Country Rambling / Hill Walking 2008

Thought I'd start a new thread -- the old one kind of died out (except for me posting anyway - heeee).  Jules moved back to the US & for awhile there, I was wondering if it was only Jules & myself at it.  But I know HME is out there & a few others hopefully too, so out with the old & in with the new!  (I know - I still have yet to do a Ramblers Thread on 'Just Do It' & I will get around to it...)

Today, we did a walk to 'Emmerdale'.   (http://www.emmerdale.org/emmerdale/pictures/esholt.htm)

I've never watched the soap myself.  A lady I used to work with attended the university here in the town where I live & she said the cast used to hang out here in my town (on my street) all the time -- which I wouldn't know them if I ever did see them.

It was a short-ish walk of around 4 miles or so, but not the nicest routing that my DH could have done.  There was a super muddy stretch, some by the Bradford golf course, and a stretch by a truly vile smelly waste water treatment facility.

We are toying with the idea of doing another long distance walk this year -  possibly The Cumbrian Way - about 68-70 miles in the Lake District from the Morecambe Bay area to Carlisle.  I *finally* have proper good Gore-Tex waterproofs!

A friend and I started up a walking group about three years ago and it's now grown into about 30 friends-of-friends (though we get about 4-8 on each walk usually) and we go every third Saturday of the month. Each month someone different curates and we usually choose something from one of the Time Out Book Of Country Walks. It's excellent for us since we're all in London so it gives you the time to be at the train station, exactly where to go ("turn left from Platform B and cross over a stile and continue for 50 meters" etc), there's always an amazing country pub in the middle, and you end up back at a train station in the end. We always have a great time and it's nice to get some fresh air for a change.

There's an official walking group for the books who do a different walk every Saturday so if you don't know anyone else who likes rambling you can just show up on a Saturday and meet some nice people, too.

If anyone is in South Bucks, there's a Sunday walk in Burnham that I've been thinking of starting up with....

If you do the Cumbrian Way, Carolyn, you'll have to let us know as come April we'll be living just south of Carlisle. DH knows the Lakes well and would be an avid rambler if he had the time. He's done some of the big stuff up there and I'm sure would be happy to pass on tips and suggestions!

This makes me wish I lived somewhere worth rambling, rather the flat heart of the fens

When we walk, we use Jarrold's Pathfinder series. They're great walks, mostly circular, and always with good details about parking and pubs.

This makes me wish I lived somewhere worth rambling, rather the flat heart of the fens

I'm sure the above series has something near where you live! 

Can I be in?     Even though my rambling is more like strolling and stumbling? And my hill walking is more like stepping, panting, stopping to "admire the view", stepping, panting...   

Can I be in?     Even though my rambling is more like strolling and stumbling? And my hill walking is more like stepping, panting, stopping to "admire the view", stepping, panting...   

Mine also involves stopping for a lovely picnic and bottle of wine! 

If you do the Cumbrian Way, Carolyn, you'll have to let us know as come April we'll be living just south of Carlisle. DH knows the Lakes well and would be an avid rambler if he had the time. He's done some of the big stuff up there and I'm sure would be happy to pass on tips and suggestions!

Will definitely let you know!

This makes me wish I lived somewhere worth rambling, rather the flat heart of the fens.

OS Landranger Map sheet 131
OS Explorer - Active Map sheet 249
http://leisure.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/leisure/ItemDetails.jsp?item=jarrold_pathfinderguide_51
http://leisure.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/leisure/ItemDetails.jsp?item=jarrold_pathfinderguide_50

Even though my rambling is more like strolling and stumbling? And my hill walking is more like stepping, panting, stopping to "admire the view", stepping, panting...   

Hey - that's me!  I've even done it over long distances...

And yes definitely to pubs, picnics, wine & even maybe a nap along the way if the daylight is long & the weather is warm...

Good to see the London & South Bucks contingents checking in as well.

Thank you Mrs. R!   

Thank you Mrs. R!   

This site also has a number of Lincolnshire walks books to suggest:

http://www.walkingpages.co.uk/places/CP_lincolnshire_intro.htm

Including pub & various village walks.  Although I usually just go into Borders Books & peruse the selection of walks books they have there.  Not sure if you have a car or not, but we commonly drive a ways (all around the Yorkshire Dales & sometimes further afield) to the start of particular walk.

I've done a few walks in Norfolk in some pretty areas (my in-laws live outside Norwich), but have not done any in Lincolnshire.

That's because my area is just miles and miles of flat farmland.  That means a faint dungy smell    But in the spring it's marvellous, with all the tulips and daffys blooming.  We're not called South Holland for nothing!

That means a faint dungy smell   

It's just that fresh country air!

I just bought some good boots in preparation for my Canada trip I could ramble in - though my idea of rambling is more stopping at pubs.  I like super easy routes with good scenery - lazy me! 

I just bought some good boots in preparation for my Canada trip I could ramble in - though my idea of rambling is more stopping at pubs.  I like super easy routes with good scenery - lazy me! 

Not sure how far you are able to walk at one stretch, mapleleafgirl72 -- but there are some relatively easy (flat) walks we've done here not too far from us, in the Golden Acre Park area & one had a really nice pub along the way as I recall.  I'll ask Steve about them, cos I'd be up for doing them again!  He'll remember I'm sure because he moaned about the walk at the time - oh this is more like flat old Norfolk, not a proper (rugged up & down) Yorkshire walk...