and thanks for the excellent meal.

Next TGOC 2019 posting

TGO Challenge Food Parcels

 

It’s that time of year. The TGO Challenge walk across Scotland will start in a few weeks. This year I’m doing an easy two week route with Sue, but without many places with shops that we could use to re-supply us. So this weekend I’m taking re-supply parcels to four places along the route where we have B&B accommodation. We’ll be wild camping in between these four points, unlike one year when we did the entire walk on a B&B basis, with Sue carrying a small bum bag due to a neck injury.

The spreadsheet (in view below) took a while to compose, and shopping was a bit of a pain. As usual, I returned home with too many of some items and not enough of others…

The provisions were then arranged in day by day piles on our dining room table. All rather messy, but it seemed to work.

The relevant piles were then bagged and boxed, all ready for delivery, together with boxes and camping gas for various others who are taking advantage of my package delivery service. The food boxed below is just for me and Sue; the carrier bag is full of what we are taking to our starting point in Oban.

Moral of story: don’t throw away your shoe boxes!

Now this all looks quite efficient, but previous experience indicates that some of the boxes may not actually contain everything that was on the spreadsheet, and in some instances the spreadsheet itself may be defective. We’ll have to take that as it comes…

Next TGOC 2019 posting

Monday 15 April 2019 – The Harlem Hot Stompers at Eagley Jazz Club

Bill Smith, second from right, drove all the way from Cornwall so that he could perform at this gig. He loves it. He’s nearly 80.

Today the band was joined by comparatively youthful John Spall, on clarinet. He performed a masterful version of Acker Bilk’s ‘Stranger on the Shore’. I think it’s that piece that first attracted me to jazz music, when I was 12 and we lived at Meads Cottage, Ryton. I don’t think my parents had the record, but the tune was played incessantly on the radio at that time. It has stood the test of time, like many jazz numbers.

It’s not the first time I’ve seen this band…

Monday 19 June 2017 – The Harlem Hot Stompers at Eagley Jazz Club

Monday 16 October 2017 – The Harlem Hot Stompers at Eagley Jazz Club

… two name but twice. Other reporting has been scant or non existent.

Where were you, Paul and Julie?

13 and 14 April 2019 – A Visit to the Lake District

Fairfield, with Hart Crag behind Sue

This posting is by way of a pictorial journey through last weekend’s activities. If you scroll down the posting you get low resolution images with commentary and captions, and if you click on any of the images you get a good resolution image, but no caption, and you can scroll through these images at the foot of the screen.

 

Lancaster parkrun starts in front of the Ashton Memorial (1909), built by Lord Ashton in memory of his second wife

Sue was chased home in just over 28 minutes on the hilly course in Williamson Park, by Alice, who is under 11 and doing her first parkrun

Here's the 5 km, two lap route

Then we headed up to Patterdale for a cuppa with Marian

Soon we were on the path beyond Side Farm

Lunch was taken in a sheltered spot on the ascent of Gale Crag

Looking back, we could see the distinctive twin summits of the Angletarn Pikes, with Place Fell to their left

First summit - Gale Crag - 512m

Sue marches along Hartsop above How

After reaching Fairfield, we headed towards Grisedale Hause, with views down to Grisedale Tarn

By 5 pm we had set up the Nallo and were looking forward to a relaxing night in the tent at Hause Moss (NY 350 115)

The short entry I posted earlier is here.

Sunday morning: we enjoyed a lie in, then made sure that all we left at Hause Moss was a patch of temporarily squashed moss

We soon braved some icy patches and reached Hause Gap, above Grisedale Tarn, with the zigzag path up to Dollywagon Pike in the distance

Others had a longer lie-in than we did

Looking back from the Dollywagon Pike path

On the summit of Dollywagon Pike, looking towards Helvellyn

There were lots of people making their way along Striding Edge, despite a strong wind

It was sheltered enough at the windbreak for us to enjoy a leisurely brew

Shortly before reaching the summit of Helvellyn, a runner jogged past us. We chatted to him at the top, impressed by his fitness. He then dashed off, saying that his young son would soon be coming from the other direction, and that he would have trouble keeping up. His son Noah had broken the Penrith parkrun course record the previous day - 15.33. Brilliant. I note that dad Derek, in his 50's came 4th in 17.44. Not that it's a race!

Meanwhile heads turned. Bear in mind that it was about minus 3C on the summit, with a strong wind that probably took it into the minus 20's, after taking account of wind chill.

Hannibal



Meanwhile, Sue was well wrapped up and enjoying her mug of tea

There were numerous friendly groups milling around near Helvellyn's summit

Swirral Edge - not our route down - -that's to the far left in this picture

Heading towards Lower Man and White Side in extreme wind

Looking back from Glenridding Common, with Swirral Edge on the left

We took a pleasant contouring path past Glenridding

A convoluted route passing near Lanty's Tarn saw us back down in Patterdale, and supping a pot of tea with Marian before
heading home for a good curry at Jitrada in Sale

My mobile posting for Sunday is here.


Saturday: 11km, 900 metres ascent. Sunday: 15km, 800 metres ascent. Red triangles represent the 10 Birkett summits (including 7 Wainwrights and 2 Marilyns) over which we passed

Sunday 14 April - Helvellyn

First wild camp for some time. Lights out: 9pm. Wake up at 7am. Lie in for an hour whilst Sue sleeps on. Very comfy.

Tea on. Muesli bars ready. Breakfast is quick. Pack up in the tent as it's windy and cold (minus 3°C) outside.

Away by 9.15. Soon up to Grisedale Hause. Pass various groups. Three tents at the eastern end of Grisedale Tarn. They are having a really long lie in.

Slow plod takes us over Dollywagon Pike, High Crag and Nethermost Pike. Easy stroll from there to reach Helvellyn's summit at 11.30, where we find a sheltered spot to brew up and chat to an assortment of folk. One man arrives shirtless. It must be about minus 20°C with wind chill.

Move on and soon lose the crowds. Traverse over Lower Man and White Side. Very windy here. Sue gets sprayed with grit by a mini tornado, then gets blown over. Bent walking pole and bruised leg.

Decide to change planned route over Raise and Sheffield Pike. Take the easy path above Keppel Cove to Glenridding Common, where a sheltered spot for lunch and another brew is found.

Switch to the south side of the Glenridding valley above the youth hostel, then enjoy the contouring path before rising above Lanty's Tarn then dropping into Grisedale. Reach Patterdale at 3.45.

Tea and cake with Marian, and a minor gear review, focusing on sleeping mats.

Back to Manchester, an easy journey. Stop at Jitrada Thai restaurant in Sale. Nice meal.

Gear testing deemed a success, though dry conditions limited the extent of testing.

Route description and more photos to follow.