On Saturday 22 December Trevor, Michael and I did one of the longer walks available in the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve: the Camel Back Trail out to Camels Hump and then on towards the Pierce Trig.
Michael arrived shortly before 8am. We had decided to get away early as the forecast was for a hot day and we were hoping to beat some of the heat.
The first stop was Brothers Oven to get some breakfast for Michael (an egg and bacon roll) and coffees all round. This was takeaway so we were quickly back on the road and heading out towards Tharwa and the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve. We were early enough to miss most of the cyclists and only came across three on the narrow, winding road between Tharwa and entrance to Tidbinbilla.
A stop at the visitor centre to get Trevor's car added to my park entrance pass as I had not been able to determine how it could be done online. This provided a last toilet stop, too.
It took us a little longer than it should have to reach the carpark at the start of the walk as we did the complete circuit of the ring road as there is no specific signage for the Camel Back Trail from the ring road and you need to be aware that you need to take Mountain Creek Road to reach the start of the trail. One the second circuit we picked it up and finally reached the carpark.
What a lot of wildlife there was this morning. Yes, I know that it is a nature reserve however there were animals wandering across the road with complete abandon. The 35 kph speed was certainly justified.
At the start of the trail is a log book and we duly signed in and noted that there was another pair of walkers on their way to Camels Hump. That accounted for the vehicle in the carpark.
Our starting elevation was 908m.
The first bit of the trail, some 200m, took us along a path that had logs placed at regular intervals to prevent erosion. We were soon at the Camel Back Fire Trail and the long, hard slog up the trail. According to my stats we climbed 182m in that first kilometre and somehow managed to lose 7m. Yes, there was the odd dip as well as the upwards slog.
I spotted a snake on this section. It took a couple of goes to alert Michael to the presence of the reptile which was slithering across the trail just ahead of where we were. We stopped and let him go and he disappeared into some rocks in the bank at the edge of the trail. Michael thought that the snake was about a metre long. I won't argue with that. I certainly was not going to stop a red belly black to measure him!
The trail leveled out in the second kilometer with only 47m gained. The third kilometer was a little more up and down with a gain of 22m but a loss of 44m. The fourth kilometer saw us slog up a further 114m with enough down bits to add up to a loss of 21m. Yes, at times it was a bit like a roller coaster. The fifth km had a rise of 105m and a loss of 14m. By this stage we had gained some 470m with a loss of 86m - a net gain in elevation of 384m. The final bit of the trail up to the Camel Back sign just below Camels Hump was another fairly step climb as we trudged up to 1343m a further gain of some 51m only there were ups and downs in this section, too.
Michael had spotted the other walkers who had left ahead of us as they descended Camels Hump as we approached the Camel Back sign. There could have been hundreds of people on the trail however the trees and other shrubbery along the trail effectively blocks out the trail except for the stretch you are currently on.
At this point, at the Camel Back sign, my run stats seem to have gone a bit haywire as the climb up to Camels Hump, some 78m above, seems to be missing. Michael and I did the ascent of Camels Hump which proved to be quite steep with no formal track but a whole range of possible tracks which were generally rough and required quite a deal of scrambling on the way up and a great deal of care on the descent. Fortunately there were quite a few small trees crowding our route as they provided handgrips and helped to steady us, particularly on the way down.
Trevor had been trailing behind Michael and me. We kept him in view, his white hat making him easy to pick up against the greens and browns, and took advantage of stops in shaded spots so that we were never too far ahead of him. He climbed slower than we did but his speed was pretty consistent as he plodded up the trail. He left Trevor down below when we did the ascent of Camels Hump. This allowed me to leave my pack behind and we too everything out of Michael's except the bare essentials: emergency kit, water and map.
Back down from the hump we headed on towards Pierce Trig, some 2km further on. About 500m before the Trig we came to a fire trail that headed sharply down hill. We shopped at this junction for lunch. The cup of tea was most welcome even if the water was not freshly boiled but from the thermos.
We eyed off the trail that would take us on to pierce Trig and it, too, seemed to be heading down and we decided to turn around because every down section would require us to climb that same section on the return.
The ups and down on the return were a little surprising. We had not recognised just how much down bits there had been on the way out. These became up sections on the way back. The elevation gains and losses by km on the return were:
1: 35m and 31m
2: 49m and 44m
3: 28m and 76m - the first real dint in the elevation that we had gained on the way out
4: 29m and 119m
5: 34m and 120m
6: 44m and 50m
7: 0m and 95m
8 (actually only .6km): 0m and 68m
There were some seriously step section on the return where we had to be careful of our footing as the surface on the trail was quite loose.
I was flagging on the way back and it was not until I got home that I realised that I had not drunk nearly enough water. This was my first outing with the water bladder and I had no idea how much I had consumed until I took the bladder out of the pack and discovered that I had only drunk about 1/2l plus a small cup of tea while out on the trail ... more than 5 hours all up in quite hot conditions. Definitely not enough. I had been conscious of not over hydrating and went the other way. Oops. I need to be aware of this the next time I'm out hiking.
Trevor had done well. While he was slower than Michael and I on the outward part of teh hike he did maintain his pace and he was never too far in our rear. He maintained a good pace on the return journey. Overall he was really pleased with how well he had gone.
It had been a hot day with the temperature nudging up into the mid 30s. The heat reflected up from the surface of the trail added to temperature. Patches of shade along the trail provided welcome relief as did the breeze when it came.
All in all, this had been a tough but enjoyable outing.
Sunday 23 December 2012
Friday 21 December 2012
Helpful phone app
I have finally got around to loading an app onto my phone to track some of my walks. I picked the Runtastic app. The basic version is free. You get voice feedback for the first 2km of the "workout". To get voice feedback beyond the 2km mark requires the Pro version for which there is a charge. I'll make sure that I am happy with Runtastic first before shelling out money on the Pro version ... although it does have some useful features such as being able to add images during your workout ... tempting when climbing mountains!
Yesterday (Thursday 20 December) was the first trial. I did the walk home from Cooleman Court via the Stanhope Highway. Not only did I get an accurate distance record but also details of height gained and lost across. The details of the activity, you can nominate whether walking, running or any one of about 30 other forms of activity you are doing, can be stored and referenced later. It was good to see the profile across the route I took although the pace did look a little lumpy. Still, overall it was great to see the statistics.
In the evening I walked to the end of Marconi Crescent, one of my regular night walks, and managed to loose the data before it was uploaded. Bother!
Not to be defeated, I did a shorter walk to work out what went wrong and this time managed to save and upload the stats.
This morning (Friday 21 December - even if the uploaded stats is insisting that the date is still the 20th ... I need to work out how to set the time zone ... which I finally managed to do so that activities are now recorded against the correct day) I went out with Trevor on his morning Inkster Street walk so that he could get an accurate measure of the distance he walks each morning. It turned out that the circuit was exactly 5km.
I'll add statistics from other regular walks as I do them.
Yesterday (Thursday 20 December) was the first trial. I did the walk home from Cooleman Court via the Stanhope Highway. Not only did I get an accurate distance record but also details of height gained and lost across. The details of the activity, you can nominate whether walking, running or any one of about 30 other forms of activity you are doing, can be stored and referenced later. It was good to see the profile across the route I took although the pace did look a little lumpy. Still, overall it was great to see the statistics.
- Distance: 6.09km
- Elevation (gain/loss): 164m / 129m
In the evening I walked to the end of Marconi Crescent, one of my regular night walks, and managed to loose the data before it was uploaded. Bother!
Not to be defeated, I did a shorter walk to work out what went wrong and this time managed to save and upload the stats.
This morning (Friday 21 December - even if the uploaded stats is insisting that the date is still the 20th ... I need to work out how to set the time zone ... which I finally managed to do so that activities are now recorded against the correct day) I went out with Trevor on his morning Inkster Street walk so that he could get an accurate measure of the distance he walks each morning. It turned out that the circuit was exactly 5km.
- Distance: 5.00km
- Elevation (gain/loss): 63m / 63m
- Distance: 12.64km
- Elevation (gain/loss): 65m / 65m
I'll add statistics from other regular walks as I do them.
Thursday 20 December 2012
The Mount Taylor climbers Christmas breakfast
Last year I discovered that there was an annual gathering of people who climb Mt. Taylor. Of course, you have to climb the mountain to attend as the gathering is at the top. The only draw back is the early hour: 6am. Signs had been posted on the eastern and south eastern access points to the Mt Taylor Nature Reserve. I couldn't resist the opportunity to meet some of the other climbers so I attended the 2011 gathering even though I had a number of other activities scheduled from 7am onwards on that day. The surprising thing was that there were people at the function who I had known from my previous lives - some I had not seen for many years. It was good to catch up and also to meet the other "regulars" who stomp (or run, yes run) up and down the mountain that dominates my back yard.
This year I had not seen any notification of a pre Christmas gathering on the mountain top until well into December with the date set for Thursday 20 December. This year both Trevor and I decided to attend. Trevor has been plodding up and down Mt Taylor on a regular basis for a while now so was very much entitled to attend.
The invitation suggested champagne and strawberries however we opted for coffee. It was a good chance to check out my swish new thermos - the one that will be accompanying us on our upcoming walks. Yes, it did work! The coffee remained hot and it was easy to pour from it.
Trevor generally drives to the base of the mountain while I tend to walk. The walk takes almost 30 minutes. Today I opted to join Trevor in the car. We parked just off Colquhoun St and entered the Reserve on the south western side. This gives access to "my" track up the mountain. I'll have to get some photos to show this route. It meanders across a meadow and across a generally dry creek bed before reaching the Western Powerline fire trail. The route turns up the fire trail until you reach the highest point and then you turn off the first trail across a meadow before hitting the first of the real climbs. This track is unformed and provides a real workout for your stabilisers.
This morning, when we reached the Western Powerline fire trail we were delighted to see a large mob of kangaroos spread across the meadows on either side of the trail as well as occupying the trail itself. They were a bit flighty and hopped way as we trudged up the track.
It was a very pleasant morning. The temperature was warm enough for t-shirt only and a slight warmish breeze was not a problem.
My track is not a commonly used one although it is surprising just how often I have met people using it as I am going up or down. On some of the other trails up the mountain you would be surprised not to come across other climbers no matter when you are using them. This is not the case with the route from Colquhoun Street. The only person we encountered going up or down was a runner actually using the Western Powerline trail and not climbing the mountain.
When we arrived at the top just on 6am there were already a number of people there enjoying the views and the delights of the clear early morning light. The last of the dawn pinkness was fading from the scattered clouds and the citty spread out below us like a huge forest with just the odd scar (Woden town centre, the hospital complex and civic as well as the major arterial roads) announcing that this really is an urban area. Most of the buildings are camouflaged by the mature trees they are such a feature of Canberra's suburban landscape.
People kept on arriving at the top of the mountain by a variety of the many available routes. Some came singly, others in pairs and a few groups had also made the climb. As each new person arrived there were introductions and, finally, someone arrived with sticky labels so that we could all name ourselves which meant that introductions became much easier.
The crowd started to thin around 7am and we headed down leaving a couple of stragglers behind.
All in all it was a pleasant way to start the day even if a couple of hours more sleep would have been advantageous.
This year I had not seen any notification of a pre Christmas gathering on the mountain top until well into December with the date set for Thursday 20 December. This year both Trevor and I decided to attend. Trevor has been plodding up and down Mt Taylor on a regular basis for a while now so was very much entitled to attend.
The invitation suggested champagne and strawberries however we opted for coffee. It was a good chance to check out my swish new thermos - the one that will be accompanying us on our upcoming walks. Yes, it did work! The coffee remained hot and it was easy to pour from it.
Trevor generally drives to the base of the mountain while I tend to walk. The walk takes almost 30 minutes. Today I opted to join Trevor in the car. We parked just off Colquhoun St and entered the Reserve on the south western side. This gives access to "my" track up the mountain. I'll have to get some photos to show this route. It meanders across a meadow and across a generally dry creek bed before reaching the Western Powerline fire trail. The route turns up the fire trail until you reach the highest point and then you turn off the first trail across a meadow before hitting the first of the real climbs. This track is unformed and provides a real workout for your stabilisers.
This morning, when we reached the Western Powerline fire trail we were delighted to see a large mob of kangaroos spread across the meadows on either side of the trail as well as occupying the trail itself. They were a bit flighty and hopped way as we trudged up the track.
It was a very pleasant morning. The temperature was warm enough for t-shirt only and a slight warmish breeze was not a problem.
My track is not a commonly used one although it is surprising just how often I have met people using it as I am going up or down. On some of the other trails up the mountain you would be surprised not to come across other climbers no matter when you are using them. This is not the case with the route from Colquhoun Street. The only person we encountered going up or down was a runner actually using the Western Powerline trail and not climbing the mountain.
When we arrived at the top just on 6am there were already a number of people there enjoying the views and the delights of the clear early morning light. The last of the dawn pinkness was fading from the scattered clouds and the citty spread out below us like a huge forest with just the odd scar (Woden town centre, the hospital complex and civic as well as the major arterial roads) announcing that this really is an urban area. Most of the buildings are camouflaged by the mature trees they are such a feature of Canberra's suburban landscape.
