It was about 9:15am by the time I left the B&B. By the time I had bought a compass suitable for the northern hemisphere it was about 9:45am, and by the time I eventually found the correct road leading to sugar loaf it was nearer 10:00!
The navigation to the top of Sugar Loaf was uncomplicated but the steep track, especially near the summit, was hard work. I only spent a few minutes at the top as it was clear rain was heading in. There were a few people up there and one group offered to take a photo of me by the trig. point. I checked my way off Sugar Loaf with someone on the summit and then made an uneventful trip down to Forest Coal Pit. I made a phone call to my B&B to tell them I was running late.
I stopped at a farm, on the way up to Garn-wen, to take on extra water and had a very enjoyable conversation with a farmer and his wife. I positively sailed up the next few km. It made me realise that meeting interesting friendly people is more important to me than extensive views from a mountain ridge.
After leaving the farmhouse the route was well defined and almost became a 'motorway' when it joined the Brecon Way. I met a large group of school children doing their Duke of Edinbrough walk, near where the Brecon way turned down East. The weather deteriorated to periods of howling wind and rain interspersed with bits of sunshine. I met a chap who said I would have to walk down over the moor to Capel-y-Ffin but I eventually found a pretty clear path down, starting at a large cairn.
When tired at the end of the day going steeply down hill is nearly as bad as going up
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Friday, July 16, 2010
Thu 15 July, Pontypool to Abergavenny
I left Ty Scon Jacob at 9:30am and found a quiet path down to town, via a reputed Old Roman Road and a short path through the forest. I the went up a very quiet country lane to meet up with Tony Drake's route a few hundred yards past the folly. A bit tricky finding the route across a river, behind a farm but after that it was simple contour walking just to the east of the ridge. I had extensive views, and it was quite windy, but at least the morning rain had cleared. I lost the track about a mile or two from the road and it was very hard going underfoot until I picked it up again. I stopped to rest at the road crossing and met up with 4 men out walking for the day. After moving off, one of them, a fellow Yorkhireman, came back to tell me that I should turn off the road onto the path at a small horse trough. That was very useful information and I had a long, if uneventful climb, up to Blorenge. The first part of the descent to Abergavenny was well marked. Then I followed a long tricky descent through high bracken before I eventually found the path which leads down to a tunnel under the canal. Walking down Blorenge was harder than walking up!
Thursday, July 15, 2010
Wed 14 July, Lower Machen to Pontypool
I stayed at The Forge B&B in Lower Machen, which I reached via Draethen. There was a very nice pub in Draethen, good atmosphere, and a pint of Guinness with a cajun chicken with salad and boiled potatoes cost less than 10 pounds!
The landlady at The Forge suggested two ways to get up Mynydd Machen. I took the JOGLE version, a nice quiet coutry road up to join the Sirhowy Valley Walkway, which took me all the way to the top of Mynydd Machen, in fine weather. The path down through the forest at Risca appears to have been blocked by bulldozed trees, whether by accident or design, I am not sure. Local ramblers might be interested in the changes. I had a pleasant walk through the sports ground in Risca where I met two blokes, my age, who I asked about restaurants. They suggested a little cafe on the canal, just metres off the road up to Twmbarlwm.
It started to rain whilst I was in the cafe and continued intermmitantly until I reached the parking area just before the last steep pull for the summit. The path along the ridge was clearly defined until about 700m from the Blaen Bran reservoir where I lost the path in the long bracken. I eventually found a path to the reservoir and then headed to my B&B at Ty Shon Jacob farm via Upper and Lower race. The farm is about 300m above the town of Pontypool so I didn't bother making an extra trip down to a pub for a meal. It rained heavily, on and off, all night
The landlady at The Forge suggested two ways to get up Mynydd Machen. I took the JOGLE version, a nice quiet coutry road up to join the Sirhowy Valley Walkway, which took me all the way to the top of Mynydd Machen, in fine weather. The path down through the forest at Risca appears to have been blocked by bulldozed trees, whether by accident or design, I am not sure. Local ramblers might be interested in the changes. I had a pleasant walk through the sports ground in Risca where I met two blokes, my age, who I asked about restaurants. They suggested a little cafe on the canal, just metres off the road up to Twmbarlwm.
