Saturday 9th May
In the afternoon we drove to Gotham for a geocaching walk.
We started off walking along the main road and then diverted off along a footpath beside the British Legion club and then taking a stiff climb onto Gotham hill through a field full of cows. It was here that we had to stop to read the information board giving us the answer to the clue for the geocache. Unfortunately a cow was feeding her calf next to the board. John managed to get the information while I kept a safe distance. We calculated the co-ordinates and the cache was some way off our route so we decided to just collect the information needed and come back for the caches another time.
We walked across the top of Cottagers hill where we did find Rockers 2 cache and then descended the hill, stopping to look at the information board about wartime Gotham, and viewing the pill box. A hare ran across in front of us here. We crossed the road and headed towards Cuckoo bush farm, where we diverted off towards Crowden wood where we found the West Leake Hills cache. It was lovely and sunny as we descended off another hill and walked towards West Leake. We took a footpath beside fields and found a cache beside an old Dew pond and then had a pleasant walk up another hill in forestry land. We then walked along a pleasant wooded lane to get to the Cuckoo Bush tumulus where the Wise Fools of Gotham tried to fence in a cuckoo so that it would sing all year. We finally emerged onto the road at Gotham having walked 11km.
Monday 11 May 2009
Wednesday 6 May 2009
Shap to Wet Sleddale
Wednesday 29th April
After two days of heavy rain it was sunny so we decided on a local walk. We walked down the lane near the farm and past Brackenber lodge the interesting house that we can see from the caravan. We followed the path until we got to a stream which we had to cross with stepping stones, and then on to Steps Hall where we went off to find a cache in a shake hole.
We retraced our steps to the hall and then followed on the path beside a wall. It was very boggy and we had trouble navigating, but got through in the end without getting too wet. We then walked beside the River Lowther to reach the bridge leading to the road to the reservoir. We stopped and found a cache in a small disused quarry, and then crossed the bridge and followed the road to the reservoir dam.
We walked beside the reservoir, Wet Sleddale, (that is what it is really called) for a while and then stopped to find a cache in a tree. After a brief pause for a biscuit we crossed a new bridge and then followed a wet and boggy path to a large outcrop of rocks where another cache was found under a large table of rock. We crossed another bridge and then proceeded to zig-zag our way up the steep hill past abandoned Sleddale Hall. As we crossed a stile we saw lots of tadpoles in a puddle in the path. We found another cache near the top, but then headed the wrong way. We climbed a very steep bank only to discover we needed to be on the other side of the wall, so had to descend the bank again and follow the path in the opposite direction. It was a lovely grassy path and we had very good views across the reservoir and towards Ralfland forest (it has no trees).
We walked around some large outcrops of rock looking for a cache. The gps was erratic and had us going round, over and back, but eventually, just as we were about to give up we found it.
We continued along a wide path for a while and then turned off the path onto what should have been a footpath but was just a slight track through the grass, which needed a lot of imagination to follow. It was very boggy in places and we eventually arrived at a river and outflow to the reservoir. Luckily there was a small concrete slab for us to cross by. We folowed the path onto a lane and eventually arrived at Keld. We were lucky to find the chapel open so went in for a look. We then took a divertion off the path to find a cache at The Contemplation tree. We followed the road through Keld and then paths past the Goggleby stone and back to Shap. It had been 16.6 km.
After two days of heavy rain it was sunny so we decided on a local walk. We walked down the lane near the farm and past Brackenber lodge the interesting house that we can see from the caravan. We followed the path until we got to a stream which we had to cross with stepping stones, and then on to Steps Hall where we went off to find a cache in a shake hole.
We retraced our steps to the hall and then followed on the path beside a wall. It was very boggy and we had trouble navigating, but got through in the end without getting too wet. We then walked beside the River Lowther to reach the bridge leading to the road to the reservoir. We stopped and found a cache in a small disused quarry, and then crossed the bridge and followed the road to the reservoir dam.
We walked beside the reservoir, Wet Sleddale, (that is what it is really called) for a while and then stopped to find a cache in a tree. After a brief pause for a biscuit we crossed a new bridge and then followed a wet and boggy path to a large outcrop of rocks where another cache was found under a large table of rock. We crossed another bridge and then proceeded to zig-zag our way up the steep hill past abandoned Sleddale Hall. As we crossed a stile we saw lots of tadpoles in a puddle in the path. We found another cache near the top, but then headed the wrong way. We climbed a very steep bank only to discover we needed to be on the other side of the wall, so had to descend the bank again and follow the path in the opposite direction. It was a lovely grassy path and we had very good views across the reservoir and towards Ralfland forest (it has no trees).
