Mersey Run, Sunday 8th October 2017

Around 6 miles of river bank flatness

A nice post-wedding run along the banks of the River Mersey towards Stockort. I didn’t record the route….’cos I forgot to switch the damned GPS on when I started. It was a flat run in lovely conditions: cool and dry – ideal for running.

Just a few photos from the run:

River Mersey near Heaton Mersey

Autumn colours

Remains of the bridge that once carried a branch of the Cheshire Line 

Remains of the bridge that once carried Manchester Central to Buxton trains

On approach to Ringway

B5095 road bridge

This was just the job for the much-needed brain reset. Weddings are stressful!

The photographs were taken using my old Samsung S3 Mini. The reason for taking it with me wasn’t for photographic purposes but to use the Viewranger app & GPS….which I didn’t use after all.

It’s an age thing….

Lleyn Peninsula Backpack, 28th July 2017

Just a few photographs taken last week / weekend whilst backpacking a section of the Wales Coastal Path.

This was a fairly last-minute expedition that worked out nicely – apart from the torrential rain and high winds on the first night. I rather unwisely decided to leave the Akto behind and used the smaller and more crapmed LaserComp – a fine little tent, but I really could have done with a bit more room considering the horrid conditions of the first night.

The Plan consisted of spending the first night at Llandystumdwy (Lloyd George knew my father and all that…), having a bit of an explore in the car the next morning, then leaving the car at Lloyd George’s place I wandered west from near Llanbedrog through Pwllheli (famous for Butlins, the Royal Navy and a fine Wetherspoons pub), Abersoch, Aberdaron and round the end of the peninsula before hopping on a bus back to the car.

It’s an excellent coastline although the Wales Coastal Path wasn’t that easy to follow. The path doesn’t religiously stick to the coast and some of the signposts were ‘misleading’ which made following the route rather difficult at times. also some of the paths and bridleways marked on the current maps didn’t exist on the ground. Nowt new there then. Consequently I didn’t cover the distance I’d planned. no matter, it was very enjoyable.

Water was a problem, the coastal farmland was heavily populated with livestock so rivers and streams were a no-no. A public loo (with a shower!) in Aberdaron plus a couple of pubs and a garden hose came to my rescue. Churchyards, unusually, didn’t have water taps….perhaps because of the higher rainfall levels on this coast.

The coastline is very dramatic and the area warrants another visit….in September actually. The route is yet to be decided but I’d be very happy to re-visit much of what I covered on this trip. Discussions on this matter with the Lucky, Luck’s Dad, Dawn and me are to take place soon.

Hell’s Mouth

Boots….but no dead mouse this time

Aberdaron

An Ultra Marathon had taken place the previous day, a 63 mile trot along the coast

Barnsley Bardsey Island

Another brew with a view

Some of these photos are out of order….on account of M$ Windows funny ideas of file management. I gave up trying to re-order them, that will have to wait for another day.

Photographs were taken with my Lumix TZ70 and my Samsung S5 phone.

Timperley Sunset….

…and brain-straightening

Yesterday’s late evening walk featured loads of midgies (not the biting kind) and whole squadrons of bats and swallows, all eager to enjoy an in-flight meal.

There was a nice sunset too.

St Georges Pool

From the Packet House road bridge

Only a short one last night: 5 miles / 8460 steps in 1hr 40m

Thursday 15th October 2015, A Tockholes Trot

6.5 miles with 1000’ of descent.

I was in dire need of a run.

There was a part of a trail route that I needed to recce, I’ve not been ‘out’ for a few days and it’s left me feeling quite lethargic, but more than anything else I’ve been shamed into pulling my trail shoes on by Old Running Fox a fine figure of a man if ever there was one.

This young man gets out virtually every day, rain, hail or shine. It’s only very rare bouts of illness that confine him to barracks – even then he manages to drag himself out into the hills more often than not. I really had no excuse.

I parked the car outside the very fine Royal Arms in Tockholes, deepest Lancashire. The area hadn’t seen rain for a while so the usually very boggy ground was only a bit very boggy in parts. Running through lovely woodland towards the Roddlesworth Reservoirs I passed a few walkers, and passed by a couple of runners…..er, well they passed me.

