Friday 3 August 2018 – A Stroll with Conrad

Conrad is a good friend who I would never have encountered but for this blog. He met Mick and Gayle on one of their long walks, following which we became aware of each others blogging exploits, enjoyed ‘following’ each other, and eventually met up. Conrad’s extensive blogging records, dating from 2009, are here, though as with most bloggers his most interesting trips may have been much earlier.

On 10 April 2017 Conrad set off on a walk from Berwick-on-Tweed to Castle Carey. It’s quite a long way and has provided considerable challenges.

On catching up with his reports after our return from ‘Summer in the Alps’, I realised that he had passed by Timperley a couple of days earlier. Not an entirely enjoyable experience as he had accidentally left the excellent surface of the Trans Pennine Trail in favour of an obscure sea of mud under the M60 motorway, rather than use the shiny dry footbridge nearby.

He was still close by, staying at Winterley, near Crewe, on Thursday night. So I set off with a view to surprising him on the South Cheshire Way footpath that runs directly south from Winterley. I assumed that as he was moving south, he would take that route. (But, dear reader, you may have noted from the start date of Conrad’s walk that he sometimes moves in mysterious ways!)

Anyway, I parked up in Weston and headed north through the Cheshire countryside, pausing for the occasional snap (see below) and wondering when I would bump into said heroic Long Distance Walker.

After negotiating my way uneasily through the bunkers of Crewe Golf Club, where hundreds of emaciated old men were driving round in buggies and wielding cartloads of clubs, I realised it was after 10 am and I was approaching Conrad’s departure point. A ‘phone call was needed.

Q. “Where are you, Conrad?”

A: “Alsager.”

I must admit, I hadn’t expected him to head east from his overnight stop.

“Text me with your map reference in an hour’s time.”

I returned to Weston – ‘Walk 1’ below – 11.6 km.

After parking on a grass verge by the A500, I received two messages:

1. ‘SJ 796 595 could be a while’
2. ‘SJ 790 545 In middle of nowhere. Will email emergency point shortly’

Conrad certainly knows how to get misplaced on an obscure route. But with the aid of modern technology I was soon able to ambush him with a cup of tea.

The next bit of navigation was easy, as I’d come that way. I decided to stay with Conrad along the footpath to Audley. After passing Millend and a pond that served as a reserve for Canada Geese, the footpath proceeded towards a sewage works. Except that at SJ 794 520 the path ceased to exist. We spent quite a few minutes relocating to a minor road, where I abandoned our hero and returned to Polly. Walk 2 – 5.3 km.

Another short walk in Audley relocated Conrad and led up a paved road to some sandwiches that I’d secreted earlier in Polly’s boot. Walk 3 – 1.4 km.

We worked out a sensible route to Madeley Heath, where I was to recce the suitability of a main road to Madeley for a pedestrian like Conrad. So off I went with confidence, carried out the recce, and parked up in Madeley Heath.

Conrad made good progress, and we met at the only two benches, by Bates Wood Nature Reserve, on the route. It was 3.15. We took pictures of each other – see header picture.

The paths hereabouts were good, and from the car (and Conrad’s hill route) you could see hills littered along the horizon to the west. But most of the scenery was as shown below. Lush tree foliage but drought parched grasses.

Heading past Agger Hill Farm, a beautiful flower proclaimed itself from the top of a rather manky stem.

After a steep descent we reached the A531 at Madeley Heath Farm, where they maybe don’t have much space as the animals appear to be shrunken versions of the real thing.

My recce had revealed a negotiable pavement to Madeley, but it was after 4pm and Conrad needed a rest. He likes to be truly ‘on holiday’ after 4pm. So Walk 4 ended after 5.3 km at Madeley Heath, from where Polly transported our legendary Long Distance Walker to near his B&B in Madeley.

“Don’t take me all the way, I want to arrive on foot!”

What a lovely day out, away from all the post-holiday domestic chores, and thanks to the emptiness of the M6 I was able to return home in time to have tea on the table just as her majesty returned home from work.

Here are my ramblings for the day – all there and back, totalling about 24 km, with 150 metres ascent.

