I’ve been a fan of Open Source Software ever since I started using Linux on an old laptop. I was delighted to discover (from Martin) that Live Writer is now Open Source – particularly as I’d all but given up on blogging because of the unreliability and frequent ‘outages’ of M$ Live Writer when trying to post to my blog.
Anyroadup, this is a test using Open Live Writer on Win7 Pro.
Photos from last year’s OM NYM weekend:
Rob’s YouTube video: Not sure who the ugly bugger is – the one who nicks a pint at the end.
Thursday 12th November:
8.40pm: Plough, Ashton on Mersey (Hydes)
9.10pm: Volunteer, Sale (Holts)
9.40pm: Prairie Schooner, Urmston (Brewery Tap)
10:15pm: Steamhouse, Urmston (Freehouse)
10.45pm: Church Inn, Flixton (Various cask ales)
Friday 13th Nov
7.45pm: Greyhound, Ashley (JW Lees)
8.30pm: Railway, Hale (Robinsons)
9.00pm: Old Market Tavern, Altrincham (Freehouse: ELEVEN handpumps!)
9.30pm: Malt Shovels, Altrincham (Sam Smith)
10.10pm: Costello’s, Goose Green, Altrincham (Brewery Tap, Dunham Brewery)
10.40pm: Quarry Bank, Timperley (Hydes)
The BIG day is Saturday:
2.30pm: St Werburgh's Autumn Fair, Warburton (Tea….hmmm)
6.15pm: Black Swan, Hollin Green, WA3 6LA (Various cask)
6.45pm: Rope & Anchor, Dunham, WA14 5RP (Various cask)
7.15pm: Axe & Cleaver, Dunham, WA14 4SE (Various cask)
7.45pm: Swan with 2 Nicks, Little Bollington, WA14 4TJ (Various cask)
8.15pm: Spread Eagle, Lymm, WA13 0AG (JW Lees)
8.45pm: Green Dragon, Lymm, WA13 9SB (Various cask)
9.30pm: Saracen's Head, Warburton, WA13 9TH (Dunham Brewery)
The Saracen's Head performance is the last of the season and is one huge party.
Lymm Folk Club are running a singers night in conjunction with The Play and there'll be music, singing & dancing afterwards.
More information about The Play here.
Come and have a look-see if you’re at a loose end, it’s going to be fun!
The Plan (Ho-ho!):
8pm Saracen's Head (Dunham Brewery), Warburton
8.45pm The Vine (Sam Smith's), Dunham
9.15pm The Black Swan (Free House?), Hollins Green
10pm The Wheatsheaf (Hydes) Agden
If you're doing nowt and fancy having your pint nicked by Beelzebub then you know where to be!
A load of years ago I met the Pieman at Shiel Bridge, my start point for that particular Challenge. Mike was starting from Glenelg, a good few miles to the west. That year it was a bad few miles: the weather had been awful and Mike, the brave chap, had decided to walk to his start point. Thank heavens for Paramo.
This year it was my turn to do the Glenelg start. Everybody I’d spoken to reckoned it was a brill place to start from, I wasn’t disappointed.
On the Thursday night I shared a B&B with High Altitude Brookes and Paul. Mrs Cameron, our host(ess) collected us from Shiel Bridge bus stop and drove us to her rather nice house, a short walk from the Glenelg Inn, a rather excellent boozah.
Tiredness and the need to be up for an early(ish) breakfast meant that Graham and I escaped from the pub at around 10.30pm and legged it back to our B&B….not before we’d made fools of ourselves attempting the pub quiz.
Looking west from the Glenelg Inn, 10.30pm
A good night’s sleep followed by a decent breakfast set me up for the day. I was in no rush (nowt new there then) and spent an hour wandering around Glenelg, taking photographs, chatting to some of the locals, wetting my boots in the briny – and picking up a lightweight pebble to haul over to the east coast of Scotchlandshire.
Then there was the all important signing out….
…..followed by the great wetting of the feet.
First stop was for refreshments at The Wagon @ Corrary, well worth a visit: decent coffee and a smiley lady serving goodies. Of considerable interest were the remains of a number of ancient brochs, drystone structures with hollowed walls.
Broch at Corrary
The heat from the sun was hot, probably something to do with the temperature. To stay cool I scared the local wildlife by rolling up my trousers to above my knees. Women and small children screamed at the sight of my pale knobbly knees. Such knees shouldn’t really be allowed out in the daylight, perhaps I should start wearing tights…..or maybe a fake tan is the answer.
Shiel Bridge was my intended overnight stop, not too far at all. The glorious weather (almost) had me wishing it was further. Whatever, it was a lovely walk that offered some good views.
Suardalan, Lunch stop No2
Loch Duich
For Alan
Most of the Challengers had left by the time I arrived in SB – although I was very pleasantly surprised to find a couple of non-challenging Challengers lurking:
With Jeanette & Biaggio at The Kintail Lodge
Much refreshment was taken that night, this walking (and talking) lark can seriously dehydrate a chap. And hydration is just so important. Innit.
A good night’s kip followed….well it would, wouldn’t it?
At 8.30am I promptly left the bunkhouse around 9am. The weather was still glorious: hot, well quite warm, sunshine and a gentle breeze. Norralot not to like really.
Seals playing
Walking East is always A Good Thing on the Challenge, so that’s what I did. It was easy walking on a Land Rover track through Kintail Forest. Still no Challengers, Shiel Bridge starters were mostly a day ahead of me.
Decision time….
Decision made
Glenlicht House…and the sun’s still shining
View from Allt Grannda
A helicopter flew over at one point, I was later to find out that it was going to extract a Challenger (from Alltbeithe I think) who’d fallen and suffered a dislocated something or other. Such bad luck.
Camban Bothy
Along Fionngleann and Alltbeithe SYHA comes into view…just
It was tempting to stay around Alltbeithe, I knew that some Challengers were staying there so I certainly wouldn’t be alone. The warden / manager or whatever they are these days was something of a star. She provided excellent refreshments and hospitality to passing Challengers….I only found out a day or so later! Ho hum.
Strawberry Cottage / Athnamulloch is four miles after Alltbeithe, along Glen Affric. It was around 6.30pm when I eventually put my tent up. I was sharing the nice flat(ish) area with 5 other Challengers – company at last! A little later another group arrived but they camped a good distance away from us – they probably weren’t Challengers.
The sky was quite clear and the temperature was dropping. I was looking forward to a cosy night in my new sleeping bag, a North Face Hightail 3S, but I was disappointed. I was quite chilly, the down in this brand new bag was clumping badly, creating a good number of (very) cold spots with hardly any insulation. Not impressed – especially for £230.
Whitworth Wander – Turkey Trot, 27 th of a very wet December 2023 In memory of the late Brian Whitworth, a fine man, my friend, and a for...