 The Upper Roddlesworth Reservoir

The track following the River Roddlesworth was a bit boggy but quite runnable.

Autumn leaves were really quite beautiful, unfortunately the dynamic range of the sensor on my Lumix DMC-ZS3 really wasn’t up to the job of displaying their colours very well. I should spend a few quid and buy a better compact. I must speak to Ian, he knows all about these things.

The trickling River Roddlesworth

Great Hill 

Across the busy A675 and a gentle uphill pull to Great Hill and rather more squelchy bog. By the time I got to the top of Great Hill my tootsies were a little waterlogged, and, as I was to find out later, dyed a dark brown. From the peat. Honest.

Interestingly, well I thought it was interesting, the cats eyes on the A675 are of the new electronic type. A solar cell charges a small battery which in turn powers bright white LEDs which switch on when traffic is detected. Clever, eh?

Electronic Cats Eyes 

Darwen Tower from Great Hill

I ran trotted walked up to the top of Great Hill – then ran down t’other side. Getting even muckier. Then I ran back to cross the A675 again, this time to run by the ruins of Hollinshead Hall.

Hollinshead Hall…..well it WAS Hollinshead Hall….once upon a time.

A mile of mainly tarmac took me back to the car. It was tempting to call in to the Royal Arms for a beer and a bag of chips but I resisted.

A good couple of hours – 1hrs 40mins actually, but I wasn’t racing….’cos I’ve got far better things to do with my time. Trail running is for enjoyment :-)

Where I went:

6.5 miles with 1000’ of downhill. And uphill.

28th December, Black Lake, Lindow Common

Sunset today

I went out for a much-needed brain-straightener this afternoon and found myself wandering around Lindow Common on the outskirts of Wilmslow.

The name Lindow is derived from Llyn Ddu = Lake Black. The lake shot to fame in 1984 when the preserved body of a man was discovered by commercial peat cutters. The word on the street is that Pete Bog / Pete Marsh / Lindow Man may well have been a sacrifice of some sort. His body has been carbon dated to between 2BC and 119AD – so he’s quite old.

Spanish Spain, in the beginning.

This trip so very nearly tripped at the first, second, third, fourth,

.... hurdles :

Hurdle 1: On Tuesday my debit card was comprised so I needed to get a replacement pronto. I managed to get a replacement card later that day.

Hurdle 2: On Wednesday, the day I set off on my trip, I found that my replacement debit card had been blocked by the bank. This delayed the buying of my tram ticket which made me miss a tram to Manchester. Oh, and an 'incident' on the tram network was delaying all the trams. A lot of buggering about later and I got to Manchester by the skin of my teeth to catch the express coach to Liverpool. 

Hurdle 3: There was no coach. 

An accident on the motorway. They said. 

There was a 20 minute delay. They said.

Hurdle 4, part 1: The coach arrived one hour and ten minutes later....only a bit longer than the 20 minute delay.  

Hurdle 4, part 2: The journey was scheduled to take 50 minutes and there would be no delays. They said. 

1 hour 20 minutes later the coach arrived at Liverpool Airport. 

This left 10 minutes to clear security and run to the departure gate. Easyjet don't wait for anyone.

Fortunately I'd booked priority boarding which sped the process considerably. I got to the departure gate in time and boarded the plane. Others weren't so lucky. 

Things can only get better, eh?

The 3hr journey from Madrid aeropuerto (that's foreign for airport) to Salamanca passed without incident - things were getting back on track.

The weather is pleasant,  around 25degC and a bit overcast. 

The Revolutum Hostel is excellent,  more a hotel than a hostel. 

I unwound with some beer last night and then just crashed out. 

This morning I had an enormous breakfast of cereal,  toast,  cheese, croissants, coffee, juice and other stuff too - magic! All is rather better this morning. 

My good mate John Mc is under the knife this afternoon, he's having a hip replacement. This will be on my mind today.

Rather than set off walking today I've decided to explore Salamanca, it really is a beautiful city that just oozes history out of every pore.

Tomorrow I head north.  I'm not sure how far yet, it all depends.....

Pics are taken at low res to speed upload times.  I've duplicated the photos with my proper camera and these images will be replaced when I get back home.