Author Archives: Paul Shorrock

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About Paul Shorrock

I've been mucking about in the mountains for longer than I care to mention. I started out by walking my local hills, then went on to rock climbing, mountaineering and skiing. Still doing it, and still getting a buzz. I'm now sharing the fun, through my guided walking business (Hillcraft Guided Walking) and by writing routes for other publishers, mainly Walking World and Discovery Walking Guides. Just to make sure I keep really busy, I am also currently a member of my local mountain rescue team.

 #111 – A soggy day in the hills of Mid-Wales

Posted on 07/01/2013 by Paul Shorrock

If you wanted to describe Wales in one word, you wouldn’t go far wrong with “hilly”!  What’s more, hills are usually a good excuse for a walk, so when we visited friends at Llandrindod in Powys over Christmas, the rucksacks … Continue reading →

Posted in 6. Mid and South Wales | Tagged , , , , | 12 Comments

#110 – Happy New Year!

Posted on 31/12/2012 by Paul Shorrock

Have a ‘magical’ New Year in 2013 – best wishes from Paul, Chris and Border Collie ‘Mist’. Text and images © Paul Shorrock p.s. The above image was taken just before Christmas, on a walk in the Elen Valley in … Continue reading →

Posted in 1. Scotland, 2. Lake District, 3. Yorkshire Dales, 4. Northern England, 5. North Wales, 6. Mid and South Wales, 7. Everywhere Else! | Tagged , , | 10 Comments

#109 – Have a good (and safe) Christmas!!

Posted on 24/12/2012 by Paul Shorrock

What’s all this then?  Shouldn’t you be doing something Christmasey instead of reading this?  Well, seeing as you’re here, here’s a repeat of a blog I did a couple of years ago when I lived in Yorkshire – I’ve told … Continue reading →

Posted in 2. Lake District, 5. North Wales, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , | 9 Comments

#108 – Pen yr Ole Wen. A promising start to the winter season in the mountains of North Wales

Posted on 17/12/2012 by Paul Shorrock

Pen yr Ole Wen isn’t exactly what I would describe as one of the ‘jewels in the crown’ of Snowdonia.  It’s a lump of a hill, almost literally sitting in the shadow of Tryfan, despite the fact that it is … Continue reading →

Posted in 5. North Wales | Tagged , , , , , , , | 28 Comments

#107 – Training ‘Search and Rescue’ Dogs – The story continues ….

Posted on 10/12/2012 by Paul Shorrock

The Search and Rescue Dog Association of Wales (SARDA Cymru) holds two assessment weekends every year, where novice dogs demonstrate their searching abilities, and qualified dogs progress to a higher level.  Originally intended to search for lost or injured people … Continue reading →

Posted in 5. North Wales | Tagged , , , , , , , | 14 Comments

#106 – ” …. Sack it to me ….!”

Posted on 03/12/2012 by Paul Shorrock

My wife doesn’t understand me (as the saying goes).  Is it so difficult to understand that an outdoors chap needs more than one rucksack?  Well, this one does anyway.  I’m also a ‘label’ man – I tend to stick with … Continue reading →

Posted in 5. North Wales | Tagged , , , , , | 25 Comments

#105 – Lost in the Clwydian Hills

Posted on 26/11/2012 by Paul Shorrock

My local hills, the Clwydian Range, are not the highest hills in Wales by a long way, though it’s the first high ground you drive through as you enter North Wales from England.  The highest summit is Moel Famau (see … Continue reading →

Posted in 5. North Wales | Tagged , , , , | 15 Comments

#104 –A short jog over the Pennine Moors! – ‘Spine Race’ training weekend in the Yorkshire/Lancashire Pennines

Posted on 19/11/2012 by Paul Shorrock

By any stretch of the imagination, completing the Pennine Way on foot is going to be a challenge.  It’s 268 miles (431 kms) of rough, boggy terrain along the backbone of England, exposed to the worst weather that an English … Continue reading →

Posted in 4. Northern England | Tagged , , , , , | 16 Comments

#103 – Ski mountaineering in Snowdonia – in November?!!

Posted on 12/11/2012 by Paul Shorrock

It’s not often you can have a skiing day in Snowdonia in November – it’s probably such a rare event that it just doesn’t happen.  It didn’t happen last weekend either, but the next best thing did – a ski-mountaineering … Continue reading →

Posted in 5. North Wales, 7. Everywhere Else! | Tagged , , , , , , | 9 Comments

#102 – Arenig Fach – Another Welsh mountain gem (or should that be a rough diamond?)

Posted on 05/11/2012 by Paul Shorrock

It seemed like a good idea.  Six weeks earlier Chris and I had walked Rhinog Fawr (post #95) and after being seduced by a forecast of fine weather, I had gone out two days later and walked a much longer … Continue reading →

Posted in 5. North Wales | Tagged , , , | 15 Comments