Journeys by hiking, running, cycling and touring
For some reason I seem to have talked myself into covering a top 20 of fells. Â And I was going to cover the lower ranked in the top 20 in batches, so that I could quickly get to eulogising about the very special ones at the top of the list. Â But as I sat down … Continue reading Favourite Fells – Helm Crag
Ok, after the chat on Twitter last night when I announced I was working on a post about my favourite fells, I imagine a few people will have come over here to see the list. Â Well I'm sorry, I'm going to disappoint you. Â At least for the moment. It would be too easy simply to … Continue reading Favourite Fells…
I can't always go to the hills to walk, and so have to make the best of what's on my doorstep. Â Unfortunately, for a hill walker, that best is pretty poor. Â Not only does my local terrain have very little in the way of ascent, parts of it are actually below sea level, if my … Continue reading Fenplodder strikes again
I really don't know how to say this, and not feel pathetic, so I think I'll just come out with it: Â I've NEVER wild camped. Â No, not once. Â The nearest I've come is a deserted camp site, which I'd love to count, but don't really think I can. I've always wanted to do it, have … Continue reading Planning my first wildcamp
The second iteration Back in September, I tentatively started thinking about this walk. Â After abandoning my intention to walk the "official" C2C last year, I still had a lingering desire to do a coast to coast walk. Â With my walking calendar for 2012 starting to take shape, I picked up the plan again for a … Continue reading Coast to Coast Planning
With vague plans forming in the latter part of last year to do a coast to coast walk (note "a" not "the") and for my main trip to the Lake District in 2012 to be the Far Eastern fells, it's become clear that 2012 could see me step up a level in my walking. Â In … Continue reading Moving it up a level
I seem to have started the year off focussing on the negatives - first a post entitled "Failure" about walks that have gone wrong through the weather, navigation or even, cowardice. Â Then the follow-up, "Despair" got darker still and talked about my worst ever day hillwalking - the day I came closest to chucking it … Continue reading The Ghosts of Past Walks
The title's probably a touch dramatic, but in my post New Year's zombie-like state of mind, it seemed to do the trick. Â Of course, if you believe the Mayans we've just had our last New Year's Eve parties (no loss there really) as the world is due to end sometime this year. Video by CGP … Continue reading A Day of Judgement
Whilst everyone else is starting the New Year with positive thinking (that is apart from the effects of last night's drinking), I thought I'd take an opposite tack and talk about failure. In my walking career I've notched up a few failures and whilst I've not let them get to me too much, I'd be … Continue reading Failure
It's so low and flat where I live that my GPS sometimes shows me as being below sea level, and today was no exception when I grabbed an opportunity for a last walk of 2011. Â Given the short daylight hours, rather than opt to be dropped off at Hampton Court, near where the rest of … Continue reading Fenplodder!
This year I really started to get into using Twitter to record my walks, network with other outdoors types and pass comment on the issues of the day. Â Here's a selection of the least bad: Joined new gym today & had facilities all to myself. Only downside was rain & the 7 mile run to … Continue reading A Year in Tweets
Ok, I know it's not the slightest bit original, but I felt the need to write a year-end wrap up of what's happened this year. Â I've tried it before in less eventful years, but this year I'm really looking back at a year quite unlike the previous one, and looking forward into next with barely … Continue reading Hey, that went a bit quick!
This week I was going to wrap up my "Project Management for Hillwalkers" series by covering the benefits of learning the lessons from the past and applying them to future walking. Â But as I thought back over the last 6 years or so, looking for material, I couldn't ignore the sad business story playing out … Continue reading Dark Days for Blacks
Now then, now then, first things first. Â An apology for the title of this post. Â And an even bigger apology for the pun and tenuous association with the actual subject matter! (Sir) Jimmy Saville who died this weekend was known for his brightly coloured shell suits and big chunky jewellery. Â And his chair which seemed … Continue reading Jim’ll Thicket
I learned something overnight. Â Something which was actually pretty obvious and staring me in the face the whole time. Â And it's this....you really don't need that much stuff to have an ok time. Â Let me elaborate.... I've always taken far too much stuff on walks, mainly because of the "this might be useful" trap. Â But … Continue reading North Downs Way 9: Dunn Street to Chilham