The main purpose of this blog is to keep in touch with friends and family, and maybe entertain others with common interests, particularly in relation to the outdoors. We hope you enjoy it, and your comments are valued....
Sue and Martin in Mallorca 2019
Friday, 24 June 2022
Friday = Isabella Day (11)
Thursday, 23 June 2022
November 2004 - The Annapurna Circuit - Day 11
Thursday 11 November
Yak Kharka to Thorung Phedi
[Diarist: Martin]
Oh dear. Today we
find that George Bush has beaten John Kerry to the
Usual 6 am tea from Sagar, shortly followed by hot water, packing up, and a stroll to the tea house where we are served breakfast at 7 am. Porridge, always topped with muesli, and doused with honey in many of our cases, followed by a bread muffin and a fried egg. It made a nice sandwich.
We got away at 7:45,
on our own for a change. Another beautiful day, but we have turned a corner
from Manang so the sun doesn't light our path until nearly 8:30. By then we
have reached 4200 metres and have a short break to re-group. Nabrash is worried
about being told off for going too fast - we must let the kitchen to catch up,
and washing up is a hard slow process at this altitude due to the low
temperatures.
I'm wearing thicker gloves and my hands warm up fairly quickly, but my feet, whilst not really cold, do not feel comfortably warm until 9 am. The problem is we can't walk fast as we get out of breath. Sue and I did have a walking race along a flat section to the 4200m break - that and a bit of jogging on the spot did help us to warm up.
At 9:30 we had an
hour's break for the leading group - Andrew came in 25 minutes behind the first
to arrive, at an outdoor tea shop with a resident goat that expected food from
everyone. It was a fat goat. Noisy Spanish, then the familiar French, arrive.
4390 metres, 13C, 597 millibars. Lovely views in all directions. Lots of naks
seen on the way, many with young.
The tea shop was just a brick shelter relocated to this point quite recently when the main route was changed to this western side of the valley. A new bridge had been built this year (2061 in
Start: 4030 metres
Ascent: 485 metres
Descent: -15 metres
Finish: 4500 metres
Time: 3.5 hours
Stops: 1.0 hours
Walking time: 2.5
hours
And so, by 11 am we were at 'base camp' for our attempt at the crux of the trek - the Thorong La pass - 5415 metres. We were soon shown to our nearby tents, where we vegged, reading and preparing gear for tomorrow. Then we adjourned for lunch in the porters' dining area at the Thorong Phedi Hotel - quite a smart place. Trekkers staying at the hotel have their own posh area, but our quarters are better than the mess tent.
There is hydro power
here, and a TV blasted Nepalese pop music, then an Indian film, from the corner
of the large room. Our porters sat glued to the action, including Sherpa Hosta.
The porters eat rice and potatoes in large quantities, with their fingers
mostly, whilst we enjoy fried frankfurter type sausages, potatoes, coleslaw and
bread, followed by tinned peaches and lemon tea.
Sanjeev sets out tomorrow's timetable - tea at 4:30 am, breakfast at 5:00, leave 5:30 (no washing water) This sounds fine. And so by after 1 pm, we are well fed and adjourn for another spell of rest in the tents. Hot water for our last wash before Muktinath soon arrives, so we chill out, clean, whilst the sun warms the tents.
The only 'cloud on the horizon' is some high cloud to the south that could herald a weather front. We hope the brilliant weather will last another day though.
Here the pressure
is 587 mb - quite low.
The day ends early
after another good meal in the porters' dining room, with a film on in the
background. The meal was at 6 pm, bed at 7:30, ready for the hard day ahead. A
game of Uno had passed the time before dinner.
Wednesday, 22 June 2022
Tuesday 21 June 2022 - Mid-summer in Timperley
De Quincey Park, Timperley, on a lovely summer's morning. And that's it for today, midsummer celebrations having missed a walk this year, in favour of a visit to Dot's (selfie courtesy of Kate) in Kate's nice new car,
and dinner with Richard and Jenny after Prosecco in our garden...
It's great to hear the swifts overhead from time to time. Despite abandoning our eaves as a nesting place several years ago, there does still seem to be a Timperley enclave of swifts, albeit much reduced in size.
Enjoy the sunshine!
Tuesday, 21 June 2022
18 to 20 June 2022 - Sue Goes on Holiday
You could ask "Why go on holiday when the above scene is just a five minute walk from home?"
Nevertheless, Sue went on holiday to a spa somewhere 'abroad'.
Friday didn't = Isabella Day this week, as Issy is on holiday herself, and evidently enjoying the experience.
Sue then had an appointment at Wythenshawe parkrun, where she had promised to be Owen's buddy for the 5km run on Saturday morning.
295 participants assembled in the start field.
Mike and I are exactly the same age, and we run at the same pace (he used to be much quicker) and we both support the Sunday morning community run, which makes for a good start to the day.
Then Sue returned from holiday and we enjoyed an evening at Eagley Jazz Club with the Canal Street Stompers, featuring Derek Galloway (trombone), Roy Freeman (trumpet), Colin Bostock (Reeds), Charlie Bentley (banjo), Brian Woods (Drums), Dave Parr (double bass).
... and two umbrellas rescued from Geoff (RIP) Gilpin's loft!
