For our first ‘Run to the Sun’ trip of 2011, it looks as if we’ll have to make do with ‘Sunny Intervals’.
Somehow I don’t think I’ll be wearing that Polartec® fleece outdoors very much!
This excellent website provides a pictorial flavour of conditions ‘on the ground’, so to speak.
At last. Sue and I got around to planning some trips for this year.
You can view them here, and by all means contact us if you’d like to come along. We’ll be on lots more as well, organised by others.
You are of course welcome to just turn up for the evening walks, and slide shows, the next one being from the Midland Hotel, Marple Bridge, 7.30pm on Wednesday 16 February.
Tonight, due to the provision of insufficient notice, it was just the two of us on a beautiful moonlit evening. The familiar route made for no navigational difficulties as we took the Bridgewater Canal towpath through Altrincham to Little Bollington and the warmth of The Swan with Two Nicks.
The canal was flat calm, hence the reflection (above) as we passed through Altrincham. But there was a cold bite to the air.
Leaving the pub and entering the grounds of Dunham Massey, we felt the cold air that had descended in clouds of vapour to the lowest point of our walk. We hastened on along this 11km route, chasing our own shadows in the moonlight, across the golf course, eventually joining the A56 near St Margarets. 9.30pm and the town centre was deserted. A smattering of folk joined us on the short tram ride back home, a thin sheen of frost now covering everything.
A pot of tea and a hot bath brought the evening to a most satisfying conclusion.
Sue and I were up for a walk, despite a pretty dire weather forecast. We’d have liked to go high, but post New Year Lassitude, not to mention the forecast, dictated a lower approach.
So it was that after some notable apologies Heather, Stu, Sue, JJ, Rick, Martin, Sue, Gayle and Mick, together with the canine trio of Trudy, Suzy and Molly, assembled for a leisurely coffee at Leighton Moss RSPB Centre.
Amazingly, it wasn’t raining, but we didn’t take any photos because “the weather will improve” someone quoted from a dodgy source – “BBC or MWIS?”
“Both” came the reply.
They were both wrong. It started to drizzle. The drizzle thickened. Waterproofs were donned by the non-Paramo contingent. Steady rain had been falling for a while before the cameras were finally brought out by the attractions of Gait Barrows (aspiring botanists should click that link), reached via Leighton Moss and a minor misplacement due to my poor navigation in Cringlebarrow Wood. (“I’ve never been here before” observed Sue O, the ‘local’.)
First a group photo, sort of.
Next a snap of Gait Barrow’s most impressive and extensive limestone pavement.
Then a poseur. Beside a large cairn declaring ‘Gait Barrows – National Nature Reserve – declared in commemoration of the Silver Jubilee of QE2 – 1952-1977’.
“The rain isn’t nearly as bad as yesterday” observed Sue O, who wanders these parts daily.
On exiting the Barrows a slightly more serious misplacement saw us walking up and down the road to Coldwell Farm, dodging a ‘boy racer’, and returning eventually to the relative safety of a footpath beside Leighton Beck, near Leighton House.
Our planned route being under water (did I mention, there’s been a bit of rain around here) we were tempted by a new footbridge over the beck. That was fine, but soon afterwards my chosen route came to a dead end against a fence in a marsh; clearly not a path. Here, Heather took over and led us over a broken wall, onto the track to Hazelslack.
Then I was in charge of route-finding again and we were soon confronted by some scary cows. (Actually, I thought they were remarkably docile.) With three dogs in our party, we skirted around the beasts. The path turned out to be the wrong one, as tactfully pointed out by Gayle, who by now had realised that navigation in this area is not my forté, and yet another retracing exercise was undertaken, faffter which I concluded that our circumperambulation of the cows had been completely unnecessary.
A straight route through boggy fields led inexorably to Arnside, where we stumbled along a bit of tarmac before pausing at a cul de sac from which I’d hoped to find a path up Arnside Knott. Sue O and Stu’s patience had been exhausted though, and they strode on up the lane from which I knew there was an easy route up the Knott. The rest of us reluctantly followed them, uneventfully ascended into a cool breeze, retreated from that, and settled down for a hard earned lunch. It was after all 1.30pm, and we’d been on the go since shortly after 10am.
We admired the view, such as it was. You can just see the splendid railway viaduct.
