Weavers' Way

Norfolk has a number of decent routes. Weavers' Way is one of the UK's National Trails and follows old railway line, bridleway and country lanes. It joins Cromer and Great Yarmouth, and in the Yarmouth half takes in the Norfolk Broads.

At 60 miles, it's impossible to do in a day, but it passes through many towns and villages and so can be broken into two or more sections.

On 7 April I walked the first half, Cromer to Stalham. It's a linear walk and so you have to use public transport or arrange lifts. An Easter break with the folks was a perfect opportunity!

More photos of this walk on Flickr 

My own information about Weavers Way is here

drawing a line between weight and photo quality

I've been struggling with this a little bit. On a long walk I don't want to be encumbered by weight and bulk, but at the same time I've been feeling the need for higher-quality images.

I've been using a Sony bridge camera for the last two or three years. It's close to an slr in its features, has a huge optical zoom and it's very light. But I've been seeing its limitations, so I've moved to a dslr, which is obviously much heavier. I've gone for a bumbag case so that I can carry it reasonably comfortably with easy access to it and no space taken up in the rucksack.

I'd love to take a tripod around with me, especially on dull days, but even my fairly light and portable one is out of the question. I've just invested in one of these: Which I bought as a monopod but is clearly a combined 'pod, walking stick and handy weapon!

I won't use it as a walking stick, I know that some are designed for that but this one isn't. But it will travel happily in or on the side of the rucksack.

If I can carry these things comfortably on a long walk, that should allow me to capture more professional-looking images without hampering my walking too much.

How do you manage to tread the line between portability and quality?

Mooch around Prestop Park

Not so much a circular walk as a mooch around. I took footpaths from my house to Prestop Park Wood (the area that my webcam shows) and then wandered around the woods. As part of the National Forest, access is open. Some of the trees here are evergreen some (poplars, silver birch, oak) are not, as is very obvious at this time of the year.

It doesn't feel like spring yet, but last Thursday was one of the sunniest blue-sky days you could imagine in Winter.

More photos from this session are on Flickr

National Forest webcam - Prestop Park Wood

I'm lucky enough to have this view from the back of my house. The wood is Prestop Park Wood, in The National Forest.

I've finally got a webcam running - it's broadcasting a picture every 30s so that you can see the weather in this area and also see some gorgeous sunsets. I'm also compiling some stop-motion video using minutely, hourly and daily images. The first of these is now on Youtube

View the webcam and lots of related links.

Chasing rainbows

The last attempt at walking to these masts was cut short and as the bank holiday was such a gorgeous day I decided to keep walking until I found them.

The day was so pleasant that it didn't seem like January at all.

I got as far as Fisherwick (by Lichfield) which is within spitting distance of the tall one. At this point I'd done 15miles (= 30 miles for the round trip) and was doubtful about the hooves carrying me all the way back. It was completely dark half way back but the sky was so clear and the moon so bright that I could see clearly and had a very strong shadow. I was also fascinated with two stars so bright that I guessed that they were planets and later identified them as Jupiter and Venus.

Chasing Rainbows, a set on Flickr.

Radio Mast Walk

This is probably the first time ever that I've set off without a route planned.

The concept was simple, to walk towards these radio masts until I reached them and found out where they are.

They're just about visible from my house (but only on a clear day or at night when they're lit up). My man says, "That'll be Tamworth or Lichfield". "There's no way they're that far away" I said, and to prove it I set off with the intention of reaching them in a couple of hours. This (above) is as close as I got in the time I had but I believe he's right with Lichfield and more importantly it was a fabulous walk with some wonderful views.

One to do another day with a few more sarnies and more time. One thing I was very pleased about - the compass bearing from my house is 240 degrees (south-west-ish) and by following public footpaths and roads in that direction (without being able to see them very often) I was able to stay very close to that course - after 6 miles the compass bearing was still exactly 240 degrees.

New circular route by Rutland Water

Distance: 5.4 miles
Terrain: gentle incline to about 40 metres above starting point
Location: Rutland / Leicestershire [location map]
Map: Ordnance Survey Explorer 234

A very misty November day, perhaps not ideal conditions for looking for good views, but it did make for some nice pictures, and it was patchy and therefore clear in places.

This new circular route is a very pleasant walk, taking in a mediaeval village as well as some very pretty contemporary villages (Brooke and Gunthorpe). The off-road paths are well-waymarked and the inclines are gentle.

For more details about the route, please see its new page at uk-walks. Photos from the day are below.

Rutland Water Brooke circular walk, a set on Flickr.

30m Trent and Mersey walk, a set on Flickr.

A training walk for the Ivanhoe Way, I intended to walk 25m without a firm plan. On return i found I'd walked 30, so feel almost ready for the 36 of the Ivanhoe.