aliwalks

Thursday, January 14, 2016

Grafham Water clockwise

Thu, 2016 Jan 14 9:23 AM G M T

With Maureen, Gordon and Tommy. A cold grey day, but we had no rain. Set off from the Visitor centre south of Grafham village. 8.6 miles.

Light rain was forecast, but it had stopped by the time we arrived, though the wind was cold.

The gang are all wrapped up for the weather today, and raring to go.

The path is easy to follow, over the dam and round. At the village of East and West Perry we followed the road until we met the sign to the Water again, then continued round through Littless Wood with its nature trails - something to explore on a day when there are drier conditions underfoot.
We had a break at Savage Spinney when we'd walked just over five miles. A welcome bench, and fairly sheltered, though we were not tempted to hang around for long.

From here we continued past more seats, and footpaths leading away from the lake.

We chose to follow the cycle route for the last section, ignoring the slightly shorter but rather wetter footpath closer to the water.

A dragon for luck?

The road took us into Grafham village , past the church, where we turned right and followed the small road and cycle route back round to the car park with its visitor centre, and, most importantly the open cafe.

Map and details

Fineshade Woods - Tuesday 12 Jan

With Marta, Tues 12 Jan 2016, 10.03 am. 5.8 miles at a fair pace, followed by coffee and teacakes in the cafe. Weather dry, and good underfoot mostl
No pictures today.

Pitsford Water anti-clockwise - again . . . Mon 11 Jan 2016

Mon 11 Jan 2016, 9.57 am. With Mel, Norma, Gordon, Maureen, Terry, Christine, and me.
Dry while we were out. 6.6 miles.

Gretton Striders tackled Pitsford Water once more.
Once again plenty of water birds and a decent sized flock of lapwings, sheltering by the causeway as usual.

No pictures today.

Kettering to Warkton Fri 8 Jan 2016

I'll count this as a warm-down from yesterday's Rutland Water circuit. From Ise Lodge in Kettering to Warkton via a bridleway, and returning along roads and streets. Four and a half miles. Bright weather.

I met Marta in Kettering and we fortified ourselves with coffee and toast before the walk.
We parked on Pebbleford Road, and walked to Cheyne Walk, turning left to cross the bridge over the swollen River Ise, then past the sports centre and Kylesku Cresent to St Johns Road.

This took us out to Deeble Road, where we turned right, then left to join the bridleway to Warkton. This proved to be easy enough to walk along, and not too waterlogged. Plenty of dog walkers too.

The path comes out into the village and we walked through the churchyard to reach Pipe Lane.

This led us back to the Stamford Road and Windmill Avenue and eventually back to the car. A possible return route under normal conditions was definitely too flooded to contemplate.

Monday, January 11, 2016

Rutland Water on foot, clockwise

Thursday 7 January. 9.45 am start.
From Whitwell with Harry, on a day which promised rain, delivered some, but not so much as to soak us. There were puddles on the path round the new lagoon areas, but only one had to be waded through. Just over fifteen miles, at a decent pace with lunch at the Horse and Jockey at Manton.

Equipped for a long walk

Setting off from Whitwell

The Rutland Belle at anchor

Over the dam

Normanton church

Dramatic lighting effects

Approaching the sailing club

Local denizens

Manton Church

Hebridean sheep at home in the wet grass near the lagoons

Egleton church, whose porch provided a seat for wringing out wet socks. . .

Kestrel

Lo, there is sun

A few of the lapwings catching the sunlight against the dark sky

Photo AM on phone.

Barnsdale Wood

Rain, what rain?

That old groundsheet has proved useful

Like giants refreshed . . .

Evening approaches.

A fairly large flock of lapwings, a close view of a kestrel hovering near the Egleton road, buzzards - and water birds of various kinds.

Photos by HH.

Monday, January 4, 2016

Wilbarston to Desboro' (Pipewell) Airfield

Mon, 2016 Jan 4 9:20 AM GMT.

With Gordon, Eddie and Maureen, on a day when the clouds broke up a little, rain was forecast for later, and the breeze was quite chill. Just over 6 miles.

Odd lighting effects over the fields

We set off from Wilbarston village hall and headed west along Carlton Lane, then turned left on Queens Road, and right along Scotts Lane. At the junction with Main St and Rockingham Road we turned left and followed the road for some distance as it went underneath the A427. We continued as the road became a track and then a path up to the disused airfield.

Lots of water even on the higher ground

We turned left and followed the perimeter of the airfield, on a good surface, for abround three miles, almost back to the point where we joined it.

Animals need exercise

We heard horses approaching - they were obviously as glad to be outside as we were!

Looking down on our break spot

Our break was at this point - possibly a weighbridge . . .we didn't hang around for long, as we began to feel chill again.

We carried on past the path we arrived on, and a few hundred yards further on took the road to the left, leading off the airfield. At the junction we turned left, and followed the road as far as the main A427. We crossed this and walked back to Wilbarston Village Hall.

Bare trees against the sky

Friday, January 1, 2016

Market Harborough to Foxton Locks and back

Thu, 2015 Dec 31 9:29 AM GMT

With Gordon, Eddie, Maureen and Harry. Along the Harborough Arm of the GUC. Beautiful day, with a chill wind at times. (Other device tells me 11.5 miles!