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.

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