Dales wandering.

This was another one of the CAMRA walks that Mike was reviewing. The Settle/Carlisle line is very convenient for circular walks in the Yorkshire Dales. Thus Mike extended the route a wee bit. It was the latter part of the afternoon when we got off the train in Horton in Ribblesdale. The sun was out and it was warm. There is something quite pleasing to be heading up the hill as everyone else is heading down. The questioning look can be seen in the eye of some folk as they pass and say hi!.

A delightful camping spot was found by Hull Pot beck. Unfortunately there where no deep pools in the beck to allow for swimming. However, we enjoyed a cooling dip, which was refreshing.
The following morning saw us heading up Pen-y-ghent. Initially we followed the old path, joining the new one higher up.  Just before the top is a new, hideous concrete staircase. Possibly a shiny new hand rail will follow? It boggles the question as to what is going to happen on the scrambly bit going up over the prow.. There are rumours of Alpine style guides, fixed belay points and via ferrata??

Heading up Pen-Y-ghent.

Things were getting busy on Pen-y-ghent.

 We continued following the Pennine Way to skirt around Fountains Fell. We mutually agreed on having an easy day.

Finding nice water at Tenants Gill and a good camping spot, we stopped for the day.

. A lazy afternoon was spent in our usual round of activities, which involved tea drinking, reading and snoozing. Heavy rain came in overnight. The following morning was grey and a wee bit dreich but not actually raining.

We had a few drizzly showers as we made our way over to  Malham tarn.

Stopping for a break, we sheltered out of a blustery wind by a wall and perused the map. This was going to be a lazy day again. our plan was simple, head over to Langscar Gate and then around by Kirkby Fell. Two rangers were busy installing new gates along the track. Thus we were a tad wary  in finding a spot to camp. After a bit of casting about we settled on a grassy spot by some ancient mine workings.

Later that afternoon, with the nearby gate fixed and the rangers gone, Mike and Lucky headed up Rye Loaf Hill. On his return, Mike had noticed a few beasts and a large bull heading through the gate. Cattle and tents do not go together. They get curious, come and have nose  and the inevitable can happen with panicking animals tripping over guy lines and chaos reigns. The easiest course of action was to persuade the animals back the other side of the gate and close it. With this duly done, everyone could settle down for a peaceful night.

A few showers during the night. The morning though was dank and cloud  covered, everything shrouded in grey. Making sure that the gate was back where it ought to be, we enjoyed a leisurely walk down to Settle.

Arriving early, we pottered about, visited a cafe for a cuppa and something to eat and then investigated a nearby pub. All in all, an enjoyable few days.

Cold Law in the mist.

Mike and I had another wee trip in mind. Basically a walk to take in a top and then another beach foray.
All the way up to the Cheviots it remained wet. Turning up in to the Harthope valley we also encountered swirling mist. It would be a day for full waterproofs.

A steady plod uphill through the all pervading dampness eventually brought us to Cold Law.

.By the time we returned to the car park the rain had eased.

Thankfully it remained fairly dry for the walk in to Ross Back Sands. There was though, a steady northerly wind blowing down the beach.
My concern, worrier that I am, was the tarp we were going to use. Anyone can bivi with a tarp and be uncomfortable. The secret is being comfortable under one. Realising that Mike and I needed something a tad larger, I started thinking. A project that had not turned out right had left me with a fair amount of ripstop nylon. After a hesitant start, I had got busy. Some snipping and cutting and a large amount of sewing with a sewing machine that was not firing on all cylinders, and I had a nine foot square  tarp. The initial hemming required some thirty six feet of stitching. Much muttering and a few choice swear words saw pegging loops added to the corners and middle of the hems. Not my best bit of work. Elegant it was not, functional, most certainly!
My concern was the set up I had in mind, having never used such a large tarp. Despite a thin, mizzly wetness driving down the beach, a wee bit of faffing and we had the tarp up. Not the best but hey! we had shelter from the wind and weather on all three sides. It needs more work in the shape of another lifter toward the rear. However there was loads of space and with the addition  of a mega plastic sheet  Mike had brought along for the floor, we were snug.

 We spent the rest of the day snoozing, reading, drinking tea and generally chilling out.

Early morning saw a  sea fog drifting in with the waves still crashing on the beach in in great rolling, white capped crescendos. Gradually though, the wind changed to the west and the boisterous waves eventually eased. We both spent some time frollicking in the shallows. Mike got wetter than me!

The storm had washed a mass of baby jellyfish and great swathes of seaweed.

Later in the morning the sun came out and we spent a pleasant  few hours before the clouds rolled back in again. It was odd to see a few elderly gents, hidden in the dunes, every so often, stand up, peer around and disappear again  One chappie, rather long in the tooth, had been sitting not that far from us. Standing, he pulled on a pair of shorts, picked up a wee rucksack and walked up the beach, past us. Then proceeded just the other side of us, to enter the dunes once more. There, he discarded the shorts and carried on up through the dunes. Not long after, Mike took Lucky for a walk. Low and behold the same person was now heading back down the beach, clothed. As he came level with our bivi, he paused, gave a loud 'harrumph' and continued on his way. Odd? Even more peculiar was that ten minutes later he came back up the beach, naked and shortly after headed back down the beach, still nude? Well, I guess it takes all sorts!
It was, all in all, not a bad wee do. Readers be warned, there may be more scribblings along these lines!

