The FastDay Forum

Well, not serious stuff, like Barbarita! However varied walk yesterday around Matlock Bath. Up to the top of High Tor, with fantastic views, past Riber castle, down across the A6 and up the other side and along pretty path through the woods. Rain began 10-15 minutes before the end... Happy but soaked....

Hello @eyup

If you are prepared to get soaked on a walk you are far more serious than me Rain has stopped play up here. I don't know your neck of the woods at all but I bet it's lovely when the sun comes out. I felt right at home though when you mentioned the A6!

28/07. 7.25 mile walk Cliburn and Whinfell forest
29/07. 8.75 mile walk Morland, Great Strickland, Newby, Crossrigg and the Lyvennet river
30/07. NOTHING
31/07. NOTHING
01/08. 5k jog 35 minutes 31 seconds
02/08. NOTHING
03/08. 5k jog
04/08. NOTHING
05/08. 15 mile walk Kirkby Stephen to Appleby via Smardale Fell 1670' 33,644 steps
06/08. NOTHING
07/08. NOTHING
08/08. 9 mile walk Morland, Newby, Reagill and Sleagill
09/08. NOTHING

Well, that's the last of the "Walks in the Penrith Area" done, the book has gone back on the shelf. The last was a grand finale of everything; lanes which were wall-to-wall head high nettles, a bull, obligatory stepping stones over a river, thunder and rain. Some very nice bits but never again!

I picked another book of walks in the North Pennines from Appleby TIC; the more walks I do, the more on my list. Also unearthed my list of 2000' hills in England that I have not done, handwritten on yellowing A4, as at 16/09/1984 I have 30 outstanding - Dartmoor, the Cheviots, the Dark Peak and a few local, both in outside the Warcop range. Feeling rather lazy at the moment but will get cracking soon.

Another of our famous rather lost walks yesterday. We have blind faith in these walking books and don't take the OS map despite much experience. pavlov's dog learned much faster than we do. Anyway, the walk started and finished in the small village of Crich and went cross country to Wingfield Manor, ruins of a 15th century pile where Mary Queen of Scots was a frequent "visitor" (rather against her wishes). Getting there was fine, though the ground only vaguely matched up with the descriptions in the book. Well, farmers change their gates/stiles/even field boundaries, so we forgave them that. However, we could not see a way out of the Manor in the direction we were supposed to go. We went along the only obvious path. After a mile we hit a minor road, and the gate from the road, to access the path we had just descended, said Private, no access, etc. so we had just done an illegal bit of walk. From there, it was hilly guess work to get back to Crich, eventually walking into a village, and longing for it to BE Crich and not a neighbouring village!!! All OK. Once again the moral of the story is to always carry the OS Map, but we are unlikely to be that sensible...

@eyup I always do carry the 1:25000 map even if the Walks book includes part of it, in case I am dim enough to wander right off the edge, but I am too lazy to stop and get it out most of the time. Finding way through farmyards and country house environs can be most frustrating although we are blessed with a lot of waymarks round here. I've certainly been down a lot of private roads in my time (not out of badness). Moral, make sure route through your property is clear, then you won't find bewildered ramblers wandering round bits you don't want them to be in.

Woe, woe looks like no decent weather until at least Thursday

After several weeks of doing nothing much in the way of a good ramble I decided it would be a good day to do my annual heave up Skiddaw. The Met Office app promised Sun and only 1 mph wind at Keswick so no excuses. Was very pleased that I did the whole walk from the start of Spooney Green Lane to the trig point on the summit non-stop at a steady plod which involved a bit of willpower in places but no aches in the legs and breathing no more laboured than when I jog. 4 miles, 2850 feet ascent, one hour and fifty minutes. Felt so good I visited Little Man, Lonscale Fell and Latrigg on the way down.

Seems so easy, apart from the stingy knees on the way down, three cheers for trekking poles. The main difference being older I find, is that you only know you have the energy to do something once you start doing it; there's none fizzing over first thing.

