Journeys by hiking, running, cycling and touring
Torcross to Salcombe Woken by the sun in my east-facing bedroom window, it stayed with us all day. Having got a slightly earlier breakfast, we were away for 8:50 and with the sun glistening on the sea and blue skies overhead we climbed up the steps to start the first climb of the day. We … Continue reading South West Coast Path 2011 – Day 2
Dartmouth to Torcross With us booked on the 07:30 from Paddington, we have to be up early, and I opted to spend the night at my parents house where I could get the high speed train into St Pancras instead of an earlier train from home, coupled with a desperately tight crossing of London on … Continue reading South West Coast Path 2011 – Day 1
Preparing for the walk. The 4th year of the walk has arrived and when I started planning it, it looked like it would be bothersome. With each successive year, we have to travel further at the start and end of the walk, which reduces our itinerary options and restricts how far we can walk on … Continue reading South West Coast Path 2011
Given the weather, which has been windy every day and wet most days, I've had a reasonably successful trip. The only slight regret was losing Sunday, but that might not have been a great success anyway given my injury - I'm sure a day's rest helped, although I'm still in pain as I write this … Continue reading Snowdonia 2011 – Debrief
On this trip I stayed in two places: YHA Snowdon Ranger. When I found I couldn't book the B&B for all 7 nights, I went for the obvious option for the first night. It's just down the road from Beddgelert. Unlike recent experiences though, this time I had to share a room but I did … Continue reading Snowdonia 2011 – Accommodation and Meals
The Nantlle Ridge The whole trip has been built around doing this and it's my last day so it's obvious what walk to do. I deliberately left this to last because today had the best weather forecast and it's also the hardest walk - in that it's an all or nothing walk and although there … Continue reading Snowdonia 2011 – Day 7
Moel Siabod The forecast today is for wind and rain and then clearing in the afternoon (so not much change there then!). I'm not going to wait to see it improve as when I did that on Sunday, I ended up with no walk. I also have to bear in mind last bus times. So … Continue reading Snowdonia 2011 – Day 6
Snowdon's south east ridge Today, I'm up, breakfasted and ready in time for the bus as I have a potentially long walk ahead of me - from Nantgwynant over Gallt y Wenallt, Y Lliwedd, Yr Wyddfa and Yr Aran. It doesn't start well with the bus driver dropping me off ¾ mile beyond where I … Continue reading Snowdonia 2011 – Day 5
I'm in agony and can't sit down without wincing. I don't think I broke anything, but I must have one hell of a bruise. Unfortunately I can't see without a highly complex arrangement of mirrors. And the weather forecast isn't good. Rain and high winds for most of the day, with only a small chance … Continue reading Snowdonia 2011 – Day 4
Cnicht Today I met up with sunnysky from the LFTO forum. We parked in Croesor and took the path up onto the ridgeline above the village. The summit of Cnicht stood out against the background of cloud enveloping the other mountains. We made good progress and despite a strengthening headwind very quickly we reached the … Continue reading Snowdonia 2011 – Day 3
The Hebogs Despite being up just after 7, I still only made it to the bus stop right outside the hostel in time for 9:05. Minutes later I was in Beddgelert dropping off my big rucksack at the B&B. I strolled through the village and onto the bridleway alongside the Welsh Highland Railway, crossing the … Continue reading Snowdonia 2011 – Day 2
Llanberis to YHA Snowdon Ranger I was greeted in Bangor by grey skies and a few spots of rain. The bus turned up late and took nearly an hour to wend its way to Llanberis. After a quick lunch, I headed up the road to the youth hostel, although I still hadn't chosen my route … Continue reading Snowdonia 2011 – Day 1
In a mad rush just before I disappeared to the North York Moors, I managed to make travel and accommodation arrangements for a week-long trip to Snowdonia taking place in early May. Now all I've got to do is work out what walks to do. After my recent 10 day Cumbria Way trek, I fancied … Continue reading Snowdonia 2011 – Planning
A family holiday in the week before Easter gave an opportunity to visit an area I'd not really explored. Greeted by a blue sky over the moors, we decided to knock off Roseberry Topping on the Saturday. Parking just south of Newton-under-Roseberry we walked up the lane and into Newton Wood and then slogged up … Continue reading North York Moors
This is phase 4 of a multi-year project to walk the South West Coast Path from east to west with my father and, sometimes, my brother. This year's section will be from Dartmouth to Plymouth in mid-May, taking 5 and a half days to cover about 65 miles and 15,000ft of ascent. This phase has … Continue reading South West Coast Path 2011 – Planning