People kept on arriving at the top of the mountain by a variety of the many available routes. Some came singly, others in pairs and a few groups had also made the climb. As each new person arrived there were introductions and, finally, someone arrived with sticky labels so that we could all name ourselves which meant that introductions became much easier.
The crowd started to thin around 7am and we headed down leaving a couple of stragglers behind.
All in all it was a pleasant way to start the day even if a couple of hours more sleep would have been advantageous.
Monday 17 December 2012
Cameras and other gadgets and another walk
After our walk in the Flinders Ranges Trevor has been looking at what he can do with his camera. He decided to get a tripod, too, so that he could experiment with panning for panoramas and other features. The first tripod was very cheap but did provide some good experience and a set of requirements for tripod #2. Yes, there is now a #2.
This weekend we (Trevor, Michael and I) are planning to do the walk the Camel Back Trail and on to Pierce Trig. This will allow Trevor and I to check out our packs and make adjustments ahead of our Great Alpine Walk. It will be the first time I have used my water bladder and I want to see how I fair.
I have also acquired a rugged thermos so that we can have a cuppa while out on the trail.
The Camel Back Trail is quite a hard walk with an uphill slog for most of the walk out. From the start of the trail, the Camel Back carpark in the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve, to the point just below Camels Hump (at the "Camel Back sign") is just a little over 6km. The ascent to Camels Hump is a steep finale to the trail according to Graeme Barrow's guide book "Exploring Tidbinbilla on Foot" and is in addition to the walking distance.
The Pierce Trig is 2km further along the trail from the Camel Back sign.
All up the walk is some 16km plus the climbs to Camels Hump and the trig point.
Hopefully Trevor will take lots of photos so that we can show you the spectacular scenery we have been promised.
With the temperature on Saturday expected to be in the high 20s and some cloud cover it should be a good day for walking.
This weekend we (Trevor, Michael and I) are planning to do the walk the Camel Back Trail and on to Pierce Trig. This will allow Trevor and I to check out our packs and make adjustments ahead of our Great Alpine Walk. It will be the first time I have used my water bladder and I want to see how I fair.
I have also acquired a rugged thermos so that we can have a cuppa while out on the trail.
The Camel Back Trail is quite a hard walk with an uphill slog for most of the walk out. From the start of the trail, the Camel Back carpark in the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve, to the point just below Camels Hump (at the "Camel Back sign") is just a little over 6km. The ascent to Camels Hump is a steep finale to the trail according to Graeme Barrow's guide book "Exploring Tidbinbilla on Foot" and is in addition to the walking distance.
The Pierce Trig is 2km further along the trail from the Camel Back sign.
All up the walk is some 16km plus the climbs to Camels Hump and the trig point.
Hopefully Trevor will take lots of photos so that we can show you the spectacular scenery we have been promised.
With the temperature on Saturday expected to be in the high 20s and some cloud cover it should be a good day for walking.
Thursday 22 November 2012
Equipment ... sometimes it just does not behave
Having the right equipment always helps.
After our Flinders Ranges walk Trevor upgraded his day pack. His new one supports a water bladder allowing him to drink water without having to take off his pack or getting someone to retrieve his water bottle for him. The bladders certainly make keeping hydrated much easier as it is possible to have frequent sips - important in very hot conditions. In addition, the pack remains balanced as the water supply is depleted.
On our long Melbourne Cup Day walk Trevor had issues with his socks. He does tend to sweat a lot which probably doesn't help however his socks kept on bunching up in his boots. He was wearing a liner however I suspect that the outer socks were the main issue. This week he is wearing a pair of my hiking socks to check out how they go in his boots. If they work then at least we will know what sort of socks to get him. Workman socks do not make the cut!
While I was relatively happy with my day pack, it has a number of chambers which allowed me to separate things that are being carried but not expected to be used from what will definitely be attacked during the day, our Melbourne Cup Day walk indicated that I need to reconsider whether to move to a water bladder supporting pack or not. In the end I figured that I would probably be better off with a pack which positioned the weight onto my hips, rather than my shoulders, as well as supporting a water bladder. Katmandu had one of their frequent sales with extra specials on offer for their Summit Club members and I took advantage of this pre Christmas sale to get another day pack with hip belt and water bladder support. I took it out for a trial last night and was happy with how it sat. It will need some more adjustment (there are so many adjustment points that the process takes a bit of trial and error to get it just right) and I also need to hike with it with a full day load. Last night was a relatively light load.
I had grabbed a walking magazine earlier in the week and came across a review of the Katmandu emergency support kit which comes in quite a small container (about the size of a 600ml drink bottle) and consists of 20 odd useful items from a poncho, space blacket, wire saw, whistle, solar powered light, flint ... I picked up two of these at a little under $25 each. Given the range of items it really is both a bargain and a very useful emergency kit.
The magazine covered a number of terrific walks. I think we will need to look at tackling some of these in the coming year along with our great Alpine Walk in January and the Coast to Coast next August/September. Once I get our internet access (read our wretched server) back working properly I'll do a bit more research and see what we can fit in around our other activities.
We still have a whole range of walks to do in Namadgi but these will need to wait until the reptiles (read red belly black snakes) are no longer active.
After our Flinders Ranges walk Trevor upgraded his day pack. His new one supports a water bladder allowing him to drink water without having to take off his pack or getting someone to retrieve his water bottle for him. The bladders certainly make keeping hydrated much easier as it is possible to have frequent sips - important in very hot conditions. In addition, the pack remains balanced as the water supply is depleted.
On our long Melbourne Cup Day walk Trevor had issues with his socks. He does tend to sweat a lot which probably doesn't help however his socks kept on bunching up in his boots. He was wearing a liner however I suspect that the outer socks were the main issue. This week he is wearing a pair of my hiking socks to check out how they go in his boots. If they work then at least we will know what sort of socks to get him. Workman socks do not make the cut!
While I was relatively happy with my day pack, it has a number of chambers which allowed me to separate things that are being carried but not expected to be used from what will definitely be attacked during the day, our Melbourne Cup Day walk indicated that I need to reconsider whether to move to a water bladder supporting pack or not. In the end I figured that I would probably be better off with a pack which positioned the weight onto my hips, rather than my shoulders, as well as supporting a water bladder. Katmandu had one of their frequent sales with extra specials on offer for their Summit Club members and I took advantage of this pre Christmas sale to get another day pack with hip belt and water bladder support. I took it out for a trial last night and was happy with how it sat. It will need some more adjustment (there are so many adjustment points that the process takes a bit of trial and error to get it just right) and I also need to hike with it with a full day load. Last night was a relatively light load.
I had grabbed a walking magazine earlier in the week and came across a review of the Katmandu emergency support kit which comes in quite a small container (about the size of a 600ml drink bottle) and consists of 20 odd useful items from a poncho, space blacket, wire saw, whistle, solar powered light, flint ... I picked up two of these at a little under $25 each. Given the range of items it really is both a bargain and a very useful emergency kit.
The magazine covered a number of terrific walks. I think we will need to look at tackling some of these in the coming year along with our great Alpine Walk in January and the Coast to Coast next August/September. Once I get our internet access (read our wretched server) back working properly I'll do a bit more research and see what we can fit in around our other activities.
We still have a whole range of walks to do in Namadgi but these will need to wait until the reptiles (read red belly black snakes) are no longer active.
Thursday 1 November 2012
Preparations: a longish walk
Both the Alpine walk and the Coast to Coast have a number of long days. In order to get used to tackling distances of 30+ kms in a day Trevor and I will do some longish walks around our local area. The first one will be from Watson to Kambah around the base of Mt Ainslie, through Civic, to Woden and then on to Kambah. The Woden to Kambah leg is a familar one as I generally walk it at least once a week and some weeks more often than that.
I'll update this post with the details of the walk once completed.
Watch this space!
Tuesday 6 November ... yes, Melbourne Cup Day ...
Trevor and I headed out to do our first long walk. Unfortunately my bus timetable waw out of date and the bus I expected to come at 7:21am had actually come at 7:14am so we had a 20 minute wait for the next one.
Still, we managed to get to Watson around 9 o'clock and had a late breakfast before heading off.
From the Watson shops we headed for the edge of the suburb and the trails along the back of the houses in the Mt Majura Nature Reserve. While the day was warm, and Trevor was perspiring profusely, it was pleasant walking. From the Mt Majura Nature Reserve we entered the Mt Ainslie one and eventually arrived at the War Memorial where we grabbed a coffee and a toilet break.
We walked down Anzac Parade, past all the memorials, and eventually reached Commonwealth Park. Skirting around the lake edge we climbed up onto Commonwealth Avenue and headed towards Parliament House. Walking around the big house on the hill via State Circle we eventually passed The Lodge before walking down Grey Street in Deakin.
Our lunch stop was at the Deakin shops. A chance to sit down in the cool.
Heading off along Mcgregor Street and then Strickland Street we then walked across the Mint ovals and picked up the path along Yarra Glen heading towards Woden.
We bypassed the Woden Town Centre and continued on to Chifley where we had a short break. Threatening clouds were buidling and it looked like the promised storms were not far off so we pressed on, arriving home shortly after 4pm.
All up we covered about 28km with packs on. I must admit that I was pleased to be home as I was feeling pretty tired. Still, a long walk down and more to come.
Trevor had trouble with his socks. Definitely something to be sorted out before our next foray.
And how did we pull up?
Apart from the sock problem, Trevor had a large blister in the sole of one of his feet. The socks probably contributed to it.
I noticed that my pack was not sitting straight. I kept knocking it with my right arm but not my left. I need to sort this out as it put uneven pressure on my shoulders. I will also consider getting another pack that has a more defined hip belt to shift the weight to the hips and away from the shoulders.
Trevor used a water bladder. This seems a definite advantage as you can drink on the move and there is no need to depack to get to the water. I'll look into getting a pack that allows me to have a water bladder, too.
I was pretty tired on Tuesday night. A pity that I was waiting for entries to come in for the ACT Summer Distance Meet which closed at 10:00pm.
I didn't feel too bad on Wednesday. It was raining in the morning so I didn't walk down to the gym which is my normal Wednesday morning regime. Wednesday's usually have a 6km walk to the gym and a 6km walk home but not this Wednesday.
The other thing that we need to consider is when and where we take breaks during longish walks. Trevor does quite a few hour plus walks across the day with reasonable breaks between each one. I have a similar pattern even if it is a walk to the gym, a PT session and then a walk home.
Normally we don't do our walks in our hiking boots. On Tuesday we did. That may have contributed a bit to the leg tireness. The boots are not quite as flexible as as my normal walking shoes.
When is the next longish walk? An excellent question.
I'll update this post with the details of the walk once completed.
Watch this space!
Tuesday 6 November ... yes, Melbourne Cup Day ...
Trevor and I headed out to do our first long walk. Unfortunately my bus timetable waw out of date and the bus I expected to come at 7:21am had actually come at 7:14am so we had a 20 minute wait for the next one.
Still, we managed to get to Watson around 9 o'clock and had a late breakfast before heading off.
From the Watson shops we headed for the edge of the suburb and the trails along the back of the houses in the Mt Majura Nature Reserve. While the day was warm, and Trevor was perspiring profusely, it was pleasant walking. From the Mt Majura Nature Reserve we entered the Mt Ainslie one and eventually arrived at the War Memorial where we grabbed a coffee and a toilet break.
We walked down Anzac Parade, past all the memorials, and eventually reached Commonwealth Park. Skirting around the lake edge we climbed up onto Commonwealth Avenue and headed towards Parliament House. Walking around the big house on the hill via State Circle we eventually passed The Lodge before walking down Grey Street in Deakin.
Our lunch stop was at the Deakin shops. A chance to sit down in the cool.
Heading off along Mcgregor Street and then Strickland Street we then walked across the Mint ovals and picked up the path along Yarra Glen heading towards Woden.
We bypassed the Woden Town Centre and continued on to Chifley where we had a short break. Threatening clouds were buidling and it looked like the promised storms were not far off so we pressed on, arriving home shortly after 4pm.
All up we covered about 28km with packs on. I must admit that I was pleased to be home as I was feeling pretty tired. Still, a long walk down and more to come.
Trevor had trouble with his socks. Definitely something to be sorted out before our next foray.
And how did we pull up?
Apart from the sock problem, Trevor had a large blister in the sole of one of his feet. The socks probably contributed to it.
I noticed that my pack was not sitting straight. I kept knocking it with my right arm but not my left. I need to sort this out as it put uneven pressure on my shoulders. I will also consider getting another pack that has a more defined hip belt to shift the weight to the hips and away from the shoulders.
Trevor used a water bladder. This seems a definite advantage as you can drink on the move and there is no need to depack to get to the water. I'll look into getting a pack that allows me to have a water bladder, too.
I was pretty tired on Tuesday night. A pity that I was waiting for entries to come in for the ACT Summer Distance Meet which closed at 10:00pm.
I didn't feel too bad on Wednesday. It was raining in the morning so I didn't walk down to the gym which is my normal Wednesday morning regime. Wednesday's usually have a 6km walk to the gym and a 6km walk home but not this Wednesday.
The other thing that we need to consider is when and where we take breaks during longish walks. Trevor does quite a few hour plus walks across the day with reasonable breaks between each one. I have a similar pattern even if it is a walk to the gym, a PT session and then a walk home.
