Saturday 22 November 2014 - Morfa Nefyn to Porth Towyn

Now we are six. Richard and Jenny arrived last night. 

Despite early sunshine (pictured top in Porthmadog harbour - the view from Number 55) which may have enticed us into Snowdonia, we stuck to our plan of a coastal walk on the Llyn Peninsula.

After leaving a car at Porth Towyn, the six of us started off towards the golf course from a convenient café in Morfa Nefyn.

Luckily, by the time we had started the heavy showers that had suddenly appeared had moved on to Snowdonia. 

We soon reached Porth Dinllaen, with fine views to yesterday's hill - Garn Boduan. The view over Ty Goch Inn and the bay is shown above.

Elevenses on a bench overlooking the bay under a hot sun followed, then we spent ages strolling around the peninsula and beside the golf course. 

Lunch (pictured) was taken beside a flock of starlings at Aber Geirch. Millions of flies above the Fucus serratus and Laminaria digitata were providing a fine feeding zone for these birds. Ken spent a while trying to identify purple sandpipers. They turned out to be Turnstones. Robins asserted their territorial rights and stonechats chattered nearby.

Shadows lengthened as the afternoon progressed and our progress was recorded in the shadows on the beach below. Oyster catchers flew past and Anglesey was clear on the northern horizon. 

Curlews, lapwings and starlings gathered in huge groups towards dusk. Seals were spotted by Sue, Anne and Jenny - forty to fifty of them basking on the rocks. 

Mud was encountered as we continued along the coast to admire a fine sunset from Porth Ysgaden.

I'd mistakenly gone a bit further than planned, and by the time we got to Towyn farm we'd covered about 15 km in quite a few hours.

All six then made it back to the second car and adjourned for one of Sue's Thai banquets at Number 55.

Another excellent day.

Friday 21 November 2014 - Garn Boduan and Llanbedrog

The day started fine, but forecast rain slowly encroached,  justifying our decision to stick to an easy morning walk.

So we drove to Nefyn for a 9 km stroll around and over the 279 metre summit of Garn Boduan.

Yesterday's brown butterflies were in short supply as we rose up an ancient walled lane (pictured- top) past rampant gorse bushes flanked by red campion, yarrow and trailing tormentil. Harebells and herb robert also lined the path, as views down to Nefyn and across to Garn Boduan (pictured - middle) became more expansive. 

We circled Coed Mynydd Nefyn and at the top of the path a large gathering of partridge and pheasant awaited their imminent doom, as gunshots from Bodfuan Shoot crept ever closer. 

Spots of rain didn't deter us from a tea and cake stop near the B4354, along which road a short section of this walk was forced to travel. Here we encountered the Shoot's unattended Landrover, with swag in the back (including an errant magpie) and a badly smashed windscreen.

Then it was up through forestry to Garn Boduan's rocky summit, with evidence of an Iron Age hill fort and traces of over 100 dwellings over 2000 years old poking out of the bell heather. Apparently between 100 and 400 people would have lived up here. 

Lunch was taken at a point near the summit where I fell into a hole and summersaulted into a position from which I was disinclined to move. 

Our descent on a little used route to some forestry workers with heavy machinery was in the company of snipe and woodcock. Blackbirds and lapwings were also seen hereabouts.

The rough route gave way to a woodland path back to Nefyn, with many different types of fungi on display,  including some Ramaria varieties poking out of the leaf litter.

The drizzle was setting in as persistent rain by the time we regained the car, so we passed the afternoon on a visit to Llanbedrog, in particular to the gallery (pictured - bottom) that started life in 1856 as Lady Love Jones Parry's dower house. In 1896 it became an art gallery and ballroom. A horse-drawn tramway was extended along the sandhills from Pwllheli to the hall's entrance. Until 1927, when the tramway closed, trips by tram to Llanbedrog beach and to the house for dances and afternoon teas, were popular with holidaymakers. Likewise, we enjoyed afternoon tea and cake in the restored hall, but much to Sue's disappointment we gave the dancing a miss.

Thursday 20 November 2014 - Gyrn Goch, Gyrn Ddu and Bwlch Mawr

Happy Birthday Kate!

Last night we popped down to join Ken and Anne at 'Number 55' in Porthmadog. 

