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Walking and Rambling discussion

al78

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OS map app is good ...
When it works. I find it randomly refuses to render the 1:50000 or 1:25000 map until I have switched it off and on a few times, or sometimes it won't work at all and I have to resort to the old fashioned paper map.
 
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High Dyke

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Walked a section of the Bridgewater Canal on Sunday, between Altrincham and Cornbrook. Then travelled back on the tram. A steady pleasant perambulation, though the access/egress at Cornbrook is now fenced off. Therefore I had to continue further towards Deansgate to exit the towpath. This information is outlined on the Mid Cheshire Rail Partnership website. Don't forget to visit the Walton Perk café narrow boat near Sale.
 

Kite159

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Walked a section of the Bridgewater Canal on Sunday, between Altrincham and Cornbrook. Then travelled back on the tram. A steady pleasant perambulation, though the access/egress at Cornbrook is now fenced off. Therefore I had to continue further towards Deansgate to exit the towpath. This information is outlined on the Mid Cheshire Rail Partnership website. Don't forget to visit the Walton Perk café narrow boat near Sale.

I was wondering that when looking at the map as there seems to be steps leading to that bridge. Useful knowledge for a potential future trip for some walking in that general area
 

High Dyke

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I was wondering that when looking at the map as there seems to be steps leading to that bridge. Useful knowledge for a potential future trip for some walking in that general area
Yes, the bridge is the one near to Cornbrook tram stop. That should be the access / egress point for the towpath. If heading towards the city centre continue along the towpath, go under the tram / railway bridges, continue under the next road bridge (Hulme Hall Road) and double back up the access path to the road. Alternatively, you continue along the towpath towards Deansgate.
 

S&CLER

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Just come back from an excellent 12 mile walk at Scorton (Lancs.) with the Ramblers. We parked the coach in a lay-by at Cabus on the A6, walked east on Weavers Lane, under the WCML and across fields to Scorton village, then up Tithe Barn Lane to Slean End farm, enjoying great views west to Blackpool Tower from the lane. Then we turned up Grizedale, a delightful wooded walk nearly as far as Grizedale bridge, along a path to Fell End farm, across a rough field to the lane under Harrisend Fell. From our lunch stop on the lane we could see Forton (Lancaster) services in the foreground, Heysham power station, Barrow shipyards, Morecambe Bay and Black Combe. Blackpool Tower was just hidden but came into sight again when we walked north. We also saw a triangular shape on the horizon , and there was dispute as to whether this was the top of the Big One roller coaster at Blackpool Pleasure Beach or the top of the Marine Lake suspension bridge at Southport.

From the lane we walked the path along the side of Harrisend fell, then turned west alongside Foxhouse Brook then by lanes to Street Bridge on the river Wyre, and followed the Wyre Way back to Scorton village. The footbridge over the M6 at Nans Nook has been removed, but there is an alternative path under the M6 where it bridges the river Wyre.
It was a 6 hour walk with a half-hour lunch stop.
 

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johnnychips

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Not the usual ramble, but I went on the train to Cleethorpes today, then the bus to Louth and Mablethorpe. Not too busy, but busy enough to be like a typical English seaside resort. Took my trainers and socks off and walked three miles north in the (not very big) breaking waves and three miles back. Reminded me of when I was a kid.
 

S&CLER

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I've had 3 good walks since my last post: 2 in hot sunny weather, from Ambleside to Grasmere via Loughrigg Tarn and Loughrigg Terrace, a very well known classic walk, but Grasmere was heaving on the Sunday before the Bank Holiday; and 10.25 miles around the Frodsham/Helsby Sandstone Way, where the shadier woodland sections were very welcome. Yesterday we went to Pateley Bridge, and walked a 9 mile circuit to the Coldstones quarry sculpture and Providence Mine. Unfortunately the leader was unduly worried about being late back, as we didn't start until 11.45, and she rushed us along at a pace that was a bit too fast for me to enjoy it fully. Just as well it was quite chilly. We got back before 4 pm, as it was. Still a good walk though.
 