Normally we don't do our walks in our hiking boots. On Tuesday we did. That may have contributed a bit to the leg tireness. The boots are not quite as flexible as as my normal walking shoes.
When is the next longish walk? An excellent question.
Thursday 18 October 2012
Coast to Coast (C2C) walk England - the overview
Trevor
and I will be tackling the Coast to Coast Walk next northern summer i.e.2013. We
will be walking in a group with a guide. The company we have chosen is
Northwestwalks.
Northwestwalks Coast to Coast guided tours follow Wainwrights famous 190 mile long-distance route across the North of England. From St Bees on the Irish Sea to Robin Hoods Bay on the North Sea the route leads through spectacular scenery and contrasting landscapes, crossing the Lake District, Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors National Parks.
There is a wealth of history along the route.
Initially the route follows the coastline around St Bees Head before turning east and entering the Lake District National Park. The Lake District is home to spectacular lake and mountain scenery. Although not high the mountains are rugged with steep footpaths. From Shap the Coast to Coast route levels to cross the undulating farmland between the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales, where the high ground returns but with less demanding ascents. At Richmond we leave the Dales and walk across the low lying Vale of Mowbray to Ingleby Cross and the beginning of the North York Moors. From here the trail leads on a roller coaster ride across the heather covered hills to the North Sea and Robin Hoods Bay.
The Coast to Coast is a lengthy challenging 'trek' and should not be under estimated, the valleys through the middle section, and the arable land in the eastern section make for straightforward walking, but the hills of the Lake District, Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors are rugged and gradients can be steep, so walkers must be physically fit, and equipped to meet it. The terrain on this trail is a diversity of rocky mountain paths, limestone plateau’s, country lanes, rolling hillsides and farmland.
The guided coast to coast holidays are group holidays with a guide. Each night on the trail we will stay in a different village along the route in selected accommodation, with full English breakfast provided. Our luggage will be transferred for us between overnight stops. We only need to carry a day pack: wet weather gear, extra layers in case it gets cold, lunch, drinks and whatever else we need for the day.
Start point: St Bees, Cumbria
End point: Robin Hoods Bay, North Yorkshire
Direction of walk: West to East
Grade: A challenging route walked at a steady pace and therefore a good level of fitness (stamina and cardiovascular) is required.
Group size: There will be a maximum of 12 people plus guide.
Terrain: The varies from rocky paths (especially in the National Parks), to farmland and country lanes. The National Parks provide the added challenges of some steep ascents and descents (perfect if you like walking in the mountains and hills). Ropes are not required. Footpaths can be hazardous (loose rock, wet, vegetation, scree, steep paths, vehicles, etc) so care and a sense of awareness is required.
Included in the price of the holiday are 14 nights accommodation with full English breakfast, experienced guide, luggage transfer and personal accommodation to accommodation transfer if required (so it is possible to bail out of a day and rest rather than walk).
Not included in the price: Evening meals, packed lunches, drinks and snacks, travel insurance, travel to St Bees and from Robin Hoods Bay, souvenirs, etc. Even so, the price is very reasonable compared to guided walks here in Australia.
Accommodation is provided in a variety of selected comfortable B&Bs, Guest Houses, small hotels and Inns. Types and standards of accommodation vary from village to village, and room sizes and facilities vary within accommodation. Many properties are hundreds of years old, and although many rooms have been converted to ensuite it has not been possible to do so in some properties or rooms due to space limitations or buildings having listed status (a property preservation order). Most rooms are ensuite but we expect to share a bathroom (i.e. have a non ensuite room) for one or two or nights of a full tour.
B&Bs in England are typically good value and country pubs are often full of character so some of the adventure of this trip will be the places we stay.
Guides: As well as leading the way the experienced Guide will provide daily information about the route its varied landscapes and local history. The guide will also provide information about the villages, places to eat, etc.
Meals: A full English breakfast is included in the cost and is served at the accommodation. Packed lunches (average cost £5) are available to buy from the accommodation or local shop, and evening meals (average cost £12) are generally available from local pubs.
Weather in Northern England is best described as changeable but there can be long dry warm spells. Walkers should be prepared for all possibilities as weather, particularly in the mountains, can change quickly. Weather statistics are available from the Met Office at http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/. If severe weather conditions prevail during the holiday the guide may have to change the route, delay or cancel a day’s walk.
Route description
Each stage (day) of the walk is set down in a separate post. These posts are intended to provide some further information about the route and points of interest. All distances, timings and heights are approximate and are provided as an aid to describe the route. The time to cover the distance includes time spent walking and time for breaks.
Day 1: St Bees
Arrive at St Bees. We will probably fly into Heathrow and then take the train from London to St Bees, a 5 hour trip. We will be staying at Stonehouse Farm which is about 100m from the railway station. We will be meeting our guide and fellow walkers at a welcome meeting in the guest lounge, Stonehouse Farm at 5pm.
Days 2 to 14 are walking days and each of these days is detail in the 13 stage posting.
Day 15: Robin Hoods Bay
Robin Hoods Bay is our walking destination which will will get to at the end of stage 13. It is a picturesque once fishing village and reputed smugglers haunt. Being built on the hillside the street from top to bottom of the village is the final steep descent/ascent on route.
And after the walk?
We will probably spend a few days just south of Robin Hoods Bay as I have a heap of ancestors from this area of the Yorkshire coast as well as the area a little inland from Scarborough.
Northwestwalks Coast to Coast guided tours follow Wainwrights famous 190 mile long-distance route across the North of England. From St Bees on the Irish Sea to Robin Hoods Bay on the North Sea the route leads through spectacular scenery and contrasting landscapes, crossing the Lake District, Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors National Parks.
There is a wealth of history along the route.
Initially the route follows the coastline around St Bees Head before turning east and entering the Lake District National Park. The Lake District is home to spectacular lake and mountain scenery. Although not high the mountains are rugged with steep footpaths. From Shap the Coast to Coast route levels to cross the undulating farmland between the Lake District and Yorkshire Dales, where the high ground returns but with less demanding ascents. At Richmond we leave the Dales and walk across the low lying Vale of Mowbray to Ingleby Cross and the beginning of the North York Moors. From here the trail leads on a roller coaster ride across the heather covered hills to the North Sea and Robin Hoods Bay.
The Coast to Coast is a lengthy challenging 'trek' and should not be under estimated, the valleys through the middle section, and the arable land in the eastern section make for straightforward walking, but the hills of the Lake District, Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors are rugged and gradients can be steep, so walkers must be physically fit, and equipped to meet it. The terrain on this trail is a diversity of rocky mountain paths, limestone plateau’s, country lanes, rolling hillsides and farmland.
The guided coast to coast holidays are group holidays with a guide. Each night on the trail we will stay in a different village along the route in selected accommodation, with full English breakfast provided. Our luggage will be transferred for us between overnight stops. We only need to carry a day pack: wet weather gear, extra layers in case it gets cold, lunch, drinks and whatever else we need for the day.
Start point: St Bees, Cumbria
End point: Robin Hoods Bay, North Yorkshire
Direction of walk: West to East
Grade: A challenging route walked at a steady pace and therefore a good level of fitness (stamina and cardiovascular) is required.
Group size: There will be a maximum of 12 people plus guide.
Terrain: The varies from rocky paths (especially in the National Parks), to farmland and country lanes. The National Parks provide the added challenges of some steep ascents and descents (perfect if you like walking in the mountains and hills). Ropes are not required. Footpaths can be hazardous (loose rock, wet, vegetation, scree, steep paths, vehicles, etc) so care and a sense of awareness is required.
Included in the price of the holiday are 14 nights accommodation with full English breakfast, experienced guide, luggage transfer and personal accommodation to accommodation transfer if required (so it is possible to bail out of a day and rest rather than walk).
Not included in the price: Evening meals, packed lunches, drinks and snacks, travel insurance, travel to St Bees and from Robin Hoods Bay, souvenirs, etc. Even so, the price is very reasonable compared to guided walks here in Australia.
Accommodation is provided in a variety of selected comfortable B&Bs, Guest Houses, small hotels and Inns. Types and standards of accommodation vary from village to village, and room sizes and facilities vary within accommodation. Many properties are hundreds of years old, and although many rooms have been converted to ensuite it has not been possible to do so in some properties or rooms due to space limitations or buildings having listed status (a property preservation order). Most rooms are ensuite but we expect to share a bathroom (i.e. have a non ensuite room) for one or two or nights of a full tour.
B&Bs in England are typically good value and country pubs are often full of character so some of the adventure of this trip will be the places we stay.
Guides: As well as leading the way the experienced Guide will provide daily information about the route its varied landscapes and local history. The guide will also provide information about the villages, places to eat, etc.
Meals: A full English breakfast is included in the cost and is served at the accommodation. Packed lunches (average cost £5) are available to buy from the accommodation or local shop, and evening meals (average cost £12) are generally available from local pubs.
Weather in Northern England is best described as changeable but there can be long dry warm spells. Walkers should be prepared for all possibilities as weather, particularly in the mountains, can change quickly. Weather statistics are available from the Met Office at http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/climate/uk/. If severe weather conditions prevail during the holiday the guide may have to change the route, delay or cancel a day’s walk.
Each stage (day) of the walk is set down in a separate post. These posts are intended to provide some further information about the route and points of interest. All distances, timings and heights are approximate and are provided as an aid to describe the route. The time to cover the distance includes time spent walking and time for breaks.
Day 1: St Bees
Arrive at St Bees. We will probably fly into Heathrow and then take the train from London to St Bees, a 5 hour trip. We will be staying at Stonehouse Farm which is about 100m from the railway station. We will be meeting our guide and fellow walkers at a welcome meeting in the guest lounge, Stonehouse Farm at 5pm.
Days 2 to 14 are walking days and each of these days is detail in the 13 stage posting.
Day 15: Robin Hoods Bay
Robin Hoods Bay is our walking destination which will will get to at the end of stage 13. It is a picturesque once fishing village and reputed smugglers haunt. Being built on the hillside the street from top to bottom of the village is the final steep descent/ascent on route.
And after the walk?
We will probably spend a few days just south of Robin Hoods Bay as I have a heap of ancestors from this area of the Yorkshire coast as well as the area a little inland from Scarborough.
C2C Stage 1: St Bees to Ennerdale Bridge
Well, this is our first day of walking on the Coast to Coast trail. With 22.5 kms ahead of us I hope that the weather is fine and that we manage this challenging first day without too many problems.
St Bees to Ennerdale Bridge (village height above sea level 100m)
Distance 14 miles/ 22.5km - Strenuous - Height Gain 685m/2250ft – 7.5 hours
Setting out from Stone House Farm in St Bees at 9:00am.
Arriving at Ennerdale Bridge at approximately 4:30pm
As far as most walkers are concerned, 'Mile Zero' on the path is at the Coast to Coast sign by the RNLI hut facing the Irish Sea. A plaque on the seafront marks the start of Wainwrights coast to coast walk. Tradition says to dip your toe in the sea and then collect a small pebble to carry with you to the east coast.
The day offers varied scenery. Initially our route heads north along the coastal path with views of Scotland and the Isle of Man. We leave the coastal path and head east towards the Lake District Mountains. The route passes through the villages of Sandwith, Moor Row and Cleator followed by a steep walk up Dent (352m), the high point of the day. Admire the views before continuing across the hilltop and descending steeply down a forest track to Nannycatch Beck. We follow the beck and then a roadside path to Ennerdale Bridge. Ennerdale Bridge is at the edge of the Lake District National Park.
Most walkers find this first day a bit of a struggle, particularly the haul up and over Dent Hill into Ennerdale Bridge.
Notable landmarks:
Ennerdale Bridge has two village pubs serving evening meals and packed lunches.
St Bees to Ennerdale Bridge (village height above sea level 100m)
Distance 14 miles/ 22.5km - Strenuous - Height Gain 685m/2250ft – 7.5 hours
Setting out from Stone House Farm in St Bees at 9:00am.
Arriving at Ennerdale Bridge at approximately 4:30pm
As far as most walkers are concerned, 'Mile Zero' on the path is at the Coast to Coast sign by the RNLI hut facing the Irish Sea. A plaque on the seafront marks the start of Wainwrights coast to coast walk. Tradition says to dip your toe in the sea and then collect a small pebble to carry with you to the east coast.
The day offers varied scenery. Initially our route heads north along the coastal path with views of Scotland and the Isle of Man. We leave the coastal path and head east towards the Lake District Mountains. The route passes through the villages of Sandwith, Moor Row and Cleator followed by a steep walk up Dent (352m), the high point of the day. Admire the views before continuing across the hilltop and descending steeply down a forest track to Nannycatch Beck. We follow the beck and then a roadside path to Ennerdale Bridge. Ennerdale Bridge is at the edge of the Lake District National Park.
Most walkers find this first day a bit of a struggle, particularly the haul up and over Dent Hill into Ennerdale Bridge.
Notable landmarks:
- The cleft of Fleswick Bay composed of a secluded pebbly beach surrounded by red sandstone cliffs with some unusually weathered boulders on the shore, if you can be bothered to make the short detour. The bay marks the dividing line between the constituent parts of St Bees Head: South Head and North Head.
- St Bees Lighthouse
- Sandwith - the first settlement of note on the trail almost 5 miles/8km along the path from St Bees.
