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Saturday 6 June 2009

Rainy day women..er planning


Well, I woke up dis mornin’.
An ma woman dun left me

It was chucking it down this morning, so I embarked on a classic hillwalkers fill-a-rainy-day strategy by planning stuff.

I’m off to Glen Etive next week so I’ve planned my Glen Etive target hills and whatever hills I might bag on the way up through the Borders and a couple of alternative little bags for the return journey, one in case we relocate to the East if there’s better weather over there than in the West, and one if we don’t.

I also found a caravan in North Wales for me and Maggie and the dogs for October – and booked it, and then planned my further assault on the Snowdonia Hewitts, Marilyns, Deweys and HuMPs

Next was to plan a route for backpacking in August. I’m quite proud of this one – but I have to thank a commenter on an earlier post for inadvertently reminding me about it – chap called Karl who has a website about his walks at http://www.karlswalks.co.uk/ (nice stuff – have a look)

Any road up – the proposed route is this:

Start at Silecroft near Millom. Black Comb – Corney fell – Ulpha fell – Birker Fell – Harter Fell – Crinkles – Bow Fell – Rossett Pike – Pike O’ Stickle – High Raise – Calf Crag – Dunmail Raise – Helvellyn – The Dodds – Threlkeld – Blencathra – Gt Calva – Knott – High Pike – Caldbeck – Wigton – Kirkbride – Bowness-on-Solway.

Altogether, around 80 miles. It ends with a typical TGO plod to the coast on tarmac.
I think this would be just about a week’s walking, and the first resupply stop is Threlkeld.

Finally, I did some work to the August Howgills diary thingy, which readers of that particular twaddle will be relieved to know will be the last entry.

I did no work on my TGO 2009 tale. I’ve got to day 2 so far. The muse has escaped me, but I’m confident that on the day in Scotland that it rains next week, something will occur to me as I have my 14 hour catatonic-in-a-sleeping-bag-listening-to-the-midgies-trying-to-get-in session.

I might wash the car tomorrow…

But ma baby’s comin back
Wid de shoppin.
Later on.

Pic is the damp and windy path up Lochnagar. Shawn Grund is somewhere on that picture…

8 comments:

Martin Rye said...

Hard life there being retired ? :) Karl has a fine web-site there. Thanks for that. On the Lakes check Striding Edge out (link on my blog) if you don't know it. 80 miles in the Lakes sound great and back to Scotland as well. I need to retire.

Mike Knipe said...

I'm pretty much up on the Lakes Martin - 40+ years of it, family ties and so on. I think my first trip there was 1965... we starved at Limefit Farm... Musta done 500+ Lake District walks over the years.
Its my day off tommorrow, though. I get a lie in....

Anonymous said...

You ever in the house Mike (lol)???

Glen Etive is stunning but became my bane 2 years on the trot (as the recent posts on my blog mention). Where are you headed?

Enjoy the trip...great scenery.

Karl said...

Thanks for the plug Mike. Fame at last! Your Lakes route looks a monster hope it all goes ok. What with the TGO and reading Martins, Geoff's and Robins blogs i think it might be time to have look a little bit further north.

Mike Knipe said...

My pal has a camper van, so he'll be parking that somewhere big enough for a camper van, and I'll have a tent.
The target hills are Stob Coire nan Albannaich, Meall na Eun, Sgorr na h-Ulaidh and Beinn Fhionnlaidh.
If there's time, we'll probably move on to the Grey Corries...
We're starting Wednesday and the forecast isnt bad - at first!

Mike Knipe said...

Karl - Go North young man. You ought to consider the TGO challenge by the way. You'd have a blast...
Your comment must have been made at the same time as my previous one, cos its out of sync with the others...
So many hills, so little time.....
The Lakes route is supposed to be a week's walk, so , thats only 11 or 12 miles a day... but a lot of scoff to carry.

Martin Rye said...

Karl join the Outdoor bloggers forum. You would be most welcome if you have not. Mike give him a plug over there. I will add you to my links.

Mike Knipe said...

Good plan, Martin.