Summer solstice

Mike and I decided to spend the summer solstice on our favourite beach, Ross Back Sands. The plan was simple, a walk in the Cheviots before heading for the beach. Having a hospital appointment in the morning meant a later start than normal. It was a straightforward walk starting in the Harthope valley up to Langlee Crags and back. A slight delay when a chappy took a purler over the handlebars of his bike.

A pleasant walk up the hill above the valley, chivied by a blustery wind. A wander around Langlee crags and a leisurely stop for lunch.

 There are several rocky outcrops in the area. A fascinating geological feature.

It was difficult to decide which one was actually the highest point, thus we visited them all.

We took a slightly circular route back to the car, passing through a herd of quite placid cows.
It was then on to Ross Back Sands. A bivi on the beach, is a wee bit different from the average bivi. A nylon tarp is still used However, anchoring in fine sand is a more difficult proposition. Currently I have been using a selection of sixteen inch, home made wooden stakes. The downside is that they are darned heavy. Extra guylines are also needed, beaches can be windy.

Using a gull wing tarp and the camo basha groundsheet as an extra side panel to protect from the wind.

We usually carry in at least six litres of water. For cooking a trangia is the best option. The snag is that they are bulky and not that light. Also added is a half litre of fuel. All in all, a fair bit of extra weight. Recently I laid hands on a stack of large bamboo poles. The idea is to split them, cut them in to eighteen inch lengths and use them as pegs.
Was awake before four in the morning and watched the gradual breaking of the new day. Even Mike was awake for the solstice morning!

A slightly slanted photo of the new day.
Mike went back to sleep. Unable to sleep, I went for a walk up the beach,
Later that morning we heard the ominous rumble of thunder. Snug under the tarp we watched the lightning and heavy rain as the storm passed through.

With the weather clearing, Mike went for a splash around in the sea. All I managed was a paddle. We where treated to seeing seals feeding and playing in the shallows. Arctic turns were very much in evidence.

All in all a lovely walk and beach bivi.

Innerleithen / Peebles

This was a walk in relation to a review Mike was doing on behalf of CAMRA. They had brought out a guide to various pub walks and Mike had agreed to review a couple of the walks.. Peebles is a fair trek just to do a walk, thus Mike suggested an overnight camp would be better.
With the car parked in Peebles we nipped on the bus down to Innerleithen. Heading out, our route took us through the grounds of Traquair House. Plenty of superb lawns, (ideal for backpacking tents!).

. A few folk were around but it was fairly quiet. Lucky was quite taken by the peacocks.

Heading up through the Glen, notices welcomed walkers to the estate. The route led us on to the Cross Border Drove Road. An ancient right of way. We were in no rush and, finding a suitable camp spot we stopped for the day.

A comfortable night, despite a few midges. Early morning rain saw us delaying our start a wee bit. Following the drove road, we headed uphill. Mike had a wee top to visit. Having been moving quite slow, I opted to guard the rucksacks! while he nipped up the hill. Coming around by Yellow Mire, heavy rain caught up with us. squally showers chivvied for the rest of our way.

.The old road is a delight to walk, leading us over Kirkhope Law and Kailzie Hill. a lovely undulating ridge with splendid views all round and Glensax below.

.All too soon we began to descend downwards to Peebles.

There is some fine walking to be had in the Peebles area. Rounded, rolling hills that invite the walker to come and explore.

There was one disconcerting thing though, the route we took was to review a walk given by CAMRA, but we never visited a pub?

Kielder wander

A nice wee wander proposed by Mike. There was initially a tad bit of faffing due to car parks marked on the map now being closed. The forestry commision seemed determined to funnel all cars in to a specific car park. No doubt as a handy cash cow?
The day was dry and quite warm with a brisk wind. The walking  pleasant as we walked along a maze of forestry tracks.

Mike had a plan in place. It was his aim to bag a couple of tops that lurked somewhere in the forestry. . After a few forays in to dense closely knit phalanxes of prickly pine trees, we eventually won through.  The bleached bones of some other poor soul who had attempted to penetrate this dense mass, gave warning of the dire perils of our mission. Well, alright, that is exaggerating a wee bit! Mind, there was no clear route and we had to revert to Mike's gps to get us back out. Mike decided to give the second top a miss?

Taking a longer loop, we eventually came down by the Calvert Trust buildings. Another little bit of bushwhacking and we joined  paths that eventually led us back to the car park at Leaplish.

A pleasant day's walking. Mind, I am still finding pine needles around the flat. Pine needles down one's bra are very uncomfortable!