Outdoor Discoveries

What originally was a news section for the rest of the website soon became a place for me to write about human-powered wanderings in the countryside. Photography inspires me to get out there, mostly on foot these days, though cycling got me started. Musings on the wider context of outdoor activity complete the picture, so I hope that there is something of interest in all that you find here. Thank you for coming!

Wasn’t expecting to see any snow

2nd January 2012

Today came as a lovely sunny if chilly day around Macclesfield so thoughts turned to a little trip out of doors. A certain lethargy meant that I couldn’t muster up enthusiasm for a wander on foot through the countryside so I went by bus through the hills to Buxton instead. Looking through the bus windows, I was reminded of just how much hill country there is between Macclesfield and Buxton. It looked resplendent with the sun shining on it too so I am reminded again of what lies on my doorstep so I need to do more with it.

What surprised me was the amount of snow that remained wherever as sheltered spot could be found. The covering may have been light but there has been a green and grey Christmas and New Year for much of Britain and Ireland so I wasn’t expecting to see so much. An overnight frost did whiten some of the hillsides too though much of that was gone by the time that I passed the way. Sightings of the white just proved what a little height does sometimes so it came as little surprise to learn that Scotland was getting more of the white stuff with a front passing over that country, even while I was out in dry weather around Cheshire and Derbyshire.

There were a good few folk around Buxton with some taking in the dry sunny weather and more surveying the winter sales. When the clouds obscured the sun, I must admit to doing some of the latter too. Nevertheless, I get to savouring a little of Buxton Country Park too with a short walking idea for around there collected for possible future use. A potter to Grinlow Tower or Solomon’s Temple sounds tempting, as does following another part of the Dane Valley Way, and I recall one occasion when I walked from Buxton to the Cat and Fiddle Inn with part of the journey taking me through the said country park when a snow shower came the way. It was magical enough passing through snow-covered woods for the first time in my life without that so the memory gets reinforced. Beyond them the air cleared and it was patchy snow coverings that I met for the rest of the way. Maybe I need to revisit some of that again. It became a day for collecting walking ideas while still never far from humanity.

Travel Arrangements:

Bus service 58 between Macclesfield and Buxton.

Comments:

  • Bill Murney says:

    Hi John

    I am a first time visitor to your blog and only a few miles from Macclesfield. Looking through your ‘Collected Long Distance Trails’ I see a few I have completed, although I have not done as many as you.

    I did enjoy The West Highland Way, The Southern Upland Way, The Pembroke Coast Path and Offas, while finding The Arran Coastal Way a little disappointing because of too much road walking.

    Bill

    • John says:

      Welcome along, Bill.

      On that page, I listed all that I have found so far though I haven’t walked all of them. Nevertheless, your comment has reminded me that I might need to look through them again for walking ideas when I am short of inspiration.

      Yes, having too much road walking can spoil things. You have reminded me that I need to see more of the Southern Upland Way, the Pembrokeshire Coastal Path and Offa’s Dyke Path. Well, you never can run out of places to explore in Britain.

      John

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