- Moor Row is half way to Ennerdale Bridge and has a couple of places where food and drinks can be purchased.
- Cleator ... an ancient village with little to recommend it today
- The long and sweaty climb up Dent Hill takes about an hour from Cleator. At the top, provided the weather is clear, there should be views to the Lakeland fells ahead and the sea behind, with the gigantic plant of Sellafield to the south-west, Egremont before it and, on a good day, the silhouette of the Isle of Man and Galloway (Scotland) across the Solway Firth.
- The path descends Raven Crag hill which is quite steep and poles could be handy. It is good training and scenic.
- Ennerdale Bridge is the first of the self-consciously pretty Lakeland villages occupying a wonderful location spanning the River Ehen.
Ennerdale Bridge has two village pubs serving evening meals and packed lunches.
C2C Stage 2: Ennerdale Bridge to Rosthwaite
Day 3 is a 14 mile (22 1/2 km) section graded as strenuous. I hope taht we are up to tackling this walk after our first day on the trail.
Ennerdale Bridge (100m) to Rosthwaite (100m)
Distance 14 miles/22.5km - Strenuous - Height Gain 530m/1740ft - 8 hours
9:00am start from Ennerdale Bridge. We should arrive in Rosthwaite/Stonethwaite around 5pm.
We follow the country lanes to Ennerdale Water then the rocky path along the banks of the Lake. At the far end of the Lake we take the forest track that climbs gradually along Ennerdale valley, walking alongside the River Liza, to the remote Black Sail Hut YHA (290m). The hostel is left open during the day which provides shelter from the weather and a chance to make a cup of tea in the kitchen.
From the YHA we continue to the bottom of Loft Beck and a steep ascent to the high point of the day at 600m. The views back to the sea are spectacular. We follow the rocky path across the fell and descend to Honister (330m). Continue descending into the beautiful Borrowdale valley to the village of Seatoller (120m) then follow the footpaths to Rosthwaite.
Well, this should be an interesting day. The chances of fine weather are not good as we will be heading for the spot that records the highest rainfall in England (Sprinkling Tarn, just south of Seathwaite, receives 185 inches .... yes, inches ... (4.7metres) of rain a year! Now, that is why we carry wet weather gear. It isn't just to add weight to our packs, after all. There may be a real purpose! Afternoon rain is very common even when mornings are clear.
Seatoller is a National Trust village which is just a short distance before our destination for the day: Rosthwaite.
At Honister there is a slate mine and shop (serving tea and coffee).
Rosthwaite has a pub serving evening meals and a small shop where you can buy packed lunches. Nearby Stonethwaite has a pub serving evening meals.
Note: We will stop at the 28 mile mark today.
Ennerdale Bridge (100m) to Rosthwaite (100m)
Distance 14 miles/22.5km - Strenuous - Height Gain 530m/1740ft - 8 hours
9:00am start from Ennerdale Bridge. We should arrive in Rosthwaite/Stonethwaite around 5pm.
We follow the country lanes to Ennerdale Water then the rocky path along the banks of the Lake. At the far end of the Lake we take the forest track that climbs gradually along Ennerdale valley, walking alongside the River Liza, to the remote Black Sail Hut YHA (290m). The hostel is left open during the day which provides shelter from the weather and a chance to make a cup of tea in the kitchen.
From the YHA we continue to the bottom of Loft Beck and a steep ascent to the high point of the day at 600m. The views back to the sea are spectacular. We follow the rocky path across the fell and descend to Honister (330m). Continue descending into the beautiful Borrowdale valley to the village of Seatoller (120m) then follow the footpaths to Rosthwaite.
Well, this should be an interesting day. The chances of fine weather are not good as we will be heading for the spot that records the highest rainfall in England (Sprinkling Tarn, just south of Seathwaite, receives 185 inches .... yes, inches ... (4.7metres) of rain a year! Now, that is why we carry wet weather gear. It isn't just to add weight to our packs, after all. There may be a real purpose! Afternoon rain is very common even when mornings are clear.
Seatoller is a National Trust village which is just a short distance before our destination for the day: Rosthwaite.
At Honister there is a slate mine and shop (serving tea and coffee).
Rosthwaite has a pub serving evening meals and a small shop where you can buy packed lunches. Nearby Stonethwaite has a pub serving evening meals.
Note: We will stop at the 28 mile mark today.
C2C Stage 3: Rosthwaite to Grasmere
Day 4 and a strenuous day although the distance is a mere 10 miles (16km) and the height gain is moderate, too.
Rosthwaite (100m) to Grasmere (75m)
Distance 10 miles/16km – Strenuous - Height Gain 530m/1740ft - 6 hours
Starting at the 28 mile mark:
and finishing at the 38 mile mark:
Start at 9:00am from Rosthwaite. We should arrive in Grasmere around 3pm.
We take the track alongside Stonethwaite Beck then a rocky path climbing steadily alongside Greenup Gill. We walk steeply up the steps and rocks (a bit tricky but not technical) to the left side of Lining Crag (500m) and admire the views to the north and east. Continue to Greenup Edge, today’s high point at 620m, and then descend the rocky path to the head of Far Easedale. The guide then considers several factors and decides to either follow the ridge walk across Calf Crag, Gibson Knott and Helm Crag before descending steeply into Grasmere or take the less arduous route down Far Easedale.
Strenuous ... doesn't sound good after the last two days.
In good weather this part of the walk is a Lakeland classic. Let's hope that the weather is fine.
The first bit is a straightforward climb up past Lining Crag to Greenup Edge.The path tracks besides Stonethwaite Beck which is a continuous torrent of white water with occasional waterfalls after rain.
At the top of Lining Crag, weather permitting, it is possible to see Scafell Pike, England's highest summit at 978m.
William Wordsworth called the valley in which Grasmere sits "the fairest place on earth". Heady words. It will be interesting to see why he thought so highly of this valley. Grasmere is the home to Dove Cottage where Wordsworth lived for about 10 years. It is open to the public daily from 9:30am to 5pm.
There are many little shops, cafes and a few pubs serving evening meals in Grasmere.
Rosthwaite (100m) to Grasmere (75m)
Distance 10 miles/16km – Strenuous - Height Gain 530m/1740ft - 6 hours
Starting at the 28 mile mark:
Start at 9:00am from Rosthwaite. We should arrive in Grasmere around 3pm.
We take the track alongside Stonethwaite Beck then a rocky path climbing steadily alongside Greenup Gill. We walk steeply up the steps and rocks (a bit tricky but not technical) to the left side of Lining Crag (500m) and admire the views to the north and east. Continue to Greenup Edge, today’s high point at 620m, and then descend the rocky path to the head of Far Easedale. The guide then considers several factors and decides to either follow the ridge walk across Calf Crag, Gibson Knott and Helm Crag before descending steeply into Grasmere or take the less arduous route down Far Easedale.
Strenuous ... doesn't sound good after the last two days.
In good weather this part of the walk is a Lakeland classic. Let's hope that the weather is fine.
The first bit is a straightforward climb up past Lining Crag to Greenup Edge.The path tracks besides Stonethwaite Beck which is a continuous torrent of white water with occasional waterfalls after rain.
At the top of Lining Crag, weather permitting, it is possible to see Scafell Pike, England's highest summit at 978m.
William Wordsworth called the valley in which Grasmere sits "the fairest place on earth". Heady words. It will be interesting to see why he thought so highly of this valley. Grasmere is the home to Dove Cottage where Wordsworth lived for about 10 years. It is open to the public daily from 9:30am to 5pm.
There are many little shops, cafes and a few pubs serving evening meals in Grasmere.
C2C Stage 4: Grasmere to Glenridding
Day 5 is supposedly another strenuous day even though it is only an 8 mile stage. Time will tell.
Grasmere (75m) to Glenridding (150m).
Distance 8 miles/13km - Strenuous - Height Gain 505m/1655ft - 5 hours
A late start - 11:30am from Grasmere (stating at the 38 mile mark) with an expected arrival in Glenridding (around the 46 mile mark) of 4:30pm.
This short stage is a great hike with views back to Grasmere and, once over the pass, down across Grisedale to Patterdale, another gorgeous valley with the lake of Ullswater twinkling away to the north.
We follow the lane to Mill Bridge then take the rocky path which climbs steadily alongside Tongue Gill to Grisedale Tarn (550m). From Grisedale Tarn we follow the route down hill alongside Grisedale Beck to Patterdale valley and the village of Glenridding on the shores of Ullswater.
Note: Close to the outlet of Grisedale Tarn is the ‘Brothers Parting Stone’. This is the point that William Wordsworth last met his brother John who later died when his ship sank at sea.
There are two other routes from Grisedale Tarn to the Patterdale valley ... both considerably more challenging than the one we will be taking.
There are a few pubs for meals and village shops in Glenridding.
Grasmere (75m) to Glenridding (150m).
Distance 8 miles/13km - Strenuous - Height Gain 505m/1655ft - 5 hours
A late start - 11:30am from Grasmere (stating at the 38 mile mark) with an expected arrival in Glenridding (around the 46 mile mark) of 4:30pm.
This short stage is a great hike with views back to Grasmere and, once over the pass, down across Grisedale to Patterdale, another gorgeous valley with the lake of Ullswater twinkling away to the north.
We follow the lane to Mill Bridge then take the rocky path which climbs steadily alongside Tongue Gill to Grisedale Tarn (550m). From Grisedale Tarn we follow the route down hill alongside Grisedale Beck to Patterdale valley and the village of Glenridding on the shores of Ullswater.
Note: Close to the outlet of Grisedale Tarn is the ‘Brothers Parting Stone’. This is the point that William Wordsworth last met his brother John who later died when his ship sank at sea.
There are two other routes from Grisedale Tarn to the Patterdale valley ... both considerably more challenging than the one we will be taking.
There are a few pubs for meals and village shops in Glenridding.
C2C Stage 5: Glenridding to Shap
Day 6 and a little shorter, just, than some of the other days!
Glenridding (150m) to Shap (250m)
Distance 17 miles/27km - Height Gain 760m/2500ft - 9 hours
An early start today with an 8:30am departure from Glenridding. We expect to arrive in Slap aroun5:30pm.
See the previous stage for the first bit of the terrain profile. We will be starting just before mile 46 and finish at mile 61ish.
This stage sees us leave the Lacke District however the crags, knotts, pikes and fells that have been our high-level companions for the past few stages won't let us go without a struggle. Be prepared to be very tired indeed at the end of this stage. The long climb up to Kidsty Pike, the gnarly descent from it to Haweswater and the undulating trawl along the lake's edge adds up to well over 1300 metres of total ascent. Together it all conspires to make the seemingly harmless spin down over fields and farmland to Shap enough to curse the very name of Wainwright.
So, here goes.
A short valley walk then a sharp steep walk up to Boredale Hause (400m), the rocky path now climbs with less gradient past Angle Tarn and close to Satura Crag (600m), it descends to 500m and then climbs sharply again to round The Knott (739m). The route then turns sharp left onto High Street, an old Roman Road, and then right onto Kidsty Pike (780m) the highest point on route. From here look back across the Lake District and then turn to view the Eden Valley and the Pennine Mountains. We descend gradually at first then steeply down to Haweswater (250m), and follow the rocky path alongside the banks of the reservoir to Burnbanks. The terrain eases as the route crosses undulating farmland to Shap.
Notes:
Glenridding (150m) to Shap (250m)
Distance 17 miles/27km - Height Gain 760m/2500ft - 9 hours
An early start today with an 8:30am departure from Glenridding. We expect to arrive in Slap aroun5:30pm.
See the previous stage for the first bit of the terrain profile. We will be starting just before mile 46 and finish at mile 61ish.
This stage sees us leave the Lacke District however the crags, knotts, pikes and fells that have been our high-level companions for the past few stages won't let us go without a struggle. Be prepared to be very tired indeed at the end of this stage. The long climb up to Kidsty Pike, the gnarly descent from it to Haweswater and the undulating trawl along the lake's edge adds up to well over 1300 metres of total ascent. Together it all conspires to make the seemingly harmless spin down over fields and farmland to Shap enough to curse the very name of Wainwright.
So, here goes.
A short valley walk then a sharp steep walk up to Boredale Hause (400m), the rocky path now climbs with less gradient past Angle Tarn and close to Satura Crag (600m), it descends to 500m and then climbs sharply again to round The Knott (739m). The route then turns sharp left onto High Street, an old Roman Road, and then right onto Kidsty Pike (780m) the highest point on route. From here look back across the Lake District and then turn to view the Eden Valley and the Pennine Mountains. We descend gradually at first then steeply down to Haweswater (250m), and follow the rocky path alongside the banks of the reservoir to Burnbanks. The terrain eases as the route crosses undulating farmland to Shap.
Notes:
- The Romans built High Street to link the Roman forts at Ambleside and Penrith.
- Haweswater reservoir was created by Manchester Corporation when they dammed and flooded the valley in 1935.
- The ruins of Shap Abbey stand by the banks of the River Lowther.
C2C Stage 6: Shap to Kirkby Stephen
Day 7. This stage is another long one ... although not designated "strenuous"
Shap (250m) to Kirkby Stephen (180m)
Distance 20 miles/32km - Long moderate - Height Gain 150m/490ft - 8.5 hours
Those who struggled over the previous stage may be less than delighted to learn that this stage is another long one. While long there is a plus ... no prolonged gradients to contend with so can be viewed as a "recovery day".