Total for the day: 9 1/2 miles, 3200 feet ascent.

Went to Long Forest Conservation Reserve today. We went on the Happy Valley walk. It was beautiful day for it, sunny and still. Lots of birds and saw a wallaby. It seemed curious and watched us for some time before bounding away. There was a great view from the top of the hill! http://parkweb.vic.gov.au/explore/parks ... rest-f.f.r.

Hair of the dog. Cross Fell from Blencarn, 10 1/4 miles 2500 feet ascent.

Because Skiddaw caught up with me yesterday and I felt even stiffer today despite jogging with a friend yesterday. I reckoned I would not feel any worse than just pottering about all day. Was achey and tired on the descent and the merciless Sun beat down as I neared the valley floor. 23 C. when I got back to the car. I think some pottering is needed tomorrow.

Mind if I join? We are really into canoe camping and have done thousands of miles in our canoe with the kids. Canoeing is the entire reason I got in shape years ago. And around here canoeing also means hiking because of the portages.

With paddle in hand, we'll soon see the land on foot or by hand!

Ah, 'tis the Spring Equinox. Time to put the tent up, let it air and let the Sun finish drying it. Pity the ground is still muddy.

The Inaugural walk was "The Infant Eden and Pendragon Castle", #3 in "Walking in Cumbria's Eden Valley". (9 miles, 1135' ascent) A worthy 're-introduction to stiff or decrepit gates, styles built for 6' men, wall styles built for those even more gaunt than I, outliers of the Great Grimpen Mire, streams trying to pass as lanes, and inadequate route directions.

Lovely cool weather, getting brighter as the day progressed, wind at my back on the outward upward stretch, great views of Wild Boar Fell and Mallerstang Edge.

Slow and steady plod up Latrigg with a friend (5 miles, 850' ascent). Bright, slightly hazy, gentle breeze.

Hi everyone. This is my first visit to this tent. Not usually a hiker at all but about to venture out on the biggest "walk" I have ever attempted. I am walking the Camino de Santiago de Compostela in Spain. I start out on May 2 but am flying to France (where it starts) on Wed. Very excited and more than a little scared

I am surprised there is no reference to this famous pilgrimage anywhere in the forum. It is a pilgrimage people have been doing for over 1200 years. The goal is the cathedral in Santiago de Campostela in northwestern Spain which supposedly contains the remains of the apostle St. James. There are many roads to it but the most famous is the Camino Frances which starts in the little town of St. Jean Pied-de-Port in France at the base of the Pyrenees. It is about 800 km and I will be walking 20 -30 km every day for the next 6 weeks with a few rest days thrown in along the way. It is a Catholic pilgrimage and you get a "compostela" at the end, a certificate which is a type of "indulgence" for sins committed in this life. I am not Catholic, don't even consider myself Christian but it is famous as a spiritual journey also. Physically demanding but with a lot of time for reflection on your life, its meaning and purpose. Life becomes very basic - food, water, shelter, protection from the elements - that's it. Most people carry everything they have on their backs and stay in hostels (aubergues) but I am cheating a bit. I will have a daypack and a tour company ( from Ireland, actually) will transport my big suitcase everyday to the next hotel/B&B which is pre-booked. I am doing this alone; no tour, no companions. There are lots of people doing this though and I know I will meet others. It is a very safe endeavour. Many people do it solo, including old ladies like me.

If you are interested, I recommend the movie " The Way" from around 2011. It stars Martin Sheen and his son Emilio Estavez is the writer, director and also actor in it. It is a fictionalized account of a man who unexpectedly finds himself walking the Camino and it is a very good film. Also gives an idea of the landscape. This is not "Wild". The track is through northern Spain countryside, everything from a cow paths to multi-lane highways and there will be lots of opportunites for food and water.

