Some numbers

Statistics as recorded by my GPS from March to December 2010.

Total distance: 808 km (503 mi)
Total time: 166 hours
Average speed: 4.86 km/h (3.02 mph)
Average distance per walk: 15.56 km (9.85 mi)

Less Icy

Distance: 15.8 km (9.82 mi)
Time: 3 hours 17 minutes
Average speed: 4.81 km/h (2.99 mph)

The paths weren't like ice rinks this morning. A few days worth of being above zero took care of that, although it had refroze last night. I didn't lose my footing once.

Again starting from Chase Road Corner I headed past the German cemetery, then on to Brindley Heath. For a change I then headed towards Hednesford and bypassing the Pine Cafe I reached my former place of work. Back in 2005 they moved us back to Rugeley and sold the site to some developers, but it's only this year they've finally demolished the old building.

I followed the footpath around our old site and up around the golf course to where it crosses over the last hole. Then downhill to Maquis Drive. This the reverse of the way I've done the route before. I crossed the road and the railway line and walked up Kitbag Hill to the Visitor Centre. The poor National Service buggers who had to do it in full kit have my sympathy.

According to the Met Office, this mild weather is a brief respite and the snow could well be back in force next weekend.

Icy Cannock Chase

Distance: 6.63 km (4.12 mi)
Time: 1 hour 31
Average Speed: 4.37 km/h (2.72 mph)

Mid November I came down with the lurgi and spend two weeks at home trying to stay warm. Now that I've recovered I ventured out onto Cannock Chase this morning but didn't stay long. It wasn't that I was still ill, out of condition (just a bit) or that it was too cold. It was the lack of grip.

There's a weeks worth of snow frozen solid with a light layer of loose snow on top. Combine that with a temperature hovering around freezing and you have to be very sure of your footing. I kept to the edge of the paths, the ice rink in the centre was just too risky.

So just a short loop. From Chase Road Corner to Coppice Hill, then down the old Tackeroo line and around Brocton Coppice to the stepping stones. From there the picturesque walk up the Sherbrook Valley to the place where the path kinks away from the Sherbrook where I took the direct route back to the car. Chilly, but a lovely clear sky.

September to November

I've been walking but not blogging. The Sunday morning walks have been mainly on the Chase, but I've been up the Wrekin twice and around the Roaches once in late September.

Craster

Craster with Dunstanborough Castle

Distance: 12.8 km (8 mi)
Time: 2 hours 39
Average speed: 4.8 km/h (3 mph)

After Friday's fiasco today's walk was going to be less ambitious and much flatter. I decided on a coastal route and picked one that started at Craster and went south past Howick to Longhoughton before returning cross-county.

If last week was late summer, this week is definately autumn. A nice heavy rain and a strong wind blowing from inland. The car park at Craster was half-full, meaning there was about 50 car loads of other idiots somewhere nearby.

Craster is famous for two things; the kippers (very nice) and the ruins to the north (see above). For a change I was headed south.

The coastal path from the harbour rises gently until it is following the top of a low cliff overlooking the rocky shore. This is where the Whin Sill meets the sea so there is very little sand.

I past a forlorn looking flock of sheep. Periodically one of them would grow tired of being wet and attempt to shake itself dry. All this resulted in was a fine mist cloud briefly surrounding the sheep.

I met two walkers coming the other way on the coastal path, one with a large rucksack. They had the look of men who could hear the Jolly Fisherman calling so I did not detain them.

Thankfully the rain eased off and settled down to a fine drizzle that came and went on a whim, allowing most of me to start drying off.

There was a surprise waiting for me above the Howick Burn Mouth. I planned the walk by looking at the map and only skimmed the accompanying text, so I did not expect to find a reconstructed stone age hut on the cliff overlooking the mouth. It was based on excavations nearby of a hut dating from c8000BC, erected in 2000AD.



Crossing over the Howick Burn it was clear the Whin Sill was behind me as the beaches were now sandy. No sunbathers, though.

At Howdiemont Sands I headed inland to Longhoughton, then north across fields to the road that passes Howick Hall. The Hall is owned by a descendant of the second Earl Grey (local hero in these parts) and where my father went camping when he was in the Scouts.

From the entrance to Howick Hall it was back onto footpaths across country. You can see more bits of the Whin Sill poking out of the ground, forming hills and cliffs. Craster itself sits in a gap between two cliffs formed by the Sill and the car park used to be a quarry.

A much easier, if wetter, walk than last week. I go back down south tommorrow, so I guess I'll be back on the Chase come Sunday.

Around The Cheviot

Distance: 19.2 km (11.9 mi)
Time: 6hrs 57
Average speed: 2.76 km/h (1.72 mph)

I'm currently visiting my parents for a long weekend, seeing how my niece and nephew have grown in the 6 months since I last saw them. Normally when I visit around this time of the year, after the school holidays are over, I like to walk along the Wall but this year I thought I'd go further north into the border area and The Cheviot. It's 815 m above sea level, one of Englands highest peaks (and the highest outside the Lake District), and I've only been to the top once when I was less than hald my current age.

This was one another one from a Jarrold guide book. Starting from the Harthope valley loop around The Cheviot in an anti-clockwise direction with an option to go for the summit.

There are various places to park off the road in the Harthope valley so I left my car at the closest one to the start of the route and set off at about 20 past 1 on a Friday afternoon. As we shall see, that was my second mistake. The start is about 215 m high, so about 600 m to climb. The first part was up alongside the Hawsen Burn to about 460 m. Here I was reminded of the accuracy of weather forcasting, unlike the sunny intervals forecast for the RAF base on the coast I was faced with a fine drizzle that rapidly turned into a facefull of rain. Fortunately the rain died out after the first half-hour, leaving just the wind to contend with.

