Woodland - trying to be creative

Mum and I both like taking photographs, but at Christmas discussed that we were both a bit fed up with the regular old cheesy shots and decided to have a monthly(ish) challenge to get more creative.

For March our theme was 'Woodland' and so while out walking on Wednesday I tried some interesting compositions and also some special effects (nothing very clever).

Can you see what's wrong here?

This oil painting effect is achieved with the camera while snapping.

More photos from this walk are on Flickr

Unforecast hail!

Still breaking in my new boots and also breaking in my legs after a winter lethargy.

The forecast for this Wednesday looked good and 18 miles seemed about right, so I tackled my South Derbyshire 18 walk

The forecast didn't mention hail! It's still muddy but a different mud to a week ago, less wet, more gooey. Aside from a very brief hail shower it was a fine and pleasant day and most of the paths are good.

Ashby de la Zouch to Ferrer's Centre - 10m walk

Distance: 10m
Walked: 10 March 2013
Weather: Misty, snow on ground, mud

This is a variation on my original Ashby Ivanhoe walk (5m),  adding some distance and arriving at the Ferrer's Centre at the half-way point. Coffee and loos are to be found there. It starts and finishes at the Beeches pub too, and we all know that a pint tastes so much better after a good walk.

I've added the new longer walk to UK Walks here

And photos from today's walk are here

Reward

Sunday's walk was cold and muddy but I felt really privileged to see these sweeties with their proud mums. Very appropriate for Mothers' Day

Either a very good or very tolerant mum, keeping baby cosy on top of her fleece:

More pictures from today on Flickr

Don't go this way...

Or 'I don't like mud, get me out of here'. Or 'Mud, glorious mud'. I've well and truly christened the new Alt-bergs

I was wishing I'd bothered to put gaiters on but when you sink to your fetlocks into liquid mud I'm not sure how helpful they are. This is the Ivanhoe Way. I hope it dries up a little before I attempt the whole route again later in the year.

But going out today has it had its rewards.

More pictures from today on Flickr

Alt-berg - first impressions

After a long wait trying to track down exactly the right size, I'm very excited about my new Alt-bergs.

Most walking stores will spend time making sure your boots are the right size lengthways (finger down the back, standing on their little slope etc etc). But really, what is the point of all that when you get a 'one size fits all' width?

I think my grossly spread feet are the reason why I hate wearing any shoes and always get blisters on the outside of my little toes or between my toes after 25-30 miles.

Alt-berg make boots here in the UK and they make five widths! I'd now be prepared to pay much more, but they're not much more than you'd expect to pay for any of the big names.

My boots are called Fremington - a 3-season walking boot. Size 8 and a half, extra wide.

First impressions:

• The cuff is a lovely nubuck rather than the more usual fabric (the latter always wears through before the boot has worn out). 
• The tongue is one-piece all the way up to the top. 
• The waterproof membrane is Sympatex, a Goretex-type breathable waterproof membrane. (I always buy boots and jackets with Goretex or similar - I like to stay dry!) 
• The Vibram sole is stiff as a board. Much stiffer than my existing pair (though this may be partly because they're well worn). This is great news - fantastic on uneven ground such as stones or tussocks. Hopefully it'll be slower to wear too.
• A minus point - they feel noticeably heavy! 740g each compared to my previous (very similar-looking) pair which are 600g each. 
• They scream "quality"!! Hurray for UK manufacturing.

I was a little disappointed to find that even though I'd bought extra-wide, the sole measured exactly the same as my previous pair - maybe even a couple of mm narrower. On a visual inspection, it's obvious that there's more boot above the sole than my old pair - I assume that the soles are pretty standard and the last (the former that the boot is made on) gives the actual shape and dimensions of the space inside the boot. They don't feel as wide as I would have expected. But trying one of each boot (previous and Alt-berg) on bare feet makes it obvious that the Alt-berg fits my shape better. I can even splay my toes a little! (and that's comparing a well-worn boot with the brand new Alt-berg)

I had read that Alt-berg's sizes aren't generous, and I'd concur - I have half a size bigger than I'd normally buy. Important to try them.

The real test is to walk some distance (10 miles) because your feet really swell. At this point I would normally be feeling uncomfortable inside my regular-width boots - my toes would be feeling constricted, and this would become pain after 25 miles.