Another early start. We will be leaving Shap at 8:30am and should arrive in Kirkby Stephen around 5pm.
Setting out from mile 61ish our destination is mile 80.
This stage has a number of prehistoric sites although it would be easy to pass them by without recognising them.
The Lake District Mountains are left behind and the gradients ease to cross the rolling farmland and hills in Eden Valley. We follow the footpaths across the limestone plateau passing the secluded walled village of Oddendale with two concentric stone circles only a few minutes off the track and the granite boulders deposited by ice age glaciers. Orton lies a mile to the south of the route. There is a second, more impressive, stone circle a mile to the east of Orton on the Coast to Coast path.
We continue over rolling farmland and across the moors passing Sunbiggin, the hidden remains of several ancient settlements, and Smardale Bridge to the market town Kirkby Stephen.
There are banks, shops, pubs and cafes in Kirkby Stephen.
Shap (250m) to Kirkby Stephen (180m)
Distance 20 miles/32km - Long moderate - Height Gain 150m/490ft - 8.5 hours
Those who struggled over the previous stage may be less than delighted to learn that this stage is another long one. While long there is a plus ... no prolonged gradients to contend with so can be viewed as a "recovery day".
Another early start. We will be leaving Shap at 8:30am and should arrive in Kirkby Stephen around 5pm.
Setting out from mile 61ish our destination is mile 80.
This stage has a number of prehistoric sites although it would be easy to pass them by without recognising them.
The Lake District Mountains are left behind and the gradients ease to cross the rolling farmland and hills in Eden Valley. We follow the footpaths across the limestone plateau passing the secluded walled village of Oddendale with two concentric stone circles only a few minutes off the track and the granite boulders deposited by ice age glaciers. Orton lies a mile to the south of the route. There is a second, more impressive, stone circle a mile to the east of Orton on the Coast to Coast path.
We continue over rolling farmland and across the moors passing Sunbiggin, the hidden remains of several ancient settlements, and Smardale Bridge to the market town Kirkby Stephen.
There are banks, shops, pubs and cafes in Kirkby Stephen.
C2C Stage 7: Kirkby Stephen to Keld
This is the 8th day ... having completed 6 days of walking today we come to the half way point.
Kirkby Stephen (180m) to Keld (350m)
Distance 13 miles/21km - Strenuous - Height Gain 515m/1690ft - 7 hours
This stage is something of a red-letter day. Not only does it cross the Pennines - the so-called backbone of the British Isles on whose flanks the Industrial Revolution gathered pace some 200 years ago - but in doing so it crosses the watershed on the Coast to Coast. From the summit of Nine Standards Rigg all rivers, including the infant headwaters of the Swale, which will be tracked over the next couple of stages, flow eastwards to drain into the North Sea.
We will pass from the county of Cumbria into Yorkshire, too.
Yet in spite of these significant landmarks, the one thing that most walkers remember about the transit of the Pennines is the peat bogs they have to negotiate along the way. No matter what the weather, it is a good idea to don gaiters.
We will be departing from Kirkby Stephen at 9:00am and should get to Keld around 4pm.
Setting out from mile 80 to mile 95 (yes, there does seem to be a bit of a difference in the mile covered and the starting and finishing point!):
Across Franks Bridge and head for the lane which becomes a broad path onto the Pennine Moors and the summit of Nine Standards Rigg (662m). Depending on the time of year there are three routes over and around Nine Standards; green (avoiding the summit) for winter and spring, red for early summer, and blue for late summer and autumn. All routes cross peat, which is notoriously boggy in wet weather, before descending to the River Swale and the road in to Keld.
No matter which route is chosen it seems that most walkers cannot resist stopping at Ravenseat Farm for a sit down and tea and scones before continuing on to Keld.
Nine Standards marks the point at which you cross from Cumbria into North Yorkshire, it is the start of the Yorkshire Dales, and a watershed for rivers flowing west or east. Nine Standards are a group of ancient legendary cairns that have stood the test of time.
Keld is half way.
There is a farm cafe in Keld and a Country Inn serving evening meals.
Kirkby Stephen (180m) to Keld (350m)
Distance 13 miles/21km - Strenuous - Height Gain 515m/1690ft - 7 hours
This stage is something of a red-letter day. Not only does it cross the Pennines - the so-called backbone of the British Isles on whose flanks the Industrial Revolution gathered pace some 200 years ago - but in doing so it crosses the watershed on the Coast to Coast. From the summit of Nine Standards Rigg all rivers, including the infant headwaters of the Swale, which will be tracked over the next couple of stages, flow eastwards to drain into the North Sea.
We will pass from the county of Cumbria into Yorkshire, too.
Yet in spite of these significant landmarks, the one thing that most walkers remember about the transit of the Pennines is the peat bogs they have to negotiate along the way. No matter what the weather, it is a good idea to don gaiters.
We will be departing from Kirkby Stephen at 9:00am and should get to Keld around 4pm.
Setting out from mile 80 to mile 95 (yes, there does seem to be a bit of a difference in the mile covered and the starting and finishing point!):
Across Franks Bridge and head for the lane which becomes a broad path onto the Pennine Moors and the summit of Nine Standards Rigg (662m). Depending on the time of year there are three routes over and around Nine Standards; green (avoiding the summit) for winter and spring, red for early summer, and blue for late summer and autumn. All routes cross peat, which is notoriously boggy in wet weather, before descending to the River Swale and the road in to Keld.
No matter which route is chosen it seems that most walkers cannot resist stopping at Ravenseat Farm for a sit down and tea and scones before continuing on to Keld.
Nine Standards marks the point at which you cross from Cumbria into North Yorkshire, it is the start of the Yorkshire Dales, and a watershed for rivers flowing west or east. Nine Standards are a group of ancient legendary cairns that have stood the test of time.
Keld is half way.
There is a farm cafe in Keld and a Country Inn serving evening meals.
C2C Stage 8: Keld to Reeth
Day 9 of the Coast to Coast walking holiday
Keld (350m) to Reeth (200m)
Distance 11 miles/17.5km – Strenuous - Height Gain 150m/490ft - 6.5 hours
The route stays high and crosses moorland that is scarred from a lead mining industry that disappeared at the end of the 19th century.
Note: There is nowhere to buy food or drink on this route so come prepared.
The wildlife along this walk can be abundant especially if you set off early. Along with rabbits there can be pheasants and even deer. However the route is mainly about archeology and the evidence about man's industrial enterprise in the far north of England. The landscape is forever scarred by the evidence of lead mining.
Departing from Keld at 9:00am we should arrive in Reeth by 3:30pm.
Starting at mile 95 we finish the day at mile 106/107:
From Keld the route climbs past Crackpot Hall and the ruins of Swinner Gill mine workings. 'Crackpot' means 'Deep hole or chasm that is the haunt of crows' not what we would usually associate with this word.
The path crosses the moor (580m) before dropping into Gunnerside Gill (400m) and then up onto Melbecks Moor (550m). From here a broad track descends gradually passing the ruins of Old Gang Smelting Mills to Surrender Bridge (350m) and another smelt mill. The last test of the day is to drop into Cringley Bottom, cross the stream and then continue over the farmland to Reeth.
Reeth is the archetypal Yorkshire dales village: flanked to north and south by mine-scarred valleys and ringed by dry-stone walls. At its heart lies a village green surrounded on all sides by several examples of Yorkshire hospitality: the tearoom and the pub. The village was used for many episodes of All Creatures, Great and Small.
There are a few village shops, cafes and pubs in Reeth.
Keld (350m) to Reeth (200m)
Distance 11 miles/17.5km – Strenuous - Height Gain 150m/490ft - 6.5 hours
The route stays high and crosses moorland that is scarred from a lead mining industry that disappeared at the end of the 19th century.
Note: There is nowhere to buy food or drink on this route so come prepared.
The wildlife along this walk can be abundant especially if you set off early. Along with rabbits there can be pheasants and even deer. However the route is mainly about archeology and the evidence about man's industrial enterprise in the far north of England. The landscape is forever scarred by the evidence of lead mining.
Departing from Keld at 9:00am we should arrive in Reeth by 3:30pm.
Starting at mile 95 we finish the day at mile 106/107:
From Keld the route climbs past Crackpot Hall and the ruins of Swinner Gill mine workings. 'Crackpot' means 'Deep hole or chasm that is the haunt of crows' not what we would usually associate with this word.
The path crosses the moor (580m) before dropping into Gunnerside Gill (400m) and then up onto Melbecks Moor (550m). From here a broad track descends gradually passing the ruins of Old Gang Smelting Mills to Surrender Bridge (350m) and another smelt mill. The last test of the day is to drop into Cringley Bottom, cross the stream and then continue over the farmland to Reeth.
Reeth is the archetypal Yorkshire dales village: flanked to north and south by mine-scarred valleys and ringed by dry-stone walls. At its heart lies a village green surrounded on all sides by several examples of Yorkshire hospitality: the tearoom and the pub. The village was used for many episodes of All Creatures, Great and Small.
There are a few village shops, cafes and pubs in Reeth.
C2C Stage 9: Reeth to Bolton on Swale
Day 10 of the walk.
Reeth (200m) to Bolton on Swale near Richmond (150m)
Distance 17 miles/27km - Long moderate - Height Gain 400m/1315ft - 8 hours
Setting out from Reeth at 8:45am we should arrive in Bolton on Swale at approximately 4:45pm for the transfer back to Richmond.
Starting out at mile 106/107:
we will pass through Richmond (mile 117) and carry on to Bolton on Swale at mile 124/125.
This is a much easier day’s walk across rolling countryside passing Marrick Priory, Marske village and Whitecliffe wood. We arrive in Richmond at lunchtime and then continue (to reduce the following day’s distance) to Bolton on Swale in the afternoon. Actually, Bolton on Swale is almost 8 miles on from Richmond!
There are a couple of lovely tracts of woodland on the section between Reeth and Richmond. This 12 1/2 mile (20km) section takes about 4 1/2 hours.
After lunch it will be out on the trail again, heading for Bolton on Swale some 7 1/2 miles away along a track which follows the River Swale.
Short transfer back to Richmond.
Founded by the Normans Richmond grew around the castle built on the ‘riche-mont’ or ‘strong-hill’ that gave the town its name and whose massive keep dominates all other buildings around.
Richmond has several banks, shops, pubs and cafes.
Reeth (200m) to Bolton on Swale near Richmond (150m)
Distance 17 miles/27km - Long moderate - Height Gain 400m/1315ft - 8 hours
Setting out from Reeth at 8:45am we should arrive in Bolton on Swale at approximately 4:45pm for the transfer back to Richmond.
Starting out at mile 106/107:
we will pass through Richmond (mile 117) and carry on to Bolton on Swale at mile 124/125.
This is a much easier day’s walk across rolling countryside passing Marrick Priory, Marske village and Whitecliffe wood. We arrive in Richmond at lunchtime and then continue (to reduce the following day’s distance) to Bolton on Swale in the afternoon. Actually, Bolton on Swale is almost 8 miles on from Richmond!
There are a couple of lovely tracts of woodland on the section between Reeth and Richmond. This 12 1/2 mile (20km) section takes about 4 1/2 hours.
After lunch it will be out on the trail again, heading for Bolton on Swale some 7 1/2 miles away along a track which follows the River Swale.
Short transfer back to Richmond.
Founded by the Normans Richmond grew around the castle built on the ‘riche-mont’ or ‘strong-hill’ that gave the town its name and whose massive keep dominates all other buildings around.
Richmond has several banks, shops, pubs and cafes.
C2C Stage 10: Bolton on Swale to Ingleby Cross
Day 11 of the trip
After overnighting in Richmond we will be transferred back to Bolton on Swale to start the days walk.
Bolton on Swale, Richmond (150m) to Ingleby Cross (100m)
Distance 17 miles/27km - Long moderate - Height Gain 100m/330ft - 7.5 hours
We will be picked up in Richmond at 8:45am and transferred back to Bolton on Swale. We should arrive in Ingleby Cross around 4:30pm.
The walk will commence at mile 124/125 today and finish at mile 137:
In Bolton-on-Swale it is worth visiting the the churchyard, famous for its monument to Henry Jenkins, a local man who supposedly lived to 169 years old. The curch dates back to the 14th century.
The route to Danby Wiske is almost level and generally easy going, it crosses farmland.
Danby Wiske at 110ft is the lowest inland point on route and is a tiny village with an 11th century church. The church is one of the very few in England that has no dedication. Only the solid oak door and the font are 11th century originals, although much of the north aisle is only slightly younger.
From the bridge corssing the River Wiske outside the village, it ispossible to see the outline of the Cleveland Hills in the distance. Unfortunately, half the Vale of Mawbray still lies ahead with 8 miles of country lanes and then farmland across the low lying Vale of Mowbray before reaching Ingleby Cross.
From here we walk a short distance to our accommodation in Arncliffe Wood.
If we arrive before 6pm it may be worth visiting Mount Grace Priory (see the next stage for more details).
Ingleby Cross marks the start of the North York Moors national park and the Cleveland Hills.
There are a few pubs serving evening meals.
After overnighting in Richmond we will be transferred back to Bolton on Swale to start the days walk.