The route then descends down to the Lambden Burn at about 300 m. Pleasant though the view was, I do resent every step downwards I have to take before the peak. I was also suffering from a serious Ear Worm that was not going to go away. I know Stargazer is about 8 minutes long, so how come I was hearing it for over 7 hours?

I left the Lambden Burn at Dunsdale and cut across to the College Burn. Here I got to see the climb that awaited me. First from the College Burn up to Red Cribs (300 m to 490 m), then as Hen Hole came into sight the climb up beside it to Auchope Cairn (720 m).

Well the first climb nearly killed me. I'm just not used to slopes like that. I had a nice long breather at the Mountain Refuge Hut and reviewed the situation. I was already well behind my optimistic schedule and unlikely to make up any time. The weather wasn't too bad. I eventually worked up the energy to set off again. The second climb up to Auchope Cairn was worse than the first. I was down to 10 paces, rest, 10 more paces, another rest. Eventually I reached the Cairn and was rewarded with a fantastic view into Scotland and cramps in the legs.

Now that the ground flattened out, and the boggy parts had wooden planking or stone paths laid across them, I was able to get moving again. At Scotsman's Cairn I was within half a mile of the summit but decided against it. The sun was already setting and I was still nearly 4 miles from the car.

This next part was horrible. Picking my way down the hillside, trying to find the source of the Harthope so I could follow it down to the car. Even with the GPS I missed it and came down further east than I should and had to clamber down a muddy bank to get to the Burn. Even with the Harthope to follow it was't easy. I was criss-crossing the burn, picking my way through bogs, climbing up and down banks hoping handfuls of vegetation would support my weight for long enough. I realized I should phone my parents to warn them I was running late to discover, unsurprisingly, that there wasn't the trace of a signal. After ripping my trousers open and seeing the light fade I abandoned all efforts to keep my feet dry and just went for the quickest route.

Finally as darkness fell I was rewarded with an actual Public Footpath sign and a decent track away from the burn. I stopped to fish my torch out of the backpack to discover my first mistake: I'd left it on my parent's kitchen table. Fortunately the track quickly turned to a road and I simply followed it, trusting to my night vision and a high-vis armband.

At about 8:25 the GPS battery gave out (hence the stats at the top are incomplete), but that didn't matter. At around 8:45 I turned a corner to see a familiar looking bridge and a red shape that chirped and flashed its yellow lights when I used the remote. I stopped briefly at Wooler to phone my parents to tell them I'd be back by 10 and that the Cheviot had beaten me.

Catch up

I have been walking, I just haven't been blogging. I don't have the stats with me (this not being my home computer) but I've been waling around Ironbridge, Three Shire Head, Shutlingsloe, The Wrekin and of course around Cannock Chase.

Sunday: Dovedale

Time: 2 hours, 51
Distance: 13.1 km (8.14 mi)
Average speed: 4.6 km/h (2.86 mph)

Halfway to Uttoxeter I realized I'd left my sunglasses behind, so I had a morning of much squinting. It was a hot day, but not as hot as I thought it was going to be: if you put Ilam into the BBC weather site, it gives you somewhere in Iran. It wasn't quite that hot.

I got to the car park just as the attendant was opening up. I'd planned to start early to get the uphill out of the way before it got too hot and arrived 10 minutes before the car park was due to open.

The route started easy, across the fields to Ilam hall then along the Manifold. Then came the uphill to Castern Hall and across to Stanshope. From Stanshope there is a path down to Milldale which on the lower half is overgrown at this time of year. I noticed the nettles and regretted my decision to wear shorts but managed to avoid being stung.

At Milldale I had a moment of weakness and stopped for an ice cream, the first this year. Then a nice walk along Dovedale itself back to the car park. Most of the people who had by that time arrived didn't seem to go further up the dale than Lover's Leap, many didn't even get that far.

Last time I went across the stepping stones my feet got wet. This time the stones were well out of the river, due I think to new stones rather than lack of water.

The Wrekin and The Ercall

Distance: 8.24 km (5.12 mi)
Time: 2 hours
Average speed: 4.12 km/h (2.56 mph)
Time to trig point: 32 minutes 42 seconds

Beautiful morning. Some clouds away to the north and east but none over the Wrekin itself.

In anticipation of nicer weather I'd been looking for a better way of carrying water around. Normally I have a litre bottle in my backpack, but I wanted something I could carry around outside the backpack and also when I didn't have the backpack at all. I tried a 0.75 l bottle with a hook to attach to my belt but that just bounced around at my waist and tended to pull my trousers down. I ended up holding on to it all the time. Instead I've gone for a bladder-and-hose thing I can drink from without taking the backpack off, and just carrying the 0.75 l bottle when I don't have the backpack.

Shiny

My brand new car. Now I have to get used to worrying about my vehicle again, it was nice being able to leave a delapidated old thing in the street.

Updates

I've been doing the odd walk without blogging it. There has been a couple of Sunday morning walks on the Chase, a walk from Rugeley to Stafford along the canals and one more sponsored walk.

The sponsored walk was on the 11th this month, organised by and starting/ending at work. Along the Trent and Mersey to Handsacre, then by road to Hill Ridware, across fields to Colton, the Staffordshire way back to the canal, then back to the factory for 10 miles. There were about 22 walkers and 3 runners. We all finished and all enjoyed it, although Matt (who was one of the runners) said he couldn't walk properly before Monday.

Sunday: Shining Tor and the Goyt Valley

Guide book says: 6.5 mi, 10.5 km
GPS says: 10.8 km (6.7 mi)
Time: 2 hours 25
Average speed: 4.47 km/h (2.78 mph)

The previous two weekends I'd just had short walks on the Chase. Exceedingly short the first weekend after the K2B, a little longer the week after. This weekend I'd decided to head up into the Peak District and after a little dithering decided on the Shining Tor walk.

I set out from Pym Chair at 0925. About the same time another dozen or so people also set out, but they were all heading north. There was only me heading up to Cat Tor, and I didn't see another person until I reached the top of Shining Tor. I think I can guess the reason: although the weather had improved since Saturday (no rain, some sunshine) the wind was certainly blowing hard. Fortunately it was coming from the west, so after coming down from the top of Shining Tor I was in the lee.

Other than the ridge near Stake farm, I remained in the lee all the way down to the Goyt valley. It seemed pretty deserted for a Bank Holiday weekend, although there were plenty of cars parked around. I guess they were all wandering around near the reservoir and other than a few hardy souls they weren't venturing up where the wind was blowing.

I'd spotted Jodrell Bank when I'd started up Cat Tor, but when I reached my car again I saw they'd realigned the dish. I got the binoculars out, but they'd finished moving it.

Keswick to Barrow 2010

Thanks to a combination of illness and working overseas, this year our team was down to a total of two members, myself and Mike Roberts, and no support team. Fortunately Mike Simpson, a friend and former collegue, arranged for us to use the Rolls Royce support team and facilities. One offer that we turned down was to share their campsite, instead we opted for a Bed and Breakfast in Keswick.

After an early night we awoke at 5 am and helped ourselves to some cereal before heading out to the campsite where we left Mike's car and joined one of the Rolls Royce vehicles which was to take us to the start. Alas it was Rolls Royce the engineering firm and so a Renaut minibus.

We arrived at the start a little before 6 am, but were held up by the queues and the runners going off together at 6, so I started at 0603. They'd changed the initial route this year. Instead of crossing, then following the A591 until the Thirlmere road, we went through an underpass (normally used by livestock, unfortunately) then over fields (poo dodging) and along a track to join up with the road west of Thirlmere.

It was the usual cold start, but with only scattered clouds. The wind was disturbing the usual mirror-like surface of the lake, but promised to cool us down later in the walk. Not long after joining the lakeside many of us spotted something in the lake, which many claimed was a swimming deer. My poor photograph would appear, to my eyes, to back that up.

This is how the Loch Ness Monster started

On many of the peaks around us there were scattered patches of white, on north faces and in gulleys. It was a bad winter if there's still snow around in May.

Walking with Mike R, Mike S and others of the RR team we made swift progress, although I started to lag when we left the flat route and started climbing up to Dunmail Raise. We were back on the A591 for this section, presumably because we were spread out more.

At the first checkpoint I caught up with everybody. I packed my waterproof jacket away, it was now warm enough, and set out again. I knew I'd be left behind on this bit, it was Red Bank. A lot of people will warn you, when you do this walk for the first time, about Red Bank because it's 1 in 4 (25%). What they don't tell you is that it's not the climb up, although it's tiring. It's descending down the far side which is just as steep, and going down is harder on the feet than going up.

At the bottom I passed Mike Simpson who was waiting in line for a tardis. He soon caught up with me for a quick chat then off he went to catch up with Mike R and the others.

From Elterwater onwards it was clear that most of the participants were having trouble with the phrase "single file on the right". On the side roads they were all over the road and most went to the left when a car came. On the Conniston road they tended to walk two or three abreast. That wasn't popular with the drivers on the road.

The Rolls Royce support were great. Having five full teams they also had a minibus at every check point as well as the support points, providing drinks, energy bars and salted peanuts. I tried to stop for as short a time as possible at each stop, because it's always painful starting up again.

At the halfway point I grabbed a sandwich and a banana, I can never face the burgers and there's always a queue. I converted my trousers into shorts and plugged the GPS into the spare battery to recharge. A mere 10 minutes later I set off again, 8 minutes before the 6 hour mark. I started to get hopeful for a sub 12 hour time.

Conniston is surprising long, no doubt why Donald Campbell chose it. The sun was out now, but the trees kept us in the shade and there were some strategic drinks points. The drinks points also offered bananas and tangerines, and opposite Water Park the tangerines were ready peeled, which was handy as, using a walking pole, I only had one hand free.

Clearing Conniston the weather had settled down to what the BBC calls Sunny Intervals. A nice spring day with a cooling breeze. I plodded on to Lowick Church then began the long climb up to the moor. I checked my time as I passed the 30 mile signpost, just under 9 hours elapsed. Again the worst part came after the top and the descent to Barrow began. The last part going down into Marton was particularly bad.

The GPS was almost out of charge here, so I tried a different charging system. It was a gadget that took an AA battery to power a USB connection. Alas the fit on the USB connector was poor and it kept slipping off. I abandoned that and the GPS gave up just as I reached the wind farm.

At Marton I took up the offer from the RR support and left them my backpack. The gaps between drinks posts was shorter now and I was confident that I wouldn't need the waterproof. From here on there were more and more onlookers offering encouragment, which always helps.

Near Dalton the road acquired a pavement so I moved onto that and got out the iPod. The RNG selected Fish, then Spock's Beard so it was obviously in a proggy mood.

At the Dalton checkpoint I checked my stopwatch. I had 3 miles to go and 80 minutes to beat my previous best. I got the bit between my teeth and headed off.

The last drinks post is at the 39 mile mark, at the top of the very last climb. That is always a wonderful sight. I grabbed two cups of water, almost on the go, then went into head-down mode. More onlookers offering encouragement, and the occasional finisher.

Turning into the Sports Club to go up the drive to the finish, the song on the iPod began the epic finish which gave me a boost of speed. I swiped the dog tag at the finish, then went to get my results. A time of 11:45:50, beating my previous best of 11:56:06 in 2008. I went off to find somewhere to collapse.

I'd managed to finish when there was no-one from RR looking, so after sitting down for 10 minutes I went off to get my free pint. The legs and in particular the feet protested at being forced to move, but I got to the bar. After a bitter shandy (nothing like it for rehydration), I found the support team, then Mike S and Mike R. Mike R had beaten his best time, but was 1 minute shy of his target of 10:30.

Eventually we hobbled onto a minibus and were taken back to the campsite near Keswick. It took about an hour, which just showed how far it was. At the campsite I found out that my backpack had been waiting for me at the finish. We left the campsite before it came from Barrow, so Mike S promised to deliver it to me later this week. I told him to take the bananas out before that.

It never fails, whatever Bed and Breakfast we use, we always end up on the top floor.

Keswick to Barrow

Quick post: finished in 11 hours 45 minutes. Feet sore, legs ache, happy to have beaten my previous best.

The Wrekin and The Ercall

Distance:8.38 km (5.21 mi)
Time: 2 hours
Average speed: 4.18 km/h (2.6 mph)
Time to top: 30 minutes, 42 seconds

This was the same route as in March, the difference in distance due to the fact I never manage to follow the same path down from the Ercall.

A colder day than many of late, after stepping outside this morning I dived back in to grab a jumper. There were also signs of rain recently, the route down from the Wrekin being slippyer than I like. It wasn't helped by somebody's boxer getting fascinated by my legs and trying to trip me up!

Digital Map Shop on Linux

The software that comes with my GPS, the Aventurer 2800, is Windows only. It does work with Wine, but there is a caveat.

If you're planning to use MMNav.exe on Linux (or MacOS) using Wine you need to check your Wine version. This thread has the details, but here's a summary. Contacting the Digital Map Shop works in Wine 1.0rc3 and 1.1.5 but not 1.1.28. Logging in on 1.1.28 causes the application to lock up.

For the technical among you, when it locks it has a socket to the https port on memorymap.com. There is a few bytes (~100?) in the receive queue and the socket is in the CLOSE WAIT state.

Monday: Castle Ring

(Delayed posting, due to ADSL's yo-yo behavior)

Distance: 48.4 km (30.1 mi)
Time: 10 hours, 15
Average speed: 4.72 km/h (2.93) mph

According to the training schedule, the weekend of the 24th/25th was for the 30 mile (48 km) walk. However the very occasional Pendragon game intervened so I took the Monday off to do the walk then instead.

The day's target was, as in the previous two years, Castle Ring (SK 04287 12826) which is the highest point on Cannock Chase. The route I had planned took the long way to get there, and the direct route back.

I set off at just before 8am. I took the risk that it was t-shirt weather (with waterproof jacket in the backpack) and although a little cold the clear skies helped it to warm up nicely. I took the Sandon Road, then Beaconside before leaving the road and heading for Beacon Hill. From there it was down to Hopton Pools intending to cross Hopton Heath on the footpath that goes past the battle field. That was closed, so I used the Weston Road to go around it. Then it was down across the fields, dodging three tractors together, to reach the Trent and Mersey canal at Salt.

It was then a case of following the canal to Haywood Junction. Like most trips along the canal it was flat and dull. The wind got up a couple of places and cooled me down but the sun was still doing its best.

At Haywood Junction I came across the Essex Bridge and through Shugborough to the Punchbowl and the Stepping Stones. Coming along the Sherbrook Valley I could hear both a cuckoo and a woodpecker.

Apparently at the weekend there had been fires on the Chase. All along the southern half of the Sherbrook the heath towards Brocton Field and Anson's Bank was black with patches of green and yellow that had escaped. There was a very prominent smell of carbon in the air.

I followed the Heart of England way to Marquis Drive. By the Visitor Centre I stopped for my sandwiches as it was 1250 (26 km). I took the opportunity to charge up the GPS from the USB battery I got from Maplins. When I started again 15 minutes later I could feel the blisters had started to form on both heels.

After crossing the railway line and the A460 I left Marquis Drive to head up to the Beau Desert Golf Club (the bridleway crosses the last hole). It's normally a mud-fest going up that hill but it was dry as a bone. In fact the only mud to be seen on the Chase was around the streams and pools.

I reached Castle Ring at 1423 and checked the progress. A little over 32 km, and 16 km from home as the crow flies, on target for 48 km (~30 mi). I was down to the last few mouthfulls of water, though.

For the return leg I headed towards Stile Cop, passed the caravan site on the left and rejoined Marquis Drive briefly before taking a right fork and joining my Rugely to Stafford via Stile Cop route. Recrossing the A460 I had the last of the water, but had worked out a contingency plan.

Past Fairoak Lodge the forestry people were out in force. I had to wait for one guy loading logs onto his lorry to notice me before I squeezed past. There were no caravans at the Tackeroo caravan park, but the drinking water was still on so I refilled there.

I retraced the Heart of England way for a little while before heading up Anson's Bank amongst all the burnt area where the smell was even stronger.

I reached Walton-on-the-Hill at a quarter to six. Reaching the Lichfield Road, the GPS was reading 47.3 km and I was feeling knackered. Rather than head down the the canal, I instead walked along the road, checking the GPS at every bus stop. At the double mini-roundabout with the Cannock road, it clocked up 48.4 km and I deciced that was enough and waited for the next bus.

I ended up with three blisters. Lately, when I've had blisters I've been wearing that pair of socks, or its twin, so I think a change is in order.

Annoying people, part 94

People who, when you ask them to sponsor you, go away to fiddle with a spreadsheet then offer to sponsor you for e^0.08d pounds.

A Short Walk On The Chase

Distance: 11.2 km (6.96 mi)
Time: 2 hours 17
Average speed: 4.88 km/h (3.05 mph)

Just a two hour walk this morning. I started a little after 8 am, when the Sun had had a chance to take the chill off. I didn't see a cloud at all.

From Chase Road Corner, I went to Spring Slade Lodge, past the military cemetery, onto Brindley Heath for a wander then past the Visitor Centre to Fairoak Lodge, the Rifle Range and back to the car park.

Beautiful blue sky, and I haven't seen a contrail in days. In fact, until three light aircraft flew over me as I was coming up from Sherbrook Valley, I hadn't seen any trace of powered flight in days.

No deer to be seen, but plenty of rabbits, crows and one woodpecker. Plus a cuckoo I couldn't see but could hear.

Friday: Rugeley to Stafford

Distance: 21.8 km (13.55 mi)
Time: 4 hours, 3 minutes
Average speed: 5.38 km/h (3.34 mph)

This was the same route as the 19th of March. The discrepancy in distance is because the GPS was playing up and I had to reset it some 15 minutes into the walk.

This really was a lovely Spring day. The weather seems to be making up for Winter, although as I native of these lands I harbour suspicions that it is merely lulling us in a false sense of security. The ground on the Chase is dry as a bone, cracking in some places and turning to dust in others.

Crossing Brocton Field I could see three buzzards (probably) gliding on the air currents. Alas I didn't have my camera, and anyway I have established beyond all doubt I'm no wildlife photographer.

The section along the canal I even had to put on my sunglasses because of the sun being reflected in the water.

The finish saw me less tired and less sore than the last time I did the route, so this training must be working. Just a pity it was the Friday closest to pay day and therefore takeaway night.

Sunday: The Long Mynd

Looking up Carding Mill Valley

Distance: 37.9 km (23.55 mi)
Time: 7 hours
Average Speed: 5.41 km/h (3.36 mph)
Total ascent: 570m

This route was based on one from a walking guide, but extended to ~20 miles for the training schedule. The route is from the Jarrold guide for Shropshire, Staffordshire and Heart of England, with a couple of additions.

The weather forcast was good so I was in short sleeves from the start. The wind, when exposed to it, cooled things down significantly and other people were wrapping up warmer than I thought necessary but I am a Geordie. Genetically speaking, although we can still feel the cold we are incapable of admitting we fell the cold. Out of the wind it was certainly warm.

The route starts next to the Co-op in Church Stretton, climbing out of the town before dropping back down into the Carding Mill Valley. You then follow the valley before climbing up out of it to meet the Port Way. That climb certainly worked up a sweat and was good practice for Red Bank.

At the top the route is to turn left and head southwards along the Port Way, but I turned right and headed north until I felt I'd reached the end then looped around back to where I'd first hit the top. Along the way I helped a group of 5 lads unsure if they were still on the right path.

Back on the book's route I followed the Port Way over Pole Bank and on to Pole Cottage. At this point the route turns left to follow the path down to Little Stretton but I had a longer walk planned. I kept going along the top of the Long Mynd. For some reason the GPS lost its fix around this point and didn't get it back until I'd stopped for a much needed drink of water 15 minutes later.

At the gliding club I took the diverted path around the runway (the Starboard Way they call it) and kept going. They were using the ground tow for launching which is almost silent, except when the tow rope is dropping and they're rewinding it.

When it looked clear the path was heading downhill I stopped for my sandwiches. After that break it was straight on down until I'd almost reached the level of the road (about 7m above where I'd started), then followed the public bridleway left to come around the eastern side of the Long Mynd.

Once I'd worked my nerve up I turned left and climbed back up to the Port Way, rejoining it exactly where I'd stopped for lunch. Then I retraced my steps back to the path down to Little Stretton and rejoined the book's route.

Going down to Little Stretton is very steep, as the parents with the push chair coming the other way were discovering. I decided against a quick pint in the pub in Little Stretton, although it was very tempting. The final leg is a nice flat bit along the road from Little Stretton back to Church Stretton and the car park.

Reviewing the GPSs track data it got very confused at the top of Carding Mill, so I had to clean it up a bit before I could believe the distance and average speed data.

Ahem

The Eleventh Hour

In short, I liked it. It was never going to be a classic. All it had to do was introduce the new cast while providing an exciting story.

What I'm more interested in is the foreshadowing, of which everyone seems to have spotted two instances but I think I saw a third.

The obvious one is the whole "Silence will fall" bit from Prisoner Zero.

Next we have the prominent Myth logo on the laptop. Possibly just the BBC avoiding product placement, or a company that will be important later. Note that the Y in MYTH seems to be a greek letter psi.

And nobody else seems to have spotted that a static line on a Tardis display at the end was the same shape as the crack in the wall in Amy's bedroom. Is the Tardis responsible for the cracks in the universe?

Rugeley to Uttoxeter with M & G

Distance: 20.1 km (12.49 mi)
Time: 4 hours 49
Average speed: 4.17 km/h (2.59 mph)

Today Mick and Gayle were going from Rugeley Trent Valley station to Uttoxeter station on their Kent to Cape Wrath walk. Myself, Mike and Sam walked with them today as we all had a day off in leiu of Good Friday.

I held up the start as I was the one who didn't drive to Rugeley TV, but got the bus to Rugeley centre and walked out to the station. From outside the station we went past the Yorkshireman to find the footpaths across the fields. It was soon clear that it was going to be a muddy trip, although the weather was OK. No rain, no sun, perhaps a bit too much wind at times.

At Colton we joined the Stafforshire Way which was to comprise our route for the rest of the day, bar a couple of corner cuttings. At Stockwell Heath we stopped for a group photo (on Gayle's camera) and to remove some of the layers. I was the only one to go for short sleves though. Sam left us here, she was still suffering from a bug she'd picked up and had only intended to walk a short way with us.

Blithfield reservoir was one of the corners we cut, walking along the dam itself rather than the Staffs way below us. In Abbots Bromley we stopped for a hot cross bun and a creme egg, and for Gayle to expand her property empire, before pushing on.

After a while farmland gets a bit dull, although we were chatting away to each other. The sight of the Peak District in the distance did signal that we were getting close to Uttoxeter and warn Mick and Gayle what they had to look forward to in the next few days.

The destination in Uttoxeter was the railway station where they'd left their car. Living in Staffordshire, they're taking the opportunity to sleep at home whilst using their car and public transport to get to and from their starting and ending points for each day.

They gave Mike and me a lift back to Rugeley, although we did stop off at Abbots Bromley to sample the pub we'd passed earlier when it was closed. A nice pint of Landlord.

Easter Sunday: Shutlingsloe

The Peak District Llama in its natural habitat

Distance: 12.06 km (7.49 mi)
Time: 2 hours 47
Average speed: 4.33 km/h (2.69 mph)
Total ascent: 395 m

Another one from my Peak District walking guide. Starting in the shadow of Shutlingsloe, heading north away from it before looping through the Macclesfield Forest and around Ridegate Reservoir to come up Shutlingsloe from behind, which is a lot easier than the direct route.

Like an idiot optimist I started with my waterproof in the backpack. I spent the first 5 minutes of the walk wondering if I ought to put it on because it was a bit cold. Then the heavens opened, which settled the question. Only about 10 minutes of heavy rain, then it stopped and held off, modulo a couple of light showers, until much later.

The llamas appear to be doing well. Actually that photograph above is a cheat. I forgot my camera, so that's from March '07.

Some cyclists and a couple of horse riders were the only people about, at least until I reached the Macclesfield Forest. The the walkers started appearing, two by two. Usually walking a dog or two.

Now either I'm more unobservant than I thought or visibility was much better than the 4 or so times I'd walked the route before, but yesterday was the first time I'd noticed something. Heading on the climb from the reservoir to the trig point I glanced westwards and saw something on the Cheshire plain I'd never seen before. A large white structure that at first I thought was a fairground wheel, but that didn't make sense. There was nothing else near it, except for one square building. It took about a minute of puzzled looks at it before I realized what it was. Jodrell Bank.

Shortly after kicking myself, I got a good look at the top of Shutlingsloe with a handful of people milling about. By the time I got there, there was no one and I had the trig point all to myself. It wasn't until I was setting off down again that anyone else came up.

I take the shortest route down from the top, gingerly picking my way down occasionally using the undignified sitting-down method. Just as I reached the part where I start to feel confident enough to start walking properly the hail came on. Luckingly the wind was going the same way as I was, I hate walking into hail. As the hail passed it was a wierd sight, the wind had mostly dropped so it moved away slowly and you could see it moving like a ghost down the hillside.

Saturday: Trent & Mersey

Distance: 33.5 km (20.85 mi)
Time: 6 hours, 38 minutes (including lunch break)
Average speed: 5.05 km/h (3.13 mph)
Soundtrack (chosen by RNG): Signify, Candlelight in Fog, Live at Katie Fitzgerald's, Communion (Disc 2), Travelling Wilburys Vol. 1, Supernatural (Disc 2).

This was the first of the 20 mile warm-ups, or 32.2 km if I'm being consistent. As the longest so far this year, I decided on a mostly flat route so the Trent & Mersey Canal was ideal.

I headed north out of Stafford on the Sandon Road. On the edge of Sandon I picked up the canal and headed towards Stone. This first half was pretty uneventful.

It didn't seem too long before I reached my intended half-way point, bridge 102 in sight of Barlaston. After a couple of minutes on the bridge itself looking around I headed back the way I came.

Between Stone town centre and Aston I saw something rodent like swimming in the canal before reaching the far side and hiding under a tree stump. At the time I thought it was a stoat or weasel, but it was all brown without a white chest so Goggle Images reckons it was a mink.

At Aston I left the canal, just to vary the journey back. A short leg along the side of the noisy A32, then down a quiet lane to a public footpath I'd used before. There was one change this time. Stretched across the middle of one field there was a single wire. I walked up the wire and looked along it both ways to see if there was a stile I'd missed before I clambered over or under it. It was then I noticed the large car battery at one end with the flying lead going to the wire across the path. I detached the croc clip, climbed under then had a brief internal debate before reattaching the battery. Aren't they supposed to put up a) warning signs and b) someway for walkers to cross safely?

The far end of the footpath is at Marston village. As I was passing through the last field I met a nice gentleman who remarked that he didn't often see people walking across his fields. Maybe I should have told him the reason for that, but we just had a little chat. It wasn't his electric wire, it was his neighbour's.

From Marston I followed the road to Beaconside, then along the Common Road back into Stafford.

I felt a bit tired, and had a nice blister on the side of my right heel. By the time I took my boots off it had already burst, taking the decision away from me.

The current plan for the Easter weekend is Shuttlingsloe on the Sunday, then with Mick and Gayle on the Tuesday.

The Wrekin and The Ercall

Time: 1 hour, 54 minutes
Distance: 8.42 km (5.23 mi)
Average Speed: 4.4 km/h (2.75 mph)
Time to top: 30 minutes, 7 seconds
Total ascent: 340 m

A proper spring day this morning. I started off wearing my waterproof but was carrying it once I got past the tea shop.

I got to the car park north of the Wrekin just in time to get one of the last two places. Once I got the boots on I set the stopwatch on my watch going and headed for the trig point at the top. I reached it in 30 minutes and 7 seconds, which is my best time since April 2008 and the second best time I have recorded.

After a short breather at the top and a good look around (good visibility in all directions), I headed south to descend the other side, then came around the west to head up the Ercall for an encore. I was walking around the base when I almost stepped on a frog. Looking around I saw about a half-dozen more frogs on the path. Then in a nearby pool I spotted why they were there, a large mass of frog spawn..

A quick trip to the top of the Ercall then back to the car, mentioning the frogs on the way to a chap walking his dog. Huge numbers of cars back at the car park and along the access roads, there was one bloke lurking there with his engine idling waiting for a spot, so I let him have mine.

Next weekend I've got the first 20 mile walk scheduled. That means I've now got less than 7 weeks until the Keswick to Barrow!

Friday: Rugeley to Stafford

Time: 4 hours, 21 minutes
Distance: 22.9 km (14.23 mi)
Average speed: 5.26 km/h (3.27 mph)
Soundtrack: Insurgentes, Lightbulb Sun, The Wall

Friday was either the last day of winter or the 20th day of spring depending on who you believe. It felt more spring-like than winter-like.

Rather than the easy route along the canals I went for the scenic route heading up to Stile Cop and across the Chase to Brocton. By the time I reached the trig point overlooking Rugeley I was warm enough to pack away the waterproof and continue in short sleeves.

Descending for Stile Cop you have to keep a lookout as it's one of the main mountain bike routes, with jumps and everything. There was a half-dozen guys there but we saw each other well in advance.

A fairly normal trip across the chase. There was a group of about 8 deer near Anson's Bank including some stags, one with a good set of antlers.

From Brocton it was across the fields (via footpath) to Walton-on-the-Hill, then down to the canal, joining between Baswich Bridge and Walton Bridge. From there it's the same route as a few weeks back.

It waited until I left the canal before the spots of rain started. I paused under the railway line to get the waterproof out again, but it really didn't rain properly until after I reached home.

Altogether more epic

This is a real walk.

Another Sunday on the Chase

Time: 3 hours, 14 minutes
Distance: 16.7 km (10.38 mi)
Average speed: 5.15 km/h (3.21 mph)

Started a little later than usual, I didn't get to Chase Road Corner until twenty past eight. I was the third car there and as I was putting my boots on I could see the cyclists going past.

The route was a typical pick-a-direction-and-keep-wandering-until-it's-time-to-head-back-to-the-car one. I headed off past the German cemetary then on towards Brindley Heath. There was lots of dogs barking around near Broadhurst Green, so I guess the dog sledders were out in force, although I didn't actually see them. On Brindley Heath itself was where it started to become populated.

I went around Brindley Heath, then past the Visitor Centre (lots of cars parked) and on up to Fairoak Lodge. Across to Penkridge Bank then past the Rifle Range buildings, where the cadets were on parade. I followed the ridge overlooking the Sherbrook Valley (cold wind!), then down into the valley itself to come to the Stepping Stones. There was a large group of grey-haired walkers sipping from their thermos's at the picnic table.

Up Coppice Hill, then back to the car park.

The weather has picked up these last two weeks. No need for hat or gloves, and it was quite mild when out of the wind. When exposed, however, it was definitely one of those lazy winds.

I didn't take the pedometer on that trip, although now I wish I had. I'd liked to have compare the distance as I don't think the GPS credits me with the distance going up and down, I think it just logs it as the crow flies.

Maybe I should find somewhere to post the .gpx file.

Sunday Morning on The Roaches

View from the trig point on The Roaches, looking north. Shutlingsloe on the left.

Guide says: 9 miles (14.5 km), 4.5 hours
Pedometer says: 11.18 miles (18 km), 3 hours 23 minutes, average 3.3 mph
GPS says: 13.6 km (8.45 mi), average 4.02 km/h (2.5 mph)

I always thought that the pedometer overestimated the distance when going up and down, but I never expected quite that margin of error (although the guide distance should have given me a clue).

I parked at the foot of the Roaches early and was ready to set offby 0845. I had the GPS all set up, but had managed to forget the guide book (a rather battered Jarrold Pathfinder Guide 16) and the OS map. I've done the route a few times before so I knew where I was going, even without the waypoints programmed in.

It was a beautiful morning, as the photo shows. Clear blue sky, but since clear sky had preceeded dawn by some time it was cold and frosty. This had the advantage that most of the muddy ground on the route was solid for once.

The first half hour I saw 4 people, two where I'd parked having their coffee by their camper van, one at the trig point in the distance and one man walking his greyhounds just as I reached Roach End. As the morning went on there were more and more people. Returning to the car just after noon everyone seemed to have arrived and the rock faces were busy.

As it turned out, one of the aching soles from Friday's trip along the canals was due to another blister which started complaining late into Sunday's walk. That wasn't too bad; good fitting boots, thick socks and a blister plaster kept it under control. It was Thursday that was bad thanks to work shoes, rubbish socks and forgetting to put another plaster on after the previous had come off. It was hell using the clutch on the way home.

Next walk will be this Sunday, another roam across the Chase.

Another trip along the tow path

Pedometer said: 13.28 miles, 3 hours 44 minutes, average 3.56 mph
GPS said: 21.1 km (13.11 mi), average speed 5.6 km/h (3.51 mph)
Soundtrack (chosen by iPod): Deadwing, Magical Mystery Tour, IV (Led Zeppelin, not Peter Gabriel), Plant & Krauss 2008-06-13, Candlelight In Fog

This was the same route as last time, it's only shorter because the pedometer can at best be no more accurate than +/- 0.4 mi over that distance. I'm going to take the GPS as gospel.

Dry this time, although that wind was a bit harsh coming along the Trent Valley. The slippy bits from last time were still slippy, although less so. For whatever reason the feet came off worse this time, my soles ached until this afternoon and I have a decent blister on my right heel. I think they got soft over the winter and need to be punished.

I also came to a decision. I complain at work when people don't use SI and I sometimes experience mild irritation that road signs in this country still use yards and miles. So, to be consistent and because that's what the GPS defaulted to, I'm now measuring my walking using metric.

New Toy

As threatened, I bought a GPS earlier this week. It's a Memory Map Adventurer 2800, from Stafford Outdoor Leisure who stock that or a Garmin unit as the two they'd recommend.

I'm still getting used to it but it seems to work nicely. You get a full UK 1:250k map, plus the national parks at 1:50k and you can download up to 10,000km2 of the 1:50k free. After that you have to pay.

The two problems I've found so far are it only has an 8 hour battery life (and I've got a 9 hour and a 12 hour walk planned) and the client software runs under windows. To solve the first I need some sort of on-the-move USB charger. The second was solved by wine. That's wine the software, not wine the rather nice red alcoholic drink.

A proper road test along the canals tomorrow, then for Sunday I think it'll be the Roaches.

Best laid plans

I was up at my parent's this weekend. What with two 220 mile drives and some rotten weather I didn't get any training done at all.

Plus the nice meal at The White Swan for my Aunt's 80th pretty much stuffed the diet as well.

A Snowy Morning on Cannock Chase

Pedometer says: 10.07 miles in 3 hours 1 minute
Average speed: 3.34 mph

When I looked outsite this morning, the snow came as a bit of a suprise. I hadn't bothered with the weather forecast last night and their predictions of when it will snow and how hard haven't been all that accurate anyway. The local council hadn't been expecting snow either as all the roads were untreated until I got to the Lichfield Road. On the way, there was more evidence that the weather has ADD: the snow on the ground turning to slush at the same time as it starts to snow agin.

The road through Cannock Chase was, unsurpisingly, untreated. I decided not to go for my usual start at Chase Road Corner but instead parked at Bednal Belt.

Bednal Belt car park

I set off on foot for Chase Road corner, thinking as the snow fell that it might be a good idea to turn around and go home. In the first half hour I saw one cyclist and no footprints. Going across Brocton Field I found the path I'd picked was a layer of snow on a thin layer of ice above a puddle. For 40m.

Brocton Field near Chase Road Corner

I headed down into the Sherbrook Valley as the weather cleared up and the cyclists and runners all started to appear.

The route I ended up following was roughly one I use a lot, slightly exteded by the fact I parked at Bednal Belt instead of Chase Road Corner. Along the Sherbrook to the Stepping Stones, then across to Seven Spring and up Abraham's Valley past the shooting butt to Rifle Range corner.

Heading back

As usual it was mostly mountain bikers out that early, with a half-dozen runners and the same number of walkers.

I notice the bit on my £5 pedometer that hooks onto my belt is fracturing, thus perfectly justifying the purchase of a GPS...

The Wrekin and The Ercall

Pedometer says: 6.58 miles, 1 hour 56 minutes
Average speed: 3.4 mph
Car park to trig point: 31 minutes, 31 seconds

The key to the Wrekin is to get their early, otherwise there's nowhere to park.

Still cold (it is the middle of February), but no ice this time. Back in January the path to the top was a solid piece of ice once you got out of the trees. Then I ended up crawling sideways on all fours to try and find some grip. Thankfully not today.

It was cloudy at the top, so no view. No sun either which made it cold enough to zip the jacket up.

As usual I went down by the southern path, then around the western side back towards the road. Then up the Ercall and back down again to the car, forming a figure eight.

I suspect the milage is a little over-optimistic, I take shorter steps going up or down and the pedometer is calibrated using the mile posts on the Trent & Mersey.

Along the tow path

Rugeley to Stafford
Pedometer says: 13.62 miles, 3 hours 48 minutes
Average speed: 3.5 mph
Soundtrack (chosen by iPod): Sgt. Pepper, Frances the Mute, Hoochie Coochie Man and Best of Jethro Tull.

A cold day, with some ice still floating in the canals. I got wet in a downpour going through Rugeley but thankfully that only lasted about 10 minutes. Apart from a bit of drizzle around Wolseley Bridge it was otherwise dry. Parts of the tow path, especially the Staffs & Worcester, had a layer of mud over a hard surface leading to much slipping and sliding.

A couple of barges were moving, most were tied up. Just one dedicated angler to be seen, hiding under his umbrella in the downpour.

Plenty of ducks and drakes around the canal. Flocks of geese standing around in the fields. I saw one large bird, possibly a kestrel, but it got out of my way pretty quickly. Too quick for a photo, and as I didn't have my real camera just the crappy camera on my phone it wouldn't have been worth it.

An easy day tomorrow, then the Wrekin on Sunday I think.

Training schedule

We made the cut again this year and so have a team in the K2B. I want to break 12 hours again this year, so I'm starting the training schedule now.

• Minimum of a 10 mile walk on Saturday or Sunday
  
• Walk back from work on a Friday afternoon once per fortnight
• 20 mile walks T-6 and T-4 weeks
• 30 mile walk T-2 weeks