Ticknall Leg-stretch

• Walked: 23rd May 2007
• Distance: 6.5m
• Terrain: fairly flat
• Summary: Foremark Reservoir using the straight bridleway, Calke Abbey, Ticknall
• Time: 2 hours start to finish
• Notable views: Looking back over the Trent Valley before Ticknall.

This is one of my most regular after-work walks. It starts on the long straight bridleway alongside Foremark Reservoir. Tonight it looked particularly green.


Something which really put a spring in my step was seeing elderflower for the first time this year. Just a bit longer, it'll all be out in flower, and I'll be back to collect some for this year's elderflower wine:


There aren't many flowers out right now, but this is the first poppy that I've seen this year:


This is one of my favourite spots. Just past Bendall's Farm and up a hill. It's marked on the map as Hangman's Stone. The drystone wall which I like sitting on is in the middle of the nettles on the left, so when in shorts as I was this evening, that's out of bounds.


This route continues to Ticknall via Seven Spouts Farm, through Calke Park (using the footpath parallel to the driveway) and across fields to Scaddow's Farm and back to start.

The route above was generated using Meander.

Image produced from the Ordnance Survey Get-a-map service. Image reproduced with kind permission of Ordnance Survey and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland.

Carver's Rocks and a Wishing Well

• Walked: 20 May 2007
• Distance: not far
• Terrain: some inclines and the opportunity to scramble
• Summary: Hartshorne to Carver's Rocks and Foremark Reservoir
• Time: 2 hours overall
• Springwatch: The may blossom and bluebells are all looking a little bit tired. There doesn't seem to be very much coming out in flower to replace them.

I've let things slip a little bit over the last couple of weeks, the longest day is rapidly approaching and I've got some serious work to do to build my stamina for the Ivanhoe Way. This weekend was another busy one, but Sunday was so beautiful that it would have been a sin not to get out in the sunshine.

Some ash trees are still coming out into leaf, but those that are a little more advanced now have flowers out:


Carver's Rocks is an ex-quarry. It's a lovely spot to sit and enjoy nature, or to try a scramble. There are a few places where you can climb without too much trouble or equipment, and other places where more serious climbers can use their ropes and things.



We enjoyed the sunshine for a while here before heading off to see what's left of the 'wicker' Jack and Jill. I still don't know the origins of this sculpture, but remember how awesome it looked when I first saw it. On a prominent spot and quite large, you could spy the figures and their wishing well from some distance. This is how they looked a few years ago: (Picture shows the figures but not their wishing well)


All that's left now is a very overgrown wishing well. The people themselves look to have been chopped down, perhaps when they became too overgrown. This is a real shame, and I'd love to see them replaced.


The spot is still one of my favourite viewpoints, and one of the viewpoints in my '3 Viewpoints' walk. The wire fence in the middle of this picture is where Jack and Jill used to stand:


The path which runs alongside the reservoir is a good path, and has been decked in places. It gives beautiful glimpses of the reservoir through the trees.

May blossom

• Walked: 6 May 2007
• Distance: 16m
• Terrain: some inclines
• Summary: Packington, Normanton, Snarestone, Moira, Ashby
• Time: 6 hours overall

This is the same route as Ivanhoe Way (part of) (part 1). I wanted to try it clockwise this time to see how how it felt - I can't decide which way round my attempt on the IW should be. If I did it clockwise, then the second half of this walk would be the last few miles of the full 36-mile walk.

This is one of the most colourful walks that I can remember. Along the way we spotted wisteria, laburnum, lilac, clematis of various colours, as well as fields of rape. This photo looks a bit grey and murky, but the flowers were so bright yellow that it hurt the eyes.


These bluebells were just by Swepstone church (see previous posts - the minister is Patrick Stewart) and not only do we have the albino white ones, but pink ones too - quite a display of colour.