Bolton on Swale, Richmond (150m) to Ingleby Cross (100m)
Distance 17 miles/27km - Long moderate - Height Gain 100m/330ft - 7.5 hours
We will be picked up in Richmond at 8:45am and transferred back to Bolton on Swale. We should arrive in Ingleby Cross around 4:30pm.
The walk will commence at mile 124/125 today and finish at mile 137:
In Bolton-on-Swale it is worth visiting the the churchyard, famous for its monument to Henry Jenkins, a local man who supposedly lived to 169 years old. The curch dates back to the 14th century.
The route to Danby Wiske is almost level and generally easy going, it crosses farmland.
Danby Wiske at 110ft is the lowest inland point on route and is a tiny village with an 11th century church. The church is one of the very few in England that has no dedication. Only the solid oak door and the font are 11th century originals, although much of the north aisle is only slightly younger.
From the bridge corssing the River Wiske outside the village, it ispossible to see the outline of the Cleveland Hills in the distance. Unfortunately, half the Vale of Mawbray still lies ahead with 8 miles of country lanes and then farmland across the low lying Vale of Mowbray before reaching Ingleby Cross.
From here we walk a short distance to our accommodation in Arncliffe Wood.
If we arrive before 6pm it may be worth visiting Mount Grace Priory (see the next stage for more details).
Ingleby Cross marks the start of the North York Moors national park and the Cleveland Hills.
There are a few pubs serving evening meals.
C2C Stage 11: Ingleby Cross to Blakey Ridge
This is day 12 of our walking trip.
Ingleby Cross (100m) to Blakey Ridge (400m)
Distance 20 miles/32km - Strenuous - Height Gain 970m/3190ft - 8.5 hours
This looks like being a long day with 32km and 970m height gain. One comment is that we will need to be in good shape to reach Blakey Ridge without looking like an extra from a George Romero zombie movie on arrival.
This stage takes us through the North York Moors National Park, the third national park on the route with, it is said, the worlds largest expanse of heather. Depending on the weather, this could be a pleasant stage while we tramp up and down the moors with great views or a miserable, muddy, rain-soaked trudge with all views obscured by bone-chilling mist. I hope the weather is fine!
A rollercoaster day.
Today we set out from mile 137:
and finish at the 161 mile mark:
Setting out from Ingleby Cross at 8:30am, yes an early start, the walk begins with a climb up past the church (with its tripple-decker pulpit and purple pews).
The path will take us past Mount Grace Priory which was built in 1398 by the Carthusian order. The priory today, though definitely a ruin, is an absorbing one, and one that clearly shows in its foundations to the basic layout of the place. The restoration of cell number 8 (in the early 20th century) also makes clear that, for their time, these cells were remarkably comfortable, built on two floors with cabinets, a loom, a small bed, water closet and a small garden. With latrines fitted and clean water piped into every cell, the plumbing was ahead of its time. Unfortunately, little of the system remains today save for channels in which the water flowed around the priory. The Priory is open Thursday to Monday from 10am to 6pm. Cost: £4.50.
Wainwright's climbing trail meets the Cleveland Way which we will then follow for most of the way to Blakey Moor.
The trail continues steeply up through Arncliffe Wood (and there is plenty more ups on this stage!) with cleared forestry providing views back to the Vale of Mowbray. Next comes the heather-clad Scarth Wood Moor followed by Clain Wood before hauling ourselves up a steep, wooded climb onto Live Moor.
[Here is another description of the route: The route descends into Scugdale (100m). Not keen to stay low the path climbs steadily at first then steeply onto Gold Hill (315m).]
It continues onto Carlton Moor (408m). At the far end of the moor is a trig point and a boundary maker, from where the North Sea should be visable beyond the industrial installations of Teeside.
The path then descends to Green Bank (300m). Once again it climbs going over Cringle Moor (430m), descends to 280m then back up to 400m, down again to 300m and then a final climb through the Wainstones onto Hasty Bank (398m) before descending to the road at Clay Bank Top (250m). If all the up and down seems like too much hard work there is a path that contours round the hills from Green Bank to Clay Bank.
A final steep ascent to Carr Ridge (390m) is followed by a gradual rise to the summit of Round Hill (454m), the highest point on the North York Moors. The path descends to Bloworth Crossing (400m) were it leaves the Cleveland Way and continues on an almost level disused railway line across the desolate moors to the remote Lion Inn on Blakey Ridge.
The North York Moors are covered in purple heather during late summer months.
Iron Ore has been mined for centuries from the Cleveland Hills. In 1861 rail tracks were laid across the moors to increase mining capacity. In the early 1900’s demand dropped and the railway was dismantled in 1929.
We expect to arrive at Lion Inn around 5pm.
Ingleby Cross (100m) to Blakey Ridge (400m)
Distance 20 miles/32km - Strenuous - Height Gain 970m/3190ft - 8.5 hours
This looks like being a long day with 32km and 970m height gain. One comment is that we will need to be in good shape to reach Blakey Ridge without looking like an extra from a George Romero zombie movie on arrival.
This stage takes us through the North York Moors National Park, the third national park on the route with, it is said, the worlds largest expanse of heather. Depending on the weather, this could be a pleasant stage while we tramp up and down the moors with great views or a miserable, muddy, rain-soaked trudge with all views obscured by bone-chilling mist. I hope the weather is fine!
A rollercoaster day.
Today we set out from mile 137:
and finish at the 161 mile mark:
Setting out from Ingleby Cross at 8:30am, yes an early start, the walk begins with a climb up past the church (with its tripple-decker pulpit and purple pews).
The path will take us past Mount Grace Priory which was built in 1398 by the Carthusian order. The priory today, though definitely a ruin, is an absorbing one, and one that clearly shows in its foundations to the basic layout of the place. The restoration of cell number 8 (in the early 20th century) also makes clear that, for their time, these cells were remarkably comfortable, built on two floors with cabinets, a loom, a small bed, water closet and a small garden. With latrines fitted and clean water piped into every cell, the plumbing was ahead of its time. Unfortunately, little of the system remains today save for channels in which the water flowed around the priory. The Priory is open Thursday to Monday from 10am to 6pm. Cost: £4.50.
Wainwright's climbing trail meets the Cleveland Way which we will then follow for most of the way to Blakey Moor.
The trail continues steeply up through Arncliffe Wood (and there is plenty more ups on this stage!) with cleared forestry providing views back to the Vale of Mowbray. Next comes the heather-clad Scarth Wood Moor followed by Clain Wood before hauling ourselves up a steep, wooded climb onto Live Moor.
[Here is another description of the route: The route descends into Scugdale (100m). Not keen to stay low the path climbs steadily at first then steeply onto Gold Hill (315m).]
It continues onto Carlton Moor (408m). At the far end of the moor is a trig point and a boundary maker, from where the North Sea should be visable beyond the industrial installations of Teeside.
The path then descends to Green Bank (300m). Once again it climbs going over Cringle Moor (430m), descends to 280m then back up to 400m, down again to 300m and then a final climb through the Wainstones onto Hasty Bank (398m) before descending to the road at Clay Bank Top (250m). If all the up and down seems like too much hard work there is a path that contours round the hills from Green Bank to Clay Bank.
A final steep ascent to Carr Ridge (390m) is followed by a gradual rise to the summit of Round Hill (454m), the highest point on the North York Moors. The path descends to Bloworth Crossing (400m) were it leaves the Cleveland Way and continues on an almost level disused railway line across the desolate moors to the remote Lion Inn on Blakey Ridge.
The North York Moors are covered in purple heather during late summer months.
Iron Ore has been mined for centuries from the Cleveland Hills. In 1861 rail tracks were laid across the moors to increase mining capacity. In the early 1900’s demand dropped and the railway was dismantled in 1929.
We expect to arrive at Lion Inn around 5pm.
C2C stage 12: Blakey Ridge to Grosmont
This day 13 of the holiday. Almost 2 weeks out on the track. I wonder how well we have coped!
Blakey Ridge (400m) to Grosmont (50m)
Distance 15 miles/24km - Long moderate. - Height Gain 100m/330ft - 6 hours
We depart at 9:00am and should reach Grosmont around 3pm.
Our starting point is at the 161.5 mile point and we finish the day at the 175 mile mark:
For those who enjoy cosy English villages hidden amongst the gentlest, most bucolic scenery the country has to offer, the stroll down the Esk Valley from Glaisdale to Grosmont may be the best section of this walk. The nostalgic 60s village booby TV show, Heartbeat, was filmed near here.
The route takes us across areas with great names: Fat Betty, where tradition requires you to both take and leave a snack or sweet; Great Fryup and Glaisdale Moor.
High on the moors we follow a road for a few miles before returning to tracks through the heathers. Another road walk and then the route takes a broad disused track gradually descending Glaisdale Moor into Glaisdale village but not before tracking along Glaisdale Rigg past various standing stones and a particularly well-hewn boundary marker. The North Sea should have been sighted as we head towards Glaisdale.
The village of Glaisdale sprawls across its lofty perch above the Esk Valley.
We leave Glaisdale and the route, never far from the River Esk, passes through East Arncliffe Wood to Egton Bridge where it follows a once toll road through the private estate of Egton Manor to Grosmont.
The North York Moors Railway's steam train leaves Grosmont between four and eight time a day depending on teh season. Some trains are drawn by a diesel engine rather than a steam engine. The trains go to Whitby (20 minutes) and to Middlesborough (70 minutes). There is a train that leaves Grosmont at 4:35pm and arrives in Whitby at 5pm. The return train leaves Whitby at 5:30pm and arrives in Grosmont at 5:50pm. The cost for a senior retun is £9.
There is a pub serving evening meals, a few cafes and shops inthe village (of Grosmont)
Blakey Ridge (400m) to Grosmont (50m)
Distance 15 miles/24km - Long moderate. - Height Gain 100m/330ft - 6 hours
We depart at 9:00am and should reach Grosmont around 3pm.
Our starting point is at the 161.5 mile point and we finish the day at the 175 mile mark:
For those who enjoy cosy English villages hidden amongst the gentlest, most bucolic scenery the country has to offer, the stroll down the Esk Valley from Glaisdale to Grosmont may be the best section of this walk. The nostalgic 60s village booby TV show, Heartbeat, was filmed near here.
The route takes us across areas with great names: Fat Betty, where tradition requires you to both take and leave a snack or sweet; Great Fryup and Glaisdale Moor.
High on the moors we follow a road for a few miles before returning to tracks through the heathers. Another road walk and then the route takes a broad disused track gradually descending Glaisdale Moor into Glaisdale village but not before tracking along Glaisdale Rigg past various standing stones and a particularly well-hewn boundary marker. The North Sea should have been sighted as we head towards Glaisdale.
The village of Glaisdale sprawls across its lofty perch above the Esk Valley.
We leave Glaisdale and the route, never far from the River Esk, passes through East Arncliffe Wood to Egton Bridge where it follows a once toll road through the private estate of Egton Manor to Grosmont.
The North York Moors Railway's steam train leaves Grosmont between four and eight time a day depending on teh season. Some trains are drawn by a diesel engine rather than a steam engine. The trains go to Whitby (20 minutes) and to Middlesborough (70 minutes). There is a train that leaves Grosmont at 4:35pm and arrives in Whitby at 5pm. The return train leaves Whitby at 5:30pm and arrives in Grosmont at 5:50pm. The cost for a senior retun is £9.
There is a pub serving evening meals, a few cafes and shops inthe village (of Grosmont)
C2C stage 13: Grosmont to Robin Hoods Bay
This is day 14 of the trip and the last walking day.
Grosmont (50m) to Robin Hoods Bay.
Distance 15 miles/24km - Long moderate - Height Gain 475m/1560ft - 7 hours
There is a warning in Henry Steedman's guide: "Don't be fooled into thinking this [last stage] is a mere formality as the climb out of Grosmont will soon demonstrater. It is a long stretch totalling 15 1/2 miles (25km) with enough ups and downs to ensure you arrive in Robin Hood's Bay suitably dishevelled." After 12 days of walking this sounds ominous.
Departing from Grosmont at 9:00am we should arrive in Robin Hoods Bay around 4pm.
Setting out from the 175 mile point today we finish up at mile post 190:
The road climbs steeply out of Grosmont (its not called the 1 in 3 for nothing) to its high point on Sleights Moor (285m), there are wonderful views to Whitby and the sea. Slights Moor is part of the intriguingly named Eskdaleside cum Ugglebarnby. The first climb of the day is 230m. There are views north-east to the well-ventilated ruins of Whitby Abbey or back down into misty Eskdale.
The path passes five ancient standing monoliths called the High Bride Stones.
Still on heather moorland the route descends into Littlebeck (50m).
Littlebeck is another tiny hamlet with a lengthy past. It was once a centre of alum-mining in the 17th to 19th centuries. Alum is used for dyeing as well as tanning leather.
The village was home to woodcarver Thomas Whittaker and his cottage, Woodcarver's Cottage, is on the bend above the Old Mill.
Pretty as Littlebeck is, it is nothing when compared with the wonderful Little Beck Wood. This 65 acres of woodland is filled with oak trees, deer, badgers, foxes and birdlife galore.
Before leaving the woods there is Falling Foss, a 20m-high waterfall alongside the former ruins of Midge Hall, now rebuilt and coverted into the Falling Foss Tea Garden, a great place for a coffee and cake or a light lunch.