Conrad’s report on the day is here, and I’m pleased to discover that his B&B was excellent and that he enjoyed poached salmon for supper.

'Summer in the Alps' Day 31 - Montreuil-sur-Mer to Timperley

Wednesday 1 August 2018

Another 9 to 5 day in the car. Travelling north. To cooler climes. Only 24°C here.

An uneventful drive, and all is well at home, albeit the lawns are a bit patchy.

There's a gadget on the dashboard of the car that tells us we spent nearly 65 hours in the car over the past month. (Seems quite a lot!) We covered 2753 miles at an average speed of 42 mph, getting 62.2 mpg. I could work out the cost but I'm not going to - it was far less than a long haul flight would cost for just one of us.

We are so lucky to have the wonderful and varied scenery and people of Europe on our doorstep.

Not short of further statistics, I can report that during the month the time we spent walking knocked that car statistic into a cocked hat. During the many hours of our walks we covered around 350 km (220 miles) in distance and about 21,000 metres (13 miles) in height gain. I'll leave the geeks to work out the average gradient!
 
Today's pictures:
From breakfast in Montreuil to a deserted towpath in Timperley

'Summer in the Alps' is taking a short break. 

To be continued. 

'Summer in the Alps' Day 30 - Heidelberg to Montreuil-sur-Mer

Tuesday 31 July 2018

The first full day's drive of this trip saw us travelling the 417 miles to Montreuil-sur-Mer between 9am and 5pm. We took a 'toll free' route through Germany,  Luxembourg and Belgium (perhaps passing Mick and Gayle en route), finishing with some French country roads.

An easy journey on a sunny day, and we have a nice but cheap room in the Best Western Hermitage hotel in the centre of town. Thankfully the temperature here in Montreuil is closer to 25°C than the 30+ temperatures that we 'enjoyed' yesterday.

Thanks to the magnificent spread presented to us this morning, we haven't needed to eat all day - until a tasty picnic meal was sourced this evening at the local supermarket. It was great that Thomas was able to delay his journey to work, with Andrea taking the day off, so we could enjoy a leisurely breakfast with them and linger over our farewells, during which a large TV that they brought over from Timperley was loaded up for a return to Timperley. Apparently it won't work in Germany without some extra gubbins. Anyone need a TV?

Anyway, your hospitality is very much appreciated, T and A, and it has been great to catch up, and enjoy your company in both Heidelberg and Matrei.

An after dinner stroll around the ramparts concluded the day's activities. There's an equally good walk around the base of the ramparts, but the evening light is better appreciated on top. The walks are both about 3 km in length.

Today: 3.5 km walk around Montreuil's ramparts. We often stay here and enjoy this walk, so I won't reiterate previous reports. We are nearly home, but it feels as if we are still very much on holiday.
 
Today's pictures were all taken in Montreuil-sur-Mer:
The Mairie (Town Hall)
The church, with our hotel in the background to the left
Dinner
The ramparts
Evening in the main square

'Summer in the Alps' Day 29 - Schloss Schwetzingen Gardens

Monday 30 July 2018

Andrea and Thomas kindly loaned us their bikes on another hot day. They went to work early, leaving us to gorge on the contents of their fridge - a fine selection of meats and cheeses.

By 9.30 we were zooming off down the hill to the River Neckar, the reverse of which came rather slow, some hours later.

Cycle paths make Heidelberg very 'bike friendly' though you have to get used to a series of traffic lights specifically for cyclists. Everyone seems compliant.

Through the other side of town, we tried to follow the Schwetzingen signs as best we could, passing fields of sunflowers and wealthy looking suburbs. We managed to lose our way a few times and by the time we reached Schwetzingen we'd clocked up 25 km for the 21 km route.

The gardens were wonderful. We spent the best part of three hours exploring them - shady avenues, flower gardens, lakes and grottos, a bath house with an enormous walk-in bath, a mosque, lots of topiary, Temples of Apollo, Mercury and Minerva, numerous fountains, etc, etc. Great!

Cycling back home in conditions likened to being under a hot hair dryer was a little taxing, especially the final 170 metre steep hill up Wilhelmsfelder Strasse. Luckily we had lots of water and came across some shady benches on which Sue could take a nap.