Kite159

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I walked the "Stratford Greenway" yesterday, a mixed use path on the old railway line south of Stratford on Avon. The path ended at Long Marston but on the OS map there are footpaths to reach Honeybourne without much road walking.

Some of those footpaths were rubbish, overgrown hedges, broken or missing stiles, narrow planks over ditches which were hard to see due to the long grass. Some went straight across fields of long grass where it was a case of following the map to make sure I was on the right direction for there was no clues. I guess paths not used by many ramblers!

Saturday I walked from Llandudno to Llandudno Junction, which was very pretty along the sea/river, especially climbing up to a footpath on the hill which gave nice views of the town & sea
 

SteveM70

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Does anyone happen to know if there's a footpath over the top of Blea Moor tunnel? I have a vague recollection of walking over the top about 25 years ago and going past the air vents, but my OS map doesn't seem to show a path (unless the markings for the path are lost amongst the railway markings and my eyes can't discern them)
 

S&CLER

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Does anyone happen to know if there's a footpath over the top of Blea Moor tunnel? I have a vague recollection of walking over the top about 25 years ago and going past the air vents, but my OS map doesn't seem to show a path (unless the markings for the path are lost amongst the railway markings and my eyes can't discern them)
Yes, there is and it's quite easy to follow on the ground. I've done it twice. A good walk is from Ribblehead to Dent over the tunnel, down through woods past the northern portal to Dent Head farm and then north along the lane, then turn right up the track under Arten Gill viaduct. At the top of this you will find a signpost with 3 or 4 pointers, can't recall exactly. Follow the superb grassy contour path along the side of Dent Fell/Great Knoutberry until you reach the junction with the lane that continues to Garsdale (Galloway Gate). Fine views of the railway from this path. From this junction you can either go downhill to Dent station (which has been in sight for a while) or on to Garsdale. The advantage is that you avoid the crippling climb up to Dent station from Lea Yeat on the other side of the station, which is the great drawback of any walk approaching from that side.
 

SteveM70

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Yes, there is and it's quite easy to follow on the ground. I've done it twice. A good walk is from Ribblehead to Dent over the tunnel, down through woods past the northern portal to Dent Head farm and then north along the lane, then turn right up the track under Arten Gill viaduct. At the top of this you will find a signpost with 3 or 4 pointers, can't recall exactly. Follow the superb grassy contour path along the side of Dent Fell/Great Knoutberry until you reach the junction with the lane that continues to Garsdale (Galloway Gate). Fine views of the railway from this path. From this junction you can either go downhill to Dent station (which has been in sight for a while) or on to Garsdale. The advantage is that you avoid the crippling climb up to Dent station from Lea Yeat on the other side of the station, which is the great drawback of any walk approaching from that side.

Thanks, that's really helpful. Its for my mum and dad, who'll be up here for a couple of days later this week. I think they'll do it the other way round, possibly via the higher path but more likely along the lane in the valley until just before the tunnel. I think I've spotted on Google maps where the footpath leaves the road
 

eastwestdivide

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Does anyone happen to know if there's a footpath over the top of Blea Moor tunnel? I have a vague recollection of walking over the top about 25 years ago and going past the air vents, but my OS map doesn't seem to show a path (unless the markings for the path are lost amongst the railway markings and my eyes can't discern them)
It’s the green dashes following the line of the tunnel on the OS 1:25000, as seen here via Bing maps:
 

SteveM70

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eastwestdivide

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I suspect not many people realise the OS maps are on Bing for free. For walking/cycling I much prefer the OS over Google et al, as rights of way are clearer and the contours and other markings give you a much better idea of the terrain.
 

THC

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I walked from the new Battersea Power Station station (!) to Kew Gardens station yesterday - 11.3 miles, mostly along the southern Thames Path, and a pint in the Tap to finish. So much change in the last few years alone. London doesn't stand still, even in lockdown.