It started to rain whilst I was in the cafe and continued intermmitantly until I reached the parking area just before the last steep pull for the summit. The path along the ridge was clearly defined until about 700m from the Blaen Bran reservoir where I lost the path in the long bracken. I eventually found a path to the reservoir and then headed to my B&B at Ty Shon Jacob farm via Upper and Lower race. The farm is about 300m above the town of Pontypool so I didn't bother making an extra trip down to a pub for a meal. It rained heavily, on and off, all night
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Tuesday July 13, 2010
I caught a bus to Cardiff Castle fom just outside my hotel, The Tane, arriving at 8:30am on a dull and overcast morning. Good walking conditions initially. I walked up the east bank of the Taff river. Just before the turnoff to the canal I met up with the snail I met last year on my JOGLE. He's obviously making better progress than I expected!
Shortly afterwards I met up Glyn Brewer, and he acted as my guide to just before Tongwynlais. He used the Taff trail, which appeared much simpler than the canal route in the book. It was an interesting encounter and Glyn was very knowledgeable about the history of the region. The time flew by.
I soon arrived at Castell Coch and then climbed on to the Rhymney Valley Ridgeway. I followed the standard route to about 1 mile past Rudry when l diverted, via Draethen, to my B&B, The Forge, at Lower Machen. l went back to the pub in Draethen for my evening meal. A Guinness and cajun chicken with salad for just under 10 pounds. The rain was not too unpleasant until just after Rudry and it had cleared up again in time for my trip to the pub.
The Snail making steady progress
Shortly afterwards I met up Glyn Brewer, and he acted as my guide to just before Tongwynlais. He used the Taff trail, which appeared much simpler than the canal route in the book. It was an interesting encounter and Glyn was very knowledgeable about the history of the region. The time flew by.
I soon arrived at Castell Coch and then climbed on to the Rhymney Valley Ridgeway. I followed the standard route to about 1 mile past Rudry when l diverted, via Draethen, to my B&B, The Forge, at Lower Machen. l went back to the pub in Draethen for my evening meal. A Guinness and cajun chicken with salad for just under 10 pounds. The rain was not too unpleasant until just after Rudry and it had cleared up again in time for my trip to the pub.
The Snail making steady progress
Monday, July 12, 2010
The beginning
Well after a long period of dry weather the rain has started, just as I set out for Cardiff by train. I will soon be on my walk.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Mr. Bean Goes Walking in Wales.
The title above is in deference to my former colleagues on the RV Tangaroa but it is already becoming too prophetic for comfort. I am planning a walk on part of the Cambrian Way. In the process I was trying to find accommodation at a campsite near Talsarn. I made contact with a very pleasant lady at the campsite and pointed out the uncertainty in my arrival date due to walking a long way on foot. She said there would be no need for me to book as a single person tent could be easily accommodated in an emergency. I then went on to inquire as to where I could get an evening meal. She suggested the pub in Talsarnau. I took this to be some kind of local name for Talsarn. However my suspicions were aroused when in a later e-mail she suggested that failing the pub being open I could always order an Indian take away from Harlech.
Now my knowledge of Welsh geography is slim at best but I knew that in planning my route I had never come across the name Harlech. On checking I found it is more than 100km from Talsarn! However, not surprisingly, Harlech is very near Talsarnau, which also has a campsite.
I think for me (or even Mr Bean) this is a record. This year I've managed to get lost before the walk has even started.
Now my knowledge of Welsh geography is slim at best but I knew that in planning my route I had never come across the name Harlech. On checking I found it is more than 100km from Talsarn! However, not surprisingly, Harlech is very near Talsarnau, which also has a campsite.
I think for me (or even Mr Bean) this is a record. This year I've managed to get lost before the walk has even started.
Friday, March 26, 2010
Charities have now received their funds!
Hi All,
well it's been a long time coming but at last I can report that Charity Giving has paid out both the Malghan Institute in New Zealand and Leukaemia Research in the UK. The Malaghan Institute received $NZ 2597.11 on 3/2/2010 and yesterday (26/3/2010) Leukaemia Research received ₤1170.38. There were also contributions totaling $150 direct to the Malaghan Institute from Rob Crozier and Mike Rietveld in New Zealand.
Between us we’ve raised over $NZ 5,000 dollars or ₤2500. Thank you one and all for your support.
The long distance walking season appears to have already opened up in the UK and Mick and Gayle, who provided me with support in Wolverhampton last year, are 5 days into their walk from Dover to Cape Wrath. You can find their site under Mick&Gayle in the links on the RHS of this page. They are collecting for Help for Heros and would appreciate your support. They provide daily updates of their adventures which should keep you entertained for about the next 2 months.