We walked around some large outcrops of rock looking for a cache. The gps was erratic and had us going round, over and back, but eventually, just as we were about to give up we found it.We continued along a wide path for a while and then turned off the path onto what should have been a footpath but was just a slight track through the grass, which needed a lot of imagination to follow. It was very boggy in places and we eventually arrived at a river and outflow to the reservoir. Luckily there was a small concrete slab for us to cross by. We folowed the path onto a lane and eventually arrived at Keld. We were lucky to find the chapel open so went in for a look. We then took a divertion off the path to find a cache at The Contemplation tree. We followed the road through Keld and then paths past the Goggleby stone and back to Shap. It had been 16.6 km.
Sunday 3 May 2009
Coast to Coast- Smardale Bridge to Kirkby Stephen
Sunday 26th April
It was another good morning and we thought we shouldn't waste it, so after doing our chores we set off for Kirkby Stephen. We managed to park along the road and went to the TIC to discuss the disused railways. It turned out we could join the railway at Waitby. We had planned to walk along the road to Crosby Garret, but thought the railway walk would be nicer. We followed the road out of Kirkby Stephen and after about a mile turned off along a byway towards Waitby. We got to the railway and found there was a steep path onto the top. Once there, there was a good path and we followed it, with good views around until it came back down to the road at Smardale. We passed the site of the Kirkby Stephen rail crash which had occured in 1955 and there was a sign saying that the wreckage had finally been removed in 2002!
The wildflowers were wonderful along this section of the route, there were lots of cowslips and bloody cranesbill along the route. At Smardale we walked along the road for a short distance and then entered Smardale gill nature reserve which continued along the railway. This was full of primroses and bluebells.
The railway was high above a valley and we could see lime kilns on the other side. We walked across Smardale Gill viaduct and then continued along the railway until we reached the bridge that we had crossed yesterday.
We left the railway line here and returned to the C2C, walking down the bank to Smardale bridge.
We sat and had our lunch here again, the sun came out and we saw several walkers. After lunch we followed the path up onto Smardale fell. We stopped to see the Giants Graves, (pillow mounds), but could only see one. We did see a heron flying over the beck though.
We continued to climb onto the fell, and then walked across the grassy tracks for about a km until we came to a road, we walked along the road for about 100m and then turned left down a road towards Waitby. We left the road by a stile and headed across the field towards the Settle to Carlisle railway which we walked under and into a field full of cows. They were quite interested in us but not for long. We crossed more hay meadows until we came to Greengriggs farm. The path went through the farm yard but they had posted an alternative route and so we took that. We emerged onto a lane which we followed back to Kirkby Stephen. We had walked 14.8 km. Our original route was 16.7km so the railway route had saved us 2km and was nicer than walking on the road. We have now done 82 miles of the c2c.
It was another good morning and we thought we shouldn't waste it, so after doing our chores we set off for Kirkby Stephen. We managed to park along the road and went to the TIC to discuss the disused railways. It turned out we could join the railway at Waitby. We had planned to walk along the road to Crosby Garret, but thought the railway walk would be nicer. We followed the road out of Kirkby Stephen and after about a mile turned off along a byway towards Waitby. We got to the railway and found there was a steep path onto the top. Once there, there was a good path and we followed it, with good views around until it came back down to the road at Smardale. We passed the site of the Kirkby Stephen rail crash which had occured in 1955 and there was a sign saying that the wreckage had finally been removed in 2002!
The wildflowers were wonderful along this section of the route, there were lots of cowslips and bloody cranesbill along the route. At Smardale we walked along the road for a short distance and then entered Smardale gill nature reserve which continued along the railway. This was full of primroses and bluebells.
The railway was high above a valley and we could see lime kilns on the other side. We walked across Smardale Gill viaduct and then continued along the railway until we reached the bridge that we had crossed yesterday.We left the railway line here and returned to the C2C, walking down the bank to Smardale bridge.
