So this is my first walk of the King Street Rambling Club and I was rather anxious being amongst such experienced walkers - this was not helped by various members of the group announcing that 8 miles was only a stroll and that it was hardly worth getting out of bed for! And new girls chore - writing the blog!
Anyhow, Susan and I were picked up by Steve at just after 8am and we met up with Tristan, Andy and Sasha at Halvergate, where we climbed into the truck and Tristan drove like Emerson Fitipaldi (?spelling Susan?) to our destination - Asda at Great Yarmouth! Here we had to make do with Asda bacon and/or sausage baps in lieu of our support crew i.e. Jonathan being unable to attend! (And as a side note - why is it always my bag that ends up with dozens of sachets of red and brown sauce?)
At 9.19am we had our first row and we hadn't even set off. It stemmed from the fact that a certain male member of the group pointed out that he would be walking with three biatches today and so a battle of the sexes commenced!
Only a very short one however because finally at 9.25am we were off. We headed out along the path with Andy and Sasha in front and the rest of us mooching along behind. At 10am we saw a group of 'older' blokes stood around a gate avidly watching the train line, armed with cameras and binoculars. After much 'you ask them', 'no you ask them', Steve asked them what they were looking at and apparently they were excitedly awaiting the 10:10 train from Yarmouth which was a diesel. Us girls were seriously unimpressed by this and walked on ahead leaving the old fogies (Steve, Tristan and Andy) all extolling the wonders of diesel trains and how they used these marvellous engines in their youth - must have been a long time ago!!!!
The weather was absolutely glorious and we were very grateful for a cool breeze making it easy walking. The path was fairly easy going - apart from the stiles which Sasha appeared to have a bit of a problem with. However, after much coaxing, we got her through most of them without too much assistance. We encountered a few cows which seemed to like us so much they decided to follow us - much to the anxiety of Susan and Andy. Sasha wasn't that impressed either.
The funniest part of the day, for Tristan at least, occurred when a very hot, panting Sasha decided to take a little paddle in a dyke only to sink to the bottom, becoming completely submerged. While Tris curled up laughing at her predicament, the rest of us were all wondering whether we should try and rescue her by hauling her out but luckily she is such a clever doggy and soon discovered her paddle! She emerged from the water, dignity intact, looking very fetching with her coat all nice and curly - I wonder if Tristan had to use the straighteners on her later????
We arrived at the pub in Halvergate about 1300hrs (I think! I wasn't really paying attention to be honest!) for a welcome libation and then it was off home for cheese and toast and a look at my blisters! All in all a good day!
Tuesday, 25 August 2009
Thursday, 20 August 2009
The Great Pennine Way Adventure – Postscript – Friday 14 August 2009
Well, have now decided to call it a day ….. I slept really badly last night – the midge bites really got to me and I was conscious that I was scratching them in my sleep. In fact, I’ve woken up today to find blood everywhere and my feet are covered in bites – I’m really not sure I want to put my boots back on.
It’s also raining and as today was only ever going to be half a day – just a seven miler – from Langdon Beck down to Middleton, I’ve decided to pack up and go home. I’m sad about it, but it’ll be nice to have just half a day to break me back in when I take up next year where I’ve left off now.
It’s been the best fortnight ever – I’ve had such a brilliant time, met some lovely people, felt invincible, realised I can do this stuff on my own again and generally feel pretty fit and healthy. I’ve also discovered that the walking is easy but the logistics are a bit of a nightmare and I need to brush up on my admin skills! So, next time I’ll be more organised – hopefully – and do a bit more research before I head off to the hills and find myself stranded without transport! No need to worry though – it’ll never be so slick that I won’t find myself in a bit of a fix every now and then! That’s half the fun of it for me!
I’ll sign off now and leave this blog to others for their adventures. I hope we’re going to start our training walks again and we’ll keep everyone updated with our news – and hopefully those of you that don’t currently walk with us may want to join us.
So, for now, it’s over and out …..!
It’s also raining and as today was only ever going to be half a day – just a seven miler – from Langdon Beck down to Middleton, I’ve decided to pack up and go home. I’m sad about it, but it’ll be nice to have just half a day to break me back in when I take up next year where I’ve left off now.
It’s been the best fortnight ever – I’ve had such a brilliant time, met some lovely people, felt invincible, realised I can do this stuff on my own again and generally feel pretty fit and healthy. I’ve also discovered that the walking is easy but the logistics are a bit of a nightmare and I need to brush up on my admin skills! So, next time I’ll be more organised – hopefully – and do a bit more research before I head off to the hills and find myself stranded without transport! No need to worry though – it’ll never be so slick that I won’t find myself in a bit of a fix every now and then! That’s half the fun of it for me!
