View from Oban Bothy

View from Oban Bothy

Wednesday 1 December 2021

Frodsham Frolics 26th Nov 2021

This was one of Martin’s Friday walks, around 10km of easy walking, taking in part of the sandstone edges between Frodsham & Helsby Hill.

I nudged Judith who didn’t need much of an excuse to book the day off work, and at the appointed hour the party of Martin, Graeme, Judith and me trundled off from the almost hidden car park by Beacon Hill, above Frodsham.

After a short stretch of tarmac we were soon on a proper footpath, part of the Delamere Way. 


We’d only been going for 20 minutes when we were treated to a rainbow to the north of us, over Liverpool.



We headed by Snidley Moor Wood, cared for by the Woodland Trust, but soon found our way blocked by what initially appeared to be fallen tree branches. I’m not so sure. Whatever, the road was certainly blocked to traffic.

A lovely scone / coffee / fudge brownie (words chosed carefully here) sit down at a very conveniently situated picnic table. Where it rained. And I needed to pull my wet-legs on. And the un-jammable zip jammed. Again. 

No photos of the feast, I was too busy eating.

Sometimes it’s just easier to put up with the wet.

Then came Helsby Hill:


On top of Helsby Hill


Looking west: Weather




I’ve not been up Helsby Hill for over a year, when I ran (Ho-ho!) all around the Sandstone Edges with Tally-Ho! at the beginning of the much shortened 2020 / 21 season.

We had views over the estuary to Liverpool, but not too much beyond, rain and murk saw to that.

Downhill then uphill to cross Tarvin Road, then uphill to join a bit of the North Cheshire Way.


Being good boys and girl - using the stile

A diversion followed when we were marched downhill to Netherton, just because we could – then, like the Grand Old Duke of York (or maybe not) we were marched back up again retracing our steps, to rejoin the path towards Beacon Hill and the car park.






It was a pleasant little wander in good company, thanks to Martin for organising, leading, and supplying the fudge brownies. I really should go on more of Martin’s walks.

What REALLY happened on the walk can be read here, you don’t want to believe anything I said.

It didn’t end there, Judith and I drove down to Frodsham and ventured into the very excellent Helter-Skelter where we didn’t have very much beer at all – on account of us both driving. We did, however, share a whole packet of crisps between us. Decadent eh?



Then we both went home and had cauliflower cheese for tea. Separately.

Next time Judith and I meet in Frodsham we’re going to travel by train, the Helter-Skelter is too much of a good pub to just have a  swift half each. And a packet of crisps between two.

Where we went:

Just under 7 miles with around 1000’ ascent….which I find hard to believe.

The walk was chosen by Martin, obv, and was taken from this book, a copy of which Martin has kindly given me:

Best Pub Walks in Cheshire, by Jen Darling. ISBN 978-1-902512-32-7

Having a bit more than a passing interest in pubs it's a book that I'll be putting to good use!

 

Saturday 20 November 2021

Tintwistle Tally-Ho!

An unusually mild autumn day, 12degC and quite dry. Well it was dry at the start.

In the Beginning

I was really looking forward to this run, I was at last shaking off the after-effects of Covid-19, and my R lung was slowly starting to work, after surgery in May. All was going to plan…until 2 days before the run I managed to do a nasty to my back. Oh well….it would have to be a walk.

We had a guest runner out with us: Paul, aka Henry, aka Wodge. This was his second outing with The Club….he’s in danger of becoming a member.

The trail started from the very fine Bulls Head (great pies), although the sawdust was rather thin on the ground which caused a few runners to run around like headless chickens looking for trail. Nowt new there then.



Spot the trail!




Eventually small clumps of the stuff were spotted and off we jolly-well went, north-east(ish) out of the village, on the dreaded tarmac.

Trail was often difficult to spot, sometimes there were huge clumps of the stuff, the rest of the time it was sparse enough for many to lose trail altogether.

We turned south to cross the dam between Rhodeswood and Torside Reservoirs, and then uphill by Clough Edge, on a section of Pennine Way. 





It was here I stopped to chat to Tom, a backpacker, looking for somewhere to plant his tent for the night. 



We turned west, over Glossop Low, where I spied a lovely grassy, flat bit of ground with great views: a potential wild camp spot. I need to re-visit to check for water. A nearby well is indicated on the map.

Downhill by Blackshaw Clough, don’t go this way, it’s private <koff>, then onto a bit of tarmac.

Light was fading fast and it was beginning to drizzle. I was on my own, plus I couldn’t find the sawdust trail, so, paraphrasing Wainwright, I made my way down.

