Walking close to home

Following up to Geoff Berrow

Quoted message said:

I'd planned on going on an organised walk in the Peak District on Sunday
but my car broke down and I had to get the AA out.

I have taken to going for walks along the Thames path when at
home, if millions of tourists are willing to spend their holidays
here at some cost, it must have something going for it... and it
has! Its not Wasdale, but where is?
--
Mike Reid
Virtual Thames walk "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk/thamesphoto.htm"

The Reids said:

Its not Wasdale, but where is?

Wasdale, fairly obviously... ;-)

Not that Wasdale's a /bad/ place, but I can think of a lot of places I'd
sooner visit, generally on account of an order of magnitude (or 2!)
fewer people being there at the same time.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

The Reids <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

Following up to Geoff Berrow

Quoted message said:

I'd planned on going on an organised walk in the Peak District on Sunday
but my car broke down and I had to get the AA out.

I have taken to going for walks along the Thames path when at
home, if millions of tourists are willing to spend their holidays
here at some cost, it must have something going for it... and it
has! Its not Wasdale, but where is?

The Thames can be very atmospheric at sunrise, before the locks open. I
shot some movie film on a Thames cruiser holiday when the ducks woke us
up with a start by padding about on the cabin roof. :-)
--
Gordon

Gordon said:

The Reids <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

Following up to Geoff Berrow

Quoted message said:

I'd planned on going on an organised walk in the Peak District on Sunday
but my car broke down and I had to get the AA out.

I have taken to going for walks along the Thames path when at
home, if millions of tourists are willing to spend their holidays
here at some cost, it must have something going for it... and it
has! Its not Wasdale, but where is?

The Thames can be very atmospheric at sunrise, before the locks open.

The one at the top of this page was taken by Northmoor Lock
http://www.p-t-cook.freeserve.co.uk/thames/thames.htm

Now sunrise is a bit later I must get off my backside on my day off -
having to get up at o'dark thirty for work makes me averse to doing it
on my day off too - and explore some of the estuary between Gravesend
and Hoo. The Swale can be very atmospheric too.
--
Phil Cook looking north over the park to the "Westminster Gasworks"

Phil Cook said:

The one at the top of this page was taken by Northmoor Lock
http://www.p-t-cook.freeserve.co.uk/thames/thames.htm

Very nice - that looks like it was a good walk, for darn Sarf!

--

Paul

(Watch this space)

Peter Clinch said:

Not that Wasdale's a /bad/ place, but I can think of a lot of places I'd
sooner visit, generally on account of an order of magnitude (or 2!)
fewer people being there at the same time.

I very much like Wasdale, and would really like places that were
order(s) of magnitude quieter (especially as I tend to walk for solitude
myself). Are you willing to spill the beans, Pete?
Mark
--
Mark Manning [email hidden]

"Mark Manning" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Peter Clinch said:

Not that Wasdale's a /bad/ place, but I can think of a lot of places I'd
sooner visit, generally on account of an order of magnitude (or 2!)
fewer people being there at the same time.

I very much like Wasdale, and would really like places that were
order(s) of magnitude quieter (especially as I tend to walk for solitude
myself). Are you willing to spill the beans, Pete?
Mark

Generally best done with a map picking your own route, avoiding anywhere
people have heard of! An alternative is to get up early. Had a very pleasant
walk up the Langdale Pikes on a nice Saturday in March. Set off from car
park (only car in there) at 8.30. Almost no-one on the way up and on top but
hundreds on the way down from Stickle Tarn :o(. A 7.30 start would have been
better. Haven't fone it myself but walking in moonlight is supposed to be
excellent as well.

--
Bob Mannix
(anti-spam is as easy as 1-2-3 - not)

Mark Manning said:

I very much like Wasdale, and would really like places that were
order(s) of magnitude quieter (especially as I tend to walk for solitude
myself). Are you willing to spill the beans, Pete?

