Tag: hiking

5 Helpful Tips to Improve Your Map Reading Skills

by Alison Ingleby on October 17, 2017 in Survival skills • 0 Comments

Map and compass

It’s National Map Reading Week! I was lucky enough to be taught basic navigation skills at an early age but I appreciate that for many people, maps designed for outdoor activities are about as comprehensible as the financial pages of The Sunday Times. But it’s never too late to learn. If you struggle to figure out which way’s north and whether the brown circles on the map represent a hill or a valley, here are some helpful tips to help you improve your map reading skills. Why not get outside this weekend and try them out?

Tip 1: Pick the Right Map

There are lots of different types of maps at varying scales which can make it confusing to know which one to choose. The scale will usually be expressed as a ratio, for example 1:50,000. The bigger the number after the colon the less detailed the map will be. Ordnance Survey provides a range of maps that cover the whole of UK at a range of scales.

Some people prefer the Harvey maps, particularly in mountainous areas. They look a bit different to the OS maps but are designed to provide a simpler view of the landscape (particularly where there are lots of contours) to help you navigate more easily. Harveys also sell specific maps for long distance walking and cycle trails. You can usually get the whole route printed on one map which can save a lot of space in your pack!

Here’s a quick guide to some common UK maps to help you work out which is best for you:

1:50,000 OS Map – good for people who want a less detailed map that covers a large area. All roads and main footpaths will be marked, but there’ll be less detail to help you navigate off-road than other maps. Useful for cyclists who mainly stick to roads.
1:25,000 OS Map – for many years the OS Explorer range has been the go-to map for outdoor activities. The maps show all rights of way and distinctive features and have a high level of rock and contour detail in the mountains. The only downside is that in mountainous terrain it can be tricky to read the map accurately because of the level of detail. The best map for all-around outdoor use.
1:40,000 Harvey Mountain Map – Harvey focus mainly on mountainous areas of England, Scotland and Wales. Their maps look quite different to OS maps but are great for hiking, biking and running in the more remote, hillier parts of the country. The maps don’t contain all the detail of a 1:25,000 map but this makes them much easier to read. Unlike OS maps that cover the whole country, Harvey maps cover a specific area. This means that instead of having to buy multiple OS maps you can cover the same area with one Harvey map. Best map for general hiking and mountain biking in national parks and upland areas.
1:25,000 Harvey Superwalker Maps – focused on popular upland areas of the UK, these provide a higher level of detail than the Mountain Maps but still focus on readability. If you’re navigating in complex mountain terrain, this is the best map for you.

A lot of people prefer paper maps but if you enjoy getting outdoors in a lot of different places then the OS Maps app is a great low-cost way of accessing all the maps in the country on your phone. However, for learning basic navigation skills a paper map is much easier to use. Plus, it never runs out of battery!

Tip 2: Get Used to Using a Compass

A compass is the second important tool in your navigation toolkit. With a map, compass and some basic skills, you should be able to navigate your way through most parts of the country with ease. Even if you use a GPS device it’s worth carrying a map and compass as a backup. (And know how to use them!). If you get into the habit of taking your compass out with you on walks, runs or bike rides then you’ll keep up your skills and over time they’ll become second nature.

Your compass has a base plate and a rotating bezel with angles marking the 360 degrees of a circle. Inside is the compass needle which will rotate as you move around. The important thing to remember is that the red end of the arrow will always point north – even if it’s not lined up to the north marker on the bezel. (There are actually three different ‘norths’ but this can be quite confusing for people who are new to navigation so for the time being just remember that red equals north.)

The simplest compass skill is to orientate your map to north. Even if you can’t remember how to take a compass bearing, by orientating your map in the right direction, you can pick out features around you to pinpoint your location.

Whichever map you use there’ll be a grid of squares marked over it. The top of the map will be north so the vertical lines that run up the map are on a north-south line. To orientate your map, hold the compass flat on top of the map and turn the map until the red north arrow is pointing along the vertical grid lines to the top of the map. Remember you need to turn the map and not the compass! If you’re facing south this will mean that the map feels upside down, but don’t worry, you’ll soon get used to navigating by the features on the map and this won’t be a problem.