After the woodland walk it climbs back up to 200m and crosses a final stretch of moorland before following country lanes to the coast. We turn south to follow the coastal path to Robin Hoods Bay and the sea. Follow tradition once more by dipping our boot in the sea and throwing our pebble in (that should baffle the geologists in years to come).
The challenge is complete.
In the Bay Hotel you can sign the Coast to Coast book.
There are several pubs and cafes open daily for food and drinks. There are also several gift shops.
Grosmont (50m) to Robin Hoods Bay.
Distance 15 miles/24km - Long moderate - Height Gain 475m/1560ft - 7 hours
There is a warning in Henry Steedman's guide: "Don't be fooled into thinking this [last stage] is a mere formality as the climb out of Grosmont will soon demonstrater. It is a long stretch totalling 15 1/2 miles (25km) with enough ups and downs to ensure you arrive in Robin Hood's Bay suitably dishevelled." After 12 days of walking this sounds ominous.
Departing from Grosmont at 9:00am we should arrive in Robin Hoods Bay around 4pm.
Setting out from the 175 mile point today we finish up at mile post 190:
The road climbs steeply out of Grosmont (its not called the 1 in 3 for nothing) to its high point on Sleights Moor (285m), there are wonderful views to Whitby and the sea. Slights Moor is part of the intriguingly named Eskdaleside cum Ugglebarnby. The first climb of the day is 230m. There are views north-east to the well-ventilated ruins of Whitby Abbey or back down into misty Eskdale.
The path passes five ancient standing monoliths called the High Bride Stones.
Still on heather moorland the route descends into Littlebeck (50m).
Littlebeck is another tiny hamlet with a lengthy past. It was once a centre of alum-mining in the 17th to 19th centuries. Alum is used for dyeing as well as tanning leather.
The village was home to woodcarver Thomas Whittaker and his cottage, Woodcarver's Cottage, is on the bend above the Old Mill.
Pretty as Littlebeck is, it is nothing when compared with the wonderful Little Beck Wood. This 65 acres of woodland is filled with oak trees, deer, badgers, foxes and birdlife galore.
Before leaving the woods there is Falling Foss, a 20m-high waterfall alongside the former ruins of Midge Hall, now rebuilt and coverted into the Falling Foss Tea Garden, a great place for a coffee and cake or a light lunch.
After the woodland walk it climbs back up to 200m and crosses a final stretch of moorland before following country lanes to the coast. We turn south to follow the coastal path to Robin Hoods Bay and the sea. Follow tradition once more by dipping our boot in the sea and throwing our pebble in (that should baffle the geologists in years to come).
The challenge is complete.
In the Bay Hotel you can sign the Coast to Coast book.
There are several pubs and cafes open daily for food and drinks. There are also several gift shops.
Saturday 13 October 2012
Kangaroos are fascinating ... particularly for overseas visitors
This week we had visitors from Canada. When we were in Canada last year we caught up with my 4th cousin Irene Cambridge who lives in the Vancouver area. This year we were able to reciprocate Irene's hospitality and have her and her friend Cathy (who was one of our chauffeurs) stay with us.
Australian fauna is so different from the creatures most people are familiar with that they really are fascinating to visitors and Irene and Cathy were no exception. We spent quite a bit of time observing kangaroos and their behaviour ... they can be really entertaining and they were. Cathy got very good at kangaroo spotting and the kangaroos just kept appearing.
Unfortunately we didn't manage to see any emus. They were not in any of the usual spots out at Tinbinbilla.
Irene and Cathy had spent a day in Brisbane before flying on to Canberra. We picked them up on Tuesday morning and waited for Antony, Nic and Astrid to arrive so that Irene could meet them before they flew out for Paris.
While Trevor took Antony's car, we girls headed off to see Floriade. It is amazing just how well the floral displays had survived both the time (it is now into the 4th week) and the weather.
On leaving the flowers we went over to the National Library to see their stained glass windows and also looked at their treasures exhibition.
Back in the car we zipped passed a number of places of interest before stopping for a look at Government House and then winding our way through the suburbs before arriving home.
Trevor took Irene and Cathy over to Antony's to meet Inti and Chimu and the other resident animals.
On Wednesday we headed out to the Tinbinbilla Nature Reserve where we were able to see lots of kangaroos but not a single emu. Next stop was the Tinbinbilla Tracking Station. The display was fascinating and the size of the biggest dish is something that needs to be seen to appreciate.
From the other side of the river we headed back into the city and the National Botanical Gardens. We were able to join a guided walk which was great. There were an abundance of plants in bloom, too, and great views across the city from a number of points.
Next came the Black Mountain Tower and views across the area.
On the way home we stopped at Woden to pick up an adaptor for Irene as the one she had did not plug in to our power points. We found an appropriate one in the first place we went to.
After we got home we picked up Trevor and headed out to Mt. Taylor for a spot of local kangaroo spotting. Our hoppy friends did not disappoint and even demonstrated the ease with which they jump over fences.
We were planning to have a BBQ for dinner however Trevor had not checked the gas cylinder which turned out to be empty. I'm sure that Irene and Cathy will have other BBQ opportunities before their trip is over.
The weather on Thursday was wet and grey but that did not stop us heading out into the country. We called passed the Family History Centre at Lyneham before driving to Yass and then back to Cooma Cottage and lunch in Murrumbateman. The afternoon was spent at the War Memorial.
Australian fauna is so different from the creatures most people are familiar with that they really are fascinating to visitors and Irene and Cathy were no exception. We spent quite a bit of time observing kangaroos and their behaviour ... they can be really entertaining and they were. Cathy got very good at kangaroo spotting and the kangaroos just kept appearing.
Unfortunately we didn't manage to see any emus. They were not in any of the usual spots out at Tinbinbilla.
Irene and Cathy had spent a day in Brisbane before flying on to Canberra. We picked them up on Tuesday morning and waited for Antony, Nic and Astrid to arrive so that Irene could meet them before they flew out for Paris.
While Trevor took Antony's car, we girls headed off to see Floriade. It is amazing just how well the floral displays had survived both the time (it is now into the 4th week) and the weather.
On leaving the flowers we went over to the National Library to see their stained glass windows and also looked at their treasures exhibition.
Back in the car we zipped passed a number of places of interest before stopping for a look at Government House and then winding our way through the suburbs before arriving home.
Trevor took Irene and Cathy over to Antony's to meet Inti and Chimu and the other resident animals.
On Wednesday we headed out to the Tinbinbilla Nature Reserve where we were able to see lots of kangaroos but not a single emu. Next stop was the Tinbinbilla Tracking Station. The display was fascinating and the size of the biggest dish is something that needs to be seen to appreciate.
From the other side of the river we headed back into the city and the National Botanical Gardens. We were able to join a guided walk which was great. There were an abundance of plants in bloom, too, and great views across the city from a number of points.
Next came the Black Mountain Tower and views across the area.
On the way home we stopped at Woden to pick up an adaptor for Irene as the one she had did not plug in to our power points. We found an appropriate one in the first place we went to.
After we got home we picked up Trevor and headed out to Mt. Taylor for a spot of local kangaroo spotting. Our hoppy friends did not disappoint and even demonstrated the ease with which they jump over fences.
We were planning to have a BBQ for dinner however Trevor had not checked the gas cylinder which turned out to be empty. I'm sure that Irene and Cathy will have other BBQ opportunities before their trip is over.
The weather on Thursday was wet and grey but that did not stop us heading out into the country. We called passed the Family History Centre at Lyneham before driving to Yass and then back to Cooma Cottage and lunch in Murrumbateman. The afternoon was spent at the War Memorial.
Wednesday 3 October 2012
Great Alpine Walk
Yes, we are at it again. Another walk. This time it is in the Victorian High Country. Once again we have opted for a group guided walk where our bags will be transported for us so we only need to carry a day pack.
Here is the interary ...
Day 1:
We will be picked up at Melbourne airport at 10:00am and head off to the Falls Creek Alpine Village (where we will be staying for 3 nights) via Glenrowan and Mt. Beauty. On arrival there will be a stroll around the village (1 hour, easy).
Not very strenuous at all!
Day 2:
Initially we will follow the Aqueduct Trail which is connected to one of Australia's early hydro-electricity schemes. Mountain cattlemen's huts feature prominently on this holiday and we will get to visit the oldest one in Victoria, Wallace's Hut as well as Cope Hut, once known as the "Menzies of the High Country". The ancient snow gums in this area are twisted and gnarled by centuries of harsh winters. The route continues around the shores of Rocky Valley dam to our lunch spot. The morning walk should take around 4 hours.
After lunch there will be a choice:
Easy: following the lake shore back to the bus (1-2 hours)
Harder: Hike to the summit of Mt McKay with stunning 360 degree views (2-3 hours) then through the Falls Creek Alpine ski area back to the lodge.
Overnight: Falls Creek
Day 3:
Today the hike will take us to some of Falls Creeks peaks as well as another couple of historic huts.
The route begins along easy aqueduct trails again before climbing up through gently graded snow plains to visit the secluded Fitgeralds Hut. Next will be Edmondsons Hut which will be the lunch stop amongst the snow gums. (4 hours)
The afternoon options:
Easy: Along Watchbed Creek and back to the bus (2 hours)
More challenging: Up onto Heathy Spur and then cross country on a compass bearing to Roper Lookout. The track then descends to the shores of Rocky Valley Dam (3-4 hours).
Overnight in Falls Creek.
Day 4:
A challenging day. It is possible to walk from Falls Creek to Mt Hotham. Very few people have done this walk, even amongst the locals (they aren't silly ... they drive!).
Challenging option: Follow a section of the 750km Alpine Walking Track (which runs between Walhalla and Canberra) all the way to Mt Hotham. There won't be many people out on this track, if any at all, however there is a chance to see brumbies (wild horses). Along the way, we will drop steeply down to the Cobungra River and Dibbins Hut (yes, another hut ... this one is sometimes called "Creep-Inn" and I'm curious to find out why), and then back through the Mt Hotham ski village. The days' walking finishes with a stroll through the Davenport area of Hotham village. (around 7 hours)
More leisurely option: a two hour walk and then by bus to Mt Hotham.
Overnight: Dinner Plain
Day 5:
An easier day ... well after Day 4 ...
The walk neanders through snow gum forests and across thick snow grass plains. The standard 10km track to Dinner Plain is easy (4 hours).
Challenging addition: It is possible to add an option 9km walk to Mt Tabletop (3 hours challenging). Accessing this remote mountain requires some off track walking over uneven terrain. Cattle grazed these plains until quite recent times. There are more historic huts as well as some cattle yards made by felling trees into piles.
Either way, we will walk into Dinner Plain, the highest freehold land in Australia, where every building is constructed of mud brick, weathered timber, local rock and galvanised iron.
Overnight: Dinner Plain
Day 6:
Another big walking day.
The hiking starts along the breathtaking Razorback Ridge, one of the most dramatic walking routes in Australia. My Feathertop will gradually appear more and more impressively. The final (optional) steep climb to the summit (of Mt Feathertop?) is supposedly a ripper.
The rest of the day will be spent walking down the gently graded Bungalow spur to the township of Harriettville (7 hours challenging). The spur is covered by tall mountain ash trees, many of which stand stark and white following the bushfires of 2003.
Harrietville is built on mine tailings created by a huge dredge called the Tronah Monster, which was sold to a tin miner in Malasia in the 1930s. Today it's a friendly holiday village with a laid-back atmosphere.
More leisurely option: An out and back walk along the Razorback (4-5 hours moderate).
Overnight: Harrietville
Day 7:
An easy 2 hour walk through Bright Gorge finishes off the walking for this holiday.
After morning tea in Bright, travel back to Melbourne, arriving at the airport at about 4pm.
We will be doing this walking holiday with auswalk.
When are we off? January 2013 ... and Trevor has already booked and paid the deposit.
Here is the interary ...
Day 1:
We will be picked up at Melbourne airport at 10:00am and head off to the Falls Creek Alpine Village (where we will be staying for 3 nights) via Glenrowan and Mt. Beauty. On arrival there will be a stroll around the village (1 hour, easy).
Not very strenuous at all!
Day 2:
Initially we will follow the Aqueduct Trail which is connected to one of Australia's early hydro-electricity schemes. Mountain cattlemen's huts feature prominently on this holiday and we will get to visit the oldest one in Victoria, Wallace's Hut as well as Cope Hut, once known as the "Menzies of the High Country". The ancient snow gums in this area are twisted and gnarled by centuries of harsh winters. The route continues around the shores of Rocky Valley dam to our lunch spot. The morning walk should take around 4 hours.
After lunch there will be a choice:
Easy: following the lake shore back to the bus (1-2 hours)
Harder: Hike to the summit of Mt McKay with stunning 360 degree views (2-3 hours) then through the Falls Creek Alpine ski area back to the lodge.
Overnight: Falls Creek
Day 3:
Today the hike will take us to some of Falls Creeks peaks as well as another couple of historic huts.
The route begins along easy aqueduct trails again before climbing up through gently graded snow plains to visit the secluded Fitgeralds Hut. Next will be Edmondsons Hut which will be the lunch stop amongst the snow gums. (4 hours)
The afternoon options:
Easy: Along Watchbed Creek and back to the bus (2 hours)
More challenging: Up onto Heathy Spur and then cross country on a compass bearing to Roper Lookout. The track then descends to the shores of Rocky Valley Dam (3-4 hours).