The basic problem with the Lake District is it's not too big a drive for
several million people (> 2.5 million in Greater Manchester area, for
example) with nothing else quite like it for alternatives. So it's
relatively crowded.
One reason I chose to live in Scotland when the opportunity arose was
that it has a lot more isolated spots and a lot fewer people. So the
bean spillage isn't anything that radical: you've just got to get out of
the honeypots.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch Medical Physics IT Officer
Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Univ. of Dundee, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK
net [email hidden] http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/

Quoted message said:

Generally best done with a map picking your own route, avoiding anywhere
people have heard of! An alternative is to get up early. Had a very pleasant
walk up the Langdale Pikes on a nice Saturday in March. Set off from car
park (only car in there) at 8.30. Almost no-one on the way up and on top but
hundreds on the way down from Stickle Tarn :o(. A 7.30 start would have been
better. Haven't fone it myself but walking in moonlight is supposed to be
excellent as well.

Early starts work well in the Lakes.. Often dont start seeing folk on
the tops until c.1030-1100am. All goes quiet at tea time too.

Also in Wales, I have been up to the summit of Yr Wyddfa after climbs
in evenings and it has usually been pretty quiet. The world is full
of 9-5ers.

Richard Webb

Following up to Peter Clinch

Quoted message said:

Wasdale, fairly obviously... ;-)

Oh, yeah, you're right :-)

Quoted message said:

Not that Wasdale's a /bad/ place, but I can think of a lot of places I'd
sooner visit, generally on account of an order of magnitude (or 2!)
fewer people being there at the same time.

I go in autumn/winter, when you get the advantages of having a
pub etc without the crowds you get in summer. Often have the bar
to ourselves:-
"http://www.fellwalk.co.uk/wasdup8a.htm"
--
Mike Reid
Wasdale-Lake district-Thames path-London "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk" <-- you can email us@ this site
Eat-walk-Spain "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk" <-- dontuse@ all, it's a spamtrap

Many thanks to everyone for their suggestions. I actually *do* get
to the Lakeland fells at off-peak times, as I wildcamp; I've had Crinkle
Crags to myself at 1800 on a summer evening, Scafell Pike to myself at 0945
on a misty spring morning. And being in the west of the District is
definitely better from the point of view of the crowds.

As for living in Scotland; I've done it before (before I discovered the
joys of the hills, sadly), and it's suddenly starting to look very attractive
again, from a number of points of view! A long term hope, but a possibility.
Mark
--
Mark Manning [email hidden]

Mark Manning' wrote after Peter Clinch said:

Quoted message said:

Not that Wasdale's a /bad/ place, but I can think of a lot of places I'd
sooner visit, generally on account of an order of magnitude (or 2!)
fewer people being there at the same time.

I very much like Wasdale, and would really like places that were
order(s) of magnitude quieter (especially as I tend to walk for solitude
myself). Are you willing to spill the beans, Pete?

Exmoor!

--
Regards
Bob
In Runnymede, 17 miles West of London

"Phil Cook" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Gordon said:

The Reids <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

Following up to Geoff Berrow

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

The Thames can be very atmospheric at sunrise, before the locks open.

The one at the top of this page was taken by Northmoor Lock
http://www.p-t-cook.freeserve.co.uk/thames/thames.htm

Now sunrise is a bit later I must get off my backside on my day off -
having to get up at o'dark thirty for work makes me averse to doing it
on my day off too - and explore some of the estuary between Gravesend
and Hoo. The Swale can be very atmospheric too.

I would love to be on Cliffe marshes for dawn, just to see how beautiful it
could be. Was there one afternoon a couple of months ago and it looked great
and sounded so peaceful too.
Do you know who owns/manages the old Curtis and Harvey munitions factory
site there? I saw the signs but now forget who it was...

Nick

Following up to The Reids

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Not that Wasdale's a /bad/ place, but I can think of a lot of places I'd
sooner visit, generally on account of an order of magnitude (or 2!)
fewer people being there at the same time.

I go in autumn/winter, when you get the advantages of having a
pub etc without the crowds you get in summer. Often have the bar
to ourselves:-

I didn't explain that fully. The things I like about Wasdale are
partly the attractive hills and lake and a good choice of walks
without moving the car but also the existence of a small
community with a pub/hotel that I have got to know fairly well
over the years. Yes, there are lots of quieter places (although,
as I said, I avoid the crowds) but there are few with the
combination of a weeks good walking plus the "crack" afterwards
in the bar. I don't really see the other walkers as a downside
at all. I don't feel the need to be the only person on the hill.
--
Mike Reid
Wasdale "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk/page01.htm"
(see website for email)

The Reids said:

I didn't explain that fully. The things I like about Wasdale are
partly the attractive hills and lake and a good choice of walks
without moving the car but also the existence of a small
community with a pub/hotel that I have got to know fairly well
over the years. Yes, there are lots of quieter places (although,
as I said, I avoid the crowds) but there are few with the
combination of a weeks good walking plus the "crack" afterwards
in the bar. I don't really see the other walkers as a downside
at all. I don't feel the need to be the only person on the hill.

I agree. It's the best place in England/Wales. In any case, it's quite
possible to avoid the crowds if you start early. Midweek, out of
season, even easier to miss them. I've probably had every summit in
the area entirely to myself at one time or another. But like you, I
don't object to meeting other people anyway.

--

Paul

(Watch this space)

Following up to Paul

Quoted message said:

I've probably had every summit in
the area entirely to myself at one time or another.

The tougher one being Scafell Pike. Last week at the summit I
wandered over to Mickledore to eat lunch, away from the group
photos at the summit. Two parties came along while there. One
asked the way to Scafell, the other the way to Scafell Pike!

Odd effect. On the summit it was clearish with a thin mist of
cloud but you could still see all summits through it. Except
Scafell, which was hidden behind a much thicker cloud, the edges
of which didn't really show up in the mist. I thought my eyes (or
navigation) were deceiving me!
--
Mike Reid
Wasdale-Thames path-London-photos "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk" <-- you can email us@ this site
Eat-walk-Spain "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk" <-- dontuse@ all, it's a spamtrap

Paul <[email hidden]> wrote

Quoted message said:

In any case, it's quite
possible to avoid the crowds if you start early. Midweek, out of
season, even easier to miss them. I've probably had every summit in
the area entirely to myself at one time or another. But like you, I
don't object to meeting other people anyway.

Really?
You avoided the only expedition I attended, and who can blame you?.

I enjoy meeting like-minded people, although I don't like crowds, or
queuing up at stiles.

Those who are unsociable are best staying away from others.
It must be difficult to make conversation amid the whirring of deftly
manipulated poles, anyway. :-)
--
Gordon

The Reids said:

The tougher one being Scafell Pike. Last week at the summit I
wandered over to Mickledore to eat lunch, away from the group
photos at the summit. Two parties came along while there. One
asked the way to Scafell, the other the way to Scafell Pike!

I presume their compasses had failed? Did you send the Scafell seekers
up Broad Stand?

Quoted message said:

Odd effect. On the summit it was clearish with a thin mist of
cloud but you could still see all summits through it. Except
Scafell, which was hidden behind a much thicker cloud, the edges
of which didn't really show up in the mist. I thought my eyes (or
navigation) were deceiving me!

You get some strange effects.

Scafell Pike is usually well populated but there is a good chance of
it being deserted early on a November weekday morning, as long as it's
not half term. I may do a trip next month.

Btw - not Wasdale, I know, but the LAMRT have an open evening on 27th
Oct. Anyone going?

--

Paul

(Watch this space)

Following up to Paul

Quoted message said:

Two parties came along while there. One

Quoted message said:

asked the way to Scafell, the other the way to Scafell Pike!

I presume their compasses had failed? Did you send the Scafell seekers
up Broad Stand?

I pointed out its inadvisability and directed them downwards to
foxes Tarn!
A MRT member told me he has been asked (in clear weather) on Eel
Crag if its Scafell Pike, he answered "heres a clue, its the
highest mountain in England" !
--
Mike Reid
Wasdale-Thames path-London-photos "http://www.fellwalk.co.uk" <-- you can email us@ this site
Eat-walk-Spain "http://www.fell-walker.co.uk" <-- dontuse@ all, it's a spamtrap