Snail's Pace Walking Blog: 2016

2016 Summary

I've still been getting out and about although not as much as previously.

On the plus side, one of the WI ladies, has very kindly let me use her caravan up in the Lake District so I've had lots of little breaks away there to escape from it all and all I've needed is the petrol money to get there. A lovely place. A lovely peaceful setting. Thank you Sheila - you're an absolute gem.

Finally, the plan has been born for my "County Bagging Project". To do a minimum of 10 miles in each county of the mainland UK. I see this as a long-term project!

East Yorkshire: Hessle Foreshore (0.8 miles)

Friday, 23rd December 2016

(Written somewhat tongue-in-cheek but I'm sure we all do walks like this and simply don't bother to "admit" to them).

I finally managed to get out for a walk in some daylight today. The forecast was good and I had time in the bank at work so I took an extended lunch for a walk in the cold and blustery sunshine. My destination? The dizzy heights of Hessle Foreshore (where!?) Just a couple of miles down the road from where I work… and I drove there

I got parked up near sign for the start of the Yorkshire Wolds Way. Changed into my …. trainers. Packed my cigs and phone into my … jacket pocket … and off I set. What? I hear you cry. No rucksack? No food or drink? No waterproofs or emergency shelter?

Nope. Not even a map.

I headed off into the unknown listening to the, ahem, peace and tranquillity of the traffic roaring over the Humber Bridge a short hop, skip and a squelch away, but enjoyed feeling the biting cold wind whipping my neatly organised hair out of it’s clip and lashing my cheeks. I enjoyed having to squint into the low, bright sunlight rather than having to squint because I really should wear my glasses for reading. I enjoyed inhaling cold, crisp air into my lungs which made me cough… which made my eyes stream and my nose run. This walking malarkey is good for you… honestly

I reached my halfway point, the slipway for the Humber Lifeboat … an un-steep, stone and concrete descent down onto the shingle and relished in the satisfying crunch of pebbles beneath my feet and the schloppp of the waves as they gave the shore a damned good thrashing.

As I approached the Humber Bridge I was saddened to see the number of bunches of flowers and wreaths fastened to various railings and benches. Unfortunately, this bridge is popular for committing suicide from

It was just after high tide by the looks of things and I hoped I’d be able to remain on the “beach” for the remainder of my walk.

My luck was in as I rounded the “leg” of the Humber Bridge and saw a strip of slimey (or should that be shiney) white pebbles. This meant I could take my best pic of the day… a view of almost the full length of the bridge from the underneath :

I’ve been itching to get a pic from this viewpoint for a while and I’m really pleased I finally managed to

As I reached the concrete shore defences I sat and had a “summit cig”, which, after spending 5 minutes trying to light the blasted thing, the wind smoked most of it.

A little further along I spent far too long musing and pondering on how a 15ft piece of driftwood managed to get trapped in the railings and spent even longer wondering if I could drag it back to my car… and then… would it FIT in my car

The wind at my back and the sun to my side, I enjoyed the views towards my home some 10 miles away and also the views across the river of the south bank.

Almost too soon, I was back at my car, where I tucked into a cheese and sandwich spread sarnie (and almost my fingers as they were numb with cold (nope, I didn’t take gloves either

) and a cup of coffee and checked out my walk “stats”…..

…… are you ready?.....

Total mileage = 0.8 miles
Max height = 4ft
Min height = -2ft (yes that’s minus 2ft)

I got back to work exhausted and ready for a sit down after my mega-adventure on the shores of the Humber Estuary

Thanks for reading

East Yorkshire: Paull (1.5 miles)

Sunday, 20th November 2016

We're at the time of year again where it's dark after work and if the weather's kak at the weekend then it doesn't inspire you to get out and about. A bit of late afternoon sunshine had me heading to Paull Foreshore for my favourite quick "head clearing" walk.

I think the pictures have uploaded the wrong way round!

Sunset over the Humber

The lighthouses still work

Tide's in over Paull Holme Strays

Humber Bridge in the distance

Zoom-y in of the Ships at Immingham

Seems strange seeing trees with leaves on at this time of year
(a Scots Pine I believe)

Glad I got out. You never know when the next non-rainy day will be at this time of year!

Thanks for looking 😊

Wales: Snowdonia - Moel Eilio (6.1 miles)

Sunday, 16th October 2016

I headed to Snowdonia for a couple of days. My original plan was to arrive earlier on the Saturday and bag a couple of waterfall walks but, alas, an accident on the M62 which closed 2 lanes put paid to that (fortunately nobody was injured) and I arrived just in time to check into my B&B in Betws-y-Coed before it got dark, where I was given a free upgrade from a saddo singleton’s room for one to a small double room with en-suite facilities

I then had a little mooch into “town” in search of my evening meal and the next day’s lunch.

