Last walk of 2010

The end of the year and the snow has gone, except in few places behind the hedges. The temperature yesterday, at 9.5C, was nearly 20C higher than it was last weekend and today was 12C higher than on our last walk, when it was -6C. We can walk the roads, but not the tracks which are now very muddy. Just before Christmas the roads were too slippery to walk at all as there was frozen packed snow all around and no snow plough or gritting on the side roads.
So we enjoyed the freedom to walk again. Now we need some good dry weather and time to walk for longer carrying our full weight rucksacks.

Trees on the skyline
and
snow on the road side

Snowed in

This past week we have had snow and ice so walking is not possible until conditions improve. It is a struggle to walk even as far as the shops since we had 8" (20cms) the other night; deeper where it had drifted. There are compensations however, such as roasting chestnuts on our open fire and building a snowman.

With too much snow for walking the best excercise was to build the snowman

More Winter Walking

It has remained bitterly cold with hoar frost looking like snow. The fields were white and the ground like iron. An hour's walk across the fields and back round the lanes was far enough. It helps to keep our legs moving but without getting too cold. Home for a café con leche, as we didn't pass any cafés, and to warm up by a log fire.

The frost on the moss and the granite stones of the bridge was beautiful

Winter Walking

We managed a walk earlier this week, before the snow came. It was bitterly cold, but at least the mud was frozen. We had a steep uphill climb, including a very rough piece of track under the trees, then along the hilltop before working our way back down to the stream and the road.
Our path can just be seen from the lower right hand side of the photo, uphill past the first trees, then disappears into the wood to reach the top near the white wall - top left.
Snow and ice then stopped our walking for a few days, but we hope to be 'back on track' this coming week.

The track leads up through the woods to stile.

The view across to the moors from the hilltop, with snow in the distance.

Advent Sunday

Walks this past week have been very chilly, but bright and sunny. So far we have not had any snow here, we wait to see what next week brings.
Meanwhile the hard frost has enabled us to walk across the fields again, although even then some places were very boggy. We will be mostly walking round the lanes for the next few weeks until the footpaths and tracks dry out more.

Sun and Dragonflies

Walking round the local nature reserve this afternoon we enjoyed the sunshine and its warmth. The ponds were all very full after the recent heavy rains and the paths were a little muddy. We were not the only ones taking advantage of a lovely day.
Sitting on one of the notice boards, also enjoying the sun was this dragonfly.

Research shows it is a male Red-Veined Darter. You can read more about it at
Wikipedia - Red-Veined Darter Dragonfly.

With the weather getting colder, especially at night, this was probably the last chance to see a dragonfly this year.

Autumn walking

We have spent the weekend trying out our new boots. Our walks have been local, in case there were unforeseen problems with them. No problems, they are as comfortable as the old ones. This is good as it means that we can put them away again until the Spring and use the old boots for winter walking. Then we will make sure that the new boots are 'worn in' before setting off for Spain.
The autumn colours are beautiful and the sun was shining. It is getting colder even in the sun, just a bit of chill in the wind to remind us that winter is coming. There are gales forecast for tonight so this may have been the last chance to take photos of the autumn leaves on the trees.

Berries:-
Black Bryony (left)
and Gladdon (right)

Across the fields

Sunshine through the trees on the roadside

The local stream under the trees

Clumber Park and Sherwood Forest

We have just spent 10 days in Clumber walking round the woodland paths, an average of 8kms on each walk. The National Trust café has good 'café con leche' (latte) as does the Costa coffee shop in Worksop.

The avenue of lime trees,planted in 1840, is 2 miles (3.2kms) long and the longest in Europe. There are 1,296 common limes in a double avenue each side of the main road through Clumber Park.
We also had a short walk from Edwinstowe to the Major Oak. This is the oldest oak tree in Britain at 1,000 years old, already mature when Robin Hood was living in Sherwood Forest.

The lime tree avenue

and

The Major Oak

The Templer Way

We walked part of the Templer Way near Stover in glorious sunshine. (The name commemorates a local family.) There were views across to Dartmoor, and an intriguing village link sign! An 8km walk in 2 hours, including the stops for photos and a coffee break at Sampson's Farm.

Dartmoor:- From left to right; Rippon Tor, Saddle Tor and Haytor.

The hand painted village link sign near Teigngrace. Naiads are water nymphs, dryads are wood nymphs and napaeads are satyrs!!

Short walks

Other committments have left less time for walking than normal. Most walks recently have been of around 5km, but up and down hill and over some rough ground. However short walks are better than no walks and we have enjoyed ourselves. It will soon be time to try out our new boots. Terry does not think that his will do another Camino and although mine are not as well worn a new pair seemed sensible. Same style, so hopefully we'll have no problems. Then we'll finish most of our training in the older pairs.

New rucksack

In May Valerie used a 20lt Berghaus rucksack, with an added podsack to carry her fleece. This worked very well, even when we had bought an extra fleece each. As we plan for next year, and look at the equipment we are taking, a slightly different system seems a good idea. So we have invested in a 25+5lt Berghaus woman's rucksack. It is comfortable for either of us to carry, unlike the 20lt which didn't suit Terry.
This means we can share carrying it on 'rest' days when we are exploring churches, ancient sites etc and need our waterproofs, food and drink etc with us.

