Lots of Nottingham folk will have walked or cycled at Clumber. We have done both, and recall taking the girls there when they were fairly little to learn to ride their bicycles, with mixed success.
Recent times we’ve also enjoyed visiting the gardens and greenhouse….and having a cup of tea.
In the long hot summer of 2019 there were some great photos from the air showing the outline of the old house thanks to fairly scorched ground.
This walk has a climb about 500m starting and finishing at Blea Tarn. We find this very quiet spot just between the Great Langdale valley and the Little Langdale valley. On the descent we get to the three shires stone where the historic boundary of Westmorland, Cumberland and Lancashire met. More importantly the local pub in little Langdale ( the Three shires) is definitely a Dexter favourite.
There are two similar photos at the end, and you’ll agree that’s because its’ a view to just absorb. Had it not been such a cold autumnal day we might have swum.
Today is a long walk in fact 5-7 days staying in BandB overnights. We start in Melrose in the Scottish Borders and move into England and Northumberland. It’s 100km. I did this walk as a retreat on my own after finishing at Trinity.
Not always nice weather a few April showers to cope with. We finish in Lindisfarne and see the place Cuthbert lived 634 AD to 687. He is one of those fascinating Celtic saints – I wonder what he would have made of our situation today.
Anyway brace yourselves for the weather but whilst this is a v quiet walk w few people those you meet will be very special and both were a deep joy.
Wrap up warm today, after a short bus ride we go from the small village of Saas Grund at 1559m up to Hohsaas at 3101m and trek in the snow. Get proper boots on and a decent coat, maybe your walking poles. To appreciate the scale, look out for the little marks on the photos which are ….people, proper serious climbers. we just walked the peaks. Views are marked by posts with rocks on and a description of the mountain in view, Dom , Mischabel etc and you might be interested a Biblical quote. You’ll be Ok in a sheltered spot to sit in shorts and a t-shirt for a picnic though.
This is one of my most favourite Alpine walks and I will bring you here again to enjoy different views and colours another day. its a place that deserves a second or third trip to enjoy.
This afternoon’s amble is to Malham Cove in North Yorkshire, near Skipton. This was a very bright late Spring day surrounded by Hawthorne blossom. after the walk down the valley there is a bit of a climb up but the path resembles the M1 for traffic and there is a proper staircase. There were people in trainers and ….oh you know. It’s hard getting the balance of not ‘meddling’ in nature but the need for protection, and allowing people to visit and thus strengthening or managing pathways to avoid the damage from millions of boots…..like mine.
This is the last walk near Grindelwald (1034m) for a while. After taking the cable cars up to the tourist activity centre at First (2166m), we take a steady 6km walk to Buchalpsee. This is one of the more iconic views in the area. Whilst only about a 100m climb, the route is almost like a motorway with tourists, however the fauna and flora are quite amazing….as are the views. It’s a walk where the Swiss signposts say 1.5hr but it takes us about 2.5hr as you just have to keep stopping for views and to examine the endless variety of rockeries of flowers and spot a marmot. Oh and I added a photo of me to show we were really there.
Walk 2 Grindelwald -Switzerland
Walk 2 is from First near Grindelwald across the back. Twas a good long walk downhill from the busy tourist part and a very quiet long walk with quite some ascending before a downhill to the bus stop. We caught the last bus back to the village. Phew
Walk 1 Loughrigg
Views from the top are over Grasmere
Mr John Dexter blogs about school 