By the time I got back to the Bulls Head it was dark, I really should have carried a head torch, but I wasn’t anticipating being out so late – route finding had slowed me down considerably.

Mark T stood me a pint of Wainwright, and we all sat down to an excellent dinner of steak pie, chips & peas, followed by delicious syrup / treacle sponge and custard.

A lovely route, especially once we crossed the reservoir dam and got up high.

Where we went:


8.8 miles (probably) with 1400’ of ascent.

It took me 3½ hours which, considering the amount of faffing needed to find the route, I was quite pleased with.

At the end

More photos here



Monday 15 November 2021

Playing the Pieman’s Birthday Ceilidh

The world famous (in Manchester) HopGoblin Big Band were invited to play for Mike’s birthday bash in Crime Crook, County Durham. We had a right good time…and I think Mike did too.

The crew bus set a course north and off we trundled. We stopped off at Richmond, famous for me & No2 son Nicholas stopping there on our Coast-to-Coast walk (he was 8 years old at the time) getting on for 30 years ago, and having a nice car park by the river. And a public loo.



We took photographs, ate butties, went to the loo, and then continued on our way to the northlands.  

Mike had sorted accommodation for the supergroup, HopGoblin Big Band: The Pink House. Which was very pink. And had a hot tub.

We (mostly) arrived on the Friday, and spent a jolly evening eating too much, probably drinking a bit too much, feeding Mike and Lucky, and generally have a lovely time. Mike and Lucky left us at around 10pm, in search of a nice malt….but don’t tell Mrs Pie, she might give him a hard time.

After dinner music and stuff. Notice how cheerful we all are.

Next morning, at stupid o'clock, I nipped out for a nice little 5 mile run. It was only a bit very hilly. Nice though.








Mid-morning saw us (Ho-ho!….see what I did there?) going to Barnard Castle. 

 

The last time I was here was 20+ years ago, on the occasion of the late and lamented Teesdale Thrash.

We had lunch, wandered around the town, played some music, got bitten by midges (in the middle of November!) and generally had a nice time.



Back at the (pink) ranch we prepared for the evening’s fun, games, and dancing. It was good. I ate too much. Some folk drank too much. Most of Mike’s guests danced a lot. 

 HopGoblin playing an inbetweeny warm-up tune: Jenny Lynd Polka 

Wanna buy a guitar? £5 to you.


Anton's Chocolate Cake & Chips, right - on so many levels

Happy Birthday Cake

 Rob in dance caller mode

It was lovely to see Geoff & Chrissie for the first time in far too long, and to finally meet up with  Li Yang – famous for walking stupidly long distances whilst grinning and enjoying every minute of it.

We all had a lovely, lovely evening. And we sang Happy Birthday to Mike. And I remembered how to play the tune.

It was all good.

The wild after gig party: about to chuck a telly out of the window.  We're just so Rock 'n Roll.

Back at the ranch we were all buzzing, it was past 3am when I finally hit the sack.

Next day was Remembrance Sunday, a day I always treat with respect, and I took myself off to observe the two minute silence.

A charabanc outing to Durham was on the cards for Sunday. Only my second visit to the city, it’s quite beautiful. You should go. There had been a Remembrance Day parade earlier in the day, there were lots of ex-servicemen and women still around. 









We had lunch, visited the cathedral, busked a bit, and generally played at being tourists. The busking bit ended up earning us enough dosh to pay the car park charge, plus around £1.50 ea – the big time at last.

That evening we met up with Mike & Margaret at a pub. We hoped to play some music but the grumpy landlady wasn’t having any of it. How different to our musical trips to Spain and Portugal where playing and singing in bars and cafés was deemed compulsory.

Next day we headed for home, not directly, but via a Saxon church up the road in Escomb – a fascinating building.


 

 








A further deviation to our homeward course was called for, I needed to call in to Leeds to see Lilo & Trish, it was really lovely to see them again – it must be ten years since we last met.

And then I went home, unloaded the crew-bus, and crashed out for an hour – it had been a busy and fun weekend!

Thanks to Mike for asking us to play at his special birthday ceilidh, to Margaret (Mrs Pie) who made sure we all ate far too much and to both of them for making us all feel so very welcome.

Oh, and my thanks to the rest of the wonderful HopGoblin Big Band for venturing north and being forced to enjoy themselves, it’s hard work being in a supergroup y’know.

Now the bad news: we’ll be back.

A few more pics from Rob, who, amongst many other things he's good at, is a pretty marvellously gifted photographer:


















 If you're not bored to death by now, the rest of the photographs are here.

 

 

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