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Walking and Rambling discussion

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nlogax

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Mostly Glasgow-ish. Mostly.
One relatively short walk I've been meaning to list here since April but technology let me down. If you're anywhere near the central belt I highly recommend the hike up to the Kilpatrick Hills and Loch Humphrey which overlooks the Clyde, with a view ranging from Glasgow all the way over to Greenock. Takes about an hour in each direction but the views are absolutely worth it.

https://forestryandland.gov.scot/visit/kilpatrick-braes
Head into the hills above Old Kilpatrick to reach tranquil Loch Humphrey. The historic hill tracks that criss-cross the Kilpatrick Hills are ideal for walking or mountain biking. Watch out for waterfalls along the way, spot waterbirds on the loch or simply sit back and soak in the views over Glasgow and the central belt.

There are no formal trails here but the forest road that climbs up to the loch is easy to follow, if steep and - occasionally - quite muddy.

We parked at Kilpatrick station and walked under the A82 towards the trail but there is a car park situated at the foot of the brae. The climb is very gentle to begin with but soon ramps up once you get past the cattle grids and houses at the base of the path.

Rough map of the route cribbed from elsewhere. This is the path from Kilpatrick to Loch Humphrey


I took this somewhere after point 4 on the map, you can quite clearly see how far we'd reached with the Erskine Bridge now far in the background.

20210403_133810 (1).jpg

The climb then makes a northward swing up towards the lochs, but you can't really appreciate it until you cross the ridge and down the other side where you're greeted by Loch Humphrey spread out below you. This is where the drone came in handy to get some context.


Recommend this hike to anyone in the area. If you're flying into Glasgow you can even see it from the plane if you have a view north across the river towards Dumbarton - the trail can be seen from miles around.
 

S&CLER

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southport
Today I continued my exploration of the green and hilly bits in between the built-up areas of Greater Manchester. I took the Southport to AlderleyEdge 769, my first ride in one, partly for that reason and partly because it gave me a longer connection time at Piccadilly. As it happened, the later train direct to Stalybridge would have made its 6 minute connection there. Connections between the Huddersfield stoppers and the Stalybridge -Southports are surprisingly good in both directions.

West of Mossley is a ridge of high ground, rising to just over 300 metres, called Hartshead, about 4 km from north to south and less than 2 km from west to east.
The stiffest climb is right at the start from Mossley station up to St George's church through the back streets; cross the road after the church and take the path left of the Billy Goat pub, which rises up the side of a steep area of access land, reaching 308 m at a trig point with fine views of the valley in which Mossley lies. I then walked north and west to Top of Lane and Kiln Farm, then back along Back Lane, a bridleway, to the superb viewpoint of Hartshead Pike. Unfortunately it was too hazy to see Jodrell Bank , let alone the Welsh Hills 78 miles away, according to the toposcope. But still worth going up. From the Pike I headed south to Hartshead Green and at Lily Lanes took a footpath south to a very pleasant wooded area around the old Knott Hill reservoir. From there across a golf course to Mossley Road, Luzley Brows and down a steep hillside back to Mossley station. I changed at Stalybridge for a direct train back to Southport. Good weather all day, and the whole walk is highly recommended.

One snag is that the area sits on the edge of Explorer 277; while Mossley station is in OL1, but if you still have Pathfinder 713 (SD 80/90 Oldham), you can find it all on one map. I often wonder why the OS missed a trick and did not renumber the OL maps into the Explorer series, as they don't differ in any essentials.
 

DelW

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One snag is that the area sits on the edge of Explorer 277; while Mossley station is in OL1, but if you still have Pathfinder 713 (SD 80/90 Oldham), you can find it all on one map. I often wonder why the OS missed a trick and did not renumber the OL maps into the Explorer series, as they don't differ in any essentials.
If anything, they're going the other way - on the South Downs a group of Explorer maps have been renumbered as OL series, with the same coverage but less logical numbering. West to east along the coast now goes 118, OL22, OL3, OL8, OL10, OL11, OL25, 124. Previously only OL22 (New Forest) interrupted the numerical sequence from 118 to 124.

The criterion appears to be that most sheets which include part of the South Downs National Park have become OLs, even the Crawley sheet (134/OL34) which only includes a very small area in the south west corner - but not 144 & 145 which also include (admittedly even smaller) areas of NP. How anyone can consider this muddle as an improvement is beyond me.