Once you’ve orientated your map have a look at the landscape around you and see how features appear on the map. Can you spot that big hill over to your right? How about the river on your left? If you’re using footpaths or bridleways then most of the time by orientating your map correctly you can follow your planned route without the need for more complex compass skills. In the mountains, it can be a different story and you’ll want to know how to take compass bearings and learn more advanced skills so you can navigate effectively in poor weather.

Tip 3: Understand Basic Topographical Features

Maps can be confusing things full of brown squiggly lines and coloured symbols. It’s no wonder people get confused! But it’s worth taking a bit of time to understand the different features a map represents. Roads, footpaths and water features such as lakes and big rivers are usually quite obvious and easy to see. What most people struggle with are contours. Unfortunately, if you want to go walking in the mountains you’re going to come across a lot of contours and you’re going to have to use them to navigate.

Contour lines show changes in height. On a 1:25,000 map there is one contour line for every five metres of vertical height. Some contour lines have a height marked on them. If you have a GPS device that measures altitude you can use these to help you work out how far up or down a hill you are. Contours are continuous and follow the shape of the land. If you walk along a contour line you’ll always be at the same height.

Contours also tell you how steep a slope is. The closer together the brown lines, the steeper the hill. This makes hills and mountains quite easy to spot on maps as you have concentric circles that get smaller and smaller as you get towards the top of the hill.

Next time you go out walking or running try and match the typographical features you see on the ground to your map. A great way of getting better at using contours to navigate by is to try orienteering. Orienteering maps are much more detailed than OS maps and show almost every feature on the ground. You can learn how different landforms are represented and scale this up to the big mountains when you go hiking.

Tip 4: Trust the Map

Sometimes if you’re lost it can feel as if the map doesn’t match what’s on the ground. Your brain tricks you into thinking that you’re right and the map is wrong. Believe me, from bitter experience I know that the map is always right! If you can’t match the features on the map to the features on the ground this probably means you’re not where you think you are.

If you end up in this situation you have a couple of options:

Walk back until you get to a point where you’re certain of your location and the map matches the features on the ground. For example, this could be a path junction or where a path crosses a river
Work out your current location using your map and compass.

If you choose the second option then your first step is to orientate your map (see tip 2). Then try and remember your last known location and pinpoint this on the map. Presuming you’ve been checking your map as you go, this shouldn’t be too far away and it’ll give you an indication of whereabouts on the map you might be. Once you’ve done this look for some distinctive features around you – for example, a large hill, a saddle between two hills or a church spire in the valley below. Ideally, you want to pick three or four very distinctive features. Find these on the map and using these points you should be able to narrow down your location. Then look for any small features nearby to help you pinpoint your exact spot.

Once you’re confident about where you are then you can carry on walking or retrace your steps if necessary. Just remember the map never lies!

Tip 5: Get Out and Practice

The only way you’ll get better at navigation is to practice it. Like everything, this takes time and can be frustrating. But you don’t need to go on a full day out in the hills to get some practice in. Get outside in the evening with your local map and walk on the footpaths around your home. Look at what features you pass and how they’re marked on the map. How does the vegetation change and what colours signify this on the map? What buildings are recorded and what buildings aren’t? Can you predict when you’ll pass each five-metre contour line?

As you know the area you’re unlikely to get lost so you can perfect your map reading skills without worrying about whether you’ll make it home in time for dinner.

Happy navigating!

How to Escape the Crowds by Hiking the Cinque Terre

by Alison Ingleby on October 3, 2017 in Hiking, Travel • 0 Comments

The village of Vernazza in the Cinque Terre

The five tiny villages that make up the Cinque Terre are for many the crowning highlight of the Italian Riviera. Jumbles of coloured buildings cling to the rocky coastline that plunge into the clear blue sea, perfect for bathing. The breathtaking views and old-fashioned charm are enough to melt the hardest photographer’s heart. But the Cinque Terre is far from a secret destination and the solitude that once distinguished these villages is almost totally absent.