After a fine South Afican bobotie and a deep sleep we awoke this morning tea and croissants. 

Then, after admiring the view from our street (pictured - top), we embarked on a version of Walk 28 in David Berry's excellent little guide to walks on the Llyn peninsula. 

Clynnog Fawr was reached despite the best efforts of the Welsh road system to foil us, and after dodging some filming outside the Y Beuno hotel, we were soon rising high above the coast road, on the coast path. 

The weather was cloudy but warm. Benign. After a skeletal 'tractor' that AlanR will no doubt identify in seconds, an easy stream crossing,  elevenses and brownies, we turned coastwards (yes!) from the coast path to ascend the two Gyrns. Gyrn Ddu (at 522 metres our high point of the day) is well protected by rocks. Ken and Anne declined its invitation. 

Lovely views in clearing conditions were enjoyed together below the summit boulders over which Sue and I had scampered. Lunchtime - pictured. 

Then a short stroll to an unnamed summit led us back to the coast path, from which we were distracted by a gentle ascent to the 509 metre top of Bwlch Mawr, access to whose trig point was barred by a huge wall.

Views of the sun beaming down on the peninsula towards Bardsea Island were admired at length (a slideshow will follow) before we headed down to a ruined cottage and a stretch of quiet tarmac. There were immaculate views past a high mast to sunlit Snowdonia. 

Robins and wrens vied for the noisiest bird award whikst a sparrowhawk circled menacingly above.

The path got boggy, and perhaps Ken did regret his decision not to wear gaiters. Dusk came and darkness was descending fast by the time we got back to Clynnog Fawr at 5 pm.

At about 16km with up to 800 metres ascent, taking 6.25 hours - this was a fine day out in lovely conditions. 

Blackpool’s Sticky Rock Jazz Band

I suppose this is really just a plug for Eagley Jazz Club, whose members either enjoyed or were subjected to Blackpool’s Sticky Rock Jazz Band last night.

I’m not sure whether this fivesome have ever performed together before, or whether they will do again, but with Anthony Mason competing with Mike ‘Lovely’ Lovell for the role of ‘main man’, a distinctly ‘Formbyesque’ atmosphere prevailed.

Alongside banjo playing Mason on the back row, Colin Turner was hidden to most of the audience by his giant tuba, which seemed to me to cover for the absence of a double bass and any percussion. On the front row, Mike was flanked by either ‘in the flesh’ or clones of Andy Henderson and Willy Entwistle (or was that Pete Eddowes?). Judging by the confusion within the band as to who they all were, I suspect that they were clones.

It was a little ‘lighter’ than the usual trad jazz fare on offer here, but quite good fun if you could cope with Anthony’s nasal attempts at humour. In truth, the band were not bad at all, and they were able to comply with a request to play the Temperance Seven’s 1961 hit – ‘You’re Driving Me Crazy’ (I think!). In fact, several of them claimed to have played with the Temperance Seven, which I’ve noticed over the months is a badge of respect donned by many of the performers at this club.

It would be good to see some of you there sometime….

Autumn Colours

I haven’t seen too much of the autumn colours this year, but these golden beech leaves overhanging the Leeds & Liverpool Canal couldn’t fail to catch my eye today.

Wythenshawe Parkrun Number 162

I enjoyed marshalling at “the far bridge” this morning, trying to encourage 216 runners around Wythenshawe Park’s two-lap Parkrun circuit on a warm, muddy morning. The bridge is 900 metres from the start/finish line and it’s very peaceful sitting on the railings waiting for the runners, whilst being entertained by squabbling gulls and foraging jays, not to mention my attempts to convert passing dog walkers into Parkrunners.

The two winners, Allan and Diane – pictured above with third place Roger – even managed a third lap, resulting in puzzled looks from folk who found themselves lapped twice on the two lap course.

I took lots of photos with a camera not really designed for the purpose, so most of my subjects appear as speedy blurs on the dull day, even if they were walking. Anyway, I hope they appreciate that I’ve tried to show them in a ‘fast’ light. The results are here. If you aren’t familiar with ‘Parkrun’, Wythenshawe’s home page is here.

My Picasa album is here, and I’ve also tried to put them in the Parkrun Flickr album, but I’ve struggled with that on a number of fronts – even though I sign in as me, the photos appear to emanate from Sue (who wasn’t there today), and … well, I can’t find the captions or play a slideshow. Perhaps you can!

