Weekend walk in Lake District - 25-27 September 2009

When you visit the Lake District you can but hope for dry let alone good weather. Our group of eight intrepid explorers were not to be disappointed.

We arrived on the Friday evening in Rosthwaite, each with tales of 'homely' B&B's in which we were staying. Modern conveniences were not to hand, but as the weekend progressed, we all came to appreciate the good food and hospitality on offer. The evening was spent in the Riverside Bar, where ample food and beer were comsumed.

Saturday morning was dry with high cloud. We started the walk from Honister Pass car park and headed up into the hills towards Haystacks. The walk was quite easy with wonderful views down towards Buttermere, Crummock Water and Ennerdale Water. Lunch was taken at the peak, along with dozens of others doing a similar route. With the sun coming out, a decision was taken to include two more peaks in our route - Brandreth and Grey Knotts - we even provided temporary respite for two lost Lancashire souls until we reunited them with their group. Being consumed in conversation does not always go hand in hand with keeping on your route, as we also found out later in the day. Modern GPS technology was to come to our rescue.

After returning to the car park, we headed back to our B&B's for a well deserved bath, followed by a trip into Keswick for an even more deserved curry - a great way to end a wonderful day.

On Sunday we decided to take more gentle route via Castle Crags (a scramble up slate slag, which offered breathtaking views of Derwent Water and Keswick in the distance) into Grange for lunch, in a wonderfully located cafe on the bedrock of the River Derwent. After lunch, we returned along the banks of the river into Rosthwaite. Again the weather was kind and we all returned home with only seeing a slight dampness on Sunday morning.

All in all, a wonderful weekend. Come one Oddsocks, lets be having you at next year's weekend walks!

More pics to follow upon receipt from the official photographer...

Market Weighton - Sunday 13th September 2009

8 walkers & 1 dog were on the walk. Of those, 3 walkers (Rachael, Jane & Shelley) & the dog (lady) were welcome new recuits.

The walk started on the flat as we made our way along along the disused railway east out of Market Weighton before we started a steady but gentle climb following part of the Wolds Way through Goodmanham and on to Londesborough. After a walk around this lovely village we returned to Market Weighton following another branch of the Wolds Way.

The weather was dry (apart from a few spots at lunch) but people's reaction to the temperature was varied with some choosing hats & fleeses while others chose shorts & short sleeved blouses! (See picture)

Ripley - Sunday 9th August 2009

Chaos at the start, as the normally quiet car park at Ripley was heaving with cars visiting the fair and exhibiton in the neighbouring field. However, 14 people & 2 dogs met up to start the walk.

The walk took us west along the banks of the river Nidd towards Hampsthwaite with only a minor glitch as we had to double back over a tricky stile. We paused by the beautiful saxon church in the village before moving on to Birstwith and a refreshing drink in the local hostelry and then lunch by the banks of the Nidd. Shortly after we reached the Packhorse Bridge where we crossed the river and headed north and then east across fields to Clift and finally returning to Ripley.

John had to be punished for sitting in a cow pat, but fortunately for him we had all eaten our tomatoes for lunch.

Ravenscar - 14th June 2009

The skies were grey as we made our way to Ravenscar. Would the weather forecast prove to be right, needing the wearing of weatherproofs?

As it happens it was dry, however stories of tick bearing Lyme disease soon had legs covered up as we progressed along the old railway track on the first leg of our walk. The sun came out whilst we were under the trees and we even had a brief shower, but nothing to cause and outbreak of coats.

Echos of the railway that used to travel through these parts was in evidence - old platforms, station houses and remnants of signal boxes - you could almost hear the steam and whistle. The story goes that the Ravenscar Estate Company bought this land in the 1890's with a view to building a seaside resort to rival Whitby, but it never happened, hence the nickname 'the town that never was'.

At the end of the railway track, we arrived at the Hayburn Wyke pub for a welcome refreshment quickly followed by lunch on the rocks at the bottom of Hayburn Wyke, whilst watching a couple of springer spaniels playing amongst seaweed and pebbles.

Finishing lunch, we climbed steaply up to the cliff-top some 400ft above sea level with stunning views south towards Scarborough and Flamborough Head - wonderful. However, our path took us north back towards Ravenscar. Before long we had views of the old naval radar station and then Robin Hood's Bay before arrving back at the Ranvenscar tea rooms for a welcome tea and cake.

Whitwell on the Hill - 14th June 2009

Fourteen souls plus three dogs joined us in the village of Whitwell on the Hill for a wonderful day's walking.

The sun was out and the sky was blue but it was not raining - oh no. We had wonderful June weather despite a forecast for someting more gloomy.

We started by making our way over fields heading towards Castle Howard and arriving in Welburn, having enjoyed some magnificent views of the estate and numerous follies.

We then turned right, crossed the A64 and arrived via a wooded slope down past the railway track into Kirkham, where lunch and ice creams were consumed in the shade of the priory ruins.

Upon leaving Kirkham, our first serious climb up a muddy slope was made all the more challengin having a stomach full of lunch washed down with tea or coffee. At the top we then headed towards Crambe before crossing the A64 again and finishing in Whitwell on the Hill.

Those with tough constitutions met up again in the evening for an Indian buffet near Poppleton - recommended.

Until next time.

Sutton Bank - 10th June 2009

Eleven (including 2 new faces) + 1 dog set off from Sutton Bank in overcast but dry conditions. Concerns about the state of the path after the recent rains were unfounded and a safe decent was made to Lake Goremire where the first photos were taken.

We then made our way over to Boltby, stopping half way there for a refreshment break shortly after braving inquisitive cows who wandered over towards us. The target was set of reaching the top of Boltby Scar for lunch. There was some dissent in the group about Keith’s definition of a ‘moderate’ climb but this subsided as people struggled for breath on the way up! Everyone did make it though and lunch was well earned and enjoyed. As a reward for our efforts, the rain, which was threatening, held off. – And the views were worth it.

A final group photo was taken at the top before we set off along the Cleveland Way with a final aerial view of Lake Goremire before returning to Sutton Bank. (It should be noted that the ‘official photographer’ (Sally) deserves praise for getting the picture of the stationary dog as he was rarely still all day.)

Settrington - Sunday 12th April 2009

As a family, we avoid the coastal roads on Easter weekend, specially Easter Sunday but for the sake of the ‘Oddsocks’ we sat in the traffic all the way from the gym to Malton bypass arriving at the start point 30 mins late.

What joy to find other Oddsocks had arrived already. We were 9 altogether and two dogs. We set off at about 11.30.

The route took us from the community centre car park past the gates of Settrington House and into the valleys and hill sides that twist and fold around here in a most unusual way.

The views from the high points over the vale of York were splendid and the heads of the valleys formed natural amphitheatres.

We climbed one such valley head called Fizgig Hill. We stopped for lunch on Bassett Brow where a bench had been kindly placed for us to enjoy the view across the relatively flat farmland to the North EastBoth dogs seemed well behaved to me but then near the end of the walk our dog Kelby disgraced himself by chasing some chickens, only stopping when I rugby tackled him to the ground – feathers everywhere.!!

We walked through the village with its green each side of a clear tinkling brook and ford, daffodils in abundance.