Through the wind, through the rain, the snow, the wind, the rain: 22nd February 2015

After last week on the west side of Widdop I wanted to head east then up and around White Hill. It started to rain as I left home and as I approached the car park layby, it was a sleety blizzard. Whilst I got my boots on the boot of the car practically filled with sleet.

Fairly quickly I decided just to visit Lower, Middle and Upper Walshaw Dean reservoirs instead of my circular route. It was soon clear that walking into the wind and sleet would be very unpleasant even if I did it at the start of the walk. So I kept the wet stuff to the side and back and went to the end of the 3 reservoirs and then returned the same way. It’s a very clear track. White Hill was a proper whiteout with thick fog as well as snow on it so I think my decision was quite sensible. Walking back was probably as horrid a walk as I’ve ever had with what felt like pins of snow flying into my face. I should have put my contact lenses in although my specs were some protection against pins in the eyes so should have dug out my goggles as well. I was wearing a hat with a big bobble on it, the bobble pushed up against the hood of my anorak which then kept blowing off in the wind.

It was lovely to get back to the car where I had a bite to eat and some delicious if rather expensive Charbonnel and Walker hot chocolate! Then I went and bought a bobbleless hat at Springfield Camping.

Almost solarisation a la Man Ray!
Almost solarisation a la Man Ray!

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Walshaw Dean Upper
Walshaw Dean Upper

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Des res?!
Des res?!
Not a happy bunny
Not a happy bunny

Please visit Map and Compass and learn how to interpret a map and use a compass with me and my navigation partner, Cath.

MAPandCOMPASS

Widdop and Gorple Reservoirs 15th February 2015

This is a walk I’ve done many times and cycled it too. Today I went from Widdop dam and up to the rocks at Shuttleworth Moor and Black Moor overlooking Upper Gorple reservoir. Across to Upper Gorple on a permissive path and then to Lower Gorple reservoir. It was mainly misty with the odd glimpse of sun. I took a path that was new to me to get back across to Widdop. It went through a boggy and gloomy wood where most of the trees had died. The path had been moved which I only realised because I had to check a bearing when I got out of the wood. Then crossed a good chunk of featureless moorland and came out at the top of Cludders Slack. I don’t know what that means but I like it. Some really vast rocks litter the hillsides round here.

Widdop reservoir
Widdop reservoir
Cludders Slack
Cludders Slack
Lower Gorple reservoir
Lower Gorple reservoir
Upper Gorple reservoir
Upper Gorple reservoir
Widdop reservoir
Widdop reservoir
Cludders Slack
Cludders Slack
Widdop reservoir
Widdop reservoir

Please visit Map and Compass and learn how to interpret a map and use a compass with me and my navigation partner, Cath.

MAPandCOMPASS

Wintry walks February 2015

Last weekend Cath and I walked from the Shepherd’s Rest at Lumbutts around the hill and across to Gaddings Dam. We were checking a route for Cath and generally enjoying being out on the snow. At one point we took a right of way on the map that wasn’t visible on the ground and it was nice to see that our bearings worked out and good to keep in practice. Very chilly but lovely in the sun.

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Intrepid Cath
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Stoodley Pike from Gaddings
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Gaddings

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This weekend I walked from the Hinchliffe Arms in Cragg Vale, going up through the woods behind the pub onto the hill. Very soon I met a group of 4 roe deer who scooted away, I walked carefully and came upon them again but they shot off again. After the wood up onto a very icy track to the road above Withens Clough reservoir. It started off lovely and sunny and was almost warm but then fogged over big time and again very nippy in the wind. Across the top of the dam and then a very neat contour along a drain and up by Tenter Wood where cloth used to be dried on tenter hooks (so my friend Babs assures me). Back down past a couple of houses where they’ve made a feature of the footpath and turned it into a lovely dry gravel path. Some geese skating on an icy pond and then the 4 deer again.

Apart from some not very well behaved dogs, an atmospheric walk in the cold and mist, very Bronte-esque!

Near Tenter wood
Near Tenter wood
Wood behind the Hinchliffe
Wood behind the Hinchliffe

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Withens Clough reservoir
Withens Clough reservoir

 

Please visit Map and Compass and learn how to interpret a map and use a compass with me and my navigation partner, Cath.

MAPandCOMPASS

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