Unfortunately, the weather wan't kind to us. It didn't bucket down, but the long wet grass has cunning ways of soaking your feet, even with Gore-Tex boots and gaiters! Actually, I think that my 'breathable waterproof layer' has been breached in at least one of my boots. If there's a boot manufacturer reading who'd like to sponsor my offensive on the Ivanhoe Way this year by providing a decent pair, then please let me know.
The trade off is the beautiful way that that the beads of water stood up on the grass like diamonds.


Measham has this intriguing mosaic sundial, which is a tribute to Joseph Wilkes. Note to self: find out who Joseph Wilkes was.




Absolutely everything is out now, in leaf if not in flower. I did have to shout 'Wakey Wakey!' at a few odd trees which were being a bit lazy. I noticed that they were all the same type, which I'm now sure is ash (see below). I'm sure Dive will put me right on this in the comments. Even the most reluctant of these were showing some signs of life. I've heard some talk on the radio this week about the old proverb "Oak before ash and you're in for a splash; ash before oak and you're in for a soak". This apparently helps you to forecast the weather, depending on which tree comes out first. As the oak seemed to have the head start, I assume that we're in for but a mere splash of rain in coming weeks, and I think we had most of that today.


Check out this fantastic may blossom, which almost obscured the green of some hedges.


This picture shows just how parched the ground is at the moment. Hard and cracked like crazy paving. This pic also shows how excellent some farmers can be at keeping the public rights of way open!


I'm still not sure which way to tackle the long walk. anti-clockwise means a very long slow climb at the end of the 36 miles, but this way means coming through Measham quite late in the evening - apologies to those who live there, but the tough climb does seem better.

The route above was generated using Meander.

Image produced from the Ordnance Survey Get-a-map service. Image reproduced with kind permission of Ordnance Survey and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland.

Caulkley Wood Bluebells

• Walked: 29 April 2007
• Distance: 4.3m
• Terrain: some inclines
• Summary: The best carpet of bluebells in South Derbyshire
• Time: 2 hours start to finish

Last time out, I went in search for a spectacular display of bluebells, which I knew existed somewhere near Hartshorne, but didn't find them.

I've since found out that they're in Caulkley Wood, just north-west of Hartshorne. This Sunday afternoon stroll took us through that wood, and through some stunning countryside. If there's a heaven, and if I go there, this is the way I expect it to look.

The route above was generated using Meander.

Image produced from the Ordnance Survey Get-a-map service. Image reproduced with kind permission of Ordnance Survey and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland.

South Wood Bluebell Walk

• Walked: 6th April 2007
• Distance: 6.7m
• Terrain: 90m ascent over 3 miles and the same descent
• Summary: Walk through Dimminsdale Nature Reserve, South Wood, Ashby by-pass, back to start along Ivanhoe Way
• Time: 2.5 hours start to finish

The objects of the exercise tonight, other than the usual training and familiarisation for the Ivanhoe Way, were to capture some bluebells on film (or CCD, I guess) and to see if I could spot some Hawthorn in early flower. There are a number of places where the 'carpet of blue' effect is apparent at this time of the year, but I couldn't remember exactly where my best chances were. Therefore I set off on the route below in fading light and with my fingers crossed.

Very close to the Dimminsdale Reserve is a convenient car park. Just before walking into the woods, you get this lovely view of the bottom of Staunton Harrold Reservoir.


Even though the half-way point of this route is close to my house, I drove out to this point in order to get (I thought) the best chance of seeing Bluebells while the light was still good. Unfortunately, the nature reserve didn't yield great numbers of bluebells, there were plenty of other lovely things to see such as wild garlic in flower, and lots of blossom.


South Wood is a route between Ashby and Staunton Harrold which is popular with walkers and runners. I first spotted these curious 'albino' bluebells!


And Bingo, here I found the carpet of blue that I was looking for:



After emerging from the wood, and crossing a couple of fields, we meet the Ashby by-pass. This road was very good for the town, taking the heavy through traffic from the town centre. It cuts through some of the most beautiful countryside in the area, and so walking alongside it is a bitter-sweet experience - you have the unsightly tarmac and traffic noise, but it does afford some of the longest and most beautiful views.


