Valerie's Packing list

I am walking with the following in my pack as practise:-
2 shirts  340gm
3 T shirts/vests  345gm
Terry's shirt x 175gm
Trousers x 400gm
2 Long sleeved T shirts 300gm
Longjohns 240gm
Underwear 150gm
Socks 200gm
Dress/nightwear 160gm
2 Fleeces x350gm = 700gm
Poncho 340gm
Waterproof trousers 200gm
Wash bag and medical:- shampoo, soap, pegs and elastic line etc 340gm
Towel 100gm
Rucksack 1.06kg
Water bottles 2x 500ml =1kg when full
Total weight = 6kg 250gm

This is the maximum I would have to carry if the weather was hot and I was wearing shirt and trousers without needing the T-shirts or a fleece. In reality I would expect to be wearing some of the 'extra' items at present in my pack bringing the weight down to around 5.5kg including water. This would enable me to carry our snack bars or food for the day without being overloaded. (The 7kg was a bit too much I decided)

Spring is coming

We walked for about 7km this morning carrying our full packs. Valerie's weighs 7kg and Terry's 8kg. This included water, snack bars, extra fleece each and all our cool weather clothes. (We would expect to be wearing some of these unless the weather is so hot that we only need shirt and trousers without T-shirt/vest layer or a thin fleece.)
When we have time we'll make full list with weights like we did last year. (October 2009 posts if anyone wants to look back) It will be interesting to compare what we took then and what we plan to take this time.

At last it is possible to use the footpaths across the fields again and we started off with a steep uphill climb before settling down to the main part of the walk. On our way we saw an old chaffinch nest from last year which had fallen out of the hedge and also white violets growing on the bank side.

Roads and tracks

Most of our recent walking has been on the roads because of the weather. However it is getting warmer and there are crocuses and cyclamen out. The oak tree is an almost perfect shape.

After a number of very wet days we finally had a training walk 'off road' yesterday, on a well made track. One of the highlights were the deer we saw running through the woods and across the path. A shorter walk than normal but carrying our full packs, apart from water. We averaged an easy 4km per hour over fairly easy terrain.

After one sunny day we are back to rain again!!!!!!!!

Sun and Catkins

We have been for several walks now that the weather is dryer. The tracks are still very wet underfoot so much of the time we have been on side roads or made up paths.
With a little more warmth in the sun the catkins are coming out and we have seen a few early crocuses.
Our new boots fit well and have been put away again until nearer the time for walking the Camino and we are using our older boots for training. We filled our rucksacks with all our Camino gear as for a hot day (ie we packed fleeces etc) to be sure that we could carry the maximum we expect to take. My pack weighs approx 6kg and Terry's 7kg without water. If we are wearing our T-shirt/vests and/or fleeces the weight will go down. We'll post a full list and weights later.
So far we have only been walking about 9km, but we average about 4km an hour including brief stops for photos. We have found a coffee stop which also serves lunches. Useful when we want to do a longer walk later on.

Sunshine after the rain

After a cold and then very wet week we finally had sunshine today. A walk, starting off uphill for about 2½km, led us along the hilltop. The wind was cold, but between the hedges was warmer especially in the sun. The road then drops into the valley before rising again. Total distance today was nearly 8km.
At the ford there is a raised walkway, not visible in the photo, so the water wasn't a problem. There is usually water running here with the small stream running under the walkway into the nearby brook.

The road across the valley can be seen in the centre of the photo

Track, stream and ford

First walk of 2011

Another short walk today, about 5km, to start the new year. It was too grey and cloudy to take any photos. There is still just a little snow around, like yesterday, but it has nearly gone. The snowmen have all melted away. Now we hope for some winter sunshine and good walking weather for 2011.

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.