I am so excited. One thing I will not be doing for the next 6 weeks is fasting. Also low carb is out the window. It may be the first holiday I expect to lose weight on . The hard part will be reining in my eating once I get back and don't have a TDEE of 2500 - 3000 Cal any longer.

Will check back in here occasionally to let you know how it's going, if I'm not too exhaused to type. I'm off then

Wow, how exciting @judithn. I hope all goes well for you. Yes, please keep us posted on your adventures.

Right, big backlog here and as today is windy, drizzly and uninviting I'll do a resume.

05/04/15 (Easter Sunday) Smardale Gill and Crosby Garrett fell, 8.5 miles 1240'
Delightful walk on an unseasonably warm, sunny day.

07/04/15 Around Sheffield Pike 5.7 miles - with a friend and did not have time to visit the summit - another lovely warm day

09/04/15 Rutter Force 5 miles 600', sunny and warm again.

10/04/15 Eden Wheel #5, Bowscale to Bustabeck, 10.25 miles 900', weather still good

11/04/15 Long Meg and Lacy's Caves, 5 miles 730', sunny but windy.

14/04/15 River Lyvennet at King' s Meaburn, 6.25 miles 670'. Overcast.

15/04/15 Mayburgh Hence and Brougham Castle, 3.75 miles, 200'. Overcast, drizzly.

17/04/15 Carlisle to Rockliffe along the Eden, 8 miles 590'. Bright and windy

18/04/15 Ravenbeck and Kirkoswald, 10 miles 1440'. Hot and sunny

19/04/15 River Lowther at Bampton France, 5 miles 270'. Overcast.

21/04/15 4 miles on Bamburgh Beach

23/04/15 Melmerby Fell, 7.25 miles 1840'

24/04/15 Burgh Marsh, 7 miles 325', huge skies, sunny

26/04/15 Lowther Park, 7.25 miles 795'

27/04/15 Rockliffe Marsh, 7.5 miles 250', sunny

01/05/15 Talkin Fell and Simmerson Hill 6.25 miles 1280'. Lovely sunny early morning walk. Saw a deer and heard a cuckoo in Geltsdale.

This was my final walk from "Walking in Cumbria's Eden Valley" by Vivienne Crowe. A great selection.

Backlog continued:

03/05/15 Captain Cook' s Coastline 6.25 miles. From Staithes to Runswick Bay along the Cleveland Way, returning by way of a road walk to Hinderwell, back lanes, fields and woodland. Woods were delightful with spring flowers.

04/05/15 Castletown to Grosmont, 14 miles along the Esk Valley Walk. Got the train from Castleton to Grosmont and walked back with the wind behind me, very useful on Danby Moor! Sunny and very warm where sheltered, basked in Grosmont while waiting for OH to collect me. Next year, Castleton Moor itself!

05/05/15 Dracula' s Whitby. Basically a cliff walk from the Abbey along the Cleveland Way, returning through a caravan park and some lovely field paths to the harbour, and then a climb up to the West Cliff to find the Bram Stoner memorial seat, which from the directions I could not - is it even still there? The creepiest part was the thick fog along the coast, so I was concerned if I would miss the turn off the coast path and end up in Robin Hoods Bay.

07/05/15 Ravenscar and Robin Hood's Bay, 8 miles. Dropped OH in Robin Hood's Bay, then parked up at Ravenscar and walked back along the Cleveland Way to meet up for coffee. We returned to Ravenscar together along the old railway track which loops inland to maintain a gentle incline. OH is not a keen walker, but estimated he too had done 8 miles in all with exploring the Village and strolling on the beach.

08/05/15 Hole of Horcum. Dumped on the car park on the Whitby to Pickering road on a sunny morning, I descended out of the breeze into the lovely valley which I had to myself at that early hour. It was not until the end of the valley that I met a lady sunbathing near the footbridge. I then turned right and climbed over towards Newtondale and Skelton Tower, overlooking the North York Moors Railway. By then the walk was a moorland walk. I preferred the first half.