I’ll sign off now and leave this blog to others for their adventures. I hope we’re going to start our training walks again and we’ll keep everyone updated with our news – and hopefully those of you that don’t currently walk with us may want to join us.
So, for now, it’s over and out …..!
The Great Pennine Way Adventure – Day 10 – Thursday 13 August 2009 – Tan Hill to Middleton - 16 miles
Streams fallen in: 1
Midge bites: 519
Andy was driving back to Warrington today so I left my car at our lovely campsite in Middleton and Andy dropped me at Tan Hill to walk back to the tent.
The guidebook told me that in bad weather, Sleightholme Moor can be a dangerous place. It’s been a scorcher of a day so I decided to stick with the moor path and not take the bad weather alternative route. However, there have been so many people – grouse beaters mainly – walking the moor the last couple of days that the true path was impossible to find. I wasted half an hour trying to find it before heading back up to the road and track down to the A66. I had no interest in following the Bowes Loop extension of the Pennine Way – although if I was B and B’ing, it would be an ideal place to stop.
I met a John O’Groats to Lands Ender today with his Tibetan terrier dog – he’s taken four weeks so far and is halfway. He expressed some surprise that he even got out of Scotland as he ended up drinking every night with the locals! He was a bit bored today as he’d already done the Pennine Way once – in 1976 – so was trying to cheat a bit and find an alternative route.
The path has been quite indistinct and boggy today – and there were so many flies around. That and the heat have made today quite uncomfortable. I was really glad to see Blackton reservoir – the halfway point of the Pennine Way – swiftly followed by Grassholme and Selset reservoirs as I knew I was on the home stretch to my tent!
After tea, I popped into town to the bus garage – my plan tomorrow includes getting a bus from my campsite – well, less a bus, more of a transit van that connects with the bus – to Langdon Beck youth hostel and I needed to book my place. I’m aiming to walk backwards – not literally obviously! – from Langdon Beck to Middleton – passing High Force and Low Force waterfalls. I’m usually quite precious about the direction I walk – everything sequential, etc – but the buses work to some pretty odd scheduling up here!
I also visited the Teesdale pub for a drink and while in there got talking to some grouse beaters, who were chatting about the midges today. Apparently they’ve never seen so many flies up on the moors and the dogs were even jumping into the streams to try and get cool. Poor things.
So, another good day – some pretty tough bleak walking but great to be up in the hills.
Midge bites: 519
Andy was driving back to Warrington today so I left my car at our lovely campsite in Middleton and Andy dropped me at Tan Hill to walk back to the tent.
The guidebook told me that in bad weather, Sleightholme Moor can be a dangerous place. It’s been a scorcher of a day so I decided to stick with the moor path and not take the bad weather alternative route. However, there have been so many people – grouse beaters mainly – walking the moor the last couple of days that the true path was impossible to find. I wasted half an hour trying to find it before heading back up to the road and track down to the A66. I had no interest in following the Bowes Loop extension of the Pennine Way – although if I was B and B’ing, it would be an ideal place to stop.
I met a John O’Groats to Lands Ender today with his Tibetan terrier dog – he’s taken four weeks so far and is halfway. He expressed some surprise that he even got out of Scotland as he ended up drinking every night with the locals! He was a bit bored today as he’d already done the Pennine Way once – in 1976 – so was trying to cheat a bit and find an alternative route.
The path has been quite indistinct and boggy today – and there were so many flies around. That and the heat have made today quite uncomfortable. I was really glad to see Blackton reservoir – the halfway point of the Pennine Way – swiftly followed by Grassholme and Selset reservoirs as I knew I was on the home stretch to my tent!
After tea, I popped into town to the bus garage – my plan tomorrow includes getting a bus from my campsite – well, less a bus, more of a transit van that connects with the bus – to Langdon Beck youth hostel and I needed to book my place. I’m aiming to walk backwards – not literally obviously! – from Langdon Beck to Middleton – passing High Force and Low Force waterfalls. I’m usually quite precious about the direction I walk – everything sequential, etc – but the buses work to some pretty odd scheduling up here!
I also visited the Teesdale pub for a drink and while in there got talking to some grouse beaters, who were chatting about the midges today. Apparently they’ve never seen so many flies up on the moors and the dogs were even jumping into the streams to try and get cool. Poor things.
So, another good day – some pretty tough bleak walking but great to be up in the hills.
