Buying a new jacket
19th August 2006 After a hot and sunny July, we seem to be getting a wetter August, with temperatures more normal than the record-breaking ones experienced last month. With the rain comes thoughts of waterproof jackets, and my hill-walking Berghaus is showing more than its share of wear and tear.
The Gore-Tex coating is not what it should be, and wear from rucksacks has contributed as well. Given that it was my first outdoor jacket with a DWR finish, the Gore-Tex deterioration may not come as too much of a surprise when you consider that maintenance of such items means encountering a learning curve anyway. Cleaning out the detergent from my washing machine and use of Nikwax is my usual course of action.
While I also have a Sprayway Comanche jacket (bought at Nevisport in Fort William in July 2004) for everyday wear and that seems to be functioning well, I don't want to be using the same jacket for both hillwalking and non-hillwalking purposes. The search therefore began for a new jacket.
This time out, I am starting looking for something more technical. Being out in snow and rain around Whernside in the Yorkshire Dales last spring convinced me of that need. The Rab Latok caught my attention since it got good reviews in TGO and Trail. That said, there were some mixed experiences with the jacket reported on the OUTDOORSmagic website.
A positive review in the same place of the Montane Super-Fly XT caused me to look at that option. However, I am a little ashamed to say that the mention of a drop tail put me off. Another option was the Mountain Equipment Kongur, but that seemed to be out of stock in many places. The ecstatic review of the jacket in Trail magazine probably helped towards that outcome: it came first in the test, with the Rab Latok in second.
In the end, I decided to plump for the Rab (got it for £199 on the website of The Outdoor Shop; the Montane was £170 at the same place) and give it a go. After it arrives, I will let you know how I get on with it.
Macclesfield-Dolgellau: A Public Transport Odyssey
14th August 2006 When I started this post about getting from Macclesfield to Dolgellau using public transport, it quickly grew in length. The issue is that there is no direct service between the two places and when you start combining rail and bus services, the number of possibilities is not a small one.
Once upon a time, Dolgellau was a stop on a now largely mothballed train line between Ruabon and Morfa Mawddach, where it joined the Cambrian Coast line. These days, only sections of this remain in preservation: Llangollen to Corwen, Bala Lake railway. I can understand why a single track railway line might be adjudged uneconomic in the 1950's, but I do regard its demise as a tragedy given that it would be a scenic railway journey. Nevertheless, the X94 TrawsCambria bus service performs much the same role these days.
Speaking of buses, Dolgellau is not without regular services connecting it with the outside world. The aforementioned X94 calls while plying its way from Barmouth to and from Wrexham. Another representative of the TrawsCambria network, the X32, calls on its journeys between Bangor, Machynlleth and Aberystwyth. Other services from Dolgellau connect it with the coast between it and Machynlleth and destinations to Blaenau Ffestiniog.
Getting the above to connect with the remaining rail network requires a certain amount of concentration: Barmouth, Aberystwyth, Machynlleth, Bangor, Wrexham and Blaenau Ffestiniog are some of the options: Machynlleth and Barmouth are the nearest. All of these can get you east in the end, but the itineraries, journey times and service frequencies differ: a perusal of train timetables is more than a useful exercise. Four railway lines are implicated in these: the Cambrian, connecting the Welsh coast with the English Midlands (Shrewsbury and Birmingham, for instance); North Wales, Holyhead to Chester and beyond; Vale of Conwy, connects Blaenau Ffestiniog and other places with the North Wales line; Chester-Birmingham, on which Wrexham is a stop.
Now that I have confused you with options for getting from Dolgellau to England, I will share the way that I have tended to go: X94 to Wrexham for regular bus and train connections to Chester. I know that I am going backwards here, but there is another reason for this apart from the cornucopia of Welsh journey options: there is no direct bus or train service between Macclesfield and Chester.