Monday, 20 June 2022
November 2004 - The Annapurna Circuit - Day 10
Wednesday 10 November
Manang to Yak Kharka
Itinerary: DAY 10 Yak
Kharka (4,090m) Continuing west we move to
Tengi (3,642m). From here we branch away from the
[Diarist: Sue]
On the trail again,
so up at 6 am. Away from Manang after porridge, toast and omelette. It was cool
in the shade of the buildings. Looking back, Manang sat on a promontory, flags
flapping and smoke rising from chimneys, giving the valley a hazy appearance.
The river snakes
across the bottom of the valley, a silver ribbon. Yet again the sky is
cloudless. Soon, a large white chorten adorned with flags signifies the
entrance to the
There is a stream of people on the trail, some of whom are carrying large packs. Today we left the Marsyangdi, which headed up-valley to our left. We took the right fork. Behind, the views of Annapurna III and Gangapurna dominated.
Our lemon tea stop
was at the settlement of Gunsang. Just before this, we watched 4-5
partridge-like birds, pecking in the dust. The terrace enjoyed a panoramic view
of Annapurna III and Gangapurna, seeming only a short distance away. Here, Martin's
gloves did a disappearing act, only to reappear after a thorough search, under
his hat!
The valley is steep, but the path is 'Nepalese level' after tea. Chulu West is seen on our right, as we pass another long mani wall.
This area has blue sheep, which are neither blue nor sheep, and we may have seen some on a ridge above us. Probably not, they are uncommon and shy. At the same time, two lammergeiers flew above.
Our half day walk
ends at Yak Kharka, another settlement which is abandoned at the start of winter,
possibly for the last permanent village, Manang. It comprises a couple of tea
houses. Despite a thermometer reading of 20C and sunshine, there is considerable
wind chill and down jackets are required as we sit around, while tents are
pitched and lunch is prepared. We want to assist, but know it would embarrass
the sherpas. There are 29 people looking after the 6 of us, including 19
porters. This camp is at 4030 metres.
We eat lunch inside a wooden building. It appears to have 'double glazing', ie two sets of windows about a foot apart, but for most there is only glass in the outer ones! It is warmer inside the sunlit tents where we have some chill out time from 1:30 to 2:30.
An acclimatisation walk followed. A steep slope rose directly behind the camp in a dusty zigzag. It wasn't long before our tents were in the shadow of the mountain across the river, but we remained in sun until the descent. A slow plod was all we could manage, breathing heavily.
A bird of prey (lammergeier)
flew just below us, pretty close, gliding on the wind. Yaks were seen on the
hillside, their shapes unmistakable. We reached a height of 4500 metres. From
here,
Arrived back in camp at 4:30, to find naks (female yaks) grazing near the tents. Washing water arrived at 5:00 and tea was served at 5:30, inside the dining room of the teahouse again. Lindy, Mark, Martin and I played rummy, whilst the others read. Dinner was at 7:00 - mushroom soup, then yak meat, noodles, vegetable fritters, and 'special potatoes' - mashed potato with tuna, cheese and herbs on top. Custard crumble cake for pudding. The table was really well lit with the gas fired Tilley lamp.
When our hot water bottles arrive soon after 8 pm, it is the cue for everyone to head for bed.
Today's Stats:
Start: 3550 metres
Ascent: 490 metres
+pm 445 metres
Descent: -10 metres
+pm -445 metres
Finish: 4030 metres
Time: 4.0 hours +pm
2 hours
Stops: 0.5 hours
+pm 0.5 hours
Walking time: 3.5
hours +pm 1.5 hours
Sunday, 19 June 2022
Wednesday 22 June 2005 - Whitbarrow and Lord's Seat
Back in 'The Day', I used to organise midsummer evening walks, usually in the Lake District, to places like Helvellyn and Coniston Old Man. Then we moved these outings to the South Lakes, of which this Whitbarrow walk is a fine example, then the tradition lapsed.
Here's my 2005 diary entry for that year's walk. And wasn't it fun!...
Whitbarrow East and Lords Seat
This is a repeat
of last year's 16th of June walk with Richard and Jenny. This time they were on
holiday but Andrew joined us for a lovely warm summer's evening,
After a horrible
day at work for Sue, we left home at 5:40 and got to Raven's Lodge by 7 pm.
Retraced slightly to a sunny place for a picnic - avocado and prawns, pate and
blue brie butties, then strawberries and cream. Somewhat better than the poor fare
Andrew got at the nearby pub.
Andrew's GPS was
tested and worked fine - 11 stages on this route. (He had been on a course last
weekend.)
We set off at
7:35 along the warm, shady path through the woods. No woodpeckers today, but
lots of GPS.
Many large orchids in the woods leading up to Lords Seat, to which we emerged in bright sunshine. A runner sprinted up and down to the large cairn, training for fell running, whilst Sue sat on the top and we all enjoyed a beer and a brownie.
Then we continued along the crest, with views to the Coniston hills, towards the other end of the hill, where we observed a nice but bland sunset.
Then a pleasant
walk, still in shorts, back to the cars, reached at 10:10 pm.
Here's the route
- about 9km with 250 metres ascent.