We sat and had our lunch here again, the sun came out and we saw several walkers. After lunch we followed the path up onto Smardale fell. We stopped to see the Giants Graves, (pillow mounds), but could only see one. We did see a heron flying over the beck though.We continued to climb onto the fell, and then walked across the grassy tracks for about a km until we came to a road, we walked along the road for about 100m and then turned left down a road towards Waitby. We left the road by a stile and headed across the field towards the Settle to Carlisle railway which we walked under and into a field full of cows. They were quite interested in us but not for long. We crossed more hay meadows until we came to Greengriggs farm. The path went through the farm yard but they had posted an alternative route and so we took that. We emerged onto a lane which we followed back to Kirkby Stephen. We had walked 14.8 km. Our original route was 16.7km so the railway route had saved us 2km and was nicer than walking on the road. We have now done 82 miles of the c2c.
Coast to Coast - Tarn Moor to Smardale bridge.
Due to my cancer treatment last year we have not done any more sections of the Coast to Coast walk so decided it was time to remedy this.
On Friday 25th April we set off with the caravan for Green Farm in Shap. We had to wait for the bin men before we could leave bu tonce they had been and the bins brought in, we set off, only for John to not remember whether he had locked the front door, so I had to run back down the road to check it - he had. We had a very good journey with no hold ups and even managed to get into a caravan bay at Charnock Richard for a spot of lunch. Most of the caravan only bays were taken by cars and vans!
We arrived at Shap at about 3 and set up camp. We are staying at Green farm, opposite the Greyhound Inn. We stayed here last time, and although it is close to the road it has good views of the hills and a field of sheep and their lambs to watch. After a cup of tea we went for a walk over the fields to the Gogglby stone, where we found a cache and then walked through the village checking out the shops and pubs.
Saturday 25th April
We were up quite early and after breakfast John went to the butcher to get us some dinner (prize winning cumberland sausage) and I made sandwiches for our walk. We drove to Orton and then along a very narrow lane (a cycle trail really) to Sunbiggin tarn, we went the wrong way first and had to turn round and go back along another very narrow lane - good job we didn't have the caravan behind us! We parked at Sunbiggin tarn and walked back to the point on Tarn moor that we had left on our last Coast to Coast section on July 2007.
We walked down the road following the c2c and turned off onto Ravonstonedale moor. We had a bit of additional exercise here as the wind grabbed the map from my hand and we had to chase it for 50m or so. We walked across the moor and through lots of heather until we came to a bridge over a very wet area. The heather gave way to grass and we enjoyed an easy stroll along a very soft surface -it felt just like carpet. After about a mile we crossed a narrow track and carried on past a reservoir and beside a stone wall until we got to Bents farm. We had good views of the Pennines ahead of us and through the binoculars got our first view of Nine Standards Rigg. As we stopped for a biscuit a walker came towards us. She was from Maine and doing bits of the c2c. We crossed the wall at the stile and contined along past Severals village settlement - an ancient monument where now only lumps in the ground can be seen.
Once past here we walked down a steep bank, round railway cottages and over the disused railway line to work our way down to Smardale bridge.
We sat on some stones here to eat our lunch. Two herons flew past as we sat and a wagtail bobbed on the wall.
We enjoyed our break and then set off along the valley bottom towards Friars Bottom farm, playing chicken with the lambs. They always gave in first! We crossed the disused railway and continued to Brownber where we crossed some fields to a lane. We followed the lane to Rig End and then followed a path across Ravonstondale moor. This was not signposted and we went through a rickety gate tied up with string. The path was shown on the map but was not visible on the ground so we followed the gps to keep us on the right path. It started raining here so we stopped to put our coats on. We finally made our way back to the bridge that we crossed on the moor earlier and then retraced our steps back to the car, soaking wet after 14.8km and having done another 4 miles of the c2c.
On Friday 25th April we set off with the caravan for Green Farm in Shap. We had to wait for the bin men before we could leave bu tonce they had been and the bins brought in, we set off, only for John to not remember whether he had locked the front door, so I had to run back down the road to check it - he had. We had a very good journey with no hold ups and even managed to get into a caravan bay at Charnock Richard for a spot of lunch. Most of the caravan only bays were taken by cars and vans!
We arrived at Shap at about 3 and set up camp. We are staying at Green farm, opposite the Greyhound Inn. We stayed here last time, and although it is close to the road it has good views of the hills and a field of sheep and their lambs to watch. After a cup of tea we went for a walk over the fields to the Gogglby stone, where we found a cache and then walked through the village checking out the shops and pubs.
