#141– Two men and a dog, and the highest noodle bar in the UK (Having a fun time on ‘The Spine Race’!)

Posted on 06/10/2013 by Paul Shorrock
Two men and a dog ….

Two men and a dog ….

…. and the highest noodle bar in the UK (JB)

…. and the highest noodle bar in the UK (JB)

“Do you fancy a couple of days up at Greg’s Hut in January?”

Greg’s Hut in January, altitude 700 metres - outlook bleak!

Greg’s Hut in January, altitude 700 metres – outlook bleak!

If anyone other than John Bamber had asked the question, I would probably have answered with a reply that included sex and travel!  For those who don’t know it, Greg’s Hut is a bothy, high on the flanks of Cross Fell in the Pennines.  At 700 metres altitude, it can be cold and cheerless in summer, so the prospect of staying there in a Pennine winter was not on my short list of ‘Fun Things To Do’.  Why did I say, “Sounds like a good idea” ? … Ask the dog ….

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Posted in 4. Northern England, Bothy days | Tagged , , , , , , | 31 Comments

#140 – The Berwyns – Gnarly little hills!

Posted on 23/09/2013 by Paul Shorrock
The Berwyn Hills (BB)

The Berwyn Hills (BB)

The mountains of North Wales attract hill-walkers and mountaineers from all over the UK and beyond, and no wonder.  The peaks of Snowdonia are the ones that people drive miles for, but there are hidden ranges of hills that no one talks about much.  Some of these hills aren’t even all that high, but they are gnarly little blighters!  People often write about the long views, the big skies, etc – they usually fail to mention the bogs and the waist high heather though ……

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Posted in 5. North Wales | Tagged , , , , , | 16 Comments

#139 – Yr Wyddfa the quiet way (The South Ridge of Snowdon)

Posted on 09/09/2013 by Paul Shorrock
The South Ridge of Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon)

The South Ridge of Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon)

Yr Wyddfa (or Snowdon as we English call it) is one of the most visited mountain peaks in the UK.  Being the highest mountain in Wales (and higher than anything in England) is guaranteed to bring in the crowds, but the rack-and-pinion railway that runs from Llanberis to the summit also boosts the number of visitors.  Yr Wyddfa is not the place to seek solitude, but going up via the south Ridge is the best bet to have a quiet day.

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Posted in 5. North Wales | Tagged , , , , , | 24 Comments

#138 – “To Hergest Ridge you should come ….”

Posted on 27/08/2013 by Paul Shorrock

“So if you feel a little glum,

To Hergest Ridge you should come.

In summer, winter, rain or sun,

It’s good to be on horseback”.   From “On Horseback” by Mike Oldfield

Border Collie ‘Mist’ chilling out on Hergest Ridge

Border Collie ‘Mist’ chilling out on Hergest Ridge

In 1973 an unknown musician released an album that shot straight to the top of the album charts.  Mike Oldfield’s Tubular Bells was the first title on the newly formed Virgin record label, and it helped to make Richard Branson a very happy (and rich) man!  The follow up album in 1974 entered the album charts at number 1 only to be displaced by its predecessor, Tubular Bells – which must have made Richard Branson even happier (and richer)!  The follow up album was called Hergest Ridge.

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Posted in 6. Mid and South Wales | Tagged , , , , | 13 Comments

#137 – Three days in the Aran Hills of Wales (Part 3)

Posted on 12/08/2013 by Paul Shorrock
The start of the Aran Ridge from Llanuwchllyn near Llyn Tegid (Bala Lake)

The start of the Aran Ridge from Llanuwchllyn near Llyn Tegid (Bala Lake)

Our two previous days in the Aran Hills (see posts #135 and #136) had been in ‘typical’ UK summer conditions, with conditions varying from cool to wet.  However, out in the Atlantic the weather systems were shaping up for a big change, and within a week the July heat-wave had arrived.  I still had one more Aran trip planned, and it looked as though it was going to be a warm one.

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Posted in 5. North Wales | Tagged , , , | 19 Comments

#136 – Three days in the Aran Hills of Wales (Part 2)

Posted on 29/07/2013 by Paul Shorrock
Cwm Cywarch in the Aran Hills

Cwm Cywarch in the Aran Hills

The Aran Hills – day 1 (#135) in red, day 2 in blue

The Aran Hills – day 1 (#135) in red, day 2 in blue

A closer view of the area

A closer view of the area

The first day in the Aran Hills (see post #135) had included Aran Fawddwy (905 metres), the highest peak in the range, but I had left Glasgwm (780 metres) for the next day.  Dull weather conditions gave no clue that the rare event of a British heat-wave was just a few days away, but there would be no heat-wave on this trip.

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Posted in 5. North Wales | Tagged , , , | 9 Comments

#135 – Three days in the Aran Hills of Wales (Part 1)

Posted on 15/07/2013 by Paul Shorrock
The Aran Ridge, seen from the southeast

The Aran Ridge, seen from the southeast

So, where are these Aran Hills then?  I Have to confess that for years I didn’t have a clue where they were, and I didn’t get round to tracking them down until a year or two ago.  It was only in the last month that I actually got my boots on the ground, and discovered yet another hidden corner of Wales, ignored by many.

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

#134 – A wander up Foel Grach

Posted on 01/07/2013 by Paul Shorrock
Looking towards Foel Grach in the wild hills of the Carneddau

Looking towards Foel Grach in the wild hills of the Carneddau

The hills and mountains of the Carneddau of North Wales don’t have the ‘wow’ factor of the Snowdon Range or the Glyderau, but for lovers of solitude and connoisseurs of wild places these hills beat the pants off anything south of the Scottish Highlands.  I had a couple of gaps to fill in my knowledge base of these lovely hills, but Chris and I were both showing signs of coming down with a cold bug – an easy day was called for, but easy days are not easy to find in this wild group of hills.

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Posted in 5. North Wales, Bothy days, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 13 Comments

#133 – Rising to the challenge – The Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge walk

Posted on 17/06/2013 by Paul Shorrock
On the descent from Pen y Ghent on the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge

On the descent from Pen y Ghent on the Yorkshire Three Peaks Challenge

 As challenge walks go, the circuit of the Yorkshire Three Peaks is challenging!  As the name suggests there are three peaks on the route – Pen y Ghent (691 metres), Whernside (728 metres) and Ingleborough 723 metres).  Not big hills at a first glance, but they add up to a route of about 40 kms (24½ miles) with about 1500 metres (5000ft) of height gain, the equivalent of a serious day out in the Scottish Highlands.  On top of all that, most people set themselves the additional challenge of completing the walk in 12 hours.

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Posted in 3. Yorkshire Dales | Tagged , , , , , , , | 21 Comments

#132 – “A hard day’s night”? – or – A fun night out with a search dog

Posted on 02/06/2013 by Paul Shorrock
Grains Gill, Borrowdale © Bill Boaden

Grains Gill, Borrowdale © Bill Boaden

Some people might have wondered why I recently returned to mountain rescue after a break of 15 years.  It’s quite simple really – it’s fun!  It’s not always easy to remember that when the phone rings in the early hours of the morning, and the weather outside is foul, but after a few years the bad times are forgotten, and only the good times are remembered….

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Posted in 2. Lake District | Tagged , , , , , , | 11 Comments