THC
 

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_toommm_

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My Northern Comp tickets are stacking up, so I decided to do some more of the Cumbria Coastal Way today. I walked just over 15 miles from Sellafield to Whitehaven (I then had time to go to Parton too but I didn’t record the distance for that). There’s a good two or three miles where you’re right beside the track, so if there’s ever any interesting workings, you can get some nice shots of the trains.

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johnnychips

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My Northern Comp tickets are stacking up, so I decided to do some more of the Cumbria Coastal Way today. I walked just over 15 miles from Sellafield to Whitehaven (I then had time to go to Parton too but I didn’t record the distance for that). There’s a good two or three miles where you’re right beside the track, so if there’s ever any interesting workings, you can get some nice shots of the trains.

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As a matter of interest, how can you walk round Sellafield? Are there paths that go all the way around it; of if the tide is low, can you walk on the shore?
 

_toommm_

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As a matter of interest, how can you walk round Sellafield? Are there paths that go all the way around it; of if the tide is low, can you walk on the shore?

If you’re coming from Seascale side, you walk over the edge of the golf course (it’s a public footpath) then there’s a walkway fenced in between Network Rail and the nuclear sidings. If you’re going towards Braystones, you go up the service road, then turn off. You cross with the railway over the river then dive under the railway. The dive under is signposted though that you need to check the times of the tide.

I plan my hikes on Komoot, I’ll leave a link to the whole Cumbria Coastal Path, so my description is better contextualised:

 

Ediswan

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Iskra

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My Northern Comp tickets are stacking up, so I decided to do some more of the Cumbria Coastal Way today. I walked just over 15 miles from Sellafield to Whitehaven (I then had time to go to Parton too but I didn’t record the distance for that). There’s a good two or three miles where you’re right beside the track, so if there’s ever any interesting workings, you can get some nice shots of the trains.

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That looks stunning!

- - - - - -

Yesterday, I did a short loop taking in Penyghent from Horton In Ribblesdale. The weather was foul so no views from the top, but I enjoyed the scramble up to the top and the exercise. This walk was mainly a reintroduction to proper hiking as I was involved in a car crash in August, so that’s why I kept it short, but I managed it pretty well :) Penyghent was the last hill I did pre-crash as part of the 3 peaks so I thought it fitting to start off doing that one, my mate had also never done that one before either so now he’s done all 3 individually.

We took a slight detour on the way back down to look at Hull Pot, which was very much worth it. Sadly the main fall was somehow dry despite the rain, but there was an interesting subterranean waterfall there too and the gorge itself is impressive.

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S&CLER

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Has anyone else tried to register as a leader for the Ramblers? It ls now a precondition before you can lead a walk that you are registered with them and fill in a risk assessment form. I had a go at registering this morning but found the website so baffling that I gave up. But then I find technology bewildering and intimidating anyway and try to avoid using it (no smartphone and no online shopping, banking, or booking, for example), since in many cases I simply don't understand what it is these sites expect me to do. Walking appeals to me as a pursuit that requires no technology whatever, and it's a pity if it too has to be polluted by tech. Fortunately I'm only down to lead one walk next year, so I can opt out of that, show someone else the route and let him lead it on the day, and avoid putting my name down as a walk leader ever again.
 

_toommm_

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That looks stunning!

Thanks! Just upgraded to the iPhone 13 Pro Max and it makes some quite nice photos (they're all unedited).

It also has RAW file support so I'm looking forward to properly using it, as I don't have the space in my bag for a DSLR unfortunately :(
 

KeithMcC

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Has anyone else tried to register as a leader for the Ramblers? It ls now a precondition before you can lead a walk that you are registered with them and fill in a risk assessment form. I had a go at registering this morning but found the website so baffling that I gave up. But then I find technology bewildering and intimidating anyway and try to avoid using it (no smartphone and no online shopping, banking, or booking, for example), since in many cases I simply don't understand what it is these sites expect me to do. Walking appeals to me as a pursuit that requires no technology whatever, and it's a pity if it too has to be polluted by tech. Fortunately I'm only down to lead one walk next year, so I can opt out of that, show someone else the route and let him lead it on the day, and avoid putting my name down as a walk leader ever again.
I managed it a week or so ago after some email correspondence with them. Apparently it should be set up by the local group for whom you volunteer rather than doing it yourself, but that wasn't what my group told me and it isn't clear on the web site!
Ramblers head office seem to have gone very officious and like you I may not bother to lead. Having to do risk assessments is another issue - I have enough of that at work.
One of my local groups register each walk using the Ramblers App so that they have the data and it goes to head office. The others refuse and make a paper list to be destroyed after 21 days.
There are mutterings in one local group that they might just become a walking club and save the RA subscriptions.
 

S&CLER

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I managed it a week or so ago after some email correspondence with them. Apparently it should be set up by the local group for whom you volunteer rather than doing it yourself, but that wasn't what my group told me and it isn't clear on the web site!
Ramblers head office seem to have gone very officious and like you I may not bother to lead. Having to do risk assessments is another issue - I have enough of that at work.
One of my local groups register each walk using the Ramblers App so that they have the data and it goes to head office. The others refuse and make a paper list to be destroyed after 21 days.
There are mutterings in one local group that they might just become a walking club and save the RA subscriptions.
I'm in two walking clubs, one the local branch of the Ramblers, the other an independent club (ex-CHA but affiliated to the RA). For much of the year they walk on alternate Sundays, though the RA habit of not walking on the Sunday before a Bank Holiday throws us out of synch for part of the year (New Year to Easter, next year). The non-Ramblers club is certainly much less bureaucratic and better value at only £5 a year sub, plus £10 initial joining fee, compared with the RA , which has just taken a direct debit for £36.60. I know you get the Walk magazine but there's a limit to the number of reviews of new anoraks and rucksacks that I want to read.
 

THC

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I walked from Stratford to Hertford East today along the Lee Navigation towpath - a shade over marathon distance. A Class 379 took me back into London, just before they're finally withdrawn from GA.

THC
 

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Kite159

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I walked from Stratford to Hertford East today along the Lee Navigation towpath - a shade over marathon distance. A Class 379 took me back into London, just before they're finally withdrawn from GA.

THC
Congrats that's one long walk.

What was the towpath quality like?

--------

Over the last couple months I've done a couple of the canals in the London area:

Hayes & Harlington - Harlesden on the Paddington branch of the Grand union
Edgware Road towards Wembley Central, along the Paddington branch towards Harlesden before the "River Brent Park" towards Wembley (and a footpath which crossed the WCML on a footbridge at the southern end of Wembley giving quite good views of the lines.
Regent's Canal from Warwick Avenue towards Limehouse. Good quality service, although signposting could have been better in Islington when the towpath disappears.
Slough branch of the Grand Union from Slough towards Hayes & Harlington. Bit muddy in places

Has anybody done the Grand Union from Hayes towards Brentford, if so what's the path quality like? (Muddy towpaths are not fun, especially with the extra risk of making a splash if not careful)
 

THC

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Congrats that's one long walk.

What was the towpath quality like?

--------

Has anybody done the Grand Union from Hayes towards Brentford, if so what's the path quality like? (Muddy towpaths are not fun, especially with the extra risk of making a splash if not careful)
Thank you. The towpath was largely fine with only one short section, between Broxbourne and the Stort confluence, more muddy than not. I did it in walking shoes and they came up clean with a simple wipe down.

---

I haven't done that stretch this year but the towpath used to get a bit muddy around Norwood Green - that said, it hardly compares to stretches of the northern GU or Oxford canal towpaths, where waders are sometimes advised.

THC
 

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