Hi All,
well it's been a long time coming but at last I can report that Charity Giving has paid out both the Malghan Institute in New Zealand and Leukaemia Research in the UK. The Malaghan Institute received $NZ 2597.11 on 3/2/2010 and yesterday (26/3/2010) Leukaemia Research received ₤1170.38. There were also contributions totaling $150 direct to the Malaghan Institute from Rob Crozier and Mike Rietveld in New Zealand.
Between us we’ve raised over $NZ 5,000 dollars or ₤2500. Thank you one and all for your support.
The long distance walking season appears to have already opened up in the UK and Mick and Gayle, who provided me with support in Wolverhampton last year, are 5 days into their walk from Dover to Cape Wrath. You can find their site under Mick&Gayle in the links on the RHS of this page. They are collecting for Help for Heros and would appreciate your support. They provide daily updates of their adventures which should keep you entertained for about the next 2 months.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Afterthoughts -- Updated 14th Oct
Well we are now back in New Zealand in a spring-time that seems more like mid-winter. The woodburner and the heat pump are running and I'm still feeling the cold.
I've got Colin to post the photo Sally took of me at Land's End. It's quite helpful she took the picture as I forgot to sign the official book at Land's End to say I had finished the walk. Doh! It is a bit sad really as if someone checks the books for statistical purposes it will look as though I started out from John o'Groats but never reached Land's End. There was an official photo taken of me at Land's End but I have yet to see it and with the UK postal system in its current state it may be a while before I do.
Health Issues
By the end of the walk my sore right toe was all but healed and generally I was feeling pretty fit. When I compare the photographs of myself taken just before the walk with those taken just after I clearly look a lot healthier after the walk. My weight dropped from 71.6kg (11st 3lb) measured in Torquay before the walk to 64.6kg (10st 2lb) measured in Penzance after I finished. However after less than 2 weeks holidaying in the UK my weight was back up again to 69.1kg (10st 12lb). My home scales now put me at 69.7kg. I have had no leg or foot problems since the walk ended. The GERD, which I was suffering from before the walk, has disappeared. I stopped needing Gaviscon after about a fortnight of walking and I've not taken Losec now for 3 weeks. I did however have my first ever full blown migraine the evening of the day after the walk finished and I've been troubled with headaches on and off since, but thankfully not with the same intensity.
I had a blood test last Thursday and my lymphocyte count was in the normal range at 3.5x10^9/L and fractionally below what it was when the walk started (3.6x10^9/L). My red cell count was just in the normal range when I started the walk but slightly below the normal range when measured last week. It has been lower in the past. My haemoglobin, at 130g/L, is the lowest it has ever been, having dropped from around 140g/L before the walk. I am hoping this is just a result of the foot impact over 1000 miles of walking and not a CLL related change. It will be interesting to see if it returns to its normal level over the next few weeks/months.
Donations Closed
I went to the Charitygiving website today and locked out any further donations for Cancerwalker. However anyone who wishes to do so can still go to the links provided on this page and donate directly to either the Malaghan Institute or Leukaemia Research should they wish to do so. When I hear back from Charitygiving I will let you know the final amount we raised for the Malaghan Institute and Leukaemia Research plus any monies donated directly to the charities as a result of the walk.
Acknowledgments
Thank you all for your generosity! Many thanks also to those of you who took the time off to come and walk with me. It made my journey much more enjoyable and memorable. Thanks also to those who provided transport or accommodation or provided a laundry service and those who did 'all of the above'. I truly enjoyed your company. Thanks to those of you who came to take me out to dinner and help me relax after a long day walking. Your companionship was much appreciated. Some were old friends, some I hadn't met for almost half a century, whilst others were new friends met through the walk. Thank you one and all.
Finally I must thank those of you working behind the scenes. Many thanks Ron for you support with publicity in the UK and on the ACOR site. Thank you Colin for keeping the blog updates flowing and dealing with communications queries. Thank you Sarah for converting my text messages about donations into actual donations on the Charitygiving website. It just a pity we weren't able to maxout your credit card with the donations! Thanks to Weed for acting as a phone messenger and joining Sally, Kit, Robin to come and cheer me in at Land's End.
