Saturday, May 31, 2008

Rutland Water

Walked: 31 May 2008
Distance: 14m

Walking the full circuit of Rutland Water was a bit of a whim. I knew that I would be in the area and had packed boots, water and coffee, but had only intended to walk a few miles and find out what opportunities there were for walking around the reservoir.

At the Lyndon Visitor Centre where I popped in to buy an OS map, I was told that the circular walk (minus the peninsular) was 17m. I was a bit unsure whether I'd get around before dark, but it was such a beautiful day, and once I'd started, turning back before the half-way point wasn't really an option!

I've now Meandered the route and find it to be 14m, which fits with the 5 hours I was walking.

The signposts at the peninsular claim that that loop is an extra 7m, so there's a potential 21 mile walk there for another day.

The shop didn't have the OS map, and I'd usually feel uncomfortable about walking anywhere without the 1:25000 to refer to, but the reservoir has a surfaced path all the way round, with so much signage it almost feels like a guided tour.





It did annoy me a little that there are so many health and safety signs around the place, but this one did make me laugh.


The flowers are just going off the horse-chestnut trees and these cute baby conkers have started to form:


This is the dam at the eastern end:


The village sign for Egleton reminds me of the Edvard Munch painting the Madonna with the sperms swimming around the edge. I'm not sure that these shapes are meant to be sperms but one does have a wiggly tail.


The route below was created using Google maps and Meander.

2 comments:

dive said...

Wow, Pea! You walked the whole thing!
I've done the north shore before, including Geoff Hamilton's old place at Barnsdale.
And I've been onto the island and wandered around Hambleton.
But the whole circuit is too much for my old legs.

When I'm on my way home from yours I like to stop at Edith Weston and take a breather, gazing out over the water.
Plus of course there's the lovely Normanton Church Museum.

A lovely post. Thanks, Pea!

peahen said...

Thanks Dive, I might have stopped to see what the church museum was all about, but I was on a mission to get round before dark!

A little bit tourist-orientated for me, but I'm amazed at the range of activities Anglian Water have made available.

The views are just stunning, aren't they, and once again, my pics don't really do justice.