I can't believe that I wore a pair of Scarpa SLs when I did Lands End to John O'Groats. (My
unembelished notes on this trip are tucked away in the beginnings of this Blog).
The Scarpa SLs were resoled and last saw me walking in the Himalaya's back in 2009.
Here are the comments that I made on this trip - three from the bottom. I went with Exodus and the Company is first class. I had previously been trekking in Peru with them:
http://www.exodus.co.uk/holidays/tng/reviews?page=2
In 2009 they used tents. Now they use Tea Houses which IMHO is not nearly so good.
The boots remained in Nepal.
When Scarpa redisigned the SLs I bought a pair of the old Scarpa's - they were just so
comfortable. They are now my Winter boot of choice.
Now that Winter is approaching I decided to take my Scarpas for a walk.
Last week I had to cut short one of my visits to the Peak District.
I walked from Hathersage to Edale, via Ladybower Inn and Win Hill. I pitched in the dark at Edale.
Just before I found this:
I jumped over a brook and managed to give myself a groin strain.
I had to catch the train back as it was not comfortable in the morning - and the plan was another 3/4 days around Bleaklow and Back Tor.
Why do people pick up dog poo = good and then hang it from a sign ........ or tree?
Cannock Chase
So, a 40 minute drive gets me to Cannock. Tamworth does not have hills and Cannock offers some good walking. I get over there fairly often.
But, this was to be different.
My walk over and around Cannock takes me around 6 hours. It includes a very good pub for a lunch break.
I don't have any specific routes. I just take off from the Visitors Centre and make sure I get to Great Haywood for lunch. Clockwise or anti-clockwise it's roughly the same time to reach the pub.
So, random walking on a good day. Not many people around.
Heading towards Milford I see a couple of cyclists. They go past me and stop.
"Do I know you? Were you in Nepal? Are you Gordon?"
Now, if you know me, you will know that my memory for names is not good. Who were they, I asked myself, while flustering and trying hard to think.
They were Paul and Mary, who live in Hurley - not far from Tamworth - but I last saw them in Nepal - in 2009. We chatted for ages and then said goodbyes.
Very spooky - they were in the Rohan shop when I was there last week (but they didn't say hello then).
What are the chances of meeting folk on Cannock Chase? Not many are there during the week.
What are the chances of meeting folk who you last met in Nepal - on Cannock Chase?
Anyway, my Scarpas were comfortable and now I'm looking forward to some decent snow.
I have a theory as to why dog owners leave bags of dog s*** hanging from branches etc. Dog owner takes dog out for a s***, hoping no one will notice, so they don't have to clear it up. If someone happens to be about, they feel obliged to bag it and pretend they're going to take it away. Once no one's about, they dump it by hanging it from the nearest branch. On the other hand, it could just be dog owners marking their territory......
ReplyDeleteSomeone eventually has to take this s*** down.
DeleteI like Andrew's idea about posting the bag though the miscreants letter box.
Most Dog Owners don't do this. Ok I don't, but I see it often enough. If I knew where they lived, I'd post it back through their letter box OPENED.
ReplyDeleteI used to wear Scarpas. I still have a pair that are good, but don't fit any more. I find them too narrow now, and have to wear meindl boots. A shame because there is nothing wrong with mt size 10½ Scarpas, other than my Size 11 feet.
Other than that, a nice wee walk that Gordon.
I was up around the Bleaklow area a couple of weeks ago with Mr Rye. We had glorious weather.
And my advice about fences.
They are not hurdles.
Step over them Gingerly.
I mean...Groin Strain..
Climbing a Fence?
No bragging rights in that as an injury at all :-)
I just love the Scarpa SLs. Weird putting these on after walking in trail shoes.
ReplyDeleteAs usual, Martin wrote the facts on your Bleaklow walk,and, you wrote ......your version. Very enjoyable they were too.
I love the fact that you can walk the Upper Derwant area and still hardly see anyone.
Now, groins to me are not to be sniffed at. One man's groin strain is another man's "s*** this hurts".
But you are right it's not a real injury - like breaking a leg. I'll try to avoid this, though, as I usually walk without company :-)
Yes don't break anything. I was walking solo too.
Delete