After the 21.5 km ride, we were back by 4.30. Plenty of time to eat ice cream, shower and catch the number 34 bus to meet Andrea and Thomas at 6pm in Bismarckplatz. Then a stroll to Kulturhausbrauerei restaurant to enjoy an evening of good food, great company, and excellent beer that is brewed on site.

The evening wouldn't have been complete without a run for the bus and (in a separate incident) my tripping over a kerb - thus relegating me to light duties, if any, and an easy chair with some ice.

Today: 4.5 km walk around the gardens, plus 46.5 km bike ride with 300 metres ascent
 
Today's pictures:
Heidelberg - across the Neckar
Sunflowers
Schwetzingen Gardens - entrance
Schwetzingen Gardens - one of very many views
Sue returns across the bridge

'Summer in the Alps' Day 28 - Dornbirn to Heidelberg

Sunday 29 July 2018

Dinner on Friday was at Fetz, and very good it was too. We dined outside under a canopy. Just as well, as it rained. The cool air was very pleasant. The restaurant commands great mountain views, even in the rain - see top picture, and sunset from the same spot features in an earlier posting.

We got a good night's sleep in Markus's flat in Dornbirn, despite the heat. Lemon cake, bread rolls and strong coffee set us up for the easy 212 mile drive to Heidelberg, where Thomas and Andrea welcomed us with refreshing tea, plum cake and custard tarts.

We are now out of the Alps, which vanished remarkably quickly in our rear view mirror as we left Dornbirn and moved into Germany without noticing the border.

The four of us spent the afternoon strolling through the shady woods to Heidelberg's centre from T and A's home on Wilhelmsfelder Strasse, which is about 200 metres above the city. We gained occasional views of the 13th century castle that was sacked in the 1600s during the thirty year war. In the 19th century proposals to restore the entire structure were rejected on the grounds that it would provide a false representation of history. A compromise was reached whereby only a small part was restored. Maintaining the rest of the ruins is proving costly... it's unusual to find as little scaffolding as there was today.

Having enjoyed the walk, culminating in a steep descent past breathless Japanese tourists, we took the number 34 bus back to base, and a most pleasant evening with salads and BBQ in the warmth of Thomas and Andrea's garden.

Cheers!

Today: 8.5 km, 50 metres ascent
 
Today's pictures:
The view from Fetz restaurant in the rain
Andrea's plum cake
Lunch in Heidelberg
Sue collects dinner
Heidelberg, from above the Philosophenweg

'Summer in the Alps' Day 27 - Ansbacher Hütte to Dornbirn via Flirsch

Saturday 28 July 2018

Another sunny morning after a slightly disturbed night due to a snorer and early risers. Good buffet breakfast with new found friends, Francesca who lives in Berlin, and Sabrina from Bregenz but living in Copenhagen.

Farewells behind us we set off alone down the path to Flirsch. A flock of choughs was busy breakfasting in the meadow (caterpillars?) and curious sheep approached as we proceeded down the meadowy hillside.

There were enticing views towards the Adlerweg route that we had deserted, but these flower filled meadows were some of the best we'd seen all trip.

It got sweatier as we descended into the heatwave. 17°C at the hut, 24°C at the half way point. Probably around 30°C at the bottom of the hill after passing through a cooler stretch of steep woodland, featuring Ghost Orchids, Red Helleborines and St Bernard's Lilies.

After sussing out travel by bus and train back to Dornbirn, we enjoyed a leisurely cappuccino before catching the 11.32 bus to St Anton. Here we were wetted by a passing storm whilst sourcing luncheon provisions. The 12.57 train to Feldkirch eventually turned up at 13.40 ('late due to a police operation'), so we had plenty of time to scoff our lunch and watch the skies brighten again. St Anton high street was getting ready for a 150 km and 2500 metres ascent Giro bike race tomorrow.

The train journeys to Feldkirch and then Dornbirn were uneventful, with Markus picking us up at Dornbirn station at 3pm and whisking us to his viewpoint balcony for 'beer o'clock' before a refreshing shower (the first since Zug, a few days ago) and a reacquaintance with our wider possessions. The contents of our hutting rucksacks have been duly discharged to a washing bag that can be dealt with next week.