And here's the money-shot! it was here that I saw hawthorne in flower. This picture was taken on 26 April 2007.


I have a clear memory of my maternal grandmother telling me that her two christian names, Violet and May, were both the names of flowers. She explained that May was a flower which grows on hedgerows. I now know that it's another name for the Hawthorn flower, which is so named because it appears in May. She wouldn't have known at the time that thirty years on, we would be citing the early appearance of these flowers as a symptom of the fact that the very planet we live on is being screwed up by vast overpopulation and the tendency for people to jump onto aeroplanes as if it were a bus ride.

This walk then picks up the Ivanhoe Way which goes all the way back to Dimminsdale. I love this part of the Ivanhoe Way, possibly largely because it's a very long downhill, but partly because it's very beautiful. As planned so far, my Ivanhoe Way attempt would bring me along this path in the opposite direction at the very end of the 36 miles. I considered whether I really wanted to finish the walk in this way, and have decided to reverse my original plan and walk the route in the opposite direction (ie the direction that Rog considers the correct direction). This new plan means that I'd start my attempt on the long walk with this long downhill and its lovely view, and take in Dimminsdale in the early morning.

The route above was generated using Meander.

Image produced from the Ordnance Survey Get-a-map service. Image reproduced with kind permission of Ordnance Survey and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland.

Ice axe, rope and a fantastic Edwardian moustache

I haven't yet written a post here which doesn't relate to a walk, but I just have to record these images from this month's Trail magazine.

It's surprising to find that rock climbing started so recently. The rocks have been there for millennia, but it was only a hundred years or so ago that someone had the bright idea of tying themselves together with a rope as an aid to getting to the top. They hadn't thought of hammering little eyelets into the rock and threading the rope through at that point, apparently being British, they just relied on the principle: 'The leader never falls'.



You might think these gents (above) have put on their best suits especially for the photo, but no. Presumably the fellows in the picture below are wearing their second-best tweed suits, but 3-piece whistles they are indeed wearing. No doubt calling each other 'old chap' and sparking up a pipeful of St Bruno once on the summit.



If you love all of this as much as I do, then please buy and read a copy of 'The Ascent of Rum Doodle'.

Brecon Beacons

It tested my faith in Rog (or my gullibility) when he suggested going to one of the most famous and stunning parts of the country on an unseasonably pleasant holiday Sunday, walking a path known as the "popular route" and asserting that there wouldn't be anyone else around. He admitted later that there were more people than he'd expected.

The walk started beautifully - just as many people around as I like (none).


From the place where we parked, we had a mile or so along a small road and then another couple of miles along a track, which turns out to be a popular cycle route, but at this stage in the morning, we were pretty much alone. The main part of this walk follows ridges and a number of peaks.


The real work started at a place known as The Gap between Fan Y Big (yes really) and Cribyn (which we immediately cristened Bernard). The picture above shows the gap (centre) and Bernard (left).


Elevenses half way up Bernard with a beautiful view of Fan Y Big (above) helped us on our way, and then a couple of false summits saw us at the top of Bernard. (below)


The next peak is Pen Y Fan, the highest peak in South Wales. What I really learned today is how different the profile of the land looks from different viewpoints. At the start of the walk, the ascent to Pen Y Fan looked vertical. However, from the top of Bernard, looking almost 'sideways on', we could see our path gently climbing to the top.

Before ascending to the highest peak, we had quite a descent to make. If you've never done it, you won't believe it, but losing 200 metres is harder than climbing the same. You use muscles in your legs that really don't get much use, and you very quickly get the wobbly legs. I discovered this in Wales last year, and had not been up and down mountains this high since then.

The climb to Pen Y Fan was reasonably gentle and I christened this one Shielopolis - partly because of the very blocky, architectural rock formations, and partly because of the large population we found up there. In the pictures below we're sitting on top of Pen Y Fan, looking away from the crowd. Yes, that's me, and it's the first time that I've had my legs on show this year. I highly recommend the kind of walking trousers that have zip-off legs - You're able to start in the morning with full trousers on, unincumber yourself when the sun is warm enough, but have those trouser legs handy in case of undergrowth or cool spells.





