Southern Scotland Revisited
18th June 2006 The last two weekends have seen me revisit southern Scotland. This weekend saw me venture among the Southern uplands. My base was Lockerbie (of Pan Am 103 fame) but my walking took me in and around Moffat. One of my rambles was a circular route involving the Southern Upland Way. When I was returning to Moffat by road, a friendly motorist offered a lift to Moffat and I took him up on the offer (not something that I'd normally do for obvious reasons...).
That gave me more time for exploring, and I got a glimpse of the Devil's Beef Tub to boot. Later, I also got to Lochmaben, four miles from Lockerbie. All this got done yesterday but, though pleasant, the day was largely cloudy, and the sun came out just as I had to leave Moffat for Lockerbie (sod's law, really): a later bus would have been perfect. The threat of rain today brought me home on the first southbound train of the day. Nevertheless, the scenery was wonderful, and a return is very tempting.
Last weekend, I planned to savour the hills around Wooler in Northumberland, only for accommodation availability in Berwick-upon-Tweed to change my plans, though it was still useful for a Friday night arrival. Next day, I took myself off to Galashiels by bus and dropped off part of my load at the Abbotsford Arms Hotel (Abbotsford was the name of Sir Walter Scott's home in the area) before using another bus to head for a ramble from Peebles to Innerleithen by way of an old drovers' road and the Southern Upland Way. Unlike yesterday, the sun was very much out, and it would have been quite hot if a useful, if strong, breeze hadn't blown up. Sunday saw me take a short stroll around Galashiels before heading home, starting with a bus journey to Berwick-upon-Tweed and continuing by train from there.
Travel Arrangements
Return train journey between Macclesfield and Lockerbie; return bus journey between Lockerbie and Moffat. Bus journey from Lochmaben back to Lockerbie.
Return train journey between Macclesfield and Berwick-upon-Tweed. On bus route 67 from there to Galashiels via Coldstream, and bus route 60 via Duns to get me back to Berwick-upon-Tweed from there. Onward travel from Galashiels to Peebles on bus service 62, followed by another on the same route from Innerleithen to Galashiels.
A first visit to Pembrokeshire
6th June 2006 Here is an account of my trip to Pembrokeshire last weekend. An article in TGO and the gift of a fine weekend propelled a somewhat hastily arranged visit. The fact that I was in Ireland on what turned out to be a gardening holiday (yes, work rather than leisure) didn’t allow me any more time to pull myself together. As if that weren't enough, a Friday afternoon meeting threatened to derail an already precarious plan.
Nevertheless, I did get there in the end. After work, I headed south-west on a journey that took me around by Birmingham. Bristol and Swansea. Defeating the conspiracy of a late First Great Western express to scupper the last leg of the journey, I got to Carmarthen almost as planned (even if I was 20 minutes late!); the provision by FGW of a taxi from Swansea helped towards that end.
The next morning, I got to my Pembrokeshire base of Haverfordwest. That might come as a surprise to some but it functioned as intended and I got to sample the Pembrokeshire Coast Path, which was my main reason for coming all this way. Public transport options allowed me to savour the delights around St. David’s, Marloes and Newport before I made my way back home on Monday. That gave me plenty of walking and sea air to enjoy, even if things got a little too hot at times. The up-and-down nature of the stretch between Newgale and St. David’s left me feeling a little “cream-crackered” but the walking around Marloes was a lot easier on the legs. Only having an hour or two meant that I only got a brief taste of the hill country around Newport, but a return is a definite possibility.
My journey home took me through Cardigan, Aberystwyth, Shrewsbury and Crewe, but this was more direct than the way that I came and could be the way I would go if I got the opportunity to return again. After all, there is much more to see. For instance, the Preseli hills are definitely worthy of exploration and I only sampled a fraction of the 186 mile (299 km) length of the Pembrokeshire Coast Path (though the heavily industrialised section around Pembroke and Milford Haven is an acquired taste).
New Lake District Photos Added
18th May 2006 May hasn't been such a friendly month so far this year and my thoughts have got to adding photos to my website. More on that later. The sun is shining outside as I write this, but the next nasty shower may be on its way for all that I know. Yesterday was grey and damp while Tuesday evening presented us with a very heavy thundery shower, with thunder and lightning added for effect. So, there you have it, a very mixed bag if ever there was one.
And now to the new photos: I paid the Lake District a visit in August of last year and a selection of the photos that I took that day have only just made it online. My walk took me from Grasmere up over Fairfield and on to Patterdale. I managed to get to the start of my walk early enough to enjoy the glorious landscape around Dunmail Raise in the early morning sun. My journey took me up by Great Tongue to Grisedale, resplendent in the late Summer/early Autumn sunshine. In primary school, I was taught that autumn began on 1st August: strange I know, but all the seasons were said to be three months long and start at the beginning of a month as well. From Grisedale, I took what appeared to be a pleasant path to Fairfield: it didn't take long to deteriorate due to erosion and I was soon convinced that I wouldn't be using it again. From Fairfield, I continued to Hart Crag before descending to Patterdale via Hartsop above How.
I did have an idea to go on to St. Sunday Crag from Fairfield that day but my "adventure" with the eroded path mentioned earlier and the idea of tumbling down the cliff-like north face of Fairfield soon put paid to my ambition. I still possess a plan to walk from Patterdale up St. Sunday Crag and onward to Fairfield and Grasmere. The alternate direction should allow me to have a better idea of where I am going. Speaking of which, Fairfield isn't the sort of place for fooling when the clag has descended. Other times in this area, I have been in the vicinity in less than clement weather, some of it unforeseen, and stayed down low.
Looking at the photos while adding them gave me ideas for other future visits. The Langdale Pikes, Helvellyn, High Street and so much more all beckon. The burgeoning question is: What it always is: will any of this happen?
Places to go, places to see
14th May 2006 While doing my recent website update (it’s structural rather than being anything more instilling for non-techies), I got to think about possible destinations for walking trips. What triggered it was that I was seeing photos taken in places that I have already been and thinking: I should go back there. Examples include:
Scottish Borders: I paid some visits to Peebles in 2003 but haven’t been since. Galashiels was considered as a destination for the Easter weekend, but it didn’t work out that way; I went to the Isle of Arran instead.
Loch Lomond: On my forays to the Western Highlands, I keep passing this loch and the surrounding area. I only stopped in Balloch in 1999, and there is much more to savour: Ben Lomond, West Highland Way and much more.
Callander and the Trossachs: Another place that I have passed on numerous occasions. I did go walking in Callander’s vicinity in 2002, but a return is overdue.
Loch Tay: While at university in Edinburgh, I went here every year but haven’t been back in ages. It could be combined with Pitlochry and Aberfeldy for a future visit. I have never walked in the area because cycling was my preferred mode of exploration at the time when I frequented it.
Brecon Beacons: So far, I have walked in the Abergavenny locality, but there is far more to see here. It will take more than a day trip to see more of this national park due to transport constraints.
And then there are other ideas again:
Northumberland: I keep reading about its fantastic moorland, and I did walk along its coastline last January. That was only a warm-up for more, though. Due to transport costs (a Saver Return train ticket costs £65-72), a bit of planning is required for a longer stay that does justice to the county. I did have an idea for Easter that would have seen a visit to the Northumbria National Park combined with a trip to the Scottish Borders. It never materialised though and has remained on the shelf.
Pembrokeshire Coastal Path: I have read about this is in the magazine The Great Outdoors and rate it as an idea for a long weekend.
Ireland: I have seen less of my own country than I have of the U.K. and I keep telling myself that I should set that to rights. I am happy to remain living and working in the U.K. so a trip of a few days in length would be what is needed. While I know Cork and Kerry well (and seeing them in my own time would be a bonus), there are other places where I have never been: Wicklow, Connemara, Mayo and Donegal to name some that come to mind. A car would make the whole idea run a lot smoother…
Western Isles: While I have dreamt up this week-long ramble from Lewis to Barra, I am unsure whether it will happen. After all, I did consider Harris after my 2001 break in Scotland. This is the way that it would work: first get to Stornoway (overnight train/coach to Inverness, coach to Ullapool, ferry to Stornoway), travel to Harris by bus, then to North Uist by bus and ferry, onto South Uist via Benbecula (and causeways), taking a ferry to Barra, leave Barra by ferry to Oban. Of course, my plan would to punctuate all of this with walking. Care is required, though, as Sunday is kept very strictly as the Lord’s Day in Lewis and Harris (there has been a row about Calmac running a ferry service on a Sunday) and I don’t fancy being marooned anywhere. I do respect their point of view, though. However, the southern islands are more Catholic and have a more pragmatic approach to this.
Having all of the above in my mind does keep my feet very much on the ground: I haven’t seen anything like all of Britain and Ireland yet.
Best time of the year?
12th May 2006 Wander into the verdant landscape of May, and you'll discover a patchwork woven with nature's symphony. As a seasoned copywriter and outdoor journalist, I have come to cherish this time of year, where the splendour of spring unfurls across England in a riot of colour, sound, and scent.
From student days when May was a tantalising preview of summer, to now, when I can savour the delights this month brings, the transformation is nothing short of breathtaking. April serves as an appealing prelude, with leaves emerging on trees over the span of a week or two. Their fresh lush shade of green becomes a persistent backdrop through June, a time I also hold dear.
It's not just the visual spectacle that captivates; the melodious chorus of birdsong fills the air more noticeably at this time of year. The sweetness of oil seed rape fields adds an olfactory dimension to these outdoor excursions. I had long considered these expanses of bright yellow merely enriching the landscape's visual tapestry, yet it was only recently that I learned of their pungent aroma.
My daily cycle to work provides ample opportunity to indulge in these sensory delights, particularly on my detour home in the evening. It is on these journeys that I have come to appreciate the subtle, understated beauty of a field of oil seed rape – an understated yet potent reminder of the season's transformation.
Sunshine elevates these experiences to near-unforgettable moments. As you pedal through the countryside, with the wind in your hair and birdsong serenading you, it is impossible not to feel a sense of connection to nature – a reminder of our place within this beautiful world.
So if you find yourself yearning for a touch of the outdoors this spring, consider a leisurely sojourn through England's picturesque countryside. Allow the melodies of birdsong to guide your steps, let the verdant green envelop you, and breathe deeply as you absorb the intoxicating fragrance of oil seed rape fields bathed in sunshine. It is an experience that transcends seasons, reminding us of the simple joys that nature offers us – if only we take the time to appreciate them.
