hike | camp | paint
It's really rather nice sitting here by Derwentwater taking in the views and attempting to transfer them to paper, and I don't regret the way today's plans have worked out at all. Never has a walk plan changed so much as today's has. Having made sketchy arrangements to meet up with Paul (@paulgbuck) for a … Continue reading Autumn in the Lakes: Arty Stuff
All is dark when I finally arrive in Windermere, after some nail-biting moments on the train journey up, wondering if I would make my connections at Preston and Oxenholme. Not wanting to wait for the bus, when there's a taxi right here, I hop in the car and minutes later am at Ambleside youth hostel, … Continue reading Autumn in the Lakes: Nature’s Palette
The Cox Tor and Pew Tor Figure of 8 We repeat the process of 24 hours before and assemble in the Fox Tor before piling into cars for the short drive out to the start of the walk. Mist shrouds the top of North Hessary Tor as we drive out of Princetown, with the top … Continue reading Falling in Love with Dartmoor – Part 3: Some Strange Behaviour
It’s not a brilliant night’s sleep, due to Strange Bed Syndrome, and the fact that I never sleep that well in a dorm. I’m relieved when light comes and it’s time to get up. We head for the Fox Tor for breakfast and to await Rich’s arrival from the overnight sleeper to Plymouth. I glance … Continue reading Falling in Love with Dartmoor – Part 2: Granite and Funny Names
“…Dartmoor contains such a rich variety of landscape, as many boulders, foaming rivers and twisted trees as my heart could ever desire. . . . ” ― Alan Lee The Pull of the Moor I’m driving along the road from Moretonhampstead, an exercise in narrow twisty lanes and dodging big puddles of standing rainwater, none of which … Continue reading Falling in Love with Dartmoor – Part 1: The Introduction
I mulled over for ages trying to come up with a witty title for this post, but nothing seemed to work, so I've stuck with the factual. The goal of this walk was actually quite simple - to walk from Erith, where I finished the London LOOP earlier this week, to Gravesend, where I start … Continue reading A 13 mile walk made a lot harder