Finally thanks to my wife Shiel for taking down my dictated blog entries in New Zealand, typing them up and then e-mailing them for Colin to post. This was needed for the first half of the walk to Newcastle. In Newcastle I got a new phone and was able to blog directly to Colin. Shiel also provided me with transport at the start and end of each day for the last 8 days of the walk in Devon and Cornwall. This meant I could travel a more direct route to Land's End without worrying about finding a campsite at the end of the day. It also meant I had the luxury of B&B accommodation.
Gear
The biggest success in the equipment area has to be my map system. I used double sided A4 sized maps on a scale of 1:50,000 downloaded from a DVD supplied by Quo. I used their maps as quite simply, at only 100 UK pounds, they were much cheaper than everyone elses. I'm still waiting to get a refund for the VAT I paid though. If they read this they might like to note I would be happy for them to pay it directly to the charities I am supporting. On most days I printed the maps to the largest size I could that still allowed me to get the whole day's walk on one double sided page. In city areas like Edinburgh and Wolverhampton however I finished up needing two maps per days walk to be able to resolve all the street detail. This however may just be a problem for older walkers, like myself, who suffer presbyopia. I laminated all the maps and never had any trouble with them on even the wettest days. In fact they made useful waterproof mats when one wanted to sit on a wet park bench. I stored the 'map in use' rolled up under a loop on one of my rucksack straps. However I think they would also roll up quite nicely around a walking pole where they could be held in place by a couple of Terry clips. The laminated maps were quite heavy so I only carried enough for about 22 days at a time. My sister posted the maps, as needed, to the nearest campsite at which I intended to stay. It appears the 'Post Restante' service is no longer available in the UK, or at least that's what I was told. I only lost one of my maps, somewhere near Pitlochry.
When I started the walk I had two pairs of old Scarpa leather boots. I estimate one pair had done about 500 miles, the other 1200miles. I started in the 500 mile pair and used them until I was joined by Shiel who brought with her the older pair. I used them for the last part of the trip. The first pair are badly worn down at the heels but when repaired are probably good for a few hundred miles more. The older pair, which were repaired just before the walk, will probably soon start to leak where the leather flexes most in the region just behind the smallest toe. They are already badly cracked. The older Scarpa boots are fantastic at keeping the feet dry. Water only gets in if it goes in over the top of the boot. I'd like to get another new pair of the boots I used but sadly they've changed the design and I don't like the new ones.
I was a bit dissapointed with the Osprey Aether 85 rucksac. I think some of the problems arose from the fact that I had to buy it via the Internet and I think I may have got a harness one size larger than I should have. I could get the harness to fit very snugly by pulling on the tension straps but I think some of the pulling may have been needed to compensate for the possibly oversized frame. This may explain why the metal frame rods punched through the harness. Two of the lid buckles also broke. I think some of the packs' weakness results from the designers reducing the amount of material used in the buckles etc to keep the weight down.
I've got Colin to post the photo Sally took of me at Land's End. It's quite helpful she took the picture as I forgot to sign the official book at Land's End to say I had finished the walk. Doh! It is a bit sad really as if someone checks the books for statistical purposes it will look as though I started out from John o'Groats but never reached Land's End. There was an official photo taken of me at Land's End but I have yet to see it and with the UK postal system in its current state it may be a while before I do.
Health Issues
By the end of the walk my sore right toe was all but healed and generally I was feeling pretty fit. When I compare the photographs of myself taken just before the walk with those taken just after I clearly look a lot healthier after the walk. My weight dropped from 71.6kg (11st 3lb) measured in Torquay before the walk to 64.6kg (10st 2lb) measured in Penzance after I finished. However after less than 2 weeks holidaying in the UK my weight was back up again to 69.1kg (10st 12lb). My home scales now put me at 69.7kg. I have had no leg or foot problems since the walk ended. The GERD, which I was suffering from before the walk, has disappeared. I stopped needing Gaviscon after about a fortnight of walking and I've not taken Losec now for 3 weeks. I did however have my first ever full blown migraine the evening of the day after the walk finished and I've been troubled with headaches on and off since, but thankfully not with the same intensity.
I had a blood test last Thursday and my lymphocyte count was in the normal range at 3.5x10^9/L and fractionally below what it was when the walk started (3.6x10^9/L). My red cell count was just in the normal range when I started the walk but slightly below the normal range when measured last week. It has been lower in the past. My haemoglobin, at 130g/L, is the lowest it has ever been, having dropped from around 140g/L before the walk. I am hoping this is just a result of the foot impact over 1000 miles of walking and not a CLL related change. It will be interesting to see if it returns to its normal level over the next few weeks/months.
Donations Closed
I went to the Charitygiving website today and locked out any further donations for Cancerwalker. However anyone who wishes to do so can still go to the links provided on this page and donate directly to either the Malaghan Institute or Leukaemia Research should they wish to do so. When I hear back from Charitygiving I will let you know the final amount we raised for the Malaghan Institute and Leukaemia Research plus any monies donated directly to the charities as a result of the walk.
Acknowledgments
Thank you all for your generosity! Many thanks also to those of you who took the time off to come and walk with me. It made my journey much more enjoyable and memorable. Thanks also to those who provided transport or accommodation or provided a laundry service and those who did 'all of the above'. I truly enjoyed your company. Thanks to those of you who came to take me out to dinner and help me relax after a long day walking. Your companionship was much appreciated. Some were old friends, some I hadn't met for almost half a century, whilst others were new friends met through the walk. Thank you one and all.
Finally I must thank those of you working behind the scenes. Many thanks Ron for you support with publicity in the UK and on the ACOR site. Thank you Colin for keeping the blog updates flowing and dealing with communications queries. Thank you Sarah for converting my text messages about donations into actual donations on the Charitygiving website. It just a pity we weren't able to maxout your credit card with the donations! Thanks to Weed for acting as a phone messenger and joining Sally, Kit, Robin to come and cheer me in at Land's End.
Finally thanks to my wife Shiel for taking down my dictated blog entries in New Zealand, typing them up and then e-mailing them for Colin to post. This was needed for the first half of the walk to Newcastle. In Newcastle I got a new phone and was able to blog directly to Colin. Shiel also provided me with transport at the start and end of each day for the last 8 days of the walk in Devon and Cornwall. This meant I could travel a more direct route to Land's End without worrying about finding a campsite at the end of the day. It also meant I had the luxury of B&B accommodation.
Gear
The biggest success in the equipment area has to be my map system. I used double sided A4 sized maps on a scale of 1:50,000 downloaded from a DVD supplied by Quo. I used their maps as quite simply, at only 100 UK pounds, they were much cheaper than everyone elses. I'm still waiting to get a refund for the VAT I paid though. If they read this they might like to note I would be happy for them to pay it directly to the charities I am supporting. On most days I printed the maps to the largest size I could that still allowed me to get the whole day's walk on one double sided page. In city areas like Edinburgh and Wolverhampton however I finished up needing two maps per days walk to be able to resolve all the street detail. This however may just be a problem for older walkers, like myself, who suffer presbyopia. I laminated all the maps and never had any trouble with them on even the wettest days. In fact they made useful waterproof mats when one wanted to sit on a wet park bench. I stored the 'map in use' rolled up under a loop on one of my rucksack straps. However I think they would also roll up quite nicely around a walking pole where they could be held in place by a couple of Terry clips. The laminated maps were quite heavy so I only carried enough for about 22 days at a time. My sister posted the maps, as needed, to the nearest campsite at which I intended to stay. It appears the 'Post Restante' service is no longer available in the UK, or at least that's what I was told. I only lost one of my maps, somewhere near Pitlochry.
When I started the walk I had two pairs of old Scarpa leather boots. I estimate one pair had done about 500 miles, the other 1200miles. I started in the 500 mile pair and used them until I was joined by Shiel who brought with her the older pair. I used them for the last part of the trip. The first pair are badly worn down at the heels but when repaired are probably good for a few hundred miles more. The older pair, which were repaired just before the walk, will probably soon start to leak where the leather flexes most in the region just behind the smallest toe. They are already badly cracked. The older Scarpa boots are fantastic at keeping the feet dry. Water only gets in if it goes in over the top of the boot. I'd like to get another new pair of the boots I used but sadly they've changed the design and I don't like the new ones.
I was a bit dissapointed with the Osprey Aether 85 rucksac. I think some of the problems arose from the fact that I had to buy it via the Internet and I think I may have got a harness one size larger than I should have. I could get the harness to fit very snugly by pulling on the tension straps but I think some of the pulling may have been needed to compensate for the possibly oversized frame. This may explain why the metal frame rods punched through the harness. Two of the lid buckles also broke. I think some of the packs' weakness results from the designers reducing the amount of material used in the buckles etc to keep the weight down.
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