Yes, they are in the same county, but their 43-mile separation takes some bridging without recourse to a car. Quite possibly the quickest way to Chester from Macclesfield is by train with a change in Manchester (formerly part of Lancashire!). A slower option is change at Stockport instead of Manchester. None of these has stopped me catching a bus (Arriva, route 38) to Crewe for an onward train to Chester. There are other alternatives, but they are more complex than these. For sake of completeness, I will quickly list them here:
Macclesfield-Stoke(-on-Trent)-Crewe-Chester: involves three changes, and the Stoke-Crewe connection is the weak point in this rail option.
Macclesfield-Alderley Edge-Crewe-Chester/ Macclesfield-Wilmslow-Crewe-Chester: the first part of this is the Arriva 130 headed for Manchester and the rest is by train; the Crewe-Manchester line is plague by teething problems with a new signalling system.
Macclesfield-Stockport-Crewe-Chester: an all-rail option with the similar caveats to the above; a missed connection in Stockport last Saturday night left me enduring an annoying 70-minute wait for a connection to Macclesfield.
Macclesfield-Knutsford-Chester: looks good on paper, but the first part involves a daytime bus service with almost no Sunday service.
Before I end up writing a book on this, I better leave you in on what I consider to be the best way to go from Macclesfield to Dolgellau (yes, in the forward direction): Macclesfield-Manchester-Chester-Wrexham-Dolgellau. It is all rail to Wrexham and then the X94 the rest of the way. It will take you at least four hours, but it is the speediest of the lot.
Cadair Idris Summited
13th August 2006 Yesterday, I journeyed to Dolgellau to try to walk to the top of Cadair Idris, an objective that I finally achieved after quite a few attempts. My first trip to these parts was on a showery day in March of last year, but that was without the intention of climbing the mountain (I think). Nevertheless, I did get to within sight of the mountain and it still held on to its crop of winter snow. Just take a look below.
Further visits to the area followed; the next one was on the Spring Bank Holiday weekend. Unfortunately, no one had told me about the annual Cadair Idris hill race and I came into a Dolgellau with all of its accommodation taken up. That meant a relocation of base to Machynlleth and a complete change to whatever plans that I had. While I did do some walking around Dolgellau, my main walking was done in the hills immediately east of the seaside resort of Barmouth (Abermawe in Welsh) not far from the Rhinogs (see below) and with views of the Cadair.
When I returned to Dolgellau in July, I did find a place to stay, albeit run by an eccentric lady with a gold filling in one of her teeth, and the scene was set for an ascent of the Cadair. Being July, the day was hot and sunny; I sweated loads on the Fox's Path but I only got to Llyn y Gadair before a change in plan became necessary. I knew Fox's Path was steep on the final ascent and that it wasn't a descent route but I had no idea that it scaled a scree slope: that put paid to that scheme. I followed another path that took me along the lower slopes to join another one taking me down to the road again. On my return to Dolgellau, I encountered the start of the Pony Path and so another plan was hatched, one for the future. The next day, I remained on low level by following the Mawddach Trail, formerly part of the railway line from Ruabon to Morfa Mawddach where it joined the Cambrian Coast line, to Barmouth before returning home.
In January of this year, I carried out reconnaissance on the Pony Path in sunny conditions with the ground frozen underfoot (the slopes are north-facing) and a scattering of snow in places. Due to the length of the day and the presence of snow underfoot, the final ascent was postponed, but the stage was set for yesterday. Yesterday's successful effort involved an early start to arrive in Dolgellau at 11:00 (more on the transport logistics is in another post). By 14:40, I was on the summit of Cadair Idris being buffeted by a strong wind. By 17:10, I was back in Dolgellau awaiting the 17:20 service to Wrexham. The day was mostly cloudy with the odd spout of sunshine, but that didn't matter, and the cooler temperatures were more amenable to walking anyway.
Pitlochry revisited…
27th July 2006 Having paid it a fleeting visit last May, I decided that it was time to pay Pitlochry another visit. Last time, I left it in rain but this time I found it dry apart from a few drops late on Saturday evening. While the rest of the U.K. was sweltering in sunshine, it seems that Highland Perthshire was not feeling the full benefit of the sun. After a warm sunny day on Wednesday, it was a case of sun versus cloud. The former is good for photos but the latter is better for walking so long as conditions remain dry. On Thursday, I was in Kingussie where the sun made no appearance while it was out and about when I returned to base. Friday and Saturday saw the sun in and out of the clouds.
Overnight coach travel got me to Pitlochry for a four night stay that saw me explore the surrounding area. Wednesday itself saw me walk from Kinloch Rannoch on the shores of Loch Rannoch through the hills to Trinafour. Next day, I took myself off to Kingussie to explore its nearby hills, particularly Creag Mhor. On Friday, I managed to return to Kenmore on the shores of Loch Tay for the first time in nearly eight years. I then walked to Aberfeldy, again through the hills. The only fly in the ointment was an unexpected no entry sign to a farmyard, understandable on safety grounds, that made the journey longer than planned, not what you need when you are making for a bus back to Pitlochry. On Saturday, I focused my attention on Ben Vrackie near Pitlochry on a walk that also took in Killecrankie and the shores of Loch Faskally. As if to prove that mountains do make weather, Ben Vrackie got covered in clag when I was there and was anything but warm and summery. If anything, it was breezy and nippy on top: and I always thought that I was overcautious, I was well prepared for this. Things opened up and warmed up later on in my walk.
Unlike the last time, I left Pitlochry basking in sunshine with a cloud-speckled sky. However, like the last time, I left it wondering about a return. Despite all that I had seen, it was just a small sample of what the area held and I felt that I had only scratched the surface. And I encountered friendly people too. For instance, from Pitlochry, it is possible to get to Balmoral and Aviemore in the Cairgorms. Dalwhinnie and nearby Loch Ericht is another possibility. Also, revisiting places that I saw under a blanket of cloud in sunny conditions could be a revelation.
Another idea also holds its attraction: bringing or hiring a bike to explore the area. It is certainly bicycle-friendly and I was cycling around Loch Tay the last time that I visited Kenmore. It is also an idea that gets around the gaps in the public transport network in this part of Scotland and allows more intimate exploration of the area. Before I took up walking, it was the bike that I used to explore the countryside but hilly country and the need to carry/hire one convinced me of the advantages of walking. Maybe, a partial return to previous ways might be in order...
A Scorching Sojourn: The Parched Paths of Macclesfield
26th July 2006 As I pen these lines, the United Kingdom is basking in the prolonged warmth of a summer heatwave. While such delightful weather undeniably holds its allure, it also carries certain pitfalls, one of which is the looming specter of drought. A leisurely ramble around Macclesfield last Sunday week served as a stark reminder of this reality.
The countryside, typically a verdant tapestry of vibrant hues, now wore a somber brown palette. The ground beneath my feet was dusty in some places, cracked and parched in others - a testament to the ravages of the dry weather. My journey began along the Macclesfield Canal, before I ventured onto a footpath leading me towards Gawsworth. Returning using a combination of footpaths and roadways, I was reminded that even in such conditions, the great outdoors continues to offer a unique blend of challenges and rewards.
Walking under the scorching sun necessitates a degree of caution. While some might argue against rambling during such sweltering weather, especially for the very young, the elderly, or those with underlying health issues, I believe there's a way to navigate these conditions prudently. Essential items such as ample water and sunscreen become indispensable companions on such outings. One must always prioritize the prevention of conditions like sunburn, melanoma, sunstroke, and heatstroke.
Peering into my weather app, I was reassured to see that rain is indeed forecast, interspersed with bouts of sunshine. A recent meteorological prediction hints at a milder, wetter winter than usual - a hint we might as well heed and make the most of the remaining warm days.
My ramble around Macclesfield served not only as a reminder of nature's cyclical transformation but also as a testament to its resilience. It offered a silent soliloquy on the beauty that lies in adapting to the elements, and the joy that comes from exploring the great outdoors, even in challenging conditions.
As the leaves begin to turn and the days grow shorter, let us not forget the lessons learned on our sun-kissed ramble. Let us embrace the coming changes with open arms, ready to explore the beauty that each season brings. And who knows? Perhaps the next adventure awaits just around the corner of a dusty path, leading us to new discoveries and memories yet to be made.
