Oldham Way-ish Part 2

Distance: about 20 miles
Ascent: 650m
Weather: Sunshine and showers, windy

Today we walked the other half of the Oldham Way, along the Crompton Circuit to Tandle Hill, following the Rochdale Canal to Failsworth and back along the Medlock Valley Way.

The were some light showers, but it stayed mostly dry. The recent wet weather meant there was plenty of mud. It was plentiful mud, but not particularly glorious.

Active Recovery

Distance: just over 5 miles
Weather: cloudy, warm in occasional sunshine

Short walk around home, through Pingot Quarry. There's been quite a lot of rain recently.

Oldham Way-ish

Distance: nearly 21 miles
Ascent: 1100m
Weather: heavy rain as we set off, intermittent sunshine and cloudy drizzle later, not as bad as the forecast seemed.
Critters: 2 bunnies, 1 hare, lots of sheep and lambs, lapwings, curlew.

Today's walk vaguely followed the Oldham Way and link paths from home around Lees, Greenfield, Dovestones Reservoir, over Pots and Pans, Diggle (stopping briefly for a cup of tea at the Diggle Hotel.)

We decided not to go over Standedge over Castleshaw, instead following the lower trail though between the reservoirs and over to Denshaw via Broadhead Noddle. New Year's Bridge Reservoir is being worked on at the moment, so the path has been moved slightly here.

The detour on to more tarmac may have been a mistake, as by the end my shins and Rob's knees were aching more than usual.

But we still refused the very kind offer of a lift from the friendly gentlemen who was most concerned that it was about to rain on us...it did, but only a bit of drizzle.

Aiggin Stone Ramble

Distance: 20 miles
Ascent: 800m
Weather: chilly, warmer in the sun, cold wind

Not quite the official Aiggin Stone Ramble, or even the official short version, as we actually walked passed the Aiggen Stone.

Starting from the car park near the aerial (just up the road from Jn22 of the M62), we went around the Windy Hills, under the motorway and to Hollingworth Lake. Then through Littleborough, stopping at the King William IV pub in Shore (which looks very nice and serves food, but has no card machine) for refreshments and over the moors - where we saw a herd of horses roaming free, some pensive cows, a fed up sheep, a very pregnant (or fat) Balwen sheep and a bunny. Down a steep sided hill into Todmorden, we followed the canal (which didn't at all smell of dog poo, unlike last time we went there) for a couple of miles (stopping for a snack and some rucksack faffing) and then up the other side of the valley from Walland up the Light Hazzles. Back along the track by the reservoirs, past the White House Inn, over Blackstone Edge and back along the Pennine Way.

Training Walk

Distance: 10 miles
Ascent: 300m
Weather: cloudy, brightening up later, chill wind
Critters: heron, weasel, several over enthusiastic dogs, frisky horses

Local walk from home, over Brushes Clough and round Strinesdale Reservoir. At Bishops Park we met an obliging weasel who hung around for long enough to be identified as more than 'ooh, a mammal'... Back along the road avoiding the newly fenced horse field and home in time for beer and crisps.

Lambs!

There were many. Test post using Blog It

Low Fell and Fellbarrow

Distance: 5 miles (with 2 additional miles around Loweswater)

Ascent: 500m
Weather: damp, low cloud, claggy on tops
Critters seen: red squirrel, buzzard, many slugs.

We set off walking before 10am to the bleating of sheep and lambs near the lane. Primroses and daffodils lined the path and we saw robins, chaffinches and great tits in the hedgerows. Turning off the lane by a bench announcing that someone was dead, we followed a green terraced path up on to the fellside and up into the clag.
We passed a couple of cairns and dropped down a little path to cross Crabtree Beck and followed the edge of a small wood, rewarded with the sight of a red squirrel in the trees.
Heading upwards, mostly off path, we reached Low Fell (423m) - to meet the same group of walkers that we'd seen yesterday on Grike, recognised mainly by the older chap with his drinking tube perpetually in his mouth.
The tops of the hills were cloudy and wet, we wandered about over various tops (Sourfoot Fell and Smithy Fell) until we reached Fellbarrow (416m) and the dropped down though sheepy, gorsey moorland, until we reached the track, which we followed back to the car. After lunch we had a walk along the shore of Loweswater and back, to look at the views (obscured from the higher places today) and the little lambs.



Wainwrights ticked off this weekend: 8
Remaining: 28

Grike, Crag Fell, Whoap and Lank Rigg Fells

Distance: 8-9 miles

Ascent: 650m
Things of interest seen: Victorian mock stone circle, Sellafield's towers, wobbly stile
Critters: skylarks a singing, sheep, heron, lots of little spiders, horse having a sit down, plovers.

After wringing everything out and leaving to dry on the radiators over night, we were ready to set out on today's walk - hoping it would be a little drier and a little easier going than yesterday's.
Probably should have dried my boots a little better, as my socks were unpleasantly damp after a very little time.
The walk went through forestry commission land, where there we hardly any trees left at all, which led to a moment of navigational confusion, and across boggy moors up to the top of Grike (488m). We looked from a distance at the shelter and cairn (apparently the remains of ancient tumuli) as they were being accessed by a hoard, whom we would see on and off in various numbers throughout the day. Rolling moorland with much bog took us to Crag Fell (523m), with impressive views over Ennerdale.

Down into a gully with conifers it was much warmer, but still very wet underfoot. Over the amusingly named Whoap (511m and pronounced warp - but not by us) and via a gully up to the grassy slopes of Lank Rigg (541m).

We descended via an easy path to Kinniside Common, stopping for a change of socks along the way, and a bit of a detour to go and look at the not so ancient stone circle.
Back to Cockermouth for tea and scones at the Coffee Kitchen.

Easter in the Lakes

Distance: 11 or 12 miles

Ascent: 1500m
Critters seen: lambs from a distance, heard some comedy black grouse, small annoying child.
Weather: wet and increasingly windy

Good Friday was also Wet Friday. After a hearty (lardy) breakfast we headed off under grey low cloud to Causey Pike. The drizzle began after about 25 minutes of walking and got steadily heavier throughout the day. Our walk took in the tops of Causey Pike (637m, scrambly and cloudy), Scar Crags (672m, cloudy and damp), Sail (773m, rain), Eel Crag (839m, rain), Hopegill Head (770m, rain), Whiteside (719m, rain easing slightly here) and Grisedale Pike (791m, rain and very strong winds, and a little more up than we were expecting). We'd done four before, so three more Wainwrights ticked off the list.

Due to very wet conditions, there were few photo opportunities.

Slopes of Causey Pike

Notes: re-waterproofing of trousers and coat is required asap.