Saturday 25th April
We were up quite early and after breakfast John went to the butcher to get us some dinner (prize winning cumberland sausage) and I made sandwiches for our walk. We drove to Orton and then along a very narrow lane (a cycle trail really) to Sunbiggin tarn, we went the wrong way first and had to turn round and go back along another very narrow lane - good job we didn't have the caravan behind us! We parked at Sunbiggin tarn and walked back to the point on Tarn moor that we had left on our last Coast to Coast section on July 2007.
We walked down the road following the c2c and turned off onto Ravonstonedale moor. We had a bit of additional exercise here as the wind grabbed the map from my hand and we had to chase it for 50m or so. We walked across the moor and through lots of heather until we came to a bridge over a very wet area. The heather gave way to grass and we enjoyed an easy stroll along a very soft surface -it felt just like carpet. After about a mile we crossed a narrow track and carried on past a reservoir and beside a stone wall until we got to Bents farm. We had good views of the Pennines ahead of us and through the binoculars got our first view of Nine Standards Rigg. As we stopped for a biscuit a walker came towards us. She was from Maine and doing bits of the c2c. We crossed the wall at the stile and contined along past Severals village settlement - an ancient monument where now only lumps in the ground can be seen.
Once past here we walked down a steep bank, round railway cottages and over the disused railway line to work our way down to Smardale bridge.
We sat on some stones here to eat our lunch. Two herons flew past as we sat and a wagtail bobbed on the wall.We enjoyed our break and then set off along the valley bottom towards Friars Bottom farm, playing chicken with the lambs. They always gave in first! We crossed the disused railway and continued to Brownber where we crossed some fields to a lane. We followed the lane to Rig End and then followed a path across Ravonstondale moor. This was not signposted and we went through a rickety gate tied up with string. The path was shown on the map but was not visible on the ground so we followed the gps to keep us on the right path. It started raining here so we stopped to put our coats on. We finally made our way back to the bridge that we crossed on the moor earlier and then retraced our steps back to the car, soaking wet after 14.8km and having done another 4 miles of the c2c.
Saturday 2 May 2009
Another caching day.
Monday 20th April
I had a check-up at the hospital today so as we were halfway to Market Harborough we drove there to do some puzzle caches that we had solved a while ago. We parked in the centre of the town and bought a sandwich which we ate whilst sitting by the corn market. The weather was lovely for a change.We then drove to Great Oxenden for a walk. We started off by finding a cache in the village and then walked along the Jurassic Way for a while. We had problems finding the footpath but a local man told us it went up the side of a house. We had quite a chat with him about walking, farming and sheep dogs. We went on our way following the Jurassic way. We had to cross a field of young cows which were all huddled round the stile we wanted, but we bravely walked through and they ran off. We were looking for a puzzle cache in the next field, I thought I had solved the puzzle and the location looked promising on the map but when we got there the gps was pointing into the middle of a field so was obviously wrong, so we abandoned it and continued our walk. We walked through a farm and came across 2 ladies with prams who had just gone through a field of cows. We decided that if they were happy pushing babies through, the cows must be ok. We shooshed them away from the cattle grid and walked over. They started to follow us but soon lost interest. We got to Clipstone and hoped for a drink but everywhere was closed so we continued back towards Gt Oxendon and the Brampton Valley Way, a disused railway that has been converted into a cycle path. Here we looked for another puzzle cache. We found the right place but had to cross a broken fence so thought we might be trespassing, but after quite a hunt John spotted the cache. We contined along the BVW and back to the car. We had walked 14km.
I had a check-up at the hospital today so as we were halfway to Market Harborough we drove there to do some puzzle caches that we had solved a while ago. We parked in the centre of the town and bought a sandwich which we ate whilst sitting by the corn market. The weather was lovely for a change.We then drove to Great Oxenden for a walk. We started off by finding a cache in the village and then walked along the Jurassic Way for a while. We had problems finding the footpath but a local man told us it went up the side of a house. We had quite a chat with him about walking, farming and sheep dogs. We went on our way following the Jurassic way. We had to cross a field of young cows which were all huddled round the stile we wanted, but we bravely walked through and they ran off. We were looking for a puzzle cache in the next field, I thought I had solved the puzzle and the location looked promising on the map but when we got there the gps was pointing into the middle of a field so was obviously wrong, so we abandoned it and continued our walk. We walked through a farm and came across 2 ladies with prams who had just gone through a field of cows. We decided that if they were happy pushing babies through, the cows must be ok. We shooshed them away from the cattle grid and walked over. They started to follow us but soon lost interest. We got to Clipstone and hoped for a drink but everywhere was closed so we continued back towards Gt Oxendon and the Brampton Valley Way, a disused railway that has been converted into a cycle path. Here we looked for another puzzle cache. We found the right place but had to cross a broken fence so thought we might be trespassing, but after quite a hunt John spotted the cache. We contined along the BVW and back to the car. We had walked 14km.