To view the Picasa album, click on the first image and then click ‘slideshow’ – even I can do that.

It’s a great way to start the weekend – see you all again soon.

PS – do let me know if you are not happy with any of these images being made public, and I’ll delete them from the album (email: martin@topwalks.com)

Thursday 13 November 2014 – Styal Woods

Last night a small group of stalwarts assembled in the friendly surroundings of the Ship Inn, Styal, for a short perambulation. Alistair and Sue were clothed as if for a summer evening stroll. The rest of us were too hot in the heat of the November evening.

Why the ‘Ship’? you might ask. The pub actually dates back around 350 years (that’s 120 years before the nearby mill was built) and was once known as the ‘Shippon’, a farm building used to store manure, but became the Ship Inn when the farmer who owned it started brewing for the local people. It’s now known for its much sweeter smelling 260 year old wisteria and the beautiful roses that grow up the front of the building.

A short stroll past some old cottages brings you/us to Styal Cross, about which the following plaque provides a brief history. It’s a good place from which to start a variety of walks, as is Twinnies Bridge on the road to Wilmslow.

Heading towards the chapel, after a few metres a good path slopes off left into Styal’s northern woods.

There are lots of different ways through the woods on a network of paths. We chose to cross a side valley by a newish metal bridge, before reaching Chapel Bridge and another side valley.

This is of course a walk down the Bollin Valley. Badgers can be seen hereabouts, but the intensity of Andrew’s floodlight must have warned them of our presence.

It’s an area of well maintained paths with a thick bed of beech leaf litter – thankfully the only litter spotted today.

After an encounter with Oxbow Bridge, and a few up and down steps, we eventually crossed to the north side of the river at Giants Castle Bridge, where Jim Krawiecki was spotted kayaking his way towards the Atlantic Ocean.

(Jim will be returning from this adventure to give an enthralling talk at Hazel Grove Civic Centre next Wednesday evening at 8 pm.) Details here.

Beyond the Airport Inn, where we finally emerged from the woods, a short walk up the A538 road leads to a field path to the hamlet of Morley, where a lone Lesser Periwinkle (Vinca minor), which my flower book says flowers between February and May, seemed to have been refreshed by a pile of windfall apples.

After Morley, a thin path led across a newly sown field which bears memory of a thin path between a huge sweetcorn (or was it sugar beet? or cannabis?) crop, to a stile which introduced us to the beady eyes of a bull named Quantas.

After hastily falling over the stile at the edge of Quantas’s domain, we meandered back to the A538 and to the turn to Bank House Farm, which we noticed is up for sale. Perhaps after many years of having to put up with the farm’s moat of mud, walkers may in the future be able to reap the benefits of a drier area that hopefully the new owners will maybe prefer for their own sake.

Beyond the farm, the path improves again as it makes its way down to Quarry Bank Mill. There are good views down to the woods near Oxbow Bridge.

Following the loss of my Merrell Moab GTX shoes in Madeira – they fell apart after 1200 km – my old Keen Targhee II shoes have been brought back into use having long ago been retired to mountain biking duties after 1750 km of use on the hills. [Keen 2 – Merrell 1]

Walkers on this route may relax at the prospect of ‘no more mud’ when they reach this view of Quarry Bank Mill, the splendid cotton factory founded by Samuel Greg in 1784.

A short way up the road, a left turn takes the walker directly back to Styal Cross, and on to the fleshpots of Styal.

Sue and Andrew, having not got enough exercise, decided to take the long route back, but the rest of us followed the route shown below – approximately 7 km with 150 metres ascent. It took us a very leisurely hour and fifty minutes.

Our next (and only planned at present, so suggestions for next year would be welcome) evening walk is our annual 5 km yomp, starting at 7.30pm from Trentabank car park (SJ 960 711), adjourning for Christmas Ale at the Leather's Smithy in Langley. All are welcome.

PS Are you impressed with my trial of the Lumix special infra-red lens software that brings daylight to moonlit images?

Back Home

Well, we had an uneventful journey back from Madeira on Monday afternoon, and this week is flying past in a blur of domestic chores.