And here's the real benefit of my new boots. Even though they're not broken in yet, there was none of that. My toes were still feeling free even after a distance. The next day they're feeling fresher than they normally would. I'm hoping they'll make my longer-distance walks more enjoyable this year - I'll give updates.

(If you're thinking "why isn't she wearing proper walking trousers", I do have two pairs of those. You can tell me all about high-performance materials and wicking etc but give me demin every time. Sure it takes time to dry if it gets wet but I believe it's warmer and tougher so gives better protection against bumps, scuffs, pricks and stings. I'll live without pockets on the legs!)

Misty

I wouldn't normally have turned out in such low-vis weather. But I couldn't wait to get out and start breaking in my new boots - more of that another time.

Maybe sunny shots look better but there's an eerie atmosphere on a foggy day and I challenged myself to try and capture it.

Close-up shots have a different quality, with the light being so unusually flat and even.

I was fascinated by this new willow fence / hedge, see the catkins!

Why I've got the hump with my camelbak and will be using my old Sigg instead

I switched from this old sigg to the 2l camelbak a couple of years ago. The bladder has a number of advantages over the bottle,

• bigger capacity (my camel: 2L, my Sigg: 1L)
• easy to keep sipping, keeps you well hydrated without breaking your step
• massive filling cap, easy to fill
• 'deflates' as you drink, making space
• generally takes little space in the rucksack because the water 'moves' to the shape of the space it has

However, I've become fed up with it and have been taking my old dented sigg out on shorter walks recently. These are the reasons:

• tube grows mould inside it very easily, impossible to clean once this has happened
• bite valve gets weak and drippy, leading to damp patches on clothing or the need to fasten it somewhere high
• tainted taste to the water, even with a new tube fitted
• high maintenance; to prevent the mould, Camelbak recommend a cleaning regime involving bleach and lots of rinsing

I'm a fan of low maintenance things. (read: I'm lazy) My Sigg has never been treated to anything other than a quick rinse and a prop upside down on the drainer. Sometimes it's been left half-full in the rucker for ages with no ill-effects.

I suffered the mouldy tube problem with the Camel, I'm happy to accept that this was my fault for not cleaning it properly, but it had only had plain water in it, so the material it's made of is obviously susceptible. After failed attempts to clean it, I bought another tube for the best part of a tenner. I've kept this one clear of the mould by cleaning and drying the thing after use, but I have to say that it still gives a taste to the water in it (the bladder itself seems clean, and is easy to clean given the big opening).

The drippy bite valve is easy to fix too, either by lodging the valve high up (eg tying it to the rucksack shoulder strap) or buying a new one.

But all of this is all a bit of a pain (and expensive). I've had the Sigg for years and no problems at all. I've not looked after it and the water tastes perfectly clean.

So I have a couple of disadvantages to get over. The Sigg has a lower capacity. Even two of these will not be enough for a long walk on a hot day. I've just invested in a 1.5L bottle giving me 2.5L altogether.

I'll have to make sure that I reach for the bottle regularly which is a bit of a nuisance.

Viewpoints walk

Day off? Don't mind if I do.

Chosen according to the Met Office forecast, the day was as warm, clear and sunny as they predicted.

What better than a cheeky 15 around South Derbyshire taking in some lovely views? (And chilling a bit)

More photos from today's walk here
The route is here

Trying not to take the same ol' snowdrop picture

Mum and I were talking about how we tend to take point-and-click pictures when we walk. She laid down a challenge - we should get more creative and make it a competition.

So I put the thinking cap on for a while and came up with an effect that I wanted to try. Not an original idea but I'll take full credit for the execution:

Fantastic day for walking today and with the snowdrops in full effect it would have been wrong not to nip over to Dimminsdale on the Derbyshire / Leicestershire border. A round trip to Breedon Church made it a nice 6-mile leg-stretch.

More pictures from today here on Flickr

Seizing the day - Froggatt Edge under snow

Hard work pays you back in many ways. One is that a pint tastes so much better, and another is the wonderful views

I'd normally take these 9 miles in my stride, but snow and ice (not to mention being a bit out of shape) made the walk - not to put too fine a point on it - bloody hard work.

But on a day that has interesting skies and a blanket of snow, the high places call. I feel lucky that these amazing views along Froggatt Edge and Curbar Edge, with a lovely Derwent riverside walk are all about an hour from home.