Since returning home, I’ve noticed that Gayle and Mick have revisited this spot. Here’s today’s view. And here’s one I took earlier.
Anyway, we carried on in the mist to bag the HuMP known as Arnside Knott.
The dogs got cold, so we rushed off down to Far Arnside, and in what seemed like just a jiffy we plunged into some deep Morecambe Bay mud.
“This is not a beach” observed Stu, “it’s quicksand”.
Heather and Trudy duly retreated.
In fact we nearly all retreated, leaving Sue B and Mick to brave the quicksand route to Silverdale, whilst the rest of us trudged over grassy fields with views down to the mud flats below.
Reunited with the survivors of the beach diversion, we toured the ginnels of Silverdale, passing this house, which if my memory serves me once looked quite smart.
Pleasant woodland…
…led to Woodwell, once Silverdale’s main water supply, and a drovers’ watering spot.
The pace increased as we hastened to meet a 4pm deadline at the RSPB centre. We rushed past Wolf House Gallery, shut for the month, and on along pleasant paths by Jack Scout, where the trees lean landwards – it’s clear where the wind prevails from here.
The sun came out as we rounded Jenny Brown’s Point!
The old smelt mill chimney glistened in the late afternoon sun.
Our party sloshed its was across and around the path that skirts the salt marsh as it heads back towards Leighton Moss. We’d exchanged all our TGO Challenge plans by now (seven ‘Challengers’ were present), and the attractions of either a pot of tea or a sighting of the starling roost at the RSPB centre were foremost in our minds.
Gayle disappeared to recover a dropped map case. Luckily, she found it. We made it back just after 4pm. The pot of tea was great, the starlings were not at their best – there had been 50,000 displaying their pre-roosting antics hereabouts last week; maybe many of them have now emigrated.
Here’s our route – 21km (20 without the diversions), 380 metres ascent, taking 6 hours.
That was an excellent day out. Thanks go to Heather for organising it and to Rick for doing the driving for the Timperley contingent. Just as well, as my keys disappeared during the course of the day, hence Gayle and Mick retracing our steps today. £75 for a new car key! Ouch!
LATER:
Gayle’s take on the day, with some different images, is here.
Last (long) weekend Sue and I embarked on a tour, visiting six households and enjoying a variety of diversions.
Thursday
We started by pootling down to Half Moon, near Exeter, where Trevor proudly displayed his Brexton picnic kit. I don’t really know what brought this on, but Robert’s ears may have been burning.
Robert is an occasional ‘outdoors blogger’. In between times he earns a living. Will this link result in an increase in Robert’s visitor count from 00000181, I wonder?
Friday
Sue and I enjoyed a day at Ashburton Cookery School, where Phil assisted in the concoction of some delicious fayre.
I’ll be posting a separate report on the day’s activities, after which we returned with well filled ‘doggie bags’ to share later with Maureen and Trevor.
Saturday
As previously indicated, I had been requisitioned to take a photo before leaving Half Moon. This is it.
Back in 1998, Robert and Lyn learnt how to make stained glass windows, mirrors, etc. Despite their website, they seem to be too busy doing other things these days. The window above is perfect for its location – I don’t think R and L have seen it in situ (hence the photo).
Leaving Half Moon until the day when we’ve saved up for another cookery course, we headed in to the ancient city of Exeter.
The cathedral on this site was founded in 1050. Whilst some of the original Norman construction survives, most of the building comprises a major rebuild, in Decorated Gothic style, carried out between around 1270 and 1350.
A magnificent building.
We rushed off for lunch with Colin, Liz and Simon, in exchange for some CCS and a lesson on how to play Yatzy. This proved more confusing than expected, as their version - ‘Yahtzee’ – sported rather different rules to the ones with which we are familiar!
After this delightful interlude we pushed on to visit Ralph and Gillian in Crewkerne, where they share their home with Jack and two elderly cats. Everyone here seems long-lived. Jack, the parrot, is 44, for example, and may outlast us all.
Sunday
We gorged ourselves last night, again. A delicious pork roast. I think we may be over-eating!
Gillian, pictured below with Sue’s dad, dug out loads of old photos that will keep Sue entertained for weeks.
Moving on….
A short drive found us slithering (literally – black ice) over the Mendips to Blagdon, where our culinary delights continued with one of Lyn and Simon’s excellent roast chicken dinners.