Now that maps are produced from digital models not engraved metal plates, it would be good if OS could increase the sheet overlaps to nominally 50%, so that a location at the corners of four current sheets would be in the centre of one of the new sheets. I think the printing aspect would be straightforward, but of course it would mean retailers having to stock twice as many copies, so at a time of declining use of paper maps, it's very unlikely to be done.
 

Ediswan

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Stevenage
OS will produce a customised map centred on any point for £16.99 (not sure about P&P).
 

apk55

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7 Jul 2011
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Altrincham
Today I continued my exploration of the green and hilly bits in between the built-up areas of Greater Manchester. I took the Southport to AlderleyEdge 769, my first ride in one, partly for that reason and partly because it gave me a longer connection time at Piccadilly. As it happened, the later train direct to Stalybridge would have made its 6 minute connection there. Connections between the Huddersfield stoppers and the Stalybridge -Southports are surprisingly good in both directions.

West of Mossley is a ridge of high ground, rising to just over 300 metres, called Hartshead, about 4 km from north to south and less than 2 km from west to east.
The stiffest climb is right at the start from Mossley station up to St George's church through the back streets; cross the road after the church and take the path left of the Billy Goat pub, which rises up the side of a steep area of access land, reaching 308 m at a trig point with fine views of the valley in which Mossley lies. I then walked north and west to Top of Lane and Kiln Farm, then back along Back Lane, a bridleway, to the superb viewpoint of Hartshead Pike. Unfortunately it was too hazy to see Jodrell Bank , let alone the Welsh Hills 78 miles away, according to the toposcope. But still worth going up. From the Pike I headed south to Hartshead Green and at Lily Lanes took a footpath south to a very pleasant wooded area around the old Knott Hill reservoir. From there across a golf course to Mossley Road, Luzley Brows and down a steep hillside back to Mossley station. I changed at Stalybridge for a direct train back to Southport. Good weather all day, and the whole walk is highly recommended.

One snag is that the area sits on the edge of Explorer 277; while Mossley station is in OL1, but if you still have Pathfinder 713 (SD 80/90 Oldham), you can find it all on one map. I often wonder why the OS missed a trick and did not renumber the OL maps into the Explorer series, as they don't differ in any essentials.
On the other side of Hartshead pike is the Medlock Valley which is well worth looking at. There is Park Bridge heritage site and Daisy Nook country Park. A linear walk I did a 2 years ago was an 11mile linear walk along the Medlock Valley. Catch a tram to Shaw and Crompton, climb up to Bishop Park and follow the Medlock Valley to Daisy Nook county park and it a short walk across some field to catch a tram Home from Ashton West.
 

Peter Mugridge

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8 Apr 2010
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Epsom
Today we did Herne Bay to Birchington, thus completing the North Kent Coast from Seasalter to Margate. Although eight miles by train, it is ten miles to walk because not only are the two stations about half a mile from the sea front, but also the coast is rather more wiggly than the railway. It took us seven hours in total, but that does include a refuelling stop at the HatHat café at Reculver Towers.

At some point in the future we may do Margate to Ramsgate, which is a similar distance, but would be likely to stay over in one or the other in order to avoid an early start and late return.

More immediately, though, we now have our eyes on the Stort Valley Trail southwards from Bishop's Stortford, which is likely to need to be done in three or four separate sections.

1622326186896.png
 

_toommm_

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I had a very nice 14 mile hike today on the two highest of the three Yorkshire Peaks - Whernside and Ingleborough:

79A536AA-9726-4132-A65F-C52BD67894FA.png48B2CDDF-33E1-41E7-A780-1FEF2A2C5FBF.jpeg835F7C0B-34EE-4AC8-870B-EA412D5F9522.jpeg4D1AC7E5-BDA1-422D-B97F-94991EFAFCAF.jpegC011BF22-3361-40C8-82C4-A2808835B711.jpegC011BF22-3361-40C8-82C4-A2808835B711.jpegDF84FE56-8D3D-4015-B251-C527E52C74B9.jpegFF517642-54E1-477D-A39B-5FA002205D7C.jpeg
 

eMeS

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It's around 4 decades since we were in the area of the 3 peaks, and our memories are of work being done on the high paths making them more suitable for the "high street" than somewhere "in the fells"... Your photos suggest that either the work wasn't done well, or it was in a different area.
 