Overnight in Falls Creek.
Day 4:
A challenging day. It is possible to walk from Falls Creek to Mt Hotham. Very few people have done this walk, even amongst the locals (they aren't silly ... they drive!).
Challenging option: Follow a section of the 750km Alpine Walking Track (which runs between Walhalla and Canberra) all the way to Mt Hotham. There won't be many people out on this track, if any at all, however there is a chance to see brumbies (wild horses). Along the way, we will drop steeply down to the Cobungra River and Dibbins Hut (yes, another hut ... this one is sometimes called "Creep-Inn" and I'm curious to find out why), and then back through the Mt Hotham ski village. The days' walking finishes with a stroll through the Davenport area of Hotham village. (around 7 hours)
More leisurely option: a two hour walk and then by bus to Mt Hotham.
Overnight: Dinner Plain
Day 5:
An easier day ... well after Day 4 ...
The walk neanders through snow gum forests and across thick snow grass plains. The standard 10km track to Dinner Plain is easy (4 hours).
Challenging addition: It is possible to add an option 9km walk to Mt Tabletop (3 hours challenging). Accessing this remote mountain requires some off track walking over uneven terrain. Cattle grazed these plains until quite recent times. There are more historic huts as well as some cattle yards made by felling trees into piles.
Either way, we will walk into Dinner Plain, the highest freehold land in Australia, where every building is constructed of mud brick, weathered timber, local rock and galvanised iron.
Overnight: Dinner Plain
Day 6:
Another big walking day.
The hiking starts along the breathtaking Razorback Ridge, one of the most dramatic walking routes in Australia. My Feathertop will gradually appear more and more impressively. The final (optional) steep climb to the summit (of Mt Feathertop?) is supposedly a ripper.
The rest of the day will be spent walking down the gently graded Bungalow spur to the township of Harriettville (7 hours challenging). The spur is covered by tall mountain ash trees, many of which stand stark and white following the bushfires of 2003.
Harrietville is built on mine tailings created by a huge dredge called the Tronah Monster, which was sold to a tin miner in Malasia in the 1930s. Today it's a friendly holiday village with a laid-back atmosphere.
More leisurely option: An out and back walk along the Razorback (4-5 hours moderate).
Overnight: Harrietville
Day 7:
An easy 2 hour walk through Bright Gorge finishes off the walking for this holiday.
After morning tea in Bright, travel back to Melbourne, arriving at the airport at about 4pm.
We will be doing this walking holiday with auswalk.
When are we off? January 2013 ... and Trevor has already booked and paid the deposit.
Thursday 13 September 2012
What next?
Well, I have put a selection of photos in with the various days write ups of the Flinders Ranges trip. Done!
Our next multi-day planned walk is the Coast to Coast across England. I made the booking last week and paid the deposit. Now it is just a matter of ensuring an adequate level of fitness and then doing all the other necessary bookings: flights to England, train to St Bees, the start of the walk, and the post walk stuff.
Trevor is busily working on his fitness.
We will be walking some 190 miles in 13 days. The distance alone is not the issue. I think we could do this without much concern. The problem is adding height gains to the distance as well as the steepness of those height gains. I definitely need contour or detailed hiking maps to get a better understanding of terrain that has been labelled as steep. I've ordered a book which will supposedly provide the necessary detail and am eagerly awaiting its arrival from England.
Our next multi-day planned walk is the Coast to Coast across England. I made the booking last week and paid the deposit. Now it is just a matter of ensuring an adequate level of fitness and then doing all the other necessary bookings: flights to England, train to St Bees, the start of the walk, and the post walk stuff.
Trevor is busily working on his fitness.
We will be walking some 190 miles in 13 days. The distance alone is not the issue. I think we could do this without much concern. The problem is adding height gains to the distance as well as the steepness of those height gains. I definitely need contour or detailed hiking maps to get a better understanding of terrain that has been labelled as steep. I've ordered a book which will supposedly provide the necessary detail and am eagerly awaiting its arrival from England.
Monday 3 September 2012
Flinders Ranges - Day 7
Day 7: Saturday 1 September
Our final day had arrived. The week had certainly flown and
we had climbed quite a few peaks and undertaken some delightful walks.
We were up at 5:45 this morning. We were dressed and packed
by 6:15 and headed to the breakfast area where some of the group were already
hoeing into cereal, yoghurt, toast, juice, tea and coffee.
It was quite a cool morning with frost on the ground when we
ventured outdoors. I made sure that I had my beanie and gloves as well as my
coat.
We pulled out of the hotel car park at 7:02am and headed
through Melrose
to the car park at the base of the Mt Remarkable trail. This track is yet
another part of the Heysen Trail we were to learn.
 |
| View across Melrose and the Willochra Plain from the War Memorial Monument car park |
Our walk was an out and back hike of 12.2kms. The walking
time was supposedly 5 hours.
Commencing at the War Memorial
Monument above Melrose,
the track contoured across the eastern face of Mt. Remarkable.
There were fabulous views of Melrose
and the vivid green of the cultivated area of the Willochra Plain and out to
the browner region beyond the Goyder line. The vegetation was lush on the
eastern face. We encountered a number of kangaroos on the trail early in the
climb and birds filled the air with their calls.
The track generally rose quite gently. There were large
sections of scree that we traversed which added a challenge.
The final 700m was the steepest part of the climb but also
the widest bit of track. We arrived at the summit exactly two hours after
pulling out of the car park at the North Star.
Wes had warned us that trees at the top obscured the view so
we were not surprised when we finally got to the top. We were able to see
Spencer's Gulf from a point near the top. We spent 20 minutes or so at the
summit before heading down.
I lead the group down the mountain and we arrived back at
the car park before 11 o'clock. So much for the 5 hour round trip!
On the way up Wes had told us about a light plane that
crashed into Mt remarkable in July 1980 killing two people. Apparently they hit
the side of the mountain in foggy conditions. Part of the plane can be seen
lying on the scree.
At the top of the climb Wes produced a packet of Tim Tams …
a rather early start on biscuits for the day.
From the car park we drove down to Melrose and enjoyed a coffee at Bluey
Blacksmith's Cafe while we waited for the rest of our group to turn up.
After lunch at the cafe we were back on the bus and heading
for Adelaide.
Wes asked each of us about our favourite walk/hike/climb and
wildlife. Pretty much everyone nominated the 18km final section of the Heysen
Trail which we had walked on Thursday and the Rock Wallabies. The three St Mary
peak summiters also mentioned the summit as very worthwhile.
Flinders Ranges - Day 6
Day 6: Friday 31 August
A late breakfast this morning … 8 o'clock over at the
Prairie Hotel. There was a great spread. It started with a glass of stewed
fruit (rhubarb or apricot) with yoghurt and topped with an oats, fruit and nut
mix. Next came toast and finally a cooked breakfast with a choice of poached or
fried eggs with bacon all topped off with fruit juice and tea and coffee.
Once on the road we headed south through country that didn't
look like it would support much at all. There were sheep and sometimes cattle
but not many of either. Ruins dotted the landscape. The road ran parallel to
the old Ghan line for many kilometres.
Pulling in to Hawker we visited the panorama – a fabulous
360º view from St Mary Peak painted by local artist Jeff Morgan. There were
other panoramas, too. Huge works. Trevor compared the size to Sir Frank's
murals. I think Sir Frank may win … but just!
Continuing south we arrived at Quorn around 11:30. Most of
us opted to eat our lunch in Quorn. A couple made their lunch and kept it until
later.
From Quorn we headed to Dutchmans Stern
Conservation Park
which is situated north-west of Quorn. Our objective was to climb to the top of
Dutchmans Stern along a circular route. The car park was at 440m and the top
820m.
Trevor opted to stay back at the bus as his right calf was
still giving him trouble. He got a book on the Flinders Ranges
from Wes to while away the time while the rest of us headed up Dutchmans Stern.
I picked up a pamphlet on the walk. We did our circuit in an
anti clockwise direction from checkpoint 2. The party quickly broke into two
groups. Andrea, Paul, Terrie and I in the first with Barbara, Judi, Penny and
Wes is the second.
 |
| Setting out to climb Dutchmans Stern |
 |
| View from the summit |
 |
| Another view from the summit |
 |
| Lorraine standing on the summit |
 |
| More summit views |
 |
| View on the way down |
 |
| One of the glorious acacias |
There were some glorious views on the way up to the summit
as well as lots of flora and fauna to keep things interesting. The views from
the top were wonderful. I took quite a few photos as I had taken the camera up
with me.
There were some challenging parts to the walk as the track
passed over a number of areas of scree.
We spent quite a while at the summit, wrote in the log book,
and waited for the back markers to arrive before heading down. The circuit was
10.5kms.
Once the rest of the group arrived we headed back into
Quorn, picked up fuel and headed for Melrose via
Wilmington, in
fading light.
Wes, as usual, kept us entertained with titbits of
information and also pointed out the rising moon – quite special – as the huge,
full moon appeared over the horizon and climbed into the sky.
In Melrose
we stayed at the North Star Hotel. The rooms were spacious and comfortable with
ensuites – a luxury after shared facilities.
Once again, Wes and Andrea had entrees waiting for us when
we arrived, freshly showered, for dinner. Trevor bought a bottle of Riesling
which went down well after the days exertions.
Once again the meals were excellent.
After dinner Wes and Andrea briefed us on what was on offer
for our final day.
As we were departing at 7am in the morning we headed off to
bed well before 9 o'clock again!
At the top of Dutchmans Stern I had phone reception,
the first time in days. There was a flood of email which I picked up and looked
at after we arrived in Melrose.
The emails that had been waiting to be sent had gone, too, a little later than
I had hoped. I did reply to some of the emails however, without reception, they
were waiting for an opportunity to be sent.
Flinders Ranges - Day 5
Day 5: Thursday 30 August
We were up a bit earlier this morning so that we could get
away and add additional things into the day. Actually, the whole group had
opted to do the 18km hike from Aroona to the head of the Heysen Trail. This
hike was not on our trip notes.
Everyone was ready on time and pitched in to ensure we got
away as quickly as possible.
Heading north we picked up the Geological Trail. We dropped
the trailer at the junction as the road was unsuitable for towing. We stopped
at the Golden Spike to look at some outstanding geological features
demonstrated by this area.
Wes attempted to explain the significance of the
Golden Spike and I'll add some details later to document why this particular
area is so very significant in the story of the evolution of Earth. Wes was
actually a wealth of information.
 |
| Wes demonstrating some of the significant geological and bio features evident at this spot |
 |
| A closer look at some of the rocks and the various strata |
[Golden Spike photo to be added]
As we were pulling out of the car park we were confronted by
a Wedge Tailed Eagle who had been on the ground feeding. He flew into a nearby
tree, keeping an eye on his food, and we took the opportunity of getting photos
of this wonderful bird at close range.
 |
| Wedge Tailed Eagle |
A bit further along the road (actually it was a bit like a
goat track) we came across an emu with a stack of chicks. He gathered his
chicks and walked them across the road in front of us as we watched. More
photos!
 |
| Emu dad with chicks crossing the road. Note the dry creek bed in the background, bordered by wonderful old river red gums |
 |
| One of the chicks |
 |
| Where have all the chicks gone? |
 |
| The chick reappear |
At Aroona we had a look at the ruins and the Heysen hut,
took advantage of the toilet facilities and set off on the days 18km hike along
a trail between the Heysen and ABC ranges.
The hike was great. Trevor thought it the highlight of the
trip even though he had managed to injure his right calf early in the day and
suffered on every up hill section and after each break. Once again we broke
into two groups. Paul, Terrie, Trevor and I were in the lead group and the rest
behind. The bird ladies did not take their binoculars today so they didn't fall
as far behind as they did yesterday and generally caught us up during rest
breaks.
 |
| General view of the ranges from our track |
 |
| Taking a break. l-r: Paul, Trevor, Terrie |
 |
| Another view of the ranges |
 |
| Follow that track (if you can find it). Just as well there were footprints! |
 |
| There was a green sheen on some of the slopes |
 |
| River gums lining the dry creek bed we hiked along |
We didn't get our cuppa today as Andrea couldn't get the
stove to stay alight.
 |
| More wildlife - a shingle backed lizard |
 |
| In places the material we walked over, and saw, was a deep red |
 |
| Goats are a real problem in the area. They cause significant damage to the environment. |
 |
| The sign at the northern end of the Heysen Trail |
 |
| A view back through the area we had hiked through |
Here is our group (Wes took the photo so isn't in it): left to right - Paul, Barb, Trevor, Judi, Lorraine Terrie, Penny and Andrea. The photo, provided by Penny, was taken in front of the Heysen Trail sign at the Parachilna end of the trail.
Trevor ended up giving me his camera and I took quite a few
photos.
After a rest and fruit at the end of the walk we went on to
Angorichina for a toilet break then into Glass Gorge for a view across the
route we had taken on our hike.
Tonight we are at Parachilna … definitely outback Australia.
Accommodation was in converted shipping containers. Each
container had three rooms. While they were basic they were quite comfortable.
Facilities were shared but adequate.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)