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Backpacks and blisters - the walking thread

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    He said in his next post.

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      Originally posted by Sits View Post

      When I was seventeen, my mate and I attempted a Cornish Coast Path walk, which ended up not going so well. Anyway a day before we set off I was over-preparing with no idea what I was doing. Having concluded I couldn’t get a box of cornflakes and a loaf of sliced white in my rucksack, I remembered I wanted to take a frying pan. Pinching one of my Dad’s smaller ones, I padlocked it to the bottom corner of the rucksack frame.

      Next lunchtime after the HST we set off from St. Austell station and walked to a campsite at Pentewan Sands. Time for supper! Calor gas stove out, fearlessly took only half an hour to brave the piercing of the cylinder. Went to get the frying pan. Couldn’t find the padlock key.

      The entire fortnight’s peaceful country walking was to the accompaniment of my frying pan clanking away against the frame.
      I found a photo taken during the final chapter of this trip, when we had managed the mighty distance from St. Austell Station to Gorran Haven, run out of cash and inspiration. We lived on boiled sweets and baked beans, and just went to the campsite swimming pool each day. So a similar experience to Paul’s really.

      The offending frying pan, at left.

      Last edited by Sits; 05-04-2020, 03:22.

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        Slovakia opened the facilities in its National Parks last week and officially welcomed people back to them. They were never closed as such before that, but it was nice to go back and feel welcome. I went to the Mala Fatra, 15 miles or so from home for a day hike.

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          Wonky sign to mark the highest point.

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              I've got serious envy going on here jameswba.

              I've been wondering what my next walking holiday will entail as I don't know what bit of the country or transport network I will be able to visit. If flights to Carlisle are restored from my local airport this gives me direct access to Hadrians Wall, the Pennine Way and some dark murky Pennine hills which are rarely visited. On the other hand, £55 for a seat on the sleeper train will put me in Carrbridge and direct access to the Monadhliath Mountains. Dartmoor is a definite possibility and I could find the letterbox I left there in 20 years ago.

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                jameswba those are absolutely stunning. Noticing the crystal clear air, is it more so than usual do you think?

                Paul S if you choose Dartmoor (and you fancy treating yourself for a night) I recommend the Lydford Country House Hotel, with great food in the pub down the road, plus Lydford Gorge and a Norman keep. And for even better food, the Peter Tavy Inn. Wish I was there now.

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                  Lovely pics jameswba. Very jealous given that our trip to the the mountains of Arran this month has obviously been ditched.

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                    Originally posted by Sits View Post
                    Paul S if you choose Dartmoor (and you fancy treating yourself for a night) I recommend the Lydford Country House Hotel, with great food in the pub down the road, plus Lydford Gorge and a Norman keep. And for even better food, the Peter Tavy Inn. Wish I was there now.
                    Sounds fantastic Sits, but unfortunately all the hotels are still shut. I reckon when I go it'll be a premier inn on the edge of Exeter and a cheap bottle of wine!

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                      Well, hope Paul and Arturo are out walking again sooner rather than later.

                      Sits, I keep thinking about that question. Zilina, where I live, isn't that big and doesn't have huge polluting industries. The heating plant is coal-fired, but that hasn't ceased operations anyway. We're on one of the main routes to and from Poland, so there is still plenty of goods traffic on the roads, if fewer cars.

                      As for the mountains, they do often enjoy clearer skies than places lower down. Inversion is quite common, whereby it's cloudy/misty at lower altitudes but crystal clear at 1,200 metres and higher.

                      More generally though, nature seems to be flourishing more here this year ; everywhere looks greener, there seems to be more blossom on the trees, more birdsong etc etc. Then again, part of me thinks this is one of the psychological effects this period has had on me ; that I've just noticed and appreciated these things more, whereas before I'd have been out on walks with thoughts of Monday's lesson with 4B, WBA's last game etc etc in my mind.

                      In short, I honestly don't know.

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                        Originally posted by Paul S View Post

                        Sounds fantastic Sits, but unfortunately all the hotels are still shut. I reckon when I go it'll be a premier inn on the edge of Exeter and a cheap bottle of wine!
                        How easily we forget. Or I do.