Sunday arrived, damp and drizzle-y and I chatted with the B&B owner about my plans for the day. He kindly went on line and got me a weather forecast for the Llanberis / Snowdon area … and it didn’t look good – strong, gusty winds, heavy showers and thunder storms with temperatures a few degrees above freezing on the tops

Nevertheless, after a rather splendid breakfast, I waddled off to my car for the 30 minute drive which, in parts, reminded me a little of Scotland. The drive through the Llanberis Pass is quite spectacular and it was a pity there were cars behind me because I would have stopped (stuff the fact it’s a freeway/no stopping) to take a photo.

I got parked up down a little back street and remembered to actually set Viewranger to track record this time, and off I set – up and up and up on a never-ending metalled track upwards, without relent. The benefit of this was views started happening quickly and the forecast so far was wrong - it was patchy sunshine and I was sheltered from any wind.

Looking across towards the Llanberis Pass:

Higher still and looking across at the fascinatingly ugly scars of the pillaged Elidir Fawr(?):

It reminded me of a Dali painting and did look quite photogenic with the sunshine glinting on the wet quarry face.

At a very derelict farm building (Maen-llwyd-uchaf) the metalled track ran out (there’s also parking spaces for about 4 cars here in case anyone’s interested) and the path, still obvious, followed various walls, and still endlessly uphill.

Not that I stopped frequently on my way up or anything but here’s a view Gallt y Foel(?) above Lly Padarn with views of Anglesey just starting to peep into view in the background:

I decided to go a little off piste to avoid a large puddle, then continued up the broad, grassy nose of Bryn Mawr. This seemed like a good idea …. 6 false summits later …. Much of my view ahead was this …. So near yet so far:

I noticed my camera was almost out of battery

(note to self, charge camera before walk in future) so saved it for summit snaps but couldn’t resist one of this pointless stile just before the final pull up to the top of Moel Eilio

The wind was bitter now and constantly in my face and I’d had to brace myself against the gusts, making it feel like I was walking up something much harder than it was (that’s my excuse anyway

), but thankfully, no rain as yet and no thunderstorms.

It took me ages to get from the pointless stile to my next pic and I can only put this down to lack of fitness/stamina as my breathing was fine but my leg muscles tired far too quickly.

And finally, hooooraaaahhhhh! The summit shelter:

I was quite glad to see this appear, all of a sudden (them pesky false summits), and it spurred me on towards my nice cuppa and sarnie. I was even more glad to get to it as a sudden, sharp blast of hailstones “got” me (head wind don't forget... ouch!). I had my lunch and let the weather pass before venturing out for some summit piccies.

Looking across a fine ridge walk to Snowdon with its head in the clouds:

Looking North-East-ish:

Looking West-ish:

Looking North-West-ish to Anglesey:

And finally, looking back the way I came:

I took this last pic more for the strange colour of the weather (if that makes sense). Given the short, sharp showers and the sunshine, I think I was “in” a rainbow

Anyway, the weather had definitely changed and I could hear distant rumbles of thunder so it was with regret that I decided not to continue along that lovely looking ridge as planned, as, being the highest thing on a grassy ridge with no shelter in a thunder storm, probably wouldn’t have been one of my better decisions. So I returned the way I came – at least I had a back wind to assist me down the hill

My return path and the thundery clouds are starting to catch me up:

Shortly after this pic the heavens opened in a magnificently Biblical fashion and the waterproofs went on, the camera went away and I fairly scuttled down the hillside to reach the track which had now turned into a river. Choosing a shortcut back to the car past Cae’r-fran wasn’t one of my better ideas either as the track was a river of mud and I was relieved to reach a road as I turned left onto the lane which passes the Youth Hostel.

Back at the car I stripped off my soggy waterproofs and was pleasantly surprised to discover that I was dry underneath them. I think it may have been a different story if I’d needed to wear them heading uphill. I did have to wring my gloves out though

So hands up everyone who agrees…. Having a good day’s walking, followed by a shower, getting a belly full of food, a glass of wine and falling into bed and falling asleep almost instantly is possibly the best type of day ever?

Again, no particular Achilles tendon problems and I could quite happily have walked much further – I think wearing shoes and not boots has all but solved the problem.

For a long time now I’ve been looking for a “safe” mountain walk to do in Winter…. I think I’ve found it…. Moel Eilio… it’s broad, it’s grassy, route finding is easy, it has amazing views in all directions that would look truly stunning with a full winter pelt … and it’s over the magic 2,000ft mountain status.

I will be back.

ViewRanger Track

Thanks for looking

East Yorkshire: Woodale from Riplingham (4.3 miles)

Sunday, 2nd October 2016

A brilliantly uppy and downy walk in the Wolds. Possibly not one to be done after a lot of rain as some of the gradients were quite steep and potentially slippery and muddy.

However, I chose a beautifully sunny day: