Great and Little Langdale

Distance: 13.9 km (8.45 mi)
Time: 3 hours 46
Average speed: 3.7 km/h (2.3 mph)

The last weather forecast that I'd seen hadn't been too promising, but not all that bad. Light rain in the morning, heavier in the afternoon. Only that was several hours old and the B&B's WiFi was playing hard to get.

The drive up to Great Langdale was, as might be expected, lovely. I am worried about what constitutes an A road in these parts. I parked up near the New Dungeon Ghyll hotel and paid for the day, then set off west. A short and gentle walk over fields, then up over the shoulder of Side Pike. The light rain at the foot of the climb had become heavy by the time it levelled out.

I continued on past Blea Tarn which would be a nice place to stop should the weather be more co-operative. I started down beside a stream, then as the rain got heavier I retreated to the shelter of some trees and started stuffing things into waterproof bags. Phone, camera, wallet, car keys (remote central locking) were all bagged up and stuffed into the backpack, not to reappear until after the walk. The guide book went into once of the pockets of the waterproof jacket, I would have to rely on the supposedly waterproof GPS.

I started down beside the stream for a second time, in wind and rain. Lots of rain. There was a path to follow, involving streams and boggy ground to cross and I nearly had a boot sucked off. Luckily the boots were new, just bought last Friday, and kept most of the water out. The path led me to a road in Little Langdale, which I decided to follow down to get some solid ground under my feet whatever the route might say. The route said follow the road.

With the rain easing off I consulted the guide book and backed by the GPS followed a path on the South side of Little Langdale. This path went through a herd of Highland Cattle one of which was standing in the middle of the path staring at me. I lost the staring competition and decided it had right of way, so bypassed it on some soggy ground.

Passing the old slate quarries (and a very well appointed climbing hut) the rain had all but stopped and I considered getting the camera out. Every time I got close to a decision the rain came back. The river was re-crossed at Slater Bridge. This was half a pack-horse bridge made from slate and half a couple of rock outcroppings crossed with slabs of, well, you can guess. All with a rusty railing that changed sides half-way across and some very wet stones.

Crossing back over to Great Langdale I caught a glimpse of Helvellyn, or at least the clouds where the peak of Helvellyn should have been. Not the best day to have been up there.

Checking the GPS saved me a wrong turning which would have led half a mile out of my way. I followed the bridleway along the south side of Great Langdale with the wind and rain firmly in charge. Some of those raindrops were being driven into my face with some force, leading me to keep my head down.

Another close encounter of the bovine kind, this time two non-highland cattle refused to back down, leading to another squelchy excursion.

I came to a T junction. One was in the right direction and signposted to Dungeon Ghyll, the other was in the opposite direction and indicated the road. It was so obviously the former it was 10 minutes before the GPS showed it should have been the latter. In fact the route I took was a little shorter than the one the guide said I should have taken, unfortunately it was far more exposed and the weather wanted to make sure I knew it.

By the time I reached my start point I firmly ignored the car and went straight for the pub opposite, hoping for a warm fire to dry out and a hot meal. Yes and yes, a nice Cumberland sausage.

Place Fell and Ullswater

Distance: 13.6 km (8.45 mi)
Time: 4 hours 38
Average speed: 2.9 km/h (1.8 mph)

To get from Windermere to Patterdale were today's walk started I drove over Kirkstone Pass. You can get some pretty spectacular views there, but I had to stop looking and concentrate on driving. Luckily the rest of the day was not going t be short on views.

I managed to park over a large puddle, evidence of overnight rain, so I got my feet wet before I'd even changed into my boots. Still I had them dry as I set out.

It was a short and flat walk to the foot of Place Fell, then a long slog diagonally up the western side before looping back to the summit (path, then a bit of a scramble). I was rewarded with some stunning views of the surrounding fells, including Striding Edge up to Helvellyn, and down to Ullswater. It had been pretty tiring (and I was still 300m below the top of Helvellyn), but the hard part was over.

I came down from the top and followed the path all the other folks were taking. It was then that I realized I'd broken the rule about leaving nothing but footprints: the foot thingy on my walking pole was missing, probably sucked off by one of the boggy patches I'd negotiated. Not long after noticing that I spotted somebody else's foot thingy ahead of me and thanks to mass production it now sits on my walking pole.

It was as I was congratulating myself on that luck that I realized I was on the wrong path. The guide recommended a curving path that gave better views over Ullswater whereas I'd followed the direct path because everyone else was following it. That only works if everyone else is on the same route as you. And GPS units only work if you remember to look at them occasionally. No matter, the two paths soon joined up before splitting again and this time I took the right one and let everyone else go their own way.

Navigation error number 2 was ten or fifteen minutes later. The guide said that there was a path on the right down off he fell. I saw a grass track that looked a little steep to be usable with the damp grass. The route on the GPS said to go ahead, so I pushed on. The next time I checked the GPS I was well to the left of where I should have been, and was still up on the plateau instead of halfway down. When I'd entered the route last week I hadn't been able to see where the track split (the route was on 1:25000, my software only had the 1:50000) and the path I'd wanted only went steeply to the right for a short distance before being parallel with the upper route, although descending. Since I was still on a path and in roughly the right direction I pushed on. I ended up descending a steeper path than the once I rejected and although it was shorter I had to spend more time to go down whilst vertical.

Back on the route, the return part is alongside Ullswater. The guidebook promised "one of the most beautiful paths in the Lake District". Fair enough. I did stop plenty of times to take photos.

There was one obstacle on the final stretch, a tree that had fallen down over the path. There are more graceful ways to overcome that obstacle, but they all involve chainsaws.

Grasmere and Rydal Water

Distance: 10.3 km (6.4 mi)
Time: 2 hours 31
Average Speed: 4.1 km/h (2.5 mph)

This walk started with much hassle trying to find a place to park. I eventualy ended up parking for 5 minutes in a short stay slot while buying a newspaper to get enough change for the longer stay. It's all very well saying that you can use your phone to pay for the ticket instead of hunting for change, but I have never managed to get a signal in Grasmere.

With the car safely parked I headed off to Rydal over the scenic route. I was a little concerned that the signs said I was following the "Coffin Trail", but it turns out that this was the route they used to bring people to be buried before they built a church a Rydal. Seems that in those days, death was also hard. Those carrying the deceased would have got nice views mind.

At Rydal I decided that, despite the total cloud cover, the warm jacket wasn't needed and stuffed it into the backpack with the waterproof. I did think I'd be getting the waterproof out later. Across the main road, then over a bridge and onto a side road to walk the other side of Rydal Water. With fewer trees in the way there were better views on that side.

I followed the path past a couple of caves until I was overlooking Grasmere. By now there were plenty of people sharing the path and I was starting to see the merits of Wainwright's opinion on acknowledging other walkers.

Getting close to Red Bank I checked the route I was following in the book to find I must have passed a downward path to the lakeshore. Looking back I couldn't see a real path and nothing like a path I'd want to follow, it being too steep and too wet. I ended up following a path just below Red Bank, which wasn't looking as steep as it seems going up it in May. It had started drizzling.

Eventually I found a path down the shore and rejoined the route. Just before leaving the shore I admitted that drizzle had become rain and put on the waterproof.

The final stretch was the K2B route in reverse to the car park where checkpoint 1 is. That was supposed to be the end of the route, but I'd parked in another (cheaper) car park. There was also a sausage sandwich and a cup of coffee to be considered.

It's now later in the afternoon and still raining, so now to see what there is to do indoors in Bowness.

Position

1529^th out of 2022 finishers.

Keswick To Barrow 2011

Time: 12 hours, 16 minutes and 56 seconds.
Average speed: 3.26 mph

The weekend got off to a good start. I reached work when I realized I'd left my spare walking socks at home and only had one pair packed. Fortunately we had a couple of hours between finishing work and setting off north so I dived into Rugeley. Despite being on the edge of Cannock Chase, Rugeley has no walking/camping shops and the sport's shop had one pair of hiking socks two sizes too small. Luckily the Aldi had walking socks, plus other bits of kit so I could phone Matt who was lacking both socks and suitable trousers because the stuff he'd ordered online hadn't turned up.

Problem 2 was the M6 which was totally snarled up. On a Friday afternoon too, who'd have guessed? We made it to the registration at 5:45, collected our dog tags then headed off to Windermere and 3 different B&Bs. As usual, I found myself on the top floor.

Breakfast at 0445 was quick and cold, but for a pot of coffee laid on for us. Then a ride in the crew bus to the start to join everyone else.

0602 at the start. Andy, Matt, Mark, John, Mike.

There were six of us from PMES walking this year. Myself and Mike had both completed five walks, Andy had walked a few times before with his best being 26 miles. Matt, Mark and John were all new to the walk. On support we had Alan who had finished before.

The first two hours were wet, but we'd expected that from the forecast and were prepared. We quickly broke into three groups, Mike, Mark and John in front, then me and Matt, then Andy. Coming up Dunmail Raise the rain finally gave up and we could see glimpses of the sun. At Grasmere I packed away my now dry waterproof jacket. I had enough signal to tweet one update, but that was a rare occurance.

Red Bank slowed me down, but I caught Matt up again at the top and we descended the other side together and met Alan for the first service point. Mike was about 25 minutes ahead of us, Mark and John 10 minutes. I grabbed a couple of bars to keep me going and pushed on, but Matt took advantage of a relatively short queue for a comfort break.

On the stretch from Elterwater to Coniston the last of the quick people passed me and the other plodders. This included half a dozen squaddies wearing backpacks. I later asked one of them how heavy it was, he said 15 kg and it had taken 10 hours!

It was on the road down to Coniston that Matt caught me up again. I then reminded him that at the top of Red Back he'd asked if there were any more uphills like that and I'd said not for a while. The while was now up and we climbed the stone path, with Matt again getting ahead before I caught up with him for the downhill the other side.

At the top end of Coniston we again met Alan. He'd had to wait for Andy, then fight his way through the traffic and had only just got there a few minutes before. He'd missed Mike, Mark and John.

I pushed on, reluctant to stop for too long. Matt began to fall back from me, he thought that last downhill had done something. I got to the lunch stop alone and grabbed a sandwich while I changed my socks to dry ones (thanks Aldi!) and unzipped the legs of my trousers to convert them to shorts. As I was doing this I spotted John. He'd hurt a tendon and was contemplating whether to go on. Mark had gone ahead. Matt now arrived, feeling tired. He had been aiming for 26 miles but now wasn't so sure.

I'd been stationary for about 10 minutes and was worried about my legs seizing up and wanted to get going again. Matt wanted a few minutes longer, then he and John would follow me. I set off again, down the side of Coniston Water.

About 1230 it started to rain again, light at first. This hadn' t been forecast and I put off putting on the jacket on the assumption it wouldn't last and anyway the trees were keeping most of it off me. At the bottom end of Coniston it was obviously getting heavier and I couldn't put off getting the jacket out any longer. At the Water End drinks point I put the jacket back on.

I slogged my way past the 25 mile mark towards the Lowick checkpoint. There I met Alan who'd parked the crew bus a little way from the route. I started to tell him that Matt and John would be a way behind me, but then he said they were actually resting in the crew bus. They'd had to stop and the rescue service had dropped them off. Mark had already gone through and, he assumed, Mike had gone through before he'd got there. Andy had passed the 18 mile checkpoint and as far as they knew was still going.

I passed the tempting pub at Lowick and swiped at the checkpoint and kept going. This part is the long, slow climb up to Kirby Moor. Passing the 30 mile mark at a little over 9 hours I realized I wasn't going to beat 12 hours. Tunnel vision kicked in and I paid no attention to anything but the route. The rain eventually died away, I can't remember when but it persisted as drizzle for a while. I now know where April's usual rainfall went.

At Marton (checkpoint 7, 34.5 miles) Alan, Matt and John were waiting. I restocked on water and packed the jacket away again. A quick conflab and they were going to wait for Andy who was due around six, when I'd hope to be finishing. I said I could manage just on the drinks points left.

Passing the wildlife park I got to the point were there is actual pavement all the rest of the way so I dug out the ipod and started to wonder what music to use for the final stretch or rely on the RNG. Coming out of Dalton and near to Furness Abbey, I noticed the street was actually called Abbey Road, so that settled that. For the last mile I chose side 2 of Abbey Road, hoping the timing would work out. It didn't and I had to skip two tracks so I could walk up the drive at the finish line to The End. Mike got me finishing on the camera, which I think is the first time anyone from PMES has seen me finish as I normally manage to sneak in while nobody's looking.

As I thought, I was slower than last year. In fact it was fourth out of my six finishes. I'll have to check but it may be because I wasn't trying to keep up with the Rolls Royce guys around Thirlmere this year.

Mike found me after I'd got my results sheet printed and I asked about Mark. Mike said he'd been there 2 hours and hadn't seen him, so I pointed out he was just walking up behind him. Mike had done around 10 hours, Mark 10 hours 30 but they'd both been too tired to notice each other in the crowd.

I grabbed myself a bitter shandy (best way to make that smoothpour crap drinkable) and sat down, wondering if I'd ever stand up again. After a little while we heard from Matt that Andy had reached Marton, had tended to his blisters and was working up to continue. Five minutes later, no. Andy's legs had rebelled. He'd done 8 miles past his previous best but that was it.

Back to Windermere for a shower and some foot attention. Only two blisters, although one required two plasters to cover it. It was 9:30 when we set out for the celebratory meal and our first two choices were already shut. It had also started raining again. We settled into an Italian (The Lighthouse?) and had ordered and were enjoying our drinks and the lightning when the entire street went dark. The power was only out for five minutes, but it was worrying...

A good nights sleep, a hearty breakfast and a clear run down the motorway. We dropped Matt off in Wolverhampton in time for him to stagger off to his seat for the football, then back to PMES to pick our cars off and drive home.

Thanks to Alan for driving support, Andy for organizing, all my sponsors and to everyone at the drinks points.

One day to go

We'll be heading up to Barrow for registration this afternoon. It looks like we'll be getting wet tomorrow.

I'll try and keep people informed on my Twitter feed, but that will depend on where I can get a signal.

Sunday: The Wrekin

Distance: 6.37 km (3.6 mi)
Time: 1 hour 30
Average speed: 4.25 km/h (2.64 mph)
Ascent: 243 m
Car park to trig point: 32 minutes 9 seconds

A busy day. I think I must have started just as a sponsored run had finished, unless people usually run up and down the Wrekin in silly costumes on May day.

Friday: Three Shire Head, Axe Edge Moor and Shining Tor

Distance: 15.6 km (9.69 mi)
Time: 3 hours 28
Average speed: 4.5 km/h (2.8 mph)

I had always planned to be up a hillside somewhere on the 29th, but only decided exactly where the night before. This was the first real walk since the Saturday before, even though I'd had the entire week off. I'd collected two nasty blisters, one on each heel, and had been waiting for feet that were less sore.

When I parked at the Cat and Fiddle it was clear the weather was going to be very clear, possibly very warm but certainly very windy. I set off wearing the waterproof jacket for its windproof qualities. Apart from a couple of cyclists who were packing up at 0930, I didn't see anyone (outside a car) until I reached Three Shire Head. By that time, being down in the valley I'd shed the jacket.

The next person I met was actually working, he appeared to be repairing the path near Orchard Farm and had managed to block it with his lorry and digger. He let me pass, though I had to step over a large hole on the edge of a drop.

Near the top of Axe Edge Moor I was back in the full force of the wind, but I was keeping the jacket off because, nearing 11 am, things were getting much warmer. At the top, sheltering in the ruin were an old couple who remarked that I obviously hadn't any interest in the wedding either.

Now I started to bump into many more people, mainly cyclists. None were listening to radios.

Back at the Cat and Fiddle, still having energy and with untroubled feet I decided to push onwards and went up Shining Tor. It would have been a beautiful view, particularly with that clear blue sky, but there was a haze all around.

30 mile training walk

Distance: 46.5 km (28.9 mi)
Time: 9 hours 51
Average speed: 4.72 km/h (2.93 mph)

I should really have done this walk today, when it's overcast, rather than yesterday when it was sunny and hot. I also wouldn't have truncated it to meet a deadline...

I set off a little before 8am with the first waypoint being Beacon Hill. Despite the sun beating down I could barely see Stafford Castle due to the smog already building. The sun was beating down and there was no wind. I was carrying a litre and a half of water and expecting to use all of it before the end.

I headed downhill, past the county showground where there were a lot of folks turning up for the Motorbike show, across Hopton Heath and down to Salt where I joined the Trent and Mersey canal. I headed east, passing Weston where I could see even more folks queueing for the county showground, and walking on towards Haywood Junction.

I left the canal to go through the Shugborough estate (lots of visitors) to get to Cannock Chase at the Punch Bowl. The Chase was the busiest I've seen this year with hordes of folks, mainly cyclists, all along the Sherbrooke valley. They seemed to have run out of parking at the visitor centre.

At the visitor centre I bought two small bottles of something fruity and cold to supplement my dwindling water supply and downed them quickly, which would turn out to be a mistake. I was planning to have my sandwiches there but in the end I could barely manage half a banana. The showers that had been forecast were plainly not going to turn up so I put on another layer of sun block and rethought my route.

Instead of heading up towards Castle Ring, I decided to just head up Kitbag Hill, then turn left and go down towards the Stony Brook Pools. Although the sun wasn't going away at least a breeze had arrived to cool me down. Walking down towards them I passed a man who asked if he was heading towards Marquis Drive. "Just up to the top there, then a little way past." Then a couple of minutes later a cyclist came up behind me and asked the way back to the car park.

"Which car park?" His face fell. "Was it the visitor centre?" "There was a building." "In which case it's back up there, then turn right." It was only after he'd disappeared from sight that I thought he might have meant Birches Valley (which hires out bikes) instead. In the unlikely event you're reading this, sorry.

With the water dwindling I headed up past Fairoak Lodge heading for the Tackeroo caravan site. However the liquids I'd already drunk to stave off the heat were backing up in the stomach. Just after I'd crossed the road and was about to reach the caravan site I had to stop and let them escape. Orange flavoured water has a better taste when coming up than many other things, if that's anything you want to take into consideration.

At the caravan site I refilled the water and resolved to be more sparing with it. Then a little retrace of the steps back to the Sherbrook valley before heading up to Anson's Bank and Brocton Field. Here I decided on another change of route, instead of heading down to Brocton Lodge and across the fields to Walton-on-the-Hill, I stayed on the route of the old railway line and down to Milford Common. Partially this was for a little variety as I hadn't been that way in ages but it was also because I knew it would be downhill all the way.

At Milford Common I treated myself to an ice cream before joining the Staffs and Worcester canal. From there it was just the standard canal side route back to Stafford and home. I also got my second wind on this stretch, at least until the final half-mile.

In the end the route was a little over a mile short of the intended, but I made that very important 6pm deadline.

I've also decided on the footware for the actual walk, the walking shoes rather than the boots. I used the shoes yesterday as it was all good paths and although I got a couple of blisters, no more than I'd expect if I was using boots and they are a lot lighter.

Two Walks

Friday 15th: Rugeley to Stafford
Distance: 19.8 km (12.3 mi)
Time: 3 hours 42
Average speed: 5.25 km/h (3.33 mph)

Another canal side walk.

Sunday 17: Macclesfield Forest and Shutlingsloe
Distance: 12.4 km (7.7 mi)
Time: 3 hours 6
Average speed: 4 km/h (2.5 mph)

A busy day in the Peak District. Sunny and warm, probably too much so.

Saturday - the Long Mynd

Looking south from Pole Bank

Distance: 31.2 km (19.39 mi)
Time: 8 hours 3
Average speed: 3.88 km/h (2.41 mph)

This was the second 20 mile training walk (so a little short) but with some ascent/descent built in. The Long Mynd certainly delivered that as the route went from the foot to the top, about 300 m, twice.

First order of the day was to find a chemists in Church Stretton and buy some sunblock, as the forecast was for much sun. Accurately as it turned out.

The route was much the same as last year, along Carding Mill valley up to the top, north a bit then loop back around to go past Pole Bank and the Gliding Club before descending down towards Plowden and looping around eastwards before climbing back up. There I made my mistake.

I started following a wide track which I thought would lead me back up, but it didn't so I left it a just headed uphill. The route I picked turned out to be far too steep and I think I might have trespassed a little bit before I rejoined the Shropshire Way path. That cost me time as I slowed right down climbing up. I also realized I'd been drinking too much water as I could feel it sloshing around inside me. That meant an extended break while I recovered, both from the climb and the unpleasant feelings in the gut.

When I finally set off again I was rewarded with cramps in the legs. Fortunately they went away once I'd got back into my stride and I got to Cross Dyke without incident. There I ended up sharing the narrow path with steep sides with a dozen mountain bikers. Twice. I overtook them when they'd stopped for a rest, so why the lead biker had to suddenly brake and swear when he caught up with me a second time I don't know. That aside they were considerate.

The final descent down to Little Stretton is very steep, so I slowed down again. By that point I had been promising myself a pint of shandy in the pub for the last two hours. It was shut! Still that motivated me to do the last mile back to where I'd parked the car so I could get something soft to drink from the Co-op. It seems 1.5l isn't quite enough water for 20 miles, not in yesterday's weather.

Saturday - Stone (and a little way beyond)

Distance: 33.8 km (21 mi)
Time: 6 hours 32 (including the time taken to eat the sandwiches)
Average speed: 5.17 km/h (3.21 mph)

This was the first of the 20 mile training walks, so I opted for a flat walk along the Trent & Mersey canal. To get to the canal I walked along the road to Sandon, passing some examples of the rare Staffordshire Llama.

Three llamas

After the blue skies of the last week or so, yesterday was completely clouded over, but at least there wasn't any of the threatened rain. A bit less wind would have been nice.

At Sandon I joined the Trent & Mersey heading west towards Stone. At Aston Lock just south of Stone I finally noticed that the mile post reads 46 miles to either end of the canal, making it the centre.

Coming up into Stone itself I and a couple of other people spotted a river creature narrowly avoiding being run over by a barge. It seemed to be trying to get up onto the western bank (the Trent side), but failing. That it was the side that the humans were walking along wasn't helping either. One of the other people there reckoned it was an immature otter. It certainly looked otter-like but I didn't think they were black.

An otter?

After that excitement it was just a steady plod along the canal through Stone and beyond to my destination: bridge 102 at the edge of Barlaston. There I had my sandwiches and a banana before turning around and heading back.

This time there was not sign of the (probable) otter, so I guess it got where it was going to.

At Aston I left the canal for a bit of variety. Unfortunately this involved walking along the path beside the A34. I did think of taking the Enson road, but I stuck on the main road until I reached Yarlet. There I did have enough willpower to avoid the pub and head off down towards Marston. That I also regretted 15 minutes later when I drank the last of my water. Still it was on the final stretch.

So that was the first 20 mile walk of the year. It left me stiff, but with no new blisters. I used a new pair of walking shoes, as opposed to my boots, so I think that I'll be using those for the K2B itself. I feel fine this morning, but I think I need to step up the training.

Friday 18th - Over the Chase

Distance: 22.2 km (13.79 mi)
Time: 4 hours 21
Average speed: 5.1 km/h (3.2 mph)

Last Friday was the start of a batch of good, spring-like weather. So good that I walked most of it in short sleeves, a hat and sunglasses.

This route was again Rugeley to Stafford but this time it was the scenic route. From work I went up to Stile Cop, then down along one of the bike trails to Miflins Valley. That particular trail isn't bike-only but is pretty steep so you have to watch out for fast bikes coming down. Fortunately the bikes were struggling going uphill.

I crossed the road and went past the pools and up to Fairoak Lodge, then across to the Tackeroo camping site and Rifle Range Corner. From there it's down to the Sherbrook Valley and up over the heathland to join the route of the old military railway. Leaving the Chase I took the footpaths across the fields from Brocton Lodge to Walton-on-the-Hill. Then I crossed the A513 and cut through the housing estate to get down to the canal to get to the other side of Baswich Bridge. Instead of continuing on to near Radford Bank, I took a footpath over the fields to the bank of the River Sow and followed that to Fairway, thence by the roads home.

It really was far too nice a day to be indoors. Unfortunately it's been that way most of this week when I've had to be in doors.

Catching up

25th February - Canals again
Distance: 20.9 km (12.99 mi)
Time: 3 hours 49
Average speed: 5.48 km/h (3.4 mph)

This was the exact same route as earlier in the month, although the GPS reckoned it was 100 m shorter. A minute longer, which I can attribute to crossing roads in Stafford. The weather was kinder, less wind.

6th March - The Roaches
Distance: 13.8 km (8.58 mi)
Time: 3 hours 35
Average speed: 3.85 km/h (2.39 mph)

The first trip of the year to the Peak District and as usual it was to the Roaches, just north of Leek. A cold day with ice in the puddles. Only a couple of weeks earlier it had been much milder in the mornings.

12th March - Gnosall
Distance: 22.6 km (14.04 mi)
Time: 4 hours 4
Average speed: 5.56 km/h (3.45 mph)

A new route for me, for this one I followed the old railway line west out of Stafford as far as Gnosall. As it was flat and a proper path I tried an experiment and wore walking shoes rather than boots. The K2B is almost entirely roads and suits lighter footwear, but I do my training on rougher terrain wearing my boots and when it comes to doing the actual walk I prefer to use the same footwear I trained with.

The shoes were a cheap pair I'd got for everyday use, so I need to factor that I when considering the results (1 blister on the sole, could feel most of the stones on the path). No decision yet.

A very lazy wind

Distance: 21 km (13.05 mi)
Time: 3 hours 48
Average speed: 5.53 km/h (3.43 mph)
Weather: windy

A lazy wind is one that is just to lazy to go around you.

This was another walk from work at Rugeley to home at Stafford. I took the easy route along the canal side because it was the first long-ish walk of the year. I'd come down with a case of the lurgi last November and it came back for a 2 week encore at Christmas.

February is earlier than I'd usually start my Friday afternoon walks home but I need to get into shape and the weather forecast looked OK. I should have paid more attention to the wind speed.

It was sheltered through Rugeley, but between Rugeley and Wolsey Bridge, Wolsey Bridge and Colwich, Little Haywood to Shugborough and Haywood Junction to Milford there was no hiding place. Still, rather that than rain.

So here I am with various bits aching like it had been twice that distance. Just 3 months to go.

Keswick To Barrow 2011

Apparently our team has been accepted. Time to start training!