My get-up-and-go has been on extended leave, and I am a confirmed fair-weather walker, but a day that has all this with a promise of rising temperatures and an imminent big melt is one that needs to be seized.

Many more photos are on Flickr here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/shieladixon/sets/72157632615453431/

Details of the route are here:

http://uk-walks.info/froggatt_edge_short_walk.html

The pint tasted amazing!

Favourite images of 2012

In the knitting world at this time of the year many people make retrospective photo montages, but it's not occurred to me before now to make a collection of my favourite walking photos from the past year.

Here are some very happy memories from the miles that I've trodden in 2012

These photos are in this set and there are links to the rest of the pictures from the walks represented.

Walcott beach

Not exactly the kind of hike that I generally write about here, but I've always loved a walk along the beach or clifftop.

Warnings have been issued about the clifftop paths being unstable due to all the rain, but there's no danger at Walcott and it has a concrete defence which you can walk along if the tide's right in.

More photos from this day here on Flickr

grass or concrete?

Here I'm standing in the middle of the Holywell site just on the edge of Ashby, the Beeches pub is down there somewhere to the left. I'm using the public footpath here, everyone has a right to walk through and enjoy these lovely views. There's a planning application in to build here 400 houses, a shop, school and other facilities. It's in the middle of The National Forest with Prestop Park Wood just in front and to the right, and Ingles Hill Wood behind me. It looks better as it is, I think!

More photos of this morning's walk in my set Walking in and around Prestop Park Wood

Derbyshire Rights of Way Improvement Plan

If you use Derbyshire's rights of way, do take some moments to read their Rights of Way Improvement Plan.

I support their excellent work in keeping the paths open and documented but I have strong feelings against too much intervention and 'furniture'.

But make up your own mind, and fill in the questionnaire (it doesn't take too many minutes) and help to shape their policy.

http://www.derbyshire.gov.uk/council/have_your_say/consultation_search/Consultation_search_index/rights_of_way_improvement_plan.asp

Autumn mist

I gather that it was beautifully misty frosty morning earlier, which made me wish that I was a morning person. A quick look at some of this morning's webcam images confirms this. The first signs of autumn colour in the trees, mist hanging over them and frost on the emerging crop.

Then I noticed not so early - pic taken at five to nine. Still wishing I could get up that early.

Dovedale October 2012

Not my usual kind of walk, this is a very popular and beautiful path, well maintained by The National Trust with good facilities. It's very dog and family-friendly.

Money grows on trees here! There are a number of logs on the way which have had coins hammered into the splits by walkers. I've not seen this anywhere else - have you?

My suggested route - Milldale to Dovedale and back (or vice versa)  is about 6 miles with good parking at either end.

More details about the route are here

More photos fron today's walk are on Flickr here

Ashby Woulds walk, August 2012

Now that the colours are turning autumnal, I've been looking back through some photos from earlier in the year.

On a lovely day in August I walked my 11m Ashby Woulds walk, starting at Shellbrook, to Moira Furnace (ice-cream, coffee, loos and other walking essentials available) to Donisthorpe woods and towards Measham. That part of the walk follows the Ivanhoe Way. Then leaving the IW at Oakthorpe and through a potentially beautiful new part of National Forest to Willesley to loop back to Shelbrook.

More details about the route are here

And this photoset can be viewed at Flickr

The National Forest - still a forest in the making

I'm lucky to live somewhere near the heart of The National Forest - a forest in the making covering most of N W Leicestershire, South Derbyshire and East Staffordshire.

The forest is more than ten years old now, there are trees that are mature and even being harvested. But there are still new areas being added to the map. It seems that whenever I walk in this area, I come across new plantations. Here are just two new examples I've spotted this year.

South Derbyshire Three Viewpoints Walk

This walk could be called 'Two Reservoirs' or just 'Viewpoints Walk' because there are many more viewpoints than the three of the title, including views across both of South Derbyshire's reservoirs - Foremark and Staunton Harold

One benefit of the rainy weather we've had this year is that the water levels are nice and high.

This is one of the first, if not the first, that I devised and I've walked it many times. It felt good to tread the 14 miles of South Derbyshire again today, I have neglected my hobby this year, a downside of the rainy weather!

More pictures from today's walk are here on Flickr

And more information about the route including a map is here at uk-walks.info