All is not lost. If you’re happy to do a bit of leg-work then there’s the opportunity to get stunning views of the villages and coastline and enjoy some solitude on the network of paths in the mountains behind the Cinque Terre. Even better, you’ll have every excuse for sampling the delicious Ligurian cuisine at every village you stop by. Here are some tips on hiking the Cinque Terre.

The beautiful coastline of the Cinque Terre

The Five Villages of the Cinque Terre

From west to east, the five villages are:

Monterosso

The largest of the towns and the only one with a proper beach, making it a great place to stay to get an early start to your hike.

Vernazza

A stunning village from every viewpoint, Vernazza is characterised by its small harbour and steep, winding streets.

Corniglia

The only one of the five without direct access to the sea, Corniglia is perched on the cliffs surrounded by vineyards.

Manarola

Manarola doesn’t have much of a harbour, but the boats that line the main street down to the water would make you think otherwise. A beautiful village and a popular place for swimming.

Riomaggiore

The easternmost of the villages and often the most crowded, Riomaggiore is connected to Manarola by the well-known Lovers’ Lane.

Hiking Paths in the Cinque Terre

The most popular (i.e. busy) way to walk between the five villages is via the Sentiero Azzurro, also known as Trail #2 or the Blue Trail. This is about 12 kilometres in total, though it’s a full day trip if you want to stop in each village. At the time of writing (September 2017) the only part of this trail which is open is the section between Vernazza and Corniglia. Huge landslides devastated the area some years ago and the footpaths are still being repaired.

Running the Sentierro Azzurro path between Vernazza and Corniglia

This does give you the excuse to go higher into the mountains and explore some of the hamlets and churches perched above the villages.

Looking back down on Monterosso from the Sanctuary of Soviore

If you want to avoid the villages completely, the 35-kilometer High Path runs along the crest of the hills between Portovenere and Levanto.

Alternative Transport Options for Getting Around the Cinque Terre

If you’re short of time or don’t fancy hiking the full length of the coast, you can mix and match your transport options. If you only have a day and want to steer clear of the Sentiero Azzurro Trail, you’re best off picking a few sections of the higher paths to hike and using the train to get between the other villages.

Another option is to join one of the boat tours, giving you a very different view of the coastline from the sea.

When to Hike the Cinque Terre

The best time for hiking is spring and autumn. The months of April, May, September and October have pleasant temperatures and if you go towards the beginning or end of the season then you’ll miss the worst of the crowds in the villages. Winter is a lot quieter, but you risk bad weather which can close the trails.

The picturesque village of Manarola

Hiking in the Wider Ligurian Region

If you really want to escape the crowds, why not leave the Cinque Terre to the tourists and explore some of the other footpaths along the Italian Riviera? Beautiful scenery AND solitude. Bliss.

Everything You Need to Know About Wild Camping

by Alison Ingleby on June 6, 2017 in Hiking, Microadventures • 0 Comments

One of the best things about wild camping is the view from your front door

Wild camping season is here! The days are drawing out, the sun is shining (sometimes) and the countryside is a million shades of green. If you haven’t already dusted off your tent or bivvy bag, now is the time.

Whether you’re new to wild camping, or just looking for a few new ideas, here’s the lowdown on everything you need to know about wild camping.

What’s the Difference Between Wild Camping and Camping On a Site?

This may be a dumb question. (But there is no such thing as a dumb question, right?) It’s pretty obvious that camping in the wild is going to be a different experience to pitching up in a serviced campsite. There are no showers for one thing. Or toilets. Or other people. If any of these things are essential to your love of camping, then you may want to give wild camping a miss.

On a more serious note, whereas you may pitch your tent in a campsite for a weekend or week-long trip, this is not the done thing when wild camping. The unwritten rule is ‘dusk ‘til dawn’. Pitch up late in the day and move on early the next morning. You’re a wanderer. An explorer. If you pitch up twenty metres from your car and spend the weekend relaxing in your folding chair next to the barbeque, you’re kind of missing the point.

Is Wild Camping legal?

