Church Stretton Day 3

 The weather forecast looked good so we decided to try a longer walk from the HF discovery point. The 8 mile route included Carding Mill Valley,  Bodbury hill and the golf course (claimed to be the highest in England) 

We set off through the Ice house and reservoir at Cunnery then joined Carding Mill valley road, We stopped at the NH Trust visitors centre where we noticed that there was a waterfall at Light Spout so we decided to make a detour. 

Carding Mill Path

turning off the Motts way one encounters many rocks and bolders which was challenging.

Light Spout Waterfall

The only issue was that the path continues up the rocks on the right of the waterfall. It was just possible on this day to clamber up them, but any wetter and it should be avoided. We then cut across Calf ridge and rejoined Jck Mytton way.before making for Haddon Hill. 

Caer Caradoc from Hadon Hill

We descended to the edge of the golf course and had a picnic. The golf course was inhabited by grazing sheep which took no notice of the golfers! 

Leaving the golf course near the 18th green we realised that the NT house was just up the road so we made another diversion and had a delicious afternoon cream tea. We eventually got back to Long Mynd house at 1600 having covered 8.4 miles.

Church Stretton Day 2

 The forecast for this day was rain all day, so we decided to stay in town

Searching the internet we discovered that a Saphos Tours Steam hauled excursion (Welsh Marches express) was travelling from Stourbridge to Bristol by diesel then Bristol to Shrewsbury behind the Royal Scot, The estimated timings were published so we decided to go and see it at Church Stretton station. . It was scheduled to arrive at 1247 but arrived at 1310. 

We returned to Long Myndd Hotel for lunch through a downpour

The train was scheduled to return from Shrewsbury at 1611 but it appeared at 1638:-

It was 70 minutes late into Hereford but, being diesel hauled was 7 minutes early into Stourbridge Junction!

Church Stretton Day 1

The forecast for this day wasnt too bad so we decided to try one of the easy Routes in the HF discovery centre. We chose "on the slopes of Caer Caradoc" which would allow us to admire the fort without climbing the hill!

Looking Back at Long Mynd

Caer Caradoc

4 miles

Church Stretton Day 0

This HF holiday was originally booked in November 2022 in a half price sale to be taken in March 2023. We were notified by HF late February that the property was undergoing a 1.2M£ renovation which wasnt finished and that scaffold and plastic sheet were on the outside of the building ("which may restrict the view") and that as the dining room floor was being levelled meals would be in two shifts in the bar. To compensate for this we would get £10 per day drinks vouchers! Not happy we phoned them and they moved the holiday until July 2023 with little protest.

June 2023 arrives and the advance tour notes still mention the ongoing work and the compensation in drinks vouchers, I again phoned them and they confirmed the scaffold and plastic was still there, so we moved the holiday again to October, which they assured us would not be a building site.

Early October we had confirmed the work was finished (it finished 8 august according to the house manager later) so we set out . 75 miles from Coventry, the biggest delay was the 3 way traffic lights and roadworks on the A49 just outside Shrewsbury.. This meant we got to LongMyndd house at 1615, just in time for afternoon cream tea and unpacking before dinner! 

Long Myndd House

For the record the pool was still there and had not been filled in although the changing facilities looked derelict!

Silverdale Day 2 17 September 2023

After breakfast we decided to go for a walk in the opposite direction along the coast. We walked to Jenny Browns point, admiring the failed attempt to build a seaside resort then inland to the RSPB Leighton Moss Sanctuary near Silerdale station where we had coffee. We came back around the golf course and back into Silverdale village 5.63 miles

 

Silverdale Day 1 16 September 2023

We decided to follow the Lancashire coastal path shown on the OS map. It started across the beach but we quickly learnt that this was a bad idea due to its wet, boggy nature! We followed the coast and stopped at Far Arnside for 90 minutes to watch the incoming time come across Morecome bay which was fascinating. 

We then continued round to Arnside where we had a mid afternoon tea and cake stop. 

We returned via the inland route passing Arnside tower with impressive views of the lake district

Settle Day 4 15 September 2023

 The walking holiday officially finished this morning but we were to continue our holiday on the Lancashire coast at Silverdale. We saw that Ingleborough caves were on the way so decided to detour. We parked at clapham and walked up Clapham Beck through the Ingleborough estate to the caves. They were fascinating and well worth the visit. 

We then kept walking towards Gaping gill, but decided to stop at the waterfall at Trow Gilland when encountering a cliff climb!  

The rock climb!

We walked back to Lunch at the Estate cafe. We then drove to the coast checked into the Silverdale Hotel and explored Morecombe bay

Settle Day 3 14 September 2023

Todays walk started with the short ride on the 1014 from Settle to Horton. We traversed Horton Scar along the pennine way  passing Sell Gill hole Lunch was had beside the river at Long Gill Bridge over the Beck. After lunch was the big challenge of traversing Scald Bank which had heather, slope and mud! At Nether Lodge we joined the Ribble way northbound over Low Rigg and passing through the deserted village of Thorns. We reached Blea moor road and walked back to Ribblehead, to admire the viaduct again! We also partook of the wonderful Fruit cake sold by the volunteers in the kitchen of Ribblehead station. We caught the 1615 train back to Settle

Ribblehead Viaduct near the end of the hike

 

Settle Day 2 13 September 2023

Todays walk was to go over the top of the Blea Moor tunnel and see the famed Ribblehead Viaduct. We caught the train from Settle to Dent, the highest Station in the UK. This time we left the station and turned uphill up the Coal Road. We turned right and continued round Great Knoutberry hill until we got to Artengill beck. We followed that down the beck passing under Artengill viaduct. 

Artengill viaduct

After lunch at Scow Force waterfall,  we passed Dent Head farm then climbed up the hill to Blea moor.

 As we passed vent 1 a train came through which we could hear through the vent.

We continued over the moor, eventually arriving at the signal box

Before eventually arriving at the viaduct

. We celebrated the end of the walk in the Station inn then caught the 1617 train back to Settle

Settle Day 1 12 September 2023

Todays gentle, introductory walk started with catching the 1014 from Settle to Dent. We left the station and went down the steep hill to Cowgill. then followed cowgill beck, over Snaizwold Fell, (which was very boggy and very steep in places) to Garsdale where we had lunch.  After lunch we followed the Clough river valley to Garsdale station where we took the train back to Settle 

 

Settle Day 0 11 September 2023

 Today was the start of a two centre holiday. We needed to be in Settle around 1600 so we drove up from coventry, making a stop for lunch at the Vicarage in Holmes Chapel. It looked good online, but it was the worst lunch experience for many years. The desert was so bad we asked for a refund (they offered to make us another one if we could wait 60 minutes!

Arriving at the hotel we worked out it was a wedding hotel at the weekend and Ramblers filled in the midweek gap. 

The accomodation was good, the only issue being the VERY bright LED light that illuminated our room through the curtains until gone 11pm. The food was excellent especially the Manx Kippers for breakfast.

Stourport to Worcester along the River Severn 11 August 2023

To celebrate my first day of partial retirement I decided to go for a hike. I choose the route from Stourport to Worcester, along the Severn Way, a total of 14 miles. Initially I planned to go to worcester by train, catch the 0825 bus to Stourport and walk back to Worcester. Checking before setting out i discovered the train was cancelled due to staff shortages. Plan B was to catch the bus to Worcester, but the one that would have got me there in time had already left, So I drove to Worcester and parked at Croft Street. The bus journey to Stourport Tesco was uneventful if sometimes exciting down the narrow country roads. A meal deal was bought for lunch and the hike began at 0930.

Stourport Bridge

The route started out on the East Bank. Passing through the funfair storage the bank became undulating and muddy making it challenging. The Telford built bridge was crossed at Holt Fleet and the route continued on the West Bank. 

Holt Fleet Bridge

At this point the Severn Way leaves the river and goes up and over a hill, the only one of the route

First Sight of the Malverns, from Holt, just before lunch

A diversion was in force at Hallow as they were building a new bridge across the River. This adde half a mile to the route

Worcester Bridge

The Journey ended at Worcester Bridge at 1515. I went into town for a well earned coffee!

The Route: 14.03 miles

Malvern Walking Festival 2023 Day 5. Malvern to Worcester

Started at Malvern Railway station at 1030 11.31 Lunch on top of Old hills that was very windy. Got to  Crowngate bus station at 1532. Original plan was to catch train back to Malvern but the trains were on strike! Total 11.31 miles

 

Malvern Walking Festival 2023 Day 4 .Worcester to Pershore

Caught the 0954 Malvern to Worcester at 1027. Walked 11.82 miles to Pershore Station. Caught the 1537 train back to Malvern at 1620

Malvern Walking Festival 2023 Day 3 .Pershore to Evesham

Caught the 0954 Malvern to Pershore at 1027. Walked 4.2 miles to Lunch at the Anchor Inn in Fladbury. 

Walked to Hampton Ferry and crossed man hauled ferry to Evesham side and had  tea before going to Evesham station. Total 8.97 miles. Caught the 1537 train back to Malvern at 1620

The view from the centre of the river

The Ferry

Malvern Walking Festival 2023 Day 1 Georgian Pershore

Day 1 of the Malvern Walking Festival 2023 Started with MWF12 Georgian Pershore and the Avon. Started and ended at Pershore Abbey. 10.94 miles in 5.5 hours (including lunch at teh Eckington bridge picnic area)

Return to the Worcestershire way. Part 3 on 12 May 2023

 As the Malvern Walking festival 2023 would soon be upon us, we decided to complete our Worcestershire way walk to warm up having not been seriously walking since November 2022 We had done the southerly 2/3 of the route on October 14 2022 and October 15 2022

Originally we were to catch the train to Worcester, then the bus to Abberley walk to Bewdley stay the night in Bewdley then catch the train back via SVR to Kidderminster then WMR back to Malvern. Unfortunately there was to be a train strike on both the 12th and 13th of May so a rethink was needed

On 12th May we caught the 0720 44 bus (£2) to Worcester, then the 0900 296 bus to Abberley. The walk started at 0945, 

The first section along the ridge of Abberley hill to Shavers End quarry was treacherous due to the mud on the route making it very sticky and slippery, resulting in deployment of branches as walking poles. The Bluebells were still abundant:-

The slope downhill from Shavers End to Netherton house was interesting as steel road plates had been laid down the hill which helped grip. We had lunch using a wall at Palmers Farm as a windbreakThe rest of the route was completed in bright sunshine arriving at the route end marker in Bewdley at 1520. 

The route was 11.1 miles total:-

We had booked a night at the Kateshill B&B just south of Bewdley, built in 1740 it was a very impressive location. We walked into town and had dinner at the Mug house Restaurant on the River. The food was excellent, but service was a bit slow (35 minutes to get the starter!). Sleep was instant on returning to the hotel

The Kateshill hotel suffered from no WiFi in the building due to a network connection issue, luckily there was enough cellular coverage to survive. In the morning the breakfast was excellent. After which, and managing to eventually pay for the stay (the card machine couldnt contact the server due to the network issues) we walked into town and went to see the SVR Bewdley station

We caught  the 1136 Diamond 296 Bewdley to Worcester bus (£2) which became hair raising after a driver change in Stourport!

After some shopping and a coffee in Worcester we caught the 44 bus back to Malvern (£2)