I have escaped on my bike a couple of times, and this is Tuesday’s view on the Bridgewater Canal. A rare such sighting, thankfully, and even rarer to see an umbrella and a walking pole on the roof of a decent looking car in the canal.

Timperley residents can breathe a sigh of relief as they will note from the picture below that the incident took place near the animal rescue centre in Stretford.

The vehicle was quickly removed, there being no sign of it today.

Paul do Mar

A great day out on Walk 49 in our 3rd edition Rother guide.

The descent from Prazeres to the fishing village of Paul do Mar was 500 metres down a lovingly restored classic cobbled path in a vertiginous valley.

Whiffs of rain occasionally splattered us from cloud clinging to the centre of the island, but we remained in sunshine. 

A grey wagtail led us to easier ground, past a naked gentlemen leering towards the Americas, and to welcome refreshments from the Bar dos Pescadores. Then a walk between houses that reminded us of Staithes led to a blustery seafront where the spray from crashing waves mixed with the rain coming seemingly from an empty sky. Expert windsurfers demonstrated their skills.

It was a 640 metre climb up to the Levada Nova, which isn't all that new as it dates from before 1953. It's lined with concrete rather than the more familiar stone, so it does actually look new.

Another lovely paved path took us up to the levada, half way up which we paused for lunch at a viewpoint where an old wheel remains from a conveyor belt system for moving goods. Prickly pears provided the foreground for photos back to Paul do Mar, which is pictured above from near the start of the walk at Hotel Jardim Atlantico, which also sports fine views towards the Statue of Liberty. 

We met a few folk today, including a couple of large guided tours on the levada. Also in evidence were some very chatty charms of golfinches. Kestrels and buzzards were in attendance. Swifts, lizards and dragonflies made guest appearances - the lizards in particular were waiting for the first chance to hoover up our lunch crumbs. 

The 8 km or so of levada walking was an absolute delight. The Levada Nova enjoys an open aspect with good sea views. The only downside was that I arrived back at Whitey rather battered with a grazed knee and no shoes. Never mind, the soles of my Merrell shoes had after all parted company with the uppers. My claim to have been mugged was treated with the derision it deserved. 

Luckily, we returned to Funchal after this 19 km stroll (in a little over six hours) to find our fridges full of beer. It being our last night, that situation had to be remedied.

Next stop - Timperley. 

The 25 Springs

Today we drove along the coast to Calheta and then up a hill to Rabaçal.

Meanwhile, Pat went on a short walk from the hotel to loosen up for another bout of authoring.

A light mizzle up at 1200 metres was at first ignored by us, but when Dave produced a brolly the mizzle turned to rain. We were in a cloud. It was probably clear and sunny up at 1800 metres.

After walking down to the big forestry house in the middle of nowhere at Rabaçal, we headed down to the Levada do Risco and onwards along the easy path to the Risco waterfall, a long thread that wends its way down a cliff face.

Retracing our steps, we soon descended to the popular Levada das 25 Fontes. The gang is pictured here, with Dave sporting his brolly that most of the time looks like a satellite dish. The path was busy. The levada was full of trout. Chaffinches could be fed by hand. Heather trees were everywhere, as were many varieties of lichen. Coachloads of folk seemed to be coming back from the 25 Springs, which turned out to be an amphitheatre of small waterfalls. Photos were taken in the rain. My phone had camera shake and my wet weather camera was on the sunset setting. Boo hoo. 

A continuation of this levada was thankfully quiet, as most people are guided directly back to Rabaçal. So we found a sheltered, albeit drippy, spot for lunch.

Returning along the busy path, we soon found a steep zigzag route down to the next levada - there are at least four levels hereabouts - the Levada da Rocha Vermelha. This was a superb levada, and we didn't see anyone else on it. We walked along it for some way, passing a long tunnel, the Seixal tunnel, whose exit several kilometres away was just a pinprick of light. 

Vertigo got the better of Carol, but the rest of us continued a good halfway towards Adeneiro. Returning along the same beautiful path, we admired succulents on the levada walls and rejoined Carol near the cave that marks the way back up to 25 Springs. 

We chose to continue on this lower level before taking a steep ascent path near a tunnel. After that a right turn along the 25 Springs levada soon brought us to a huge tunnel, the exploration of which will have to wait.

