It’s intended that this blog will get a weekly update as to what I’ve been getting up to in the hills over the previous week.  However, there’s not much to add today, as I started the blog in the middle of last week, and since then I’ve been tied up with domestic and social stuff.

The social bit was a family christening in North Wales.  We stayed at our in-laws house in the Clwydian hills, and on Sunday morning had great views of Snowdonia, with Moel Siabod, the Snowdon group and Tryfan and the Glyderau being easy to pick out.  The black ridge of Tryfan standing out against the snow covered Glyderau was especially impressive.

Things to do at home this week, but I’m aiming to get a day out in the snow on Thursday or Friday, depending on weather – it’s great being able to pick the day with the best conditions!  The dilemma will be Lakes or Snowdonia.  In the meantime it’s back to catching up with the writing.  I’ve one route to complete for Walking World, and then have to get stuck into the next project for Discovery Walking Guides.

The Walking World route is one that few of you will know of.  It’s a short(ish) walk near New Radnor in Mid-Wales that visits a waterfall with the brilliant name of “Water-break-its-neck”.  Not the biggest waterfall in the world, but one of the longest names!  After the waterfall, the walk continues on a short moorland wander round the top of Warren Wood.  The route starts at grid ref SO 186 598, and its Walking World ID number is 5854 – it makes a great short day out, and should be published on WW over the next couple of weeks.

The Discovery project is a walking guide to Snowdonia.  Discovery are unique in that they include the GPS track log recorded by the writer, and they are very much working in the digital age – when the guide is finished, it will be published initially in digital form for customers to download.

A lot of planning has already gone in to the project.  I have 34 routes lined up, including the Snowdonia classics, plus a representative selection of routes in all the hill groups of Snowdonia.  Of these, I already have GPS track logs and photos for 14 of the routes, and these need to be tidied up and sent to Discovery to assess their suitability for inclusion in the guide.  That leaves 20 still to be walked.

So, better get on with it then………

© Paul Shorrock