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                          This week I've just walked a virtual marathon for charity that was organised by a fellow Bangor 1876 fan, it really helped that although I live literally next to the A55 I also live in a really beautiful area.

                          I started walking again in the first week of Lockdown as a way of getting out of the house for a quarter of an hour. In the weeks since then walking has started begun to feel addictive, especially as I had the prospect of doing the virtual marathon. I have also developed a compulsion to explore the area around the village so we, that is my wife and I, not only feel that we must get our exercise but we have been getting further and further away from our house (whilst respecting the govenrment's guidelines of course.)

                          We got to the next village yesteday, and thanks to downloading strava for the virtual marathon I can tell you that Tremeirchion is 2 kilometres from Rhuallt. i can walk about 3 miles in a hour now and I have to say I feel healthier for it all. Restarting walking has been a revelation because I've been trying to kickstart an exercise regime for the last 18 months, I can thank MD's Private Eye columns and his view on public health for that.

                          I've taken a few pics as well and it's been great to feel more at one with our local area.

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                            I walked through Rhault when I did Offa's Dyke. Those Clywdian Hills are quite a chain of hills and I had never heard of them until I had walked Offa's Dyke. They really are quite a challenge with lots of ups and downs. I camped at Bodfari where - if memory serves me correct - the campsite was on the site of an old railway station and when I put my tent pegs in they hit the ballast still underneath the grass.

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                              Thankfully, I've still got plenty of walking in as I've not been working full time and the weather has generally been kind when I've been at home. The area where I work is pretty uninspiring, consisting of edgy housing estates, derelict wasteland, and industrial units, so it's usually a routine walk round the block to get some air and exercise. There's not much scenery close by and the country park is just that bit far away to do in a lunch break.

                              Fortunately, we're quite lucky to live within walking distance of Jesmond Dene, Armstrong Park and Heaton Park. The former is a godsend with it's river, waterfalls, woodland and endless paths that range from a gentle river walk to steepish climbs. It's a bit of an amazing place to have so close to the city centre and the spring colours have shone beautifully in the lovely weather we've had.

                              I will go stir crazy for hills and mountains soon enough though.

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                                Beautiful photos, jameswba. You are very lucky.

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                                  My current location/view

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                                    Oh wow. Where’s that?

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                                      I could do with being in a place like this right now....

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                                        Originally posted by Sits View Post
                                        Oh wow. Where’s that?
                                        It's from the top of Hargita Mountain which is the highest mountain close to me (approx 1800 m). The town you can see in the valley (far middle) is Miercurea Ciuc, where we used to live and where my daughter usually goes to school. The smaller closer settlement on the right is the ski resort up here from where we hiked

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                                          Originally posted by ad hoc View Post

                                          It's from the top of Hargita Mountain which is the highest mountain close to me (approx 1800 m). The town you can see in the valley (far middle) is Miercurea Ciuc, where we used to live and where my daughter usually goes to school. The smaller closer settlement on the right is the ski resort up here from where we hiked
                                          Thanks ad hoc. How long did that take you?

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                                            Not very long. Somewhere between and hour and an hour and a half. It was quite a steep climb though with a section of scrambling up rocks, which is not my cup of tea really. I'm a hiker not a climber. We took a different route back which was longer and much less steep, and ended up taking roughly the same amount of time as going up. This was a very good thing as going down is what tends to bugger my aging knees

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                                              That's beautiful.

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                                                I've just completed a long held aim of walking from my home in Southend to Fenchurch Street using the train to get to and from the start and end points. The sections I did were:

                                                Southend - Benfleet - 8 miles
                                                Benfleet - Laindon - 7 miles
                                                Laindon - Upminster - 10 miles
                                                Upminster - Barking - 9 miles
                                                Barking - Fenchurch Street - 9 miles

                                                Now I'm walking the Tilbury loop and then I've got the Ockendon single line to tick off.

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                                                  Erm, aren't you supposed to only take the train for essential journeys Paul....?

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                                                    Originally posted by Moonlight shadow View Post
                                                    Erm, aren't you supposed to only take the train for essential journeys Paul....?
                                                    Probably, but I'm getting some use out of my season ticket. I can't get a refund as I've had it for over 40 weeks, so I might as well use it.

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