_toommm_

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It's around 4 decades since we were in the area of the 3 peaks, and our memories are of work being done on the high paths making them more suitable for the "high street" than somewhere "in the fells"... Your photos suggest that either the work wasn't done well, or it was in a different area.

The paths are ok in areas. Not sure what part of the UK you’re in, but we’ve had poor weather and lots of rain for the past few months, and you can see where some of them have sunk.

There’s still lots of scrambles though, which makes it nice and fun!
 

CarltonA

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22 Apr 2012
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Thames Valley
I've just got back from a weekend in the Peak District.

Day 1: Started out from the NT car park at the Longshaw Estate. Through to Upper Burbage Bridge and then crossed the moor to Stanage Edge. Then headed to Higger Tor and Carl Wark and back to Longshaw for a lunch break. Next to Millstone Edge and Surprise View before plodding back to the car park. 9.5 miles.

Day 2: Starting from Birchover and climbing up to Stanton Moor past the Cork Stone and onto Nine Ladies Stone Circle. From there headed down through a disused quarry to Rowsley. Lunch at Peak Village. 4.5 miles.
 

Peter Mugridge

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Made a start on the Stort Valley yesterday; in fact we did a bit more than we planned - having originally aimed for Sawbridgeworth, we got there much sooner than expected so we carried on a bit further to Harlow Mill. The next stage will therefore start from there - it won't necessarily be next week; we will see how things go. We do intend, however, to do the whole distance to Victoria Park in London in stages over the next few weeks.

1623018970861.png
 

eMeS

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Made a start on the Stort Valley yesterday; in fact we did a bit more than we planned - having originally aimed for Sawbridgeworth, we got there much sooner than expected so we carried on a bit further to Harlow Mill. The next stage will therefore start from there - it won't necessarily be next week; we will see how things go. We do intend, however, to do the whole distance to Victoria Park in London in stages over the next few weeks.

View attachment 97741
Did you use designated footpaths? And were they reasonably accessible? I don't do much country walking now, but when I did, I remember some footpaths being rather hostile! (And away from here in central Wales, I found public footpaths quite rare.)
 

Peter Mugridge

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Did you use designated footpaths? And were they reasonably accessible? I don't do much country walking now, but when I did, I remember some footpaths being rather hostile! (And away from here in central Wales, I found public footpaths quite rare.)
Yes, the towpath is fully open and signposted for the whole distance - it's even advertised as a "station to station" type walk that can be done in as many or as few sections as you wish.

Everything in the earlier walks I have posted maps for in this thread has also been 100% on public footpaths.
 

eMeS

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Yes, the towpath is fully open and signposted for the whole distance - it's even advertised as a "station to station" type walk that can be done in as many or as few sections as you wish.

Everything in the earlier walks I have posted maps for in this thread has also been 100% on public footpaths.
Many thanks - when I'm fit, I must give it a go.
 

Kite159

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West of Andover
Walked from Stewartby towards Woburn Sands on Saturday (Marston Vale line). The first section was along a mixed used path before heading across fields on public footpaths with a short section of pavemented roads.

Worse bit was between Lidlington & Ridgmont where the path has changed from what is shown on the OS map (goes around the outside of a field instead of straight across) and signs isn't the best.
Best part was woods in the Husborne Crawley area
 

Albaman

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16 Sep 2018
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The recent posts regarding the three peaks in Yorkshire, all of which are accessible from the Settle and Carlisle line, made me wonder if anyone has experience of walking up Cross Fell after alighting from the train at Langwathby. I see from various sources that the village of Kirkland, approximately 5 miles from Langwathby, is a location from which to start this walk and I wonder if a taxi might be available from Langwathby to reduce the road walk.

Incidentally, in days gone by when leaflets used to be on display in Carlisle station advertising guided walks from S & C line stations, I never saw Cross Fell mentioned so I am not optimistic that this walk is possible without a car. However, any thoughts would be appreciated.
 

peri

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A very long time ago when I was young, stupid and fit I planned a walk from Langwathby to Appleby by way of Skirwith, Cross Fell, Little Dun Fell, Great Dun Fell, Knock Fell and Dufton. I greatly underestimated the mileage and found myself on Cross Fell at about the time I should have reached Knock Fell. I think I might have taken an escape route after Great Dun Fell but I managed this travelling from Hull by train.
 