We had to walk it off! Simon still had a rugby induced hangover to dispose of. Luckily the weather was perfect for a walk, and the Mendip Hills beckoned. Ben and Polly enjoyed their fifth birthday a few days ago, and they managed the 5km walk completely under their own steam. It may be the longest walk they have done.
And possibly their first summit – we reached the trig point at Beacon Batch – 325 metres – with expansive views towards Bristol and the mouth of the River Severn.
I didn’t realise it at the time, but this is indeed a ‘proper’ summit, with a relative height of more than 500 feet compared with its nearest neighbour, making it a ‘Marilyn’. Perhaps a start to Ben and Polly’s ‘bagging’ careers.
From the trig point we entered a deep groove inhabited by mountain bikes, leading to Black Down, from where we did indeed proceed ‘down’ a pleasant path, eventually contouring east to regain the car park near Ellick Farm shortly before dusk.
Here’s our route – 5km, 200 metres ascent, around 2 hours.
Monday
Our tour concluded with a gentle drive home, punctuated by visits to Solihull and Eccleshall, on a dull day.
Manchester has remained dull all week – there’s been no incentive to go walking. Instead, I visited ‘town’ for lunch with Graeme, whose professional advice I’ve appreciated over the past 30+ years. He’s working part time now and may well appear shortly on one of our walks.
The building below brings back memories. I spent a few months here during the demise of Lewis’s, the department store. It was hard to sell, having the greatest square footage of any retail property in Manchester.
Back in Timperley – the ice on the canal still hadn’t all melted despite the warm weather. Note the icy sheen on the picture below…
The ice has all gone now, as I write on Saturday afternoon.
For those who may be interested, there’s a 60 image slide show of our tour, here.
It really does look very professional.
This ubiquitous mat-forming plant decorates short turf, damp rocks and screes across all of the European Alpine regions, up to heights of around 3700 metres.
It’s even to be found here in the UK, but not usually in such lavish quantities.
This particular specimen was snapped on 9 July 2010 near Rifugio Serristori in the Stelvio National Park.
Lost on our TransAlp bike ride? No, surely not!
Here, I think, Markus studies the rare luxury of a map of our route, whilst relaxing on 1 September 2010 at the 1836 metre high point of Passo Bregn del Ors, above Madonna di Campiglio, in the Brenta Dolomites.
Perhaps he is also puzzling ‘how come we have four bikes between the two of us’?
There are great views towards the Marmolada massif from here, but that’s for another day.
On 9 July 2010 Sue and I drove round to Solda (Sulden) and walked up to Rifugio Serristori (aka Dusseldofe Hutte) at 2724 metres.
From there we continued to this small unnamed lake at 2886 metres. A calm, relaxing spot with a magnificent mountain outlook.
We commend anyone to pay a visit to the Stelvio National Park.
We enjoyed this view every time we strolled into the village of Trafoi from the camp site, which is just visible above the church roof.
The hanging glacier is the one which dominates the camp site - shown in yesterday’s image.
The church provided a roost for hundreds of screeching swifts, which gathered each night much as starlings do at this time of year in the UK.
Remember the heatwave of last July? We escaped from the intense heat around Lake Garda, to spend a lovely few days above 1500 metres at the camp site at Trafoi, in the Stelvio National Park.
The glaciers lit by the lovely sunsets, were visibly, and audibly, melting during our stay, which was punctuated by the crash of distant avalanches.
High up in the Stelvio National Park, on 7 July 2010, I’m admiring the view north, towards Austria.
Roll on summer!
We are having a few days away – not a walking trip – so unless some mobile postings are forthcoming, over the next few days viewers will have to make do with a few images from last summer’s holiday in the Alps.
Near Persone – a small village not far from Lake Garda – we found this fine specimen of Devil’s Claw, a shy plant that tries to hide away in high rocky crevices.
The images from that trip remain ‘unsorted’, so it’s a great pleasure to browse through them; please excuse the indulgence.
Oban > Bridge of Orchy > Bridge of Gaur > Dalwhinnie > Ballater > North Water Bridge > a beach near St Cyrus, is the gist of the route, at the end of which I hope a good companion will stand in for the very wobbly walking pole from which the above picture was taken at the end of last year’s effort.
Comments from an (as yet unnamed) esteemed vetter are awaited.