The Great Pennine Way Adventure – Day 9 – Wednesday 12 August 2009 – Keld to Tan Hill - 5 miles
This morning we had a continental breakfast – bread, cheese and coffee at our campsite at the Green Dragon Inn in Hardraw, just outside Hawes, the first campsite I’ve ever stayed at that boasts its own waterfall!
By the time we’d done our driving around, we were at the Tan Hill Inn before 11.00 am, with Andy saying he wasn’t walking today – because of blisters. I then said I wasn’t doing it either and we had “words”. In the end, I suggested we walk up by the road – to be honest, the Pennine Way runs parallel with the road all the way from Keld to the Tan Hill anyway, just a few metres to the right, so we weren’t missing any scenery. That also meant we could walk in our sandals, thereby saving Andy more grief and it was lovely to get some air to my feet too.
We had already decided to have a shorter day because of the grouse shooting and we had seen loads of people out on the moors all morning.
We reached the Tan Hill Inn, highest pub in England, just after 1.00 pm and celebrated with half a pint of Black Sheep bitter each – neither of us being bitter drinkers, I was pleasantly surprised although Andy likened it to dishwater. We could see the beaters out on the moor from the pub – Sleightholme Moore – and congratulated ourselves on our decision to stop early.
We had a nice drive then to Middleton on Tees to a lovely campsite – and although it was very sunny, it was quite breezy and we broke another tent pole. Thank God for Balfour Beatty and gaffa tape!
By the time we’d done our driving around, we were at the Tan Hill Inn before 11.00 am, with Andy saying he wasn’t walking today – because of blisters. I then said I wasn’t doing it either and we had “words”. In the end, I suggested we walk up by the road – to be honest, the Pennine Way runs parallel with the road all the way from Keld to the Tan Hill anyway, just a few metres to the right, so we weren’t missing any scenery. That also meant we could walk in our sandals, thereby saving Andy more grief and it was lovely to get some air to my feet too.
We had already decided to have a shorter day because of the grouse shooting and we had seen loads of people out on the moors all morning.
We reached the Tan Hill Inn, highest pub in England, just after 1.00 pm and celebrated with half a pint of Black Sheep bitter each – neither of us being bitter drinkers, I was pleasantly surprised although Andy likened it to dishwater. We could see the beaters out on the moor from the pub – Sleightholme Moore – and congratulated ourselves on our decision to stop early.
We had a nice drive then to Middleton on Tees to a lovely campsite – and although it was very sunny, it was quite breezy and we broke another tent pole. Thank God for Balfour Beatty and gaffa tape!
The Great Pennine Way Adventure – Day 8 – Tuesday 11 August 2009 – Hawes to Keld - 12 miles
It was tough to get going today – we had to leave our lovely cottage for a start, but, after a leisurely breakfast of boiled egg and soldiers, and a pot of Yorkshire tea, followed by our usual car shenanigans, we were finally walking at 11.30 am.
We did all the climbing this morning and all the descending this afternoon. Andy’s feet were causing him some grief and he got quite ratty with me. It’s a tough call between telling someone we’re going uphill when maybe they don’t want to hear it and trying to soften it by pretending you don’t know how far you have to climb. Needless to say I heard a few mutterings behind me of “You’re a bad woman, Susan Long” and “fancy being beaten by a girl”.
Great Shunner Fell was a really tough climb and it was blowing a gale at the top. The trig point is in a stone shelter but it still didn’t stop the wind from biting – for only the second time this holiday I had my waterproof on – still all downhill to the tearoom was our battle cry!
As we trotted downhill to Thwaite and the café, Andy said he really couldn’t carry on with his blisters, so after a coffee each, I left him chatting to a couple of ladies and their Schnauzer dogs who have a cottage in Lewes so walk the south downs a lot and I headed by road to Keld with the couple we’d met at the trig point and who were quite inappropriately dressed in corduroy! (I really need to stop being so sniffy about other people’s attire!)
As luck would have it, the tearooms and pub (next door to each other) were owned by the same people and linked by a corridor so, when I got back to the tearooms for Andy, and couldn’t find him, it didn’t take me long to track him down! He was having a beer with a local gamekeeper who’s getting ready for the grouse shoot tomorrow. The glorious 12th. Mmmmm, and our route tomorrow goes through the middle of the UK’s biggest grouse moor. Argh! There’ll be eight gamekeepers, sixty beaters and hordes of invited guests for the shooting – think we may need to change our walking plans!
We did all the climbing this morning and all the descending this afternoon. Andy’s feet were causing him some grief and he got quite ratty with me. It’s a tough call between telling someone we’re going uphill when maybe they don’t want to hear it and trying to soften it by pretending you don’t know how far you have to climb. Needless to say I heard a few mutterings behind me of “You’re a bad woman, Susan Long” and “fancy being beaten by a girl”.
Great Shunner Fell was a really tough climb and it was blowing a gale at the top. The trig point is in a stone shelter but it still didn’t stop the wind from biting – for only the second time this holiday I had my waterproof on – still all downhill to the tearoom was our battle cry!
As we trotted downhill to Thwaite and the café, Andy said he really couldn’t carry on with his blisters, so after a coffee each, I left him chatting to a couple of ladies and their Schnauzer dogs who have a cottage in Lewes so walk the south downs a lot and I headed by road to Keld with the couple we’d met at the trig point and who were quite inappropriately dressed in corduroy! (I really need to stop being so sniffy about other people’s attire!)
As luck would have it, the tearooms and pub (next door to each other) were owned by the same people and linked by a corridor so, when I got back to the tearooms for Andy, and couldn’t find him, it didn’t take me long to track him down! He was having a beer with a local gamekeeper who’s getting ready for the grouse shoot tomorrow. The glorious 12th. Mmmmm, and our route tomorrow goes through the middle of the UK’s biggest grouse moor. Argh! There’ll be eight gamekeepers, sixty beaters and hordes of invited guests for the shooting – think we may need to change our walking plans!
The Great Pennine Way Adventure – Day 7 – Saturday 8 August 2009 – Horton in Ribblesdale to Hawes - 15 miles
Bogs fallen into: 0
Times fallen over: Susan 1, Andy 1
Blisters: Susan 0, Andy 2
Andy had driven up for a few days this morning so I had to run down to Malham village at 5.45 am to direct him into the campsite. We’ve booked a cottage for a couple of days so the tent was coming down today until Tuesday – I shall miss my little cocoon, but am looking forward to shower and toilet facilities that don’t involve head torches and getting dressed to use them!
As we have the luxury of two vehicles and no need to take public transport for a couple of days, we hurtled around the Yorkshire countryside dropping off cars and having breakfast and finally started walking at 10.30 am.
Today can only be described as a knee crunching slog – Andy got blisters within a couple of miles and, because they were hurting so much, he never wanted to stay still for very long, but wanted to march on. I’m not used to walking at this pace so found it quite a struggle.
The entire path was on tracks today until the very end when we were back on field paths, and very boggy they were too. (This was where Andy did his “para roll” manoeuvre after slipping in a cowpat! I earlier managed to fall over on a downhill track and did such a graceful move that Andy heard me yelp and looked back to find me just sitting there. No forward rolling or arse up in the air for me – I’m much more ladylike!)
Because Andy was on a mission to get the day over and done with, I had to employ all sorts of diversionary tactics to slow the pace down – drinking loads of water, snacking, taking photos, etc. The scenery was very bleak and remote today – I’ve always said I could live in the middle of nowhere but today was too much, even for me. In fact, the only change in scenery all day – until we arrived in Hawes – was the Ribblehead viaduct.
So a very quick fifteen miles today – but I’m glad to be having a couple of days off.
Times fallen over: Susan 1, Andy 1
Blisters: Susan 0, Andy 2
Andy had driven up for a few days this morning so I had to run down to Malham village at 5.45 am to direct him into the campsite. We’ve booked a cottage for a couple of days so the tent was coming down today until Tuesday – I shall miss my little cocoon, but am looking forward to shower and toilet facilities that don’t involve head torches and getting dressed to use them!
As we have the luxury of two vehicles and no need to take public transport for a couple of days, we hurtled around the Yorkshire countryside dropping off cars and having breakfast and finally started walking at 10.30 am.
Today can only be described as a knee crunching slog – Andy got blisters within a couple of miles and, because they were hurting so much, he never wanted to stay still for very long, but wanted to march on. I’m not used to walking at this pace so found it quite a struggle.
The entire path was on tracks today until the very end when we were back on field paths, and very boggy they were too. (This was where Andy did his “para roll” manoeuvre after slipping in a cowpat! I earlier managed to fall over on a downhill track and did such a graceful move that Andy heard me yelp and looked back to find me just sitting there. No forward rolling or arse up in the air for me – I’m much more ladylike!)
