Drumaldrace from Virosidum

This is yetanother walk in the Yorkshire Dales 2000 foot tops series – and about time, too after a long interval caused primarily by deep snow.

The snow was still around when I met the bro in Bainbridge, just by the village green. Our route was designed, or , at least, intended to be as easy as possible in view of the increasing speed of the thaw which was happening (car thermometer showing a sub-tropical 3.5 degrees C) (wow).

On the roman road from Bainbridge

And so we all trotted off to find the start of the roman road which has run in the general direction of Ingleton in a straightish roman-road kind of way for the last 1936 years.

As we gained height slowly over melting ice, we started coming across deep snowdrifts until, at last, the lane was full to the top.

Road filled with snowdrifts

On the positive side, this snow is now much firmer than it has been and, mainly held the weight of a fully developed ex-personnel manager and his rucksack full of tasty things. Every now and then, though, it wouldn’t. And the drifts were arranged in a series of steep, frozen waves which eventually started to require quite a lot of effort.

More @$8*!! snow

As soon as we could, we left the lane for the slightly less deep snow on the moor and after bashing our way through tussocks and snowdrifts, we arrived at the summit cairn, where we stayed for almost a full minute.

Nearing the summit cairn of Drumaldrace

We returned to the monster drifts on the road and followed this for another half a km or so, and then hurtled off downhill to join the footpath to Marsett. This proved even more like hard work since the snow let us through into hidden and swollen streams and we had to cross a couple of in-spate becks as well.

Bruno, as usual, enjoyed the snow enthusiastically and spent most of the day bouncing around, digging snow and jumping for snowballs. By the time we got to Semer Water he was looking a but fragged, to be honest and was all for dozing off. Not as young as he used to be! He’s fast asleep just now as it happens and will only have a short dreamy snoozy-time intermission till food time. Its a hard life but somebody has to do it, I suppose.

Semer Water

But as we lost altitude, the going eventually eased and we arrived at Marsett ruffled and wet but strong enough for a second lunch by the lake – which was partially frozen.

A path back to Bainbridge was abandoned due to mucky bogginess and we escaped to the tarmac to the East and were soon back in Bainbridge.

Has this rock got a face in it?

In better, more summery weather, there are fine alternative routes on the East side of Semer Water.

12 miles (with the effort of about 18) and 1900 feet of lurching upwards.

Virosidum, the probable name of the small roman fort at Bainbridge, we thought, meant the fort of the chap called Sid. But, apparently, this may be incorrect. One source says that it could be named after the nearby River Ure and another says it means the Fort of the True Men – these true men, in this case being the 6th Cohort of the Nervians. This particular unit was famed throughout Britannia for chewed fingernails and hearing noises outside the fort late at night, and with good cause as the local Brigantes were a rough lot until they turned their hand to the production of Wensleydale cheese, a delicacy untouched by the local garrison in case it was poisoned or something.

Its a relief to finally do a proper walk. The neve should be really really good and solid after the next freeze-up. Its getting there slowly.

TGO Challenge Food and other things

Just taken delivery of a box of scoff from http://www.outdoorsgrub.co.uk/ mainly for the TGO challenge. My food plan says that I need to start with 3 days food and send a parcel to Dalwhinnie with 2 days food – more of that later.

There’s also the little question of a pre-TGO Challenge walkabout. My original idea of walking up the middle of the Isle of man seems to have been replaced by a wander over a classic Borders Oldie walk which goes from Peebles to Moffat – and, probably back again. various other bloggers and walky types have expressed an interest in joining in – so, hopefully, more of that later, too. Should be a jolly jape, I would have thought.

Wot I bought from outdoors grub:

1 Adventure Food rice satay

1 Mountain House Pasta with lasagna sauce

2 Mountain House custard with apple

1 Be Well Chicken vegetable pasta

1 Be Well Thai Chicken with rice

2 Be well Hot cereal start with sultanas

1 Real Turmat Pasta Provence

1 Real Turmat wolfish casserole

1 Backpackers pantry Katmandu Curry

1 Backpackers pantry Spaghetti with sauce

1 MX3 Aventure (?sic) from TITOK (oddly strange name!) Red Curry Noodles and shrimp

I’ll be supplementing this with various packet soups, which I’ll also fortify with instant spuds.

I need more breakfasts – I also usually eat cereal bars at brekkies – eg Jordans, but I could do with more variety. Meusli won’t do. I hate the stuff. I’d rather eat Bruno’s tail just after an incident with a dead sheep. Those instant, flavoured porridges are also off the menu since, whilst they taste quite nice, their energy only lasts me about half an hour – which is rubbish. Any suggestions gratefully received – although I expect that a visit to Asda might solve the problem.

I also need more sweets – same applies, Asda beckons, but any suggestions…. I’ll probably take an MRE chocolate sponge as a treat.

I tend also to stuff in squirty cheese and oatcakes and, of course, the always reliable cheapo whisky.

As for other planning – I’m probably a bit late with it, but I have to ring the bunkhouse in Mallaig to see if they have any beds and I did try to book the hotel at Dalwhinnie, but they’re not taking on-line bookings. I’ll give them a buzz later. I hope there isn’t a problem.

If there is, I’ll solve it by simply carrying another 2 days food!

Incidentally, I ordered the food by phone from Outdoors Grub on Monday morning and it's arrived just now on Wednesday afternoon, which is quite good innit?

Walking to Bishop Auckland

Martin rang last night and complained that he was suffering from High latitudinal lassitude and what was more, the A66 was still closed. (We were supposed to be walking at newlands in the morning)

For myself, I detected the first signs of an onset of Sculthorpe’s Oscillation – a condition fatal to the execution of going for a walk who’s symptoms include indecision, dithering, pussyfooting, prevarication and an inability to find the correct map. It was something to do with the fact that all of the local trans-pennine routes were closed and that whilst I should at least go somewhere, an attempt to visit the Lake District would either be a very long detour or would involve close contact with a snowdrift.

We agreed to do the Littledale walk later....

So, instead, I decided to do a walk up Teesdale somewhere.

A flock of sheep.

This morning, the condition had worsened somewhat just after I noticed the verglass (black ice) all over the road and the wife’s car and the fact that white van delivery man’s hair was stood on end and also that he seemed to be whimpering something about the roads being “lethal”. there was some kind of procreationary adjective attached to his declaration somewhere, but this is a family blog notwithstanding the chocolate flapjack cakes, so I won’t repeat it.

I would walk to Durham and back up the Deerness valley. Bruno agreed and stood by the dog walking equipment drawer.

Shortly after embarking up the Deerness valley walk (yet again), I decided to walk to Bishop Auckland instead.

The Bishop-Brandon Walk

So we turned off through a flock of sheep and up the big hill wot overlooks Crook, through the golf course to Sunnybrow and along the Bishop-Brandon walk (another ex-railway line) to Bishop Auckland.

Bishop Auckland skyline

River Wear from the Newton Cap viaduct.

And we got the bus back.

Facts:

The New Monkey Inn at Hunwick is closed.(shame!)

The Tap and Spile in Bishop Auckland has an effete barman with strangely coloured hair and they can’t allow dogs in. How he gets away with that in a scruffy pub in man’s town such as Bishop Auckland is a miracle. (You have to say the word “man” in a “manly” tone by the way. Read that bit again. Do it properly this time.)

The Hut on Bishop Auckland Bus station is run by two hillwalkers, one of whom has just been to Everest basecamp and can’t resist putting milk in your coffee even when you want it black. Their stuff is incredibly good value for money, though. (Coffee was 75 pence). They also do your bacon butty a few minutes before you actually ask for it. Remarkable. They seem very busy. I’m not surprised.

Bruno doesn’t like double-decker buses at all. (he’ll get used to it when I get me bus pass)

It was 8 miles and just 400 feet of uphill

It was drizzly, misty, snowy, freezy stuff and the snow has a hard crust on it which is mainly much easier to walk on, although, occasionally, it lets you down. (I had a girlfriend like that once….)

I may walk tomorrow as well….

Gillian Stainthorpe

This is for Gillian Stainthorpe 1957 - 2010

Snow? Don’t talk to me about snow!

Alston Moor Snow Blower Blowing Snow Hartside

I just thought I’d share a couple of pictures sent to me by Brian from Nenthead showing the new ice age that’s starting to develop over the hill (from here…) - and also the otherwwise superb weather that I can't seem to get to....

Alston Moor Snow Blower on Hartside Pass

I’m a bit miffed that I can’t actually get anywhere much in the car at the moment – I did give the knipemobile a little run around Tow Law yesterday, to keep it reasonably healthy – and then I got it stuck just outside Pie Towers and had to use spades, bits of carpet, three blokes, some road grit and the wife to get it moving again. Then I got stuck again and a lass who said she used to live in Tow Law pushed me out, then I couldn’t get it in the garage. So, pro-tem, its staying where it is, specially as they seem to have stopped gritting places that aren’t “A” roads.

Anyway – I thought the pictures were rather good. They include a hint from Brian to come and dig a snowhole – and I’ve added a picture from last year’s snowhole digging day just to illustrate a finished item. It looks like the pile of snow outside Brian’s is quite a bit bigger than last year though.

2010 Building Plot

Hole complete with electricity supply, fitted carpet and tenant

I wonder if I could catch the bus up Weardale and walk over the hill?