S&CLER

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southport
A few years ago when our club was going to Alston one Sunday, my friend and his party got off at the café where the bikers congregate and proposed to walk via Cross Fell to Melmerby, where the coach would pick them up at 6.30 pm. I knew this would never work, so I did a walk on my own to Gamblesby and Unthank, and waited at the pub in Melmerby. My friend and his footsore party arrived with 3 minutes to spare and no time for a drink, having disastrously underestimated the mileage and having had to do the last part of their walk as a route march along country lanes.

You would probably find the same sort of thing happening if you tried to do High Cup Nick from Appleby. (You can do it from Dufton.) A young fit person might do it, but at 73, and after a year of enforced leisure in low-lying Southport during the pandemic, I'm finding that I can still do a reasonable distance, but that climbing is getting harder.
 

Cletus

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Dover
Walked from Pembroke Dock station to Johnston station on Saturday afternoon. A six mile walk, 4 miles of which was along part of the Brunel Trail.
 

johnnychips

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Sheffield
Lovely walk from Snake Summit over Bleaklow to Penistone today. Got there on a full X57 from Sheffield, which is good to see. Now sat outside Spread Eagle in Penistone, £2.75 for a pint of Strongbow! Photo shows the Wain Stones - ‘Nature’s Kiss’5DB1D0FC-5F28-4D69-AE0C-E90AAAA4EA56.jpeg
 

johnnychips

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At least 12 miles as the crow flies, so somewhat longer on the ground. Presumably the latter half of the walk would have taken in a section of the Trans Pennine Trail.
It was about 18 miles. For the last bit I walked down to Langsett and over the hill to Penistone.
 

Mcr Warrior

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It was about 18 miles. For the last bit I walked down to Langsett and over the hill to Penistone.
Not bad on a warm day! So maybe along the "Barnsley Snow Road" rather than the TPT? (Daresay not much snow yesterday!)
 

S&CLER

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I had a good walk today from Smithy Bridge station to New Hey Metrolink, by a devious route, at first along the canal to Clegg Hall, then via Annis Hill Farm, Tunshill Lane, across the M62 by the bridge that gives access to Tunshill Farm, to the east of Piethorne reservoir, back along a lower level path north of the reservoirs, down through woodland west of Ogden reservoir to the Huddersfield Road near P.W. Greenhalgh's factory, south to the old quarries at Slences, then north again to Top o'the Hill and New Hey. The aim was to fill in some paths in this area I hadn't walked before.
 

Iskra

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West Riding
Completed the Yorkshire 3 peaks today. My feet hurt like hell right now, but absolutely worth it to tick it off the bucket list. Got up at 1am to do it, but the upside was we caught the sunrise.
We did it backwards from Horton in Ribblesdale which is apparently easier and conferred the advantage of us being able to drop our packs back at the car before doing Penyghent with just a bottle of water, which was nice.



B65188DA-67D6-48FC-BD91-63115225DC03.jpeg1462CA18-1AF9-46C3-95FD-C02D5EBC39EC.jpegEB8CD23E-021B-4BC4-AC0F-F440D41D5F51.jpegThere’s always one that has to go that little bit further...76F1C655-5308-4672-8C58-724A248B57B2.jpeg34D4AD3F-A57E-4E6F-8078-C25873E906D0.jpeg
Managed to catch the LSL charter too
5C3EF6CC-27A4-4431-A9A9-CD0F023D7C08.jpeg2EAA604F-BC65-489F-BA5C-871072488AF2.jpeg
 

_toommm_

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Completed the Yorkshire 3 peaks today. My feet hurt like hell right now, but absolutely worth it to tick it off the bucket list. Got up at 1am to do it, but the upside was we caught the sunrise.
We did it backwards from Horton in Ribblesdale which is apparently easier and conferred the advantage of us being able to drop our packs back at the car before doing Penyghent with just a bottle of water, which was nice.



View attachment 98456View attachment 98457View attachment 98458There’s always one that has to go that little bit further...View attachment 98459View attachment 98460
Managed to catch the LSL charter too
View attachment 98461View attachment 98462
Very well done, did it myself a few weeks ago (although it was over two days because of public transport).

Next up is the three Welsh Peaks ;)
 

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