Lleyn Peninsula Backpack, 28th July 2017

Just a few photographs taken last week / weekend whilst backpacking a section of the Wales Coastal Path.

This was a fairly last-minute expedition that worked out nicely – apart from the torrential rain and high winds on the first night. I rather unwisely decided to leave the Akto behind and used the smaller and more crapmed LaserComp – a fine little tent, but I really could have done with a bit more room considering the horrid conditions of the first night.

The Plan consisted of spending the first night at Llandystumdwy (Lloyd George knew my father and all that…), having a bit of an explore in the car the next morning, then leaving the car at Lloyd George’s place I wandered west from near Llanbedrog through Pwllheli (famous for Butlins, the Royal Navy and a fine Wetherspoons pub), Abersoch, Aberdaron and round the end of the peninsula before hopping on a bus back to the car.

It’s an excellent coastline although the Wales Coastal Path wasn’t that easy to follow. The path doesn’t religiously stick to the coast and some of the signposts were ‘misleading’ which made following the route rather difficult at times. also some of the paths and bridleways marked on the current maps didn’t exist on the ground. Nowt new there then. Consequently I didn’t cover the distance I’d planned. no matter, it was very enjoyable.

Water was a problem, the coastal farmland was heavily populated with livestock so rivers and streams were a no-no. A public loo (with a shower!) in Aberdaron plus a couple of pubs and a garden hose came to my rescue. Churchyards, unusually, didn’t have water taps….perhaps because of the higher rainfall levels on this coast.

The coastline is very dramatic and the area warrants another visit….in September actually. The route is yet to be decided but I’d be very happy to re-visit much of what I covered on this trip. Discussions on this matter with the Lucky, Luck’s Dad, Dawn and me are to take place soon.

Hell’s Mouth

Boots….but no dead mouse this time

Aberdaron

An Ultra Marathon had taken place the previous day, a 63 mile trot along the coast

Barnsley Bardsey Island

Another brew with a view

Some of these photos are out of order….on account of M$ Windows funny ideas of file management. I gave up trying to re-order them, that will have to wait for another day.

Photographs were taken with my Lumix TZ70 and my Samsung S5 phone.

Favourite Photographs, 3rd September 2016

 

TGOC2004 (C25) – my first Challenge, in Ruigh Aiteachain Bothy.

L > R: Ben (Bob Lee’s Dutch son-in-law?), Stormin’ Norman, the late and much missed Bob Lee

Photo taken with my then new Olympus mju410, a weatherproof camera that has dreadful low-light performance….but it was, and still is, quite weatherproof.

Conrad was kind enough to put his considerable expertise to full use by tweeking the photograph which resulted in much improvement, see below. Thanks Conrad!

Favourite Photographs, 23rd August 2016

 

The Bear’s Paw, Frodsham – at the top end of the Sandstone Trail.

You can read my story of when I backpacked the route in 2011.

Favourite photographs 22/8/16

En route to Mallaig, May 2004

Steps

Since having to bail out of this year’s TGO Challenge (due to family health reasons and other stuff) I’ve been out walking most days – well mainly evenings actually. The walks have all been local and of between 5 and 10 miles at a reasonably brisk pace.

I’ve just totted up my mileage for these local walks; since returning from the Challenge (ten days ago) I’ve walked 77 miles = 125,714 steps….for those wot are interested.

The walks have been pleasant diversions to other stuff: Apart from unusually high levels of grief, PLUS family health issues etc, I’ve been working hard to make one of my flats habitable. Walks, as most walkers know, are great for straightening the head as well as good exercise.

The easiest way out of suburbia from here is via the Duke’s Cut where it’s possible to walk north into Manchester or south-west towards Warrington. This makes it my most frequently used escape route.

Yesterday evening’s little walk was augmented by Sue & Martin and Long Suffering Rick – who was taking a break from a hectic weekend of dance at Chester Folk Festival.

The idea was mine, the route was Rick’s. Much of it was over ground we’d covered before although there was some ground not at all familiar to me – surprising, considering how close it is to home.

Briefly, our route followed the canal towpath towards Dunham, a wander along the footpaths of Dunham’s golf course, some quiet paths and roads into and through Altrincham, across Alltrincham golf course (where the local yoof were taking full advantage of the lack of golfers….we were all 14 once. I think)

Here’s (approximately) where we went:

7.5 miles of absolute flatness:

This route may not be entirely accurate, I’m a little unclear as to how we crossed Dunham’s golf course.

Evenings at this time of year offer great levels of light for photography. I took some snaps of the old Linotype & Machinery factory in Broadheath.

These first two were taken with my soon to be replaced Lumix DMC-SZ3 on a cloudy evening last week:

 

The second two were taken yesterday evening using my Samsung S3 Mini camera-phone thingy:

It seems that the L&M factory, quite a local landmark and once the employer of thousands, is being redeveloped to provide yet more housing. How things change.

It’s going to create traffic mayem, there’s no sign of any improvement to the local infrastucture. Oh well. 

Anyroadup, we had a lovely little walk and managed to catch up with all the scandal etc. This evening I may take the bike out – just for a change. I need the exercise.

The Ides of March

A run into Manchester

I needed to get into Manchester to pick up a tube of specialist glue for a repair job I’m carrying out (replacing the ‘non-replaceable’ battery in a Garmin Forerunner GPS).

This little GPS is a cracking bit of kit but is spoiled by a designed-in limited life of around 4 years because of the sealed-in Lithium Ion battery. Fortunately I’m able to carry out such repairs – thus saving the not insignificant cost of a new GPS.

I also needed to get out to do some exercise so….two birds, one stone an’ all that, so I ran into Manchester. Rather than use the standard Curry Walk route along the Bridgewater Canal towpath all the way into Manchester I decided to add a significant amount of tarmac.

Manchester has some interesting sights:

 On Chester Road, Old Trafford

 Inside the remains of a demolished pub, Old Trafford

 

Dot Motorcycles, still running after all these years

St George’s, no longer a functioning church

Adjacent to Whitworth Street West

 

T’ Cut

The new, the newer and the renovated:

A Metrolink tram, Manchester Central (formerly G-Mex – but prior to that, er, Manchester Central Railway Station) and the Beetham Tower in the background.

Amazing what you see when you look up:



or when you look down:

  

River Medlock running under Oxford Road

The Lass o’ Gowrie, closed once again

Dunno

The Old Trafford Cycle Link, designed to frustrate cyclists. The gate is locked shut.

I probably covered around 12 miles altogether – 9 miles running into Manchester, the extra 3 miles were tagged on as I once again successfully got lost in Manchester.

Ho hum.

Tomorrow’s job: replace the battery in the Garmin.

All the photographs (apart from the Garmin GPS) were taken using my little Lumix DMC-SZ3.