Up until now, we'd only really seen a few people. Getting to the top and seeing so many people really was quite bizarre.

I immediately decided that there must be a car park nearby. Rog was a little more charitable, suggesting that I give these people the credit they deserve for making the climb, but I really couldn't belive that there wasn't a car park 100 yards away. People shouting into mobile phones, young families, hundreds of dogs, chavs in track suits and trainers, enough new-lookng walking gear to stock several branches of Black's, jelly bellies, even a new baby in someone's arms. All of the signs were there.

This continued to be the case along the path to Corn Du, which looks from a distance like a 'mirror image' slightly smaller twin of Pen Y Fan. From here we could see two paths up / down being very heavily used - from high up these paths looked like two lines of coloured ants.

This picture is looking (again, away from the people) over a Cwm called Llyn Cwm Llwch.


Checking out an article in Trail Magazine later (May 2007 p118) filled in the details. 2.5 kms away are two car parks and the Storey Arms Centre. The paths are known as the Story Arms Path and Trail Magazine notes "Extremely popular path best avoided at holiday times or weekends". Don't believe anyone that tells you otherwise, as I did.

A little further on, and we were once again reasonably alone. We walked along a Craig, or ridge, scarily steep on one side, and gentle on the other.


All along this 'leg' of our horseshoe walk, we could clearly see the entire path that we had already taken. We stopped at a trig point to finish off our coffee. This is the first trig point that I've seen with a memorial plate attached. The peaks climbed earlier are behind the trig point in the distance. Notice how yellow / brown the ground is. The grass really did look thirsty, and the reservoirs that we could see down below were obviously much lower than they have been.


A very short but steep descent later and we were back at the level we'd started and less than a couple of miles away from the start.

The route and stats above were generated using Meander. The profile was generated using Tracklogs.

Image produced from the Ordnance Survey Get-a-map service. Image reproduced with kind permission of Ordnance Survey and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland.

Swarkestone Causeway

• Walked: 6th April 2007
• Distance: 5m
• Terrain: very flat
• Summary: Stanton by Bridge, Cloud Trail, Trent and Mersey, Swarkestone and back along the famous causeway
• Time: 2 hours start to finish

This walk starts at the lower end of Swarkestone Causeway - a very pretty village called Stanton by Bridge. Walk away from the causeway using a track which itself is very pleasant and affords some woderful views. Few hedges now have to show some signs of life, and so the hedgerows are varying shades of green and white.


This sign points to the Holy Well. I'll not say any more - if you're curious, go down the steps and see whether the visit was worth the trouble.


We take a footpath to the left, just after the Holy Well and just before the track ends at Kings Newton. We cross some fields to join the cycle path known as the Cloud Trail.

The cycle path crosses the Trent (above) and a little further on joins the Trent and Mersey Canal (below). I love canal towpaths.


Name the album? A famous band posed in front of this very strange building for one of their album covers.


We leave the canal just after seeing this building. Crossing a copule of fields brings us to the bridge at the top end of Swarkeston causeway. A most attractive spot. Just the other side of this bridge is the Crewe and Harpur pub, which has good beer, a large beer garden (with a view which is just as good as this one) and is friendly to bikers and walkers.


I have no idea what this yellow flower is, but it was growing in a hedge.


Here is a view of the causeway which drivers will usually miss. It carries a stretch of road above a flood plain and is an ancient monument. It's narrow and busy, so not suitable for walking along, but luckily there is a public right of way to the side of it on the same side as the Crewe and Harpur. You have to cross the bridge, and then take the road to the right (marked Ingleby), into the Sailing Club driveway and through a farm gate. Then you can walk along it with this unusual perspective on it. We looked for trolls, but didn't see any!

The route above was generated using Meander.

Image produced from the Ordnance Survey Get-a-map service. Image reproduced with kind permission of Ordnance Survey and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland.