Out and About

In July, Dorothy and I walked the South Downs Way with our friends Pete and Angie. We stayed at their house and used two cars or car and taxi for some of it then stayed at a hotel in Lewes for the last three days walking. The scenery is so different from where we live in Hebden Bridge. Instead of soft moorland and sheep there is hard, chalky ground and fields full of crops.

I grew up in South East London and my parents took my sister and me out walking in the Downs on most Sundays. It took me back to that time and forced me to try to remember the difference between barley, wheat and oats.

 

 

In August we drove to St Ives and staying at Chy Morvah - the HF House, we joined the guided walk along some of the North Cornwall Coastal Path. We started at Treyarnon Bay and walked to Cape Cornwall, returning to Chy Morvah each night. There were nine of us in the group plus our walking leader, Carol. Once again, walking by the sea was so different to Hebden Bridge.

 

We stayed on for a few nights so that we could visit Tate St Ives, Barbara Hepwoth's Garden and do some inland walks.

 

 

We walked around some archeological sites including Men a Tol. This is Cornish for 'The Stone With the Hole'. Allegedly the stone is guarded by a Cornish Piskie. If you thought your child had been swapped for a piskie child, you could push yours through the hole and it would be swapped back. Also, if a women crawls through the hole backwards seven times under a full moon, she becomes pregnant!

In September I was leading walks for HF Holidays at their Derwentwater house. For the third time we were very lucky with the weather.

The Derwent Fells

 

Last week, Dorothy and I rented a flat in Ullapool and went walking in Sutherland. We did have some sunny days but also some very wet ones.

Beinn Dearg from above Sheneval

 

 

 

 

Dorothy looking North from Sgurr am Fhidleir

 

Me on a damp day.

Back Leading Again

At last I was back leading with HF at their house near Glencoe. The walking programme has been cut down to one week to reduce the journey times and the need for ferries. We also had three coaches turn up each day so that guests could socially distance on them. In the evening there was no social entertainment like quizzes and you had to wear a face mask unless you were eating or drinking. Also we had to sit in smaller, spread out groups for dinner which was served across two rooms.

No walks talks in the evening. Guests had to read about the next day's walks on a poster. We were around to answer any questions and did a short briefing before setting off on the coach in the morning.

All very strange. It was lovely to be back there leading walks but as a social experience it really wasn't the same as it used to be. Let's hope things get back to normal soon.

 Dorothy and two other guests about to swim in the loch!