Then a final steep haul up to the forestry house found us indulging in €3 fares for a minibus ride back to the car.

Our walk had covered about 15 km, with around 400 metres of ascent. 

Coffees etc at a good café next to the  Jungle Rain Café (closed for refurbishment) on the plateau warmed us up, as did the steep 1000 metre descent in Whitey back to the coast road. For a change, we were back at Savoy Gardens before dark, and for the first time, there was room for Whitey in the car park.

Keith and Carol even found time to walk into Funchal. 

Later - the Madeiran buffet was excellent - full of local delicacies like Scabbardfish.

Camacha Adventures

Pat decided to go painting - she's designing a cover for her latest 'British Cosy' genre book.

The rest of us drove to Camacha for a gentle levada walk - Levada da Serra to Largo do Miranda above Funchal, then descending to the Levada dos Tournos for the walk back to Camacha. 

Lots of people were walking these popular levadas, including several large guided groups. Thomsons charge over €35 per person per day for such excursions! Gorse, daisies and sweet peas were amongst the colourful flowers lining the path as we passed through verdant green eucalyptus woods.

The day was warm but overcast. Blossoms of a host of flowers adorned the path. We reached a tunnel. It's known to us as 'Walton's Wade' in memory of Barry's adventure here on 22 November 2009. Today we managed the 500 metres underground along a narrow 'towpath' with no untoward incidents. 

After 20 km and nearly six hours on the hoof, we found ourselves back at cloudy Camacha at 4 pm. "Let's go to Pico do Arieiro" suggested some joker. Four of them actually. I thought it was a wind up. I was wrong. Soon I was chauffeuring the foursome up a 1000 metre ascent full of potholes in a thick fog.

"Blue sky up there" observed Sue. Amazingly she was right. I'd been proved completely wrong. We emerged into bright sunshine and calm weather above the clouds at 1810 metres. What more can I say. The lower picture should be sufficient. We lingered at this viewpoint with views to Pico Ruivo, the 1862 metre high point of the island. Yesterday's summit, Pico Grande, was also just about visible. 

The drive back through more fog wasn't that pleasant. 

Pico Grande

Today's first picture is from yesterday. I meant to attach it instead of yesterday's second image but I made a 'wrong click'.

Today Pat went on another bus ride and did some more writing. 

The others decided the weather would be suitable for some summiteering, so the five of us went up to Encumeada, a pass at about 1100 metres, in Whitey.

Sunny though it was at 10am, clouds were clearly making their way in. However, a delightful paved pathway through eucalyptus woodland, from which today's second picture was taken, took us down to Grass Bridge and then inexorably up to Bocca do Cerro, at 1300 metres. We were still half a mile away from and 350 metres below the fog-bound summit of Pico Grande. 

The paved way is called the Royal Path, and was used by generations as a means of crossing the island in the days before the current network of roads. 

By now the cloud had come in as expected. Our Cicerone guide had been discredited as we were about half way round Route 19, which Paddy Dillon claims to be 9 km in total. We had already walked nearly 10 km!

Paddy's route seemed to me to be inappropriate for the conditions, so after lunch I took a final picture of the summit party (see above) and retraced my steps from Bocca do Cerro. The first 3 km were in mist, with unseen mewing buzzards and very visible flitting firecrests - intent on their foraging and oblivious to human presence. Nobody had been willing to join me, so I'd left them to scoff at my suggestion that they pay attention to micro navigation and the possible need for 'pacing' in order to get them to the planned descent path to the north of Pico Grande.

I arrived back at the café at Encumeada at about 4.15, after a 19 km outing in about 6 hours. Shortly before that I received a message from Dave saying that they were back at the lunch spot and returning the same way - 'Eta 6.30'.

Hang on - 6.30 is dinner time! Ho hum...

Here's what I've managed to extract from them concerning the three hours or so between leaving them at Bocca do Cerro and hearing from them again from that same spot. (I knew I should have brought my Kindle.)

"We summited without difficulty. Fantastic but brief cloud inversion. Descent to Paddy Dillon's route. Thin path. Little evidence of people having gone this way. Then fog. Missed 'plummeting descent' and ended up back on the ridge, where a superb cloud inversion started to emerge. Unwise to continue on Dillon's route as now 3pm. Returned to lunch spot then a quick descent in two hours to waiting Whitey, arriving at dusk - 6.10. Uneventful drive home thanks to the dynamic duo of navigational genius Keith and his assistant, Lady App."