This depends on where you’re looking to camp. In Scotland, wild camping is permitted as long as you follow the Outdoor Access Code. Leave no trace, follow the ‘dawn ‘til’ dusk’ guidelines and don’t get in anyone’s way and you’re unlikely to have a problem.

In the majority of England, Wales and Northern Ireland, you have no legal right to camp wild and technically you should ask the landowner’s permission (except for Dartmoor where you’re allowed to wild camp for one or two nights on open land). However, in many remote areas, wild camping is tolerated as long as you pitch up well away from roads and farmland.

Essential Kit for Wild Camping

Wild camping kit can be as cheap or as expensive as you want to make it. At one end of the scale, you can have a perfectly good night with a cheap plastic bivvy bag, a sleeping bag and a pack of sandwiches. But if you’re planning on making a regular habit of wild camping, or if you’re backpacking then you may want to invest in some specific gear.

Here are the main essentials you’ll need for Wild Camping:

Bivvy bag or tent – bivvy bags are perfect for microadventures and single nights out, but if you’re doing a long trip then a small tent can be worth its weight in gold. Particularly if it’s raining.
Sleeping bag – even in summer, you’ll have an uncomfortable night without your bag.
Sleeping mat – ideally a lightweight, blow up mat such as a Thermarest.
Warm jacket – always worth carrying a spare layer, especially if you’re likely to be sitting around in the evening.
Torch – to be fair, at this time of year, it’s light late into the evening. As long as you don’t need any night-time toilet stops you may get away without one.
Stove and pan – something small and light is ideal.
Lighter – you will regret forgetting this. Take two, in case one doesn’t work.
Water bottle – if you’re planning on filling up from streams, then one with a wide neck is ideal.
Mug – not your best china.
Spork – the only implement you need for eating.
Food – see below for ideas.
Insect repellent – you may consider this optional until you’ve been attacked by the dreaded midge. No one wants to wake up with a face full of itchy bites.
Fold up trowel – for your DIY toilet.

You should be able to fit these into a small rucksack, particularly if you’ve taking a bivvy bag rather than a tent. If you’re planning on camping in the woods, then a hammock and tarp is a great alternative to a tent.

Pick Your Perfect Wild Camping Spot

Perfect camping spots rarely appear just when you need them. It’s worth having a rough idea of where you want to camp before setting out.

A couple of things to bear in mind:

Popular spots tend to be, well, popular. If you head up to a classic wild camping spot with a beautiful view on a summer Saturday in the Lake District, then you’re unlikely to have it to yourself.
Look at the weather forecast before heading out. If it’s due to get windy overnight, you might want to avoid camping on an exposed mountaintop.
But if it’s looking calm, an exposed location may help keep the midges at bay!
If you need to collect water for cooking or drinking, then plan to camp near a reliable water source. If it’s been a dry summer, small streams may be more of a trickle near their source. If in doubt, fill up your bottles before heading to high ground.

Once you’ve found the area you’re going to spend the night it, spend ten minutes walking around to find a good spot. If the ‘perfect’ spot you picked on the map turns out to be a man-eating bog, then be prepared to look again. Sadly, maps can’t tell you everything.

Cook Up a Feast

Cooking over a campfire can be the epitome of wild camping. But you should only light a fire where it’s safe to do so and there’s no chance of you starting a wildfire. Seriously, wildfires are a big deal. Don’t be the idiot who accidentally starts one. If you do build a fire, make sure you clear it up afterwards. Leave no trace, remember?

Cooking on a stove may be less romantic, but it’s much more practical. And just because you’re wild camping, doesn’t mean you’re restricted to instant noodles. If you’re out for a single night, then pick up some sausages or cheese to include in your feast. Packing for longer trips requires a bit more thought, but there are lots of tasty meals you can cook up in a single pan. If you’re looking for inspiration, the Dirty Gourmet blog has some great recipes.

When Nature Calls

If you’ve grown up in the outdoors, then you can probably pass over this section. But if you’re new to wild camping and spending time away from ‘real’ toilets, then there are some things you need to know.

Firstly, choose a toilet spot well away from water – at least 30m.

Secondly, leaving toilet paper littered around is the ultimate no-no. I see this all the time when I’m out hiking and it really gets on my nerves. There’s no excuse for it. Ideally, bag up toilet paper and sanitary products and take them out with you. Alternatively, you can burn them VERY CAREFULLY (see point above about wildfires) and bury the ashes, or in a worst case scenario, bury them in a hole in the ground.

Finally, if you’re going for more than a wee, dig a hole. What if you’ve forgotten your trowel? Use a stick. Or a rock. Or your bare hands. Just bury it somehow. Got it?

Wild Camping is Supposed to Be Fun

Ok, so camping in the middle of nowhere with no pub or toilets isn’t everyone’s idea of fun. But I suspect if you’re reading this, you’re at least willing to give it a go. If you’re in need of a break from the hectic world of work, people and social media then I can recommend spending a couple of nights wild camping to recharge your batteries.

Of course, this being Britain, the weather is never guaranteed. And to be honest, if it’s lashing rain then camping in any situation isn’t that fun. So keep an eye on the forecast and if it’s looking bad be prepared to change your plans. If you’re determined to go ahead anyway, then check out my top tips for staying dry when camping in the rain.

So, is there anything I missed? Anything else you want to know about wild camping? Drop me a line, or come and hang out on Twitter and let me know. Until next time, amigos!

Why You Should Start Munro Bagging

by Alison Ingleby on May 23, 2017 in Hiking • 0 Comments

Anyone know what the collective noun for a group of Munro baggers is?

Have you ever heard of the term ‘Munro bagging’? I’d hazard a guess and say probably not, unless you frequent the Scottish mountains or enjoy spending time in the pub with geeky hikers. But if you like a challenge, love exploring wild places and aren’t afraid of the infamous Scottish midge, then Munro bagging may be for you.

Here’s your guide to Scotland’s ultimate ticklist.

What Is Munro Bagging?

Let’s start with the basics, shall we? A Munro is a Scottish mountain over 3,000ft (that’s 914m in new money). There are 282 of them, at the last count. (This does occasionally change, depending on if someone has built a particularly big cairn, or a mountain has sunk.*) They’re named after Sir Hugh Munro, who first listed the summits in his ‘Munros Tables’ in 1891.

When you touch the top of the hallowed summit cairn of a Munro, you can say you’ve ‘bagged’ it. A Munro bagger is someone who has, or is trying to, ‘bag’ all the Munros. The species can usually be identified by their insistence to reach the top of the mountain despite the full force of Scottish rain, wind or snow. (Possibly all three – this is Scotland after all.) Once you’ve successfully completed all 282 Munros, you gain the official title of ‘Munroist’, or ‘compleatist’ (yes, that is spelt correctly, thank you very much, Grammarly).

*More accurate surveying methods have led to the demotion of a few Munros, notably poor Sgùrr nan Ceannaichean, which was taken off the list in 2009 for being just one metre too short.

Where Are the Munros?

If you hadn’t already guessed, they’re in Scotland. More specifically, in the northern part of Scotland. All 282 Munros lie (stand?) north of the Central Belt (that’s the bit with Glasgow and Edinburgh). There’s a nice map of all the Munros here. And for those who like to have some handy facts at their fingertips, here are the cardinal Munros:

Northernmost Munro: Ben Hope, which stands alone in the Flow Country of Sutherland
Easternmost Munro: Mount Keen, in the far east of the Cairngorms National Park
Southernmost Munro: Ben Lomond, many people’s first Munro, stands sentinel over the bonnie banks o’ Loch Lomond
Westernmost Munro: Sgurr na Banachdich, part of the Cuillin Ridge on the Isle of Skye

How to Bag Munros

Well, first you have to get a list of them! Steve Fallon has a handy spreadsheet that you can download from his website, or if you like sticking things on your wall, Harvey May Services do a chart of all the Munros and Corbetts. (I recommend plastering this on your toilet wall as a constant reminder of how many you have left to do.)

Then, it’s just a case of lacing up your boots and heading out into the hills. With appropriate maps, equipment and loyal companions of course. A tip from the wise: if you’re planning on this being a life-term venture, then you may want to look at the order in which you climb the Munros and not leave the longest walk-ins til last.

Speaking of final Munros, tradition has it that you invite all your Munro companions to join you for the walk up your final Munro. On the top of which, you celebrate with champagne, strawberries and chocolate brownies. (I can recommend this recipe as being tried and tested.) So, unless you really want your friends and family to suffer, I’d save a nice easy Munro to the end.

Why bother?

An excellent question. But humans have always loved a good ticklist. I bet even caveman came home to cavewoman and proudly scratched another line on their cave wall to tick off a new beastie he’d managed to kill with his bare hands.

Plus it gives Munro baggers (and their long-suffering families) plenty of excuses for holidays in Scotland. Not that you need an excuse to go to Scotland. (In my humble opinion, one of the most beautiful places on this planet.) But it’s always nice to have a reason to justify another long drive up north to your work colleagues who have just hopped off the plane from Majorca.

But perhaps the main reason is the encouragement to explore some of Scotland’s wildest and remote mountains. Mountains that, if they weren’t over the magic height of 3,000ft, your eyes would skim over on the map. Mountains which, in all likelihood, you’ll complete in solitude, perhaps with the odd mountain bird or deer for company. And on those (admittedly rare) days when the sky is clear, the views from the Scottish mountaintops are some of the most beautiful in the world.

But what if I’ve DONE all the Munros?

I hear your pain. You’ve reached the end of a hard-won race. (In the case of my Dad, a fifty-year project.) And as you gaze into the future, all you see is a vision of lazy days on sun-kissed beaches, a nice cold beer in hand. . .

But where there is a will, there’s always another challenge to be had. If you’re not totally sick of Scotland by now (and why would you be?) get your hands on a list of the Corbetts (that’s Scottish mountains between 2,500 and 3,000ft). There are 222 of them, though you’ve probably got a bit of a head start as you’ll have been up a fair few as part of your Munro marathon. And for the really keen, once you’ve ticked off the Corbetts, you can move on to the Grahams. If that’s not enough then there’s also the Donalds. Phew.

If you want to be really pedantic, you could also tick off the Munro Tops. These are mountains over 3,000ft that in another life would have been a Munro, but due to their overbearing brothers and sisters did not make the list. (Don’t you hate bigger siblings?) I feel quite sorry for these subsidiary summits — so close and yet so far. Perhaps we should start a fan club for the Munro tops. IS ANYONE WITH ME?

Then there are Murdos. These are summits over 3,000ft with at least a 30m (98ft) drop on all sides. (Why not make it 100ft for consistency of measurement? I DON’T KNOW.) So all Munros are Murdos, a Munro Top may or may not be a Murdo, and all Murdos are either Munros or Munro Tops. Are you confused yet? Good, because I am. Anyway, I’m a bit dubious about the Murdos and suspect they were just made up by a forlorn compleatist as an excuse to spend more time in the Scottish hills.

Some interesting facts about Munros

The Inaccessible Pinnacle on Skye is the most technically difficult of the Munros, requiring the bagger to complete a rock climb to touch the top and an abseil to descend.
Various peaks vie for the title of ‘most remote’, but A’ Mhaighdean and Ruadh Stac Mor come out top of most lists. For most people ticking these peaks will require staying in a bothy or wild camping overnight.
The Revd A E Robertson was the first person to complete all the Munros in 1901. However, there is some dispute over his claim, as it’s not certain he reached the summit of Ben Wyvis and he definitely didn’t climb the Inaccessible Pinnacle. If the Rev isn’t allowed to take the number one spot, then he relinquishes it to another man of the church, the Revd Ronald Burn, who completed his round in 1923.
Hamish Brown completed the first continuous round of the Munros in 1974 which involved 1,639 miles of walking (and 150 miles on a bike).
The speed record for the Munros is held by Stephen Pike who set the record of 39 days and 9 hours in 2010, cycling and kayaking between peaks.
Perhaps equally impressive is the youngest Munroist, Daniel Smith, who finished his round at the tender age of nine. If you’re wanting your little ones to challenge his reign, you’d better get them training early!
Finally, if you love walking in torrential rain, howling gales and blizzards, you may be interested in the winter records. Martin Moran was the first to complete all the Munros in one winter season in 1983/5 and Steve Perry completed the first (and only?) continuous winter round entirely on foot (and ferry).