Dinner will be at Fetz, a hillside restaurant with fine views and good food. 

Today: 4.5 km, 50 metres ascent
 
Today's pictures:
Leaving Ansbacher Hütte
The Adlerweg continues without us
Curious sheep in search of mint
Ghost Orchid
A typical stile

'Summer in the Alps' Day 26 - Leutkircher Hütte (2251 metres) to Ansbacher Hütte (2380 metres) by two different routes

Friday 27 July 2018 - Stage 7 of the Kalkalpen Traverse for Sue, a lower variant for Martin.

Leutkircher was a great hut with a relaxed and friendly guardian despite the stress of being over-full.

After thanking the staff for being so welcoming, and apologising for the continuing madness of Brexit, Sue and I set off on the path to Kaiserjochhaus, reaching a minor col after half an hour or so. Shortly beyond this the lovely looking path became uncomfortably steep for me. So I turned back and Sue continued along the main Kalkalpen Traverse  (aka Adlerweg) route. Her account of a magnificent mountain day should at some point follow.

I returned to the hut, pausing en route for a chat with Christine, a yoga teacher from Constance who started life as a Brummie. She and her friend were having to go down to the valley as all the mountain huts that they could reach today are fully booked.

Path 644 provided an excellent descent towards Pettneu. The only people seen were a guided group moving slowly back down to the valley. I caught them at a snow filled gully that was a little tricky to cross.

The otherwise deserted path descended lazily through orchid and scabious meadows before contouring for a while and finishing the descent on a lovely path cut into the steep woodland - the F.-Kurz-Weg.

At one point a text message informed me that Sue was sitting next to a large white cross high above me. In the photo album of the trip she will appear as a small blur below the cross.

Pettneu was dead to the world. It was hot and humid. I found a path by the river and stopped for a break. It was 30°C in the shade.

By 12.30 I'd reached the deserted village of Schnann. There's a steep and very narrow gorge here. Metal steps are provided. It's a tourist attraction. An elderly couple were struggling down. At the top, near a short tunnel and some hydro furniture, a convenient bench enabled me to dispose of some lunch provisions that had been carried since Lech.

The 600 metre climb to Fritzhütte was steep. Very steep. The schiewasser I bought on arrival disappeared in one gulp.

After a chat with the proprietors, who pointed up to where Sue should have been earlier on the horizon, I set off on a better graded path to tonight's destination. At 3pm a message from Sue informed me of her arrival. She kindly waited for 45 minutes, for me to arrive in time for the order for a litre of teewasser to be placed. Meanwhile, a helicopter rescue was taking place of someone who had come to grief on a variant of the next section of the Adlerweg.

After taking account of my 'there and back' from the hut, as yesterday the easier but longer alternative took virtually the same time as the tougher high level route.

Another sociable evening with good food and two very jolly Dutch couples. Then a chat with Francesca and Sabrina, with whom Sue had finished her day's walk.

Red moon at night, and my Lumix camera should have been able to capture it, but not without a tripod and an encyclopedic knowledge of the 300 page manual!

Today: 18 km, 1500 metres ascent for Martin, a bit less for Sue.
 
Today's pictures:
Leaving Leutkircher Hütte
The path where I turned back (doesn't quite convey the steepness)
Approaching Pettneu
Common Eyebright
On the final ascent to Ansbacher Hütte 

Ansbacher Hütte view

Here's our view at 8.45 tonight, if the posting works.

Blog posting is written but consistently fails to send. Will try again in the morning. 

'Summer in the Alps' Day 25 - Stuttgarter Hütte (2310 metres) to Leutkircher Hütte (2251 metres) via Fanggokar Spitz (2640 metres) and Bodenalp (1554 metres)

Thursday 26 July 2018 - Stage 6 of the Kalkalpen Traverse.

Thanks for your comments, they are appreciated even if they don't receive specific responses.

Last night's dormitory accommodation was fine, and the company was good. We spent the evening with Francesca from Berlin, and Peter from Stuttgart, who we'd encountered earlier, was nearby.

We set off at 8am on another sunny morning, and after admiring tonight's hut supper (second picture) we soon reached Erli Joch. Sue wanted to go to the nearby summit of Fanggokar Spitz (2640 metres) as she has decided to bag as many Alpine Summits as she can. If I ever get around to bagging a second round of summits I won't need to visit this one. I can't specifically remember my previous visit on 16 July 1987. I probably managed the scree slope ascent more easily than I did today, albeit nobody used walking poles in 1987.

The descent to Erli Joch and thence steeply but easily to Erlach Alm did however yield views towards a vivid memory - the site of an impossible looking path number 644 that negotiates steep gullies below Fallersteis-Spitz. In 1987 we made our way to the start of the precipitous traverse before declining its attractions. Today I declined even that walk to the start.

Sue and I walked down the valley to Bodenalp, where we enjoyed coffees and apfelstrudel. It was a pleasant valley walk with good views and no obstacles apart from the occasional mountain biker. They must just cycle up the valley to Erlach Alm and enjoy free wheeling back down; I can't fathom any other routes.

From Bodenalp the path rose on a steep but well-graded path through woods, then shrubbery, and finally across richly flowered alpine meadows, to Leutkircher Hütte. Peter, who had set off on the higher route at the same time as we had taken the valley route, arrived just after us at around 2pm. (Wow! A six hour day!)

A pot of tea and some frankfurters with bread went down well, and we greeted a Dutch quartet who had braved the precipices of path 644.

Francesca and another girl managed the difficulties with ease and have continued on to the Kaiserjoch Hütte.

Incidentally, our esteemed guide book writer, Alan Proctor, dismisses both our route and path 644 simply by stating that the route takes three to four hours, and path 645 via the Ulmer Hut is more interesting and picturesque. Closer reading reveals "There are some sections graded on this route as very difficult".

All in all, the Kalkalpen Traverse,  known these days as 'The Eagle Way', seems to have quite a number of tricky sections.

That's all for now. The guardian here is very friendly and has admitted that tonight will be a bit of a challenge as he has a surfeit of guests, some of whom are being directed to the winter room. Mattresses and blankets, and dinner, will be provided. It's warm and breezy outside. Our washing has dried already. A group of 15 people with a leader who is having to explain hut etiquette has just arrived....

Today: 14 km, 1200 metres ascent
 
Today's pictures:
Morning outside Stuttgarter Hütte
Hut chickens hoovering up last night's spillages
On Fanggokar Spitz (2640 metres)
Yellow Bellflower
Tea outside Leutkircher Hütte 

'Summer in the Alps' Day 24 - Zug to Stuttgarter Hütte (2310 metres)

Wednesday 25 July 2018 - incorporating a short cut between part way along Stage 4 and the start of Stage 6 of the Kalkalpen Traverse.

A friendly start with a hearty breakfast from our hosts, who complained about poor business this season. They encouraged us to walk across the golf course to regain yesterday's path. There's obviously an issue here, as we received angry shouts from distant golfers whilst taking today's top photo from a bridge some distance from the fairway.

We strolled pleasantly into Lech on another sunny morning. Food, water bottle for Sue, two pens and an up to date version of map number 33 were all sourced within about 50 metres of the Rufikopf Seilbahn.

€30 and 900 vertical metres later, we were enjoying cappuccinos at the Rufikopf restaurant, served by a Nepali mountain guide.

The 6.5 km walk to the Stuttgarter Hütte was an absolute delight, with lunch at Bockbachsattel (2336 metres) granting us possibly the best panoramic views of the entire trip. Glittering summits in the direction from which we'd come, and the imposing block of Zugspitze ahead.

Our attempt to arrive at the Hütte after 3pm narrowly failed. Our attempt to get a litre of tea and an apfelstrudel before 3pm succeeded.

It's a great place with friendly clientèle.  Time to chill and socialise before dinner at 7pm. We don't often have that luxury!

Today: 11 km, 500 metres ascent
 
Today's pictures:
The view back, shortly after setting off
Lech
This area has an open door policy
Trumpet Gentians
Lunch with Zugspitze