Dinner is served between 6.30 and 9 o'clock, so no problem with that - just in case anyone was worried!

A Coastal Classic

Today Pat enjoyed an open top bus ride and a bit more writing. 

Keith and I visited a car shop and came away with a reasonably priced Fiesta - 'Whitey' - in less than the time it took Carol and Sue to acquire provisions for lunch. No insurance excess, no charge for extra drivers. Bargain!

The 8 km (4 km each way) stroll on the spectacular rocky coast of the São Lourenço peninsula is an old favourite.  This is the fourth time I've been on this walk from Baia d'Abra to the summits beyond Casa do Sardinha and back. It's delightful. 

Rain was clearly falling over 'inland' Madeira, but we enjoyed sunshine and an occasional stiff breeze. A little over four hours was spent over the 8 km course, before we reached the ice cream van at the car park. 

During the walk we enjoyed the company of a multinational cast of humans, as well as a kestrel, lots of pigeons and lizards, and a variety of common flora with a Madeiran twist. Madeira Sea Stock for example. More flowers should be identified in our slideshow in due course. 

The short walk enabled us to return to Funchal by 4pm for an afternoon and evening of traditional debauchery.

An Urban Levada Walk

Whilst Pat set about writing another chapter of her book, the rest of us enjoyed a walk from the hotel.

About 30 metres above the Savoy Gardens a narrow lane reaches the Levada dos Piornais, which we followed for over 8 km to a gate. Well, Sue, Dave and Keith went to the gate; Carol and I stopped in the vicinity of a bridge shortly before the final vertiginous section of unprotected path.

Bananas and kestrels, and an excellent coffee shop in Quebradas graced the sunlit route, though the mountain rain did occasionally stray our way in the form of a light drizzle. 

After retracing our steps to a bemused foreign couple, we ascended 150 metres up steps and roadways to join the Levada Novo do Curral up an alleyway beyond the Pinheiro das Voltas snack-bar. Lunch was taken on a concrete roof top adjoining the levada, before heading back round to the Socorridos valley inhabited by the Piornais levada 150 metres below.

Our respective susceptibility to vertigo dictated how far we each went along this path. I stopped soon after the houses of Fajã came into view ahead of us. Carol joined me twenty minutes later, with the other three enjoying 30 minutes (a good kilometre) each way beyond my inclination. It was most pleasant waiting in the shade of the levada walls on this hot and humid day.  

In fact, Carol and I were waiting at the point where our Rother guidebook states "Due to the perilously close steep drops, do not continue along this path." Rother's latest edition does not even include this walk.

In contrast, Paddy Dillon's Cicerone guide quite happily describes a walk from Curral das Freiras, which we could see high above the Socorridos valley, all the way to Funchal. He describes the section walked by Sue, Dave and Keith as follows:

"... use a crumbling stony path ... walk down exposed steps ... turn another corner where the levada is covered with rockfall detritus, then a series of descents drop the water level" (here the three adventurers enjoyed a view down to the sea, thinking they had passed right through the mountain to the north side of the island!) "Pause and study the awesome rocky side valley, which is the most dangerous part of the walk ... use steps to cross a wedged boulder. Enter a curious tunnel, which is high and wide, with water rushing through it. The tunnel is bent, so the exit cannot be seen ... a series of 'windows' allow light to enter. A waterfall pours down outside (and inside!) these 'windows' ... stacks of boulders in the tunnel, and the roof is low. The next stretch is very dangerous. Turn out of the tunnel and walk down 35 steep, exposed and slippery steps ... go through a rock arch to reach safer ground. Take a break and get things dried" ... etc, etc, etc. 

Reading this whilst waiting certainly made me glad I stopped when I did, though the protagonists returned elated from their adventure. 

The lovely weather continued as we returned to Pinheira das Voltas and meandered slowly back along Paddy Dillon's 'Walk 38' route, reaching the hotel at 5pm after a 7.5 hour walk covering between 19 km (me) and 24 km (Dave, Sue and Keith), with Carol somewhere in between. 