I don’t know about you, but it seems to me there’s a distinct lack of women on that list! Delving a bit deeper into the archives of Google, it appears the first woman to complete a continuous round was Kathy Murgatroyd in 1982. Kate Weyman and Lorraine McCall are also noted as having completed continuous rounds, in 113 days and 141 days respectively, but it looks like there’s potential for some fit ladies out there to make their mark on the Munro history books. Now there’s a thought. . .

Are You Ready to Take Up the Munro Challenge?

So there you have it, everything you ever wanted to know about Munro bagging and probably a fair bit more besides. Have I convinced you to take up the challenge yet? Yes? Great stuff. All together now, Sláinte!

Exploring the Best of North Yorkshire

by Alison Ingleby on April 18, 2017 in Microadventures, Uncategorized, Vanlife • 0 Comments

Low tide at the beautiful Saltwick Bay

It’s confession time. I thought about this week’s blog post whilst hanging out the washing at about 9.30am this morning. Which, given this should have gone out at 8.00am was a bit of a boob on my part. I’m blaming the Easter bank holiday – today feels like Monday, not Tuesday!

Rather than my usual ‘how to’ style posts, this week I’m going to take you on a wee tour of North Yorkshire, mainly because I’ve just come back from a lovely few days up there in our campervan, Sadie. Our weekend can be summarised as follows: windswept moors, hilly forest, windswept beaches, more windswept moors. As you can gather, it was pretty windy.

Sadly I don’t have any photos of our 20-mile mountain bike ride around Dalby Forest. Partly because I felt that carrying my new phone around the trail was guaranteed to make me fall off and squash it, and partly because I am pretty slow on the mountain bike and was therefore at the back of the pack. So you have to take my word for it that it was a sunny day and a fun route. I biked about 90 percent of it (which is good going for me) and felt totally knackered by the end of it (always the sign of a good day out).

Saltwick Bay

Saltwick-Bay

Saltwick Bay is about a mile down the coast from Whitby on the east coast of North Yorkshire. It’s pretty popular, but at low tide it’s big enough that you can wander away from the crowds. We went in search of driftwood and found fossils. Many, many fossils. There’s also the remains of a shipwreck:

Shipwreck-Saltwick-Bay

If you’re feeling a bit claustrophobic in Whitby, it’s well worth the walk over the cliff-top path to Saltwick Bay. Just make sure you keep an eye on the tides and don’t get trapped.

Blakey Ridge and Rosedale Valley

We had arranged to meet my sister and her partner for a walk in Rosedale valley the following day. As Sadie is a bit of a beast, we decided to get to the the start of our walk – the car park on the top of Blakey Ridge – early, to nab a good parking spot. Which meant we ate breakfast with this beautiful view:

Blakey-Ridge

Pretty good, huh? Blakey Ridge is a beautifully wild, desolate spot. The lonely Lion Inn stands proud, battered by the wind; a cosy refuge on a winter’s day. But on this occasion, the sun was out and we had our sandwiches packed.

Rosedale is a tranquil valley, surrounded by wild moors. It also has an interesting history. During the nineteenth century, the valley was mined for its high-quality iron ore. The remains of the brick kilns can still be seen, high on the hillside.

Brick-kiln-Rosedale

To transport the ore to the foundries, a railway was built and the remains of the tramlines now offer a flat, high-level path around the valley.

Rosedale-valley

On a clear day, you get stunning views across the valley. Keep your eye out for ring ouzels (the blackbirds of the moors) and listen for the call of curlews circling overhead. It’s a wild, windswept and beautiful place – a taste of the best North Yorkshire has to offer.