March 1, 2010 at 10:21 pm
· Filed under Equipment, Offa's Dyke 4 MS, Walks
Our weekend camping and walking in the Surrey Hills gave us the opportunity to make sure we have the right equipment for Offa’s Dyke (now just over a month away), and to see how physically prepared we are.
Equipment-wise we have done quite well – there are a few little tweaks, but in general we have everything we need. The one key learning point for me though is the importance of caring for your feet when hiking for multiple days in a row.… Read the rest of this entry »
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February 17, 2010 at 9:29 pm
· Filed under Northamptonshire, Walks
Because dogs aren’t allowed on buses, I usually have to make do with circular routes when I walk locally, so it was a nice change to be able to get a lift (from my very understanding girlfriend) to do an “A to B” walk following part of the Northamptonshire Round (thanks to @TowcesterNews for the recommendation). This leg takes in the view up the huge drive to Castle Ashby, Yardley Chase, Salcey Forest and the villages of Yardley Hastings, Horton, Piddington, and Hartwell. Although there was a lot of road work, the route was very enjoyable.… Read the rest of this entry »
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February 9, 2010 at 12:35 am
· Filed under Northamptonshire, Walks
The Grafton Way is a 12.5 mile walk between Cosgrove (actually looking at the Ordnance Survey website, it seems to continue down the canal to Wolverton) and Greens Norton, passing past Towcester. The Grafton Way is joined to the North Buckinghamshire Way, The Grand Union Canal Walk, and Ouse Valley Way to the South, and turns into The Knighton Way at Greens Norton. The route is named after the Dukes of Grafton, who were large landowners throughout the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.… Read the rest of this entry »
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January 25, 2010 at 11:20 pm
· Filed under Northamptonshire, Walks
After the excesses of Christmas and spending a lot of time in bed with various bouts of illness (what is it about evolving colds that won’t go away this winter!) the Offa’s Dyke team (well everyone except Alex) decided to break in the new year with a 13 mile walk around the Northamptonshire countryside South of Daventry.… Read the rest of this entry »
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December 15, 2009 at 9:58 pm
· Filed under Snowdonia, Walks
This is a beautiful, enjoyable and not too strenious (well moderate) circular walk from Beddgelert. The walk goes along the exciting Pass of Aberglaslyn, then up the hill overlooking Beddgelert, before droping down sharply to the lake Llyn Dinas, and finally making it’s way back to Beddgelert, via the Sygun Copper Mine.
This walk gives an excellent taster to Snowdonia – part scenic gorge walk, part upland boggy moorland with glimpses of Wales’ mining heritage and with beautiful views across the valley to the mountains around Beddgelert. It is perfect to escape from the tourist trap of Beddgelert, or if you want to avoid the higher mountainous areas (due to weather or fatique!)… Read the rest of this entry »
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August 23, 2009 at 10:27 pm
· Filed under South West, Walks
After our first Jamaica Inn themed walk on Bodmin Moor, it was time to take on Brown Willy – the highest point in Cornwall, and visit Rough Tor, where the dramatic ending of the book takes place.
The walk starts and ends in Churchtown near St Breward – Churchtown meaning, unsurprisingly “that settlement in a parish where the church stands” (what did I expect?). … Read the rest of this entry »
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August 19, 2009 at 9:44 pm
· Filed under South West, Walks
The description of Bodmin Moor with its granite skies, howling winds and stark isolation are an appropriate background for a story that includes drunkenness, theft, smuggling, wrecking, murder and madness.
From a review of Jamaica Inn
Jamaica Inn is a Gothic horror adventure written by Daphne Du Maurier in 1935, based around Jamaica Inn, a famous base for smugglers, situated in the middle of Bodmin Moor between Bodmin and Launceston.
On a recent Offa’s Dyke 4 MS training weekend, and after quite a lengthy planning process, we did two Jamaica Inn themed walks across the moor.
This post covers the first walk - from the former mining village of Minions, up Stowe’s Hill (and the Cheesewring) before dropping down into a more desolote part of the moor and a climb to the summit of Kilmar Tor, which towers over Tewortha, home to Jem Merlin, the brother of the landlord of Jamaica Inn.… Read the rest of this entry »
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August 3, 2009 at 11:29 pm
· Filed under South West, Walks
After an enjoyable weekend of walking on Bodmin Moor, I thought now would be a good time to share how I go about planning where to walk. You see, when I am off walking (or is it hiking?) in a new place, I have a bit of planning regime. It is a bit sad, but please indulged me.
[This was orginally going to be about the walks themselves, but I got a little distracted - I promised to blog about them tomorrow!]… Read the rest of this entry »
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July 12, 2009 at 6:10 pm
· Filed under Snowdonia, Walks
It’s distinctive shape from the south-west has earned The Cnicht the title of ‘The Welsh Matterhorn’.
It is an interesting steep ascent, with some scrambling at the end, followed by a gentle walk along the more wilder ridge beyond to the disused Rhosydd and Croesor slate quarries before descending back into Croesor.
It was a beautiful sunny day, the day after climing the Nantlle Ridge, that a group of friends and I arrived in Croesor, ready to climb The Cnicht.… Read the rest of this entry »
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June 28, 2009 at 11:40 pm
· Filed under Snowdonia, Walks
Often described as a classic ridge walk, The Nantlle Ridge has a fairly strenous climb, some great views (especially across to Snowdon), some exciting scrabling (Grade 1 apparantly), and a ridge with some dramatic sheer drops.
The Nantlle Ridge, well at least the part including the peaks of Y Garn, Drws-y-Coed and Trum y Ddysgl, has been my nemisis. The walk isn’t too difficult (I think it is classed as “Moderate”), but the last two attempts I have made I have been forced back by the weather.… Read the rest of this entry »
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