Friday 1 May 2009
Easter Break in Kent
It's time to catch up with some of the walking that we have been doing. We had a break in Kent staying with dad and a few walks were taken.
Friday 10th April, Good Friday
We decided on a walk today so drove to Westerham and parked at the NT car-park at Chartwell. We left the car-park and turned onto the footpath following the northern edge of the estate and then walked up quite a steep hill to Hosey Common lane, where we crossed the road and continued on a bridleway, through woodland to French Street hamlet. We were surprised that there was still evidence of the hurricane in 1987, with many fallen trees which were now regenerating and filing in the hedgerows. We turned right onto a footpath and descended steep steps to a stile which we crossed and continued across a field and then climbed another woodland path to a wooden bench where we sat and had a coffee and a hot cross bun.
We decided on a walk today so drove to Westerham and parked at the NT car-park at Chartwell. We left the car-park and turned onto the footpath following the northern edge of the estate and then walked up quite a steep hill to Hosey Common lane, where we crossed the road and continued on a bridleway, through woodland to French Street hamlet. We were surprised that there was still evidence of the hurricane in 1987, with many fallen trees which were now regenerating and filing in the hedgerows. We turned right onto a footpath and descended steep steps to a stile which we crossed and continued across a field and then climbed another woodland path to a wooden bench where we sat and had a coffee and a hot cross bun.
More woodland was walked through until we got to Emmets gardens. The azaleas and daffodils were lovely but the bluebells were not out yet. We retraced our steps to the woods and followed the path. Unfortunately we took the wrong path here so after about 0.5 mile we had to turn round and retrace our steps. We got onto the right path and followed the path to Chart lane, diverting off for a short walk to find a cache. We then walked to the lane and down to the Fox and Hounds for a drink and bag of crisps.
After our break we crossed the road and followed a wide path to the remains of Weardale Manor. This 145 room manor was left to deteriorate in the 1920's and then the site was bombed in the war. There are lovely views of Kent, Sussex and Srrey from what had been the patio. We continued along the track and back to French Street hamlet. We retraced our outward route and then entered the Chartwell estate. It was raining by the time we got back to the car so we had been very lucky to have such a good day. 9.8km.
Monday 13th April
After just short walks on Saturday and Sunday - (Riverside park and a trip to Savacentre)
we were ready for a longer walk. We drove to Shorne country park which had changed a lot since we had last walked here, about 20 years ago. There was now a large visitor centre and it was packed with families setting off for cycle rides.We walked out of the park, crossed the A2 bridge and entered Ashenbank Wood. This was a lovely ancient woodland but we were surprised that there were no bluebells out yet. We walked through the woodland and followed the path beside orchards and oast houses into Cobham where we stopped to admire the water -pump (and found a very small geocache) and then went into the church to see the brasses. We walked through the churchyard and followed a wide green path beside orchards full of white blossom (cherry I think) towards Henley Street. We stopped for a break and then walked along the bridleway towards Luddesdown. We walked up a short but steep hill and had a brief look around the churchyard and at Luddesdown Court. We admired a field of pigs wallowing in the valley and then followed the path around to arrive at the Golden Lion, where we stopped for a drink and a bag of crisps.
After our break we walked up another steep hill and across a field, where the soil was very white and flinty compared with what we are now used to in Leicestershire. We walked through Cobhambury wood and followed the trail through Cobham park and past the mausoleum. It had been extensively refurbished since we had last seen it, when it had been highly vandalized, graffitied and surrounded by burnt out cars. It was now surrounded by high fencing so it was not easy to see the renovations.
After passing the mausoleum we walked through woodland until we reached Knights Place farm. We passed the farm and continued through the wood to reach the new London to Paris railway line. As we walked beside the line a Eurostar train passed at high speed.
We walked to the road and crossed the A2 bridge to head back through Brewers wood and back to Shorne Country park. It had been a good walk with plenty of wild flowers - anenome's, primroses, violets, blossom but only a few bluebells. We were also surprised to see a yellow frittilary on the bank as we walked back into the park. 15 km
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