Tuesday, 21 June 2016

Great Orme - Llandudno (North Wales)

Some pictures from a walk up the Great Orme at Llandudno

The pier from the road which encircles the Great Orme

Looking across Llandudno bay


Looking back to the pier

A group of children making their way to the summit

The disused cable car station at th esummit

The view from the summit looking towards Anglesey

The summit station - The tramway terminal is on the left

The trig point at the summit with a view of Llandudno



Yours truly at the trig point

The tramway track is seen on the right

Approaching the town

Passing the ascending tram

Sunday, 19 June 2016

A Sponsored Walk taking in the Coniston Old Man range of summits

The six walkers (plus Anne, behind the camera) setting off from Holly How Hostel in Coniston 

Starting the climb from the Copper Mines Valley

Passing through the disused slate quarries

When the going gets tough.....

Climbing past Low Water.....

......and entering the clouds with Coniston Village and part of the lake just visible

Now looking down on Low Water with the Zig Zag path climbing up.

Then the summit cairn of The Old Man comes into view (2,634ft)

First objective reached

Yours truly at the summit trig point

Looking back from Swirl How over the intervening summits of Brim Fell, Coniston Old Man and Dow Crag in the distance with Morecambe Bay on the horizon

...and looking ahead to our final summit of Wetherlam 2,502 ft

The Langdale Fells with Pike O' Stickle central

Nearing our destination back in the Copper Mines Valley

All down safe and sound objective achieved!

Saturday, 4 June 2016

Pennine Way - The Last Day- Windy Gyle to Kirk Yetholm

Looking back to Russell's Cairn 
(appropriately named) on Windy Gyle

Still climbing as the low cloud begins to lift......

.....and the views begin to appear to the west.....

.... and the south

Reaching the point where the 1 mile detour to The Cheviot summit (815m) leaves the main path

Next the long climb up to Auchope Cairn 

More Pennine Way walkers catching us up.

Fells and valleys in every direction


Then the descent to the Mountain Refuge shelter before the next ascent up The Schil (601m) 

Inside the refuge for lunch out of the strong wind

Basic but life saving in a storm

The Refuge in its dramatic setting below The Cheviot


Climbing The Schil.....

...and looking back behind

Part of the summit rocky outcrop

Beginning the 4.5 mile descent to Kirk Yetholm (Scottish Borders)

Following the Halter valley down. 

Is this a giant Tunnock's Wafer biscuit?

Or a container full of them?

A final look back at the Cheviot hills

Then joining up with St Cuthbert's way (Melrose to Lindisfarne) 

Kirk Yetholm just round the corner

The Border Hotel is the official end of the Pennine Way, 268 miles from The Old Nags Head at Edale in Derbyshire.....

....and still standing! 

Having claimed the certificate and free half pint in the hotel.


Some facts about the Pennine Way -
All you ever wanted to know and much you didn't about the Pennine Way.
Michael did it in 30 separate outings over about 18 months (due to an accident near Hexham in April 2015.)  Quite a lot were circular walks taking in a stretch of the Pennine Way. The longest section  was 18 miles.  The total distance was approx. 268miles. The total ascent was a 12,000m or 39,360ft - 1.5 Everests!

The record for the Pennine Way is 2days 17hrs 20mins 15secs! An average of 4.1mph for 65 hours!

There are 249 stiles, 204 bridges, 287 gates. There is much more like this at https://www.thebmc.co.uk/50-facts-about-the-Pennine-Way-anniversary