Because Andy was on a mission to get the day over and done with, I had to employ all sorts of diversionary tactics to slow the pace down – drinking loads of water, snacking, taking photos, etc. The scenery was very bleak and remote today – I’ve always said I could live in the middle of nowhere but today was too much, even for me. In fact, the only change in scenery all day – until we arrived in Hawes – was the Ribblehead viaduct.
So a very quick fifteen miles today – but I’m glad to be having a couple of days off.
Tuesday, 18 August 2009
The Great Pennine Way Adventure – Day 6 – Friday 7 August 2009 – Malham to Horton in Ribblesdale - 15 miles
Bogs fallen into: 0
Bus drivers chatted up: 0
Invincibility rating: so high it’s off the scale
What an amazing day it’s been! I was on top of Malham Cove at 7.45 am this morning and was in fact debating whether to carry on at all as it was so peaceful and beautiful that I just wanted to carry on sitting on top of my slab of limestone, drinking in the view. And then I saw them ….. more people! Time to move on …..
Things were very familiar today – the Trailtrekker route to be precise – up Watlowes Valley towards Malham Tarn, and then on to Fountains Fell. I had forgotten how tough this stretch was – how on earth I managed to complete the Trailtrekker I have no idea? Probably drugs and adrenaline! (Codydramol before anyone shops me to the rozzers.)
I was working to a pretty flexible schedule today so had plenty of sit downs – the views were too good to waste by not looking at them.
From Fountains Fell, I had the biggest challenge of the day – Penyghent – and she didn’t disappoint. (I didn’t see a single other walker today until this point – this Yorkshire Peak was covered in them!!) It was such a blast to get to the top, although the scorching sun didn’t really help matters. How lucky am I though?
Tourist Info back in Norwich had been working overtime again and had ascertained that, if I didn’t want to spend three hours in the Crown Inn in Horton in Ribblesdale, then I needed to be at the railway station by 3.30 pm. So on reaching the top of Penyghent, I sat for maybe twenty minutes but then had to make a concerted effort to leave my perch and head down the valley to the train. I’m consoled though by the thought that I’ll be back to climb her again.
I made it to the station with twenty minutes to spare for my train to Settle – where I called a taxi and arranged to meet at the Naked Man in ninety minutes – it’s a café before you ask! I then had a lovely jaunt around Settle, buying even more postcards that probably won’t get written, more provisions and a coffee and cake.
Back to the campsite for shower, dinner, a cuppa and more of my lovely chocolates that Panda and Lisa had bought me for my birthday and then a quick zip back to the cove for another look – I just can’t resist it!
Yep, a truly amazing day and I really am a very lucky girl …..
Bus drivers chatted up: 0
Invincibility rating: so high it’s off the scale
What an amazing day it’s been! I was on top of Malham Cove at 7.45 am this morning and was in fact debating whether to carry on at all as it was so peaceful and beautiful that I just wanted to carry on sitting on top of my slab of limestone, drinking in the view. And then I saw them ….. more people! Time to move on …..
Things were very familiar today – the Trailtrekker route to be precise – up Watlowes Valley towards Malham Tarn, and then on to Fountains Fell. I had forgotten how tough this stretch was – how on earth I managed to complete the Trailtrekker I have no idea? Probably drugs and adrenaline! (Codydramol before anyone shops me to the rozzers.)
I was working to a pretty flexible schedule today so had plenty of sit downs – the views were too good to waste by not looking at them.
From Fountains Fell, I had the biggest challenge of the day – Penyghent – and she didn’t disappoint. (I didn’t see a single other walker today until this point – this Yorkshire Peak was covered in them!!) It was such a blast to get to the top, although the scorching sun didn’t really help matters. How lucky am I though?
Tourist Info back in Norwich had been working overtime again and had ascertained that, if I didn’t want to spend three hours in the Crown Inn in Horton in Ribblesdale, then I needed to be at the railway station by 3.30 pm. So on reaching the top of Penyghent, I sat for maybe twenty minutes but then had to make a concerted effort to leave my perch and head down the valley to the train. I’m consoled though by the thought that I’ll be back to climb her again.
I made it to the station with twenty minutes to spare for my train to Settle – where I called a taxi and arranged to meet at the Naked Man in ninety minutes – it’s a café before you ask! I then had a lovely jaunt around Settle, buying even more postcards that probably won’t get written, more provisions and a coffee and cake.
Back to the campsite for shower, dinner, a cuppa and more of my lovely chocolates that Panda and Lisa had bought me for my birthday and then a quick zip back to the cove for another look – I just can’t resist it!
Yep, a truly amazing day and I really am a very lucky girl …..
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