Where's the bleedin' sun?

Saturday 21st, weather forecast - cracking the flags. Mr Williams dons suntan lotion on sensitive pate at 8am - debates requirement for waterproofs, Mr Gough wears sunglasses for the first time in 09. 9:30am up Hanging Stone, 10:00am up Roaches with hats, gloves and fleeces. Bloody freezin'! What is going on with the world?

Anyway, decent walk over Gradbach, Ludd's Church and The Roaches. Marky Mark took new GPS and we still managed a short detour! The good thing was we knew exactly how far we'd walked 15.5km. Not bad in the new boots and Mark decided his new ones were going so well that he'd try sinking them ankle deep in mud - and they passed the test.

Very surprised that the next day didn't have any pains at all despite the slick pace we kept up during some of the walk and with the weight of the boots. Must be getting fitter.

More pics at http://picasaweb.google.com/gough.chris1/TheRoachesAndLuddSChurch21309?feat=directlink

Sandstone Trail pt2

Well I couldn't wait until next weekend to try out the boots (everybody had an excuse this weekend except me - perhaps that just means they have a social life and I don't!).

Anyway I went on stage 2 of the Sandstone Trail - this bit was around the Delamere Forest area. Because the sections are circular walks, doing the whole 32 mile trail is going to take me more than double that number of miles to complete but then who wants to do 32 miles in one go?!

So set off from Barns Bridge car park at 9:00am (did it slightly different from what the book suggests but it just makes the parking easier), and wandered up the Delamere Way to get back to the point of the Sandstone Trail where I broke off it last time. Of course, doing it this way means I also cover a big chunk of the Delamere Way as well (and some parts of the Eddisbury Way!). Three hours walking in glorious sunshine. First time this year I've only had to have two layers on and no fleece. Pretty straightforward walk but a few sweaty uphill bits.

Still of course the aim was to try the boots. Well, it went well. They felt a bit weird at first with them having such a stiff sole. You get a sort of rolling effect as you walk. But after half an hour I got used to them and they seem fine. Heavier than my usual boots and I did feel this on the old calves. Just means more training!

More pictures at http://picasaweb.google.com/gough.chris1/SandstoneTrailPt2?feat=directlink (although even though it was a pleasant walk there weren't that many views!)

The boots are in the bag!

After much eBay searching, googling, shop searching, arse scratching and other procrastination, I've got the boots that are going to take me up the mountain. Can't wait to try them out.

Lovely Raichle 60-degree GTX. Every review I've read gives it big thumbs up and I've walked them around the house and they're lovely! The drool is on the other side of the boot!

Crampons, ice axe mmmm, what to do?

More pics from the Shropshire Hills.

http://picasaweb.google.com/markwilliams921/LongMyndMarch2009#

More pics from Snowdonia.

http://picasaweb.google.com/markwilliams921/GlyderFeb2009#

Martin feeling it!!!

Bit of a video from the Glyder walk last week. Martin makes his pain felt!

The Long Mynd Walk

Another Sunday and another walk out into the great wide world. A new location this week - the Long Mynd in Shropshire near Church Stretton. (I remember going there with school 30 odd years ago but apart from that none of us had been there before.

Walked along the Mynd, down through the farmland and Wentnor and then back up the hill before lunch at the top.

Early start today (9am walking) and covered about 8 miles. Bit drizzly at the start but cleared up and the sun broke through - fantastic views from the top! Lots of opportunity for more walks in the area - any takers?

Notice the nice blurry effect on the main picture? That's condensation on the lens from my own personal sweat - yummy! More pictures at http://picasaweb.google.com/gough.chris1/LongMynd1309?feat=directlink and Mr W has more (when he puts them somewhere!)