Terry will use the same rucksack as for both his 2009 Pilgrimage and this year. The 20lt will still be good for practise walks.

  So the 25+5 is packed and everything
  goes in easily. Total weight without
  water is just under 6kg.
  Really comfortable and easy to carry
  on yesterday's walk.

  My fleece fits under the top compartment and my bottles will
  go in the side pockets, where the badges are sewn on.
  The side expansion pockets hold my waterproof trousers,
  undies toiletries etc.
  My waterproof poncho is in the top section.
  The small clips hanging at the back are actually tea-towel
  holders and are very useful for hanging small still damp items.
  They are attached to the new style elasticated pole holders,
  which I have clipped back as they flap and annoy me.

Walking on Exmoor

We have just spent some time on Exmoor, staying near Dulverton and walking in the area.

Our first walk was through the woods above Dulverton itself. A steep climb up the track behind the church, then back downhill to the river.
The track passes over the little old bridge over the stream, then turns left over the longer bridge over the river.

Next day we visited Dunster with its ancient church.

Behind it is the old dovecot which was part of the Abbey.The walls are over 2ft thick and the roosts are built into the thickness of the walls.

The Two Moors Way near Tarr Steps.


We walked over Tarr Steps and then a circular route to Hawkridge, crossing the steps again on our return.

Our final walk was to Dunkery Beacon. A stony track leads from the road to the Beacon itself - about 1.5 miles. The black clouds in the distance meant we made a swift descent back to the car.

On the way back we stopped the car above the road to Tarr Steps and walked to the nearby Caractacus Stone, now protected by a stone arch.

Moorland view

Another walk and brambling session, with views across Dartmoor. The wet and miserable weather of the last few weeks has gone and we have had warm sunny days. Good for walking and hopefully more to come.

August walking

We have been entertaining family so walks have been few, and short, so far this month.
We are just getting going again, with plans for a time on Exmoor shortly.
One of the joys of walking in August is that the brambles are begining to ripen in the hedgerows. We had a small plastic bag filled after a walk round locally. One of our apples added made a good apple and blackberry crumble. The first this year.

Cornwall in July

We have just come back from Cornwall, where we walked parts of the coast path. The weather was good, apart from the last day when we were walking near Portreath in heavy rain. The path is all 'ups and downs' so good camino practise.




The Air-Sea Rescue helicopter on cliff manoeuvres

Training for 2011

After our time on the Camino Primitivo and the Camino del Norte we are back home. There were some places where a causeway, like the one below (Hills and Woods), would have been useful. We balanced on the track side, leaning on our sticks so as not to slip into the deep mud and water. The Camino del Norte was dryer and the weather warmer after the very wet and cold Primitivo. Now we are back training gently for next year and the Camino Inglés.




A grass track

Large skipper butterfly enjoying the sun

Return to the Camino 2010

Our training is done, our rucksacks are packed, we are ready to go, and it is raining!! However we are not planning any-more long walks before we go. Expecting the weather to improve again by the time the ferry reaches Santander.
So the family are left at home to 'hold the fort' and this blog is 'on hold'.
A record of our time on the Camino this year will be posted at Return to the Camino

Hills and woods

The final long walk of our training - 10km over fairly strenuous terrain. Harder than the Camino according to Terry, with steeper hills and rougher underfoot in places. He says I can be pleased with myself and should be able to manage the chosen stretch of the Camino from Oviedo easily now. We only plan short walks for the rest of the week, just enough to keep us from seizing up.
While we are on the Camino we (or the family) will be posting on Return to the Camino so that you can follow our progress.





Photos:-

The causeway shows how muddy/wet this track can be. It is still needed in spite of a long dry spell.

The view across the valley to where we need to walk


Early purple orchids


A Violet Oil Beetle

Bluebells

Having been to church this morning we only had time for a short walk (5km) today. Down the road, across the fields, up the hill and through the woods. The first bluebells are just begining to flower. A sharp shower gave me the chance to actually put my poncho on for the first time while walking. Fine, I really like it. We just made it home before it really rained!

Dartmoor

We set off from Dartmeet at 10.30 to walk first along the Dart, then over the moorland to Bellever for lunch. The first hour was very slow over rough ground but then improved. We saw ponies, one with a very new wobbly foal suckling. Clapper bridges, stepping stones and hills were all in the morning's walk - 9km in two hours.

Dartmoor - more photos

After a picnic lunch at Bellever we continued our walk up a steep track, then downhill on another steep path. Parts again were very rough - plus a set of stepping stones for giants. More a case of 'jump' not step. Then more 'uphill-downhill' across moorland. We came back near the river on a wide grass track, finally completing 15.5km at 3.30 with a café con leche at the restaurant by the car park.

Through the woods

This morning's walk was mainly through the woods. The final hill up to the road was steeper than it looks here, especially just at the top. A beautiful day, but a chilly wind. Lovely in the woods with wood anenomes coming into flower.