Today's pictures are an early view from the Levada dos Piornais, and a Bird of Paradise flower taken late in the day.

There should be a slide show in due course with evidence of a bit more 'excitement'.

November Sunshine and Warmth

This morning's bright sunshine and warmth in Timperley surely couldn't last, could it? 

Past Novembers in Timperley have been cold, wet, windy and dark - in comparison with our current surroundings, anyway. 

The view from our room on the second floor isn't much different to the picture shown above, taken from the roof terrace of the Savoy Gardens Hotel, where we are spending the week with our good friends Dave and Pat, and Keith and Carol.

The sunlit amphitheatre of Funchal (Madeira) is quite stunning in the afternoon light.

This week's entries should be fairly short as they will mostly be repeating previous escapades recorded on these pages, and socialising will take precedence.

Jacob and Jessica

The grandchildren haven't appeared here for a while. Sue and I enjoyed their company yesterday, which included a visit to the swings.

They are growing up fast. Jacob has learnt how to burp. Jessica will be walking next time we see her.

Thanks for a lovely day, J and J.

Thursday 30 October 2014 – Failsworth to This & That (A Plod)

Six Plodders assembled on a hot October morning at Failsworth Metrolink Station at 10.30am.

Soon we reached the Rochdale Canal near the old mill that is now the Russell Hobbs factory. Heading north, into the countryside of Failsworth and past Bridge 78b, we sought out Moston Brook.

Others contested whether this was a Bewick's or a whooper. It looked like a mute to me, but let’s just call it ‘Failsworth Swan’.

We passed under the Metrolink line to Oldham and Rochdale, in an area where the many mills are still home to an industrial heartland.

Swans and Canadian geese are common canal birds. Today goldfinches and grey wagtails were also in evidence.

Moston Brook was littered; there were a few leaves as well, but the rubbish wasn’t really in keeping with the ‘Green Corridor’ status of today’s route.

The brook disappeared into a culvert. "We're up here" Alan called to Norman, who had missed us at the start and was heard trying to reach us through the tunnel.

Soon we abandoned Moston Brook, leaving it to disappear though a series of culverts and meadows to join Boggart Hole Brook and empty itself into the River Irk.

Oldham Road was crossed on the way back to the canal after this pleasant 'Moston Brook Interlude'.

The road from Manchester to Oldham houses a solid ribbon of industry and hostelries. Many of the residents have a military background, like this old geezer trying apparently to escape from Captain Mainwaring.

Back on the towpath, it's an easy walk into Manchester. Alan R often does it from his home in Middleton. "Downhill all the way."

Newton Heath's covered market looks a bit like an alien invader...?

The pair of ducks behind the Canadian geese look like a mallard cross-breed, they are much larger than the average mallard.

The towpath passes Mathers Foundry, which on occasion still spouts an unhealthy concoction of fumes.

It's not the most popular section of canal for narrowboats.

Fine mill buildings line the canal as the city centre is approached.

More modern buildings also appear, and duck houses.

We were forced to leave the Rochdale Canal. The bridge housing the towpath is closed, and the workmen (progressing slowly, always just chatting) wouldn't allow us across. So we were forced into a large canal basin with lots of gates and fences, and a way through to eventually reach the Ashton Canal.

En route, there are at least two of these dovecotes.

The Ashton Canal is reached at Islington Wharf.

There's a network of confusing side basins around Piccadilly Village (opened by Michael Heseltine in 1991), with some industrial archaeology thrown in.

Rick’s presence allowed us to home in efficiently to our lunchtime target – he has been frequenting This & That since 1987.

We were soon tucking in to our 'rice with three curries' (£5.50).

Here’s our route - 11km, minimal ascent, 2.5 hours - a good morning's stroll, despite an unsatisfactory level of litter.

There are larger versions and a few more pictures in this 42 image slideshow.

AlanR’s excellent report on this walk is here.

This was the last of three experimental (unofficial) morning walks I’d planned for members of East Lancs LDWA and anyone else who wanted to come along. I was encouraged to organise some more, so will do that soon. Let me know if you are not on the ‘Plodder’ circulation list or any of my own circulation lists, and would like to be kept informed.

The other two walks were Around Glazebrook and Bury to Holcombe Brook. Thanks to those who have joined me on these enjoyable strolls.