A Strange Tram Experience
I joined Sue and Jenny for a pizza in town tonight, after which they were going to the ballet. I’d just not felt like cooking for myself, but I was dismayed, on leaving the restaurant, to discover that my route home, past Old Trafford, coincided with a rush of supporters intent on watching a Man Utd football match. I squeezed onto a tram at Market Street. It was full of supporters, but calm, chatty, and not at all intimidating. I must have looked a bit frail. For the first time in my life someone stood up and offered their seat. I politely declined and moved towards an empty seat further up the carriage. Someone else stood up and offered their seat. '”It’s ok, thanks”, I found the empty seat. This group of supporters were actually better travel companions than the pushy commuters I used to have to contend with (I was one of them, I don’t deny that). On reaching Old Trafford, nearly everyone got off. Unlike commuters, they paused when they reached my seat to enable me to leave before them – I had to explain that I wasn’t going to the match. All very courteous. Should I be surprised? Perhaps not.
Over on Gayle’s blog are some impressive graphs concerning her activities during 2010.
So I thought I’d work out some statistics for my own 2010 activities.
I walked rather less than Gayle’s 1,813 miles, though at 1,184 miles (1,905km) I nearly managed to replicate her digits. But my miles weren’t all that ‘flat’, as I climbed some 73,360 metres (240,694 ft) and topped a few summits – 9 Munros, 22 Corbetts, 32 Wainwrights and 53 Birketts, as well as 19 other ‘minor’ summits – mainly Shutlingsloe and lesser Alpine peaks. Of the UK summits, 53 were ‘Marilyns’ – ie summits 500 feet (~150 metres) higher than the land around them.
Adding in bike rides (1,317km), jogging (307km) and skiing (250km), my grand totals for 2010 are 3,779km (2,348 miles) and 100,343 metres (329,225 ft) ascent.
But the statistic I like best is the number of days I managed to get out – excluding walks under 5km, bike rides and most of the jogging – it comes to about 150 days, from which I conclude that I’m well and truly retired! Perhaps even a bit tired!
It’s cooling down again here in Timperley. The slight thaw produced a little surface water on the frozen canal, which has re-frozen to form an attractive ‘shattered glass’ effect. It’s now about 3 inches thick, so is fine to walk on, apart for a few thin patches and the fact that it’s incredibly slippery.
Plans for 2011 are on the drawing board, but some of the above statistics will take some beating…
We had some lovely presents this (last) year.
Here’s one of the best, a 250 piece wooden jigsaw featuring a classic view. For a change, it’s not Shutlingsloe!
Thank you, Andrew and Kate, for this lovely present. We’ll dismantle it soon and bring it round to your house for reconstruction.
Similar products are available from here.
It’s not long since I was joined by Richard and Graham for a stroll up Shutlingsloe on the splendidly moonlit evening of 20 December.
It’s only a 5km walk with 270 metres of ascent from Trentabank, but for me the ascent of the Matterhorn of Cheshire always counts as a ‘mountain’ with its wide ranging views into the Peak District, across the Cheshire plain, and over much of Greater Manchester.
We enjoyed that walk, and the subsequent sojourn with beers in front of a roaring fire at the Leather’s Smithy.
But that was last year…
It’s a New Year tradition for Sue and me to go for a walk – a tough one if the weather is suitable. Today dawned dull and dreich, so we didn’t rush off to get drenched in Snowdonia or the Lake District.
That can wait.
Instead, we enjoyed a gentle ascent of Shutlingsloe with some good friends, setting off for a change from the Standing Stone Car Park, which reduces the ascent to just 170 metres.
Andrew and Kate were eager to bag the summit….
…which soon came into view, intermittently through the mist.
It didn’t take long to reach the top, where lots of photos of the group….
…were taken by our resident experts.
Descent was by the path to Trentabank, then through the woods which despite the low light levels sported some surprisingly bright green tree trunks.
This was an excellent way to spend a couple of hours on New Year’s Day, followed by lunch from the kiosk at Trentabank Visitor Centre, where we happened upon Alan and Kate, out for a stroll with Obi the horse (by which time my camera, sadly, had been stashed in the car).
Some more pictures, for the benefit of those present on the walk, are here.
And here’s our route – about 4.5km, with 170 metres ascent, suitable for children, and those with little time to spare.
Happy New Year, everyone.
