Cotswold Way, Moreton-in-Marsh, Cotswolds

Up early on a spring morning and off to Moreton-in-Marsh we go! Helen P and I met up with Ed, Matt, Becky, Alice H, Luke, Alice L, Chris, Louise and Tom at the railway station. Helen E and Paul were in transit and were hopefully going to catch up with us later in Blockley. Of and of course Max was there too :) 

We began by walking  through the centre of town, where I was trying to work out the path out westwards. You know you are on the right path as there is a caravan park to the left. In the distance we saw the first stately home of the day! I was also quite bemused on how hung over Matt and Becky were!!

The footpath crossed a few more fields and started to follow the hedge up to where it crossed the road to the falconry centre at Batsford Park. We continued up past the walled grounds of the old stately home and up into the woods. As we crossed the road we headed to a viewpoint which showed the lovely little village of Blockley.

To which point Chris was poking about a tree and clearly trying to find something. Then it dawned on me he was trying to find a geo-cache. The debate for me is out on this one. Some people call it blatant littering but I can see the fun side of it too – like a treasure hunt. Chris was clearly addicted! One of the treasures was one of those long party balloons which promptly got blown up and let off.It screeched and span around whilst we began to walk down the hill to Blockley.

On the way down we stopped at a pub in Blockley, had some lunch and a nice pint of ale. After lunch we made our way out of Blockley southwards through a little hamlet called Dovedale and into Bourton Woods.  I did another classic wait for people to go the wrong way and make them walk back oops. We strolled up past Hailstone Farm, at which point there was lots of wild garlic around which Helen P was picking up! We carried on over the road and down to the little village of Bourton-on-the-Hill.

At which point we walked  south towards the stately home at Sezincote. This place looked a bit peculiar, a cross between a mid eighteenth century ancestral pile and the Taj Mahal. It looked quite ridiculous. At this point I spot a few birds circling in the sky. We began walking down the track towards some farm outbuildings. At which point I lost my bearings and Chris helped out with his GPS.

Correcting the route we made our way along a field at which point at the end was a swing which many of us had a go on. It was getting late in the afternoon but still enough time to pick up an ice cream in Moreton. Which went down very well!!

The day was full of sunshine, hopefully a sign for many more days like this later in the year.

Snowdonia Mountain Hut, Snowdonia

It is that time of year again, as the cold winter days of late February and early March, a gathering at the mighty Imperial  College mountain hut near Beggledert commenced. Cars setting off in different directions began arriving at different times. I arrived mid afternoon with Helen P, Luke and Alice. My other brother Dan, turning up a bit later. At the hut we were welcomed by Antony,  Richard and Scotter who had arrived earlier. A few things were different, a few things the same. New windows and fire extinguishers for those dodgy kitchen dinners!! But same fireman pole escape route more on that in a bit. Someone had nabbed the log book – or maybe it just got too cold and it went on the fire!! As more people arrived, Paul, Helen, Edd and Tom, Wendy we had to juggle more space in the mountain hut to accommodate everyone! It was going to be cosy. Antony the super chef decided to sort a gigantic curry so everyone had food as they came in from the cold dark night!

The next people to arrive were Gillian, Igor (new member) and Chris who made the trip from the home counties.. Then a bit later Phil arrived with another two new members, Laura and Rowena. Last to arrive where Fran, Scott and Andy. A full house it certainly was, people started spinning a few yarns and a few beers were being drunk. Chris, I guess in his own perceived wisdom decided that he would attempt the 28 second challenge of running through the hut via the step ladder to the first floor through the bunk beds and the window down the fireman's pole escape route and back around into the front door. The only problem was he had sunk a few ales and assumed the fireman's pole would grab him as he escaped through the window. Unfortunately it wasn’t cooperating and he bounced off the wall and to the floor. ouch. After we had counted to about 35 seconds, some of us walked outside (note cold and windy outside at this point) and discovered Chris murmuring in the mud, with cut to head and damaged ankle. Making sure he was alright we managed to get him back into the hut. Unfortunately that would be the only walking/running he would do all weekend!! Moral of the story don’t attempt the 28 second challenge… After this excitement we decided to start to retire for the evening a few of us staying for a natter and a few whiskeys.

Early the next morning, I got up and navigated the step ladder downstairs and started to cook everyone breakfast as people started to jostle in the queue for the shower/toilet. The weather was not too bad a few bits of blue sky here and there,  but the cloud was definitely about and I got wind of the met office forecast when attempting to get signal whilst leaning over the fence on the other side of the road! Chris was not in the best of ways, and as Antony had a bad knee, he stayed behind, whilst the rest of us donned on the boots, waterproofs, hats, gloves etc and begin the days walking.

We turned right out of the hut, up the valley road towards Rhyd Du.  We walked along the road for a few hundred yards, a rather peculiar sight emerged, two cyclists dressed in theatrical jesters outfits? rather an odd thing to see I can tell you. I did think for a minute I had rather more drink the night before than I imagined. Leaving the road we walked down to a farm with two rather welcoming dogs which were quite excited to see us, we clambered over a couple of stiles and then began climbing up the hill towards the top of the valley. To the right could be seen old reservoirs that lost their contents long ago! To the left, a steep boulder strewn cliff which I remarked that we would be at the top of in an hour or so. We diverted of the main footpath up an old farm track to the top of the valley with a rather pretty hill to the right called Clogwynygarreg (which if you stand on the top you get an awesome view of the valley behind and Snowdon Massif on the other side).

By the fence we turned left or north west on the compass towards the wood. Over another stile, a steeper climb was now in front to the first minor summit of the day called Foel Rudd (573m). The weather at this point started to get a bit windy! but at least the rain was holding off!  We climbed up and had a break at the top by the stones. I then pointed out that it wasn’t the real top but just the start of a lovely ridge around to Mynydd Mawr (698m). The only issue was the top was covered in cloud which was a shame as its a lovely view from there.

We continued on and skirted the cliff edge of Craig Y Bera, which the brave ones amongst us peered over and could see where we started from, which was not more than 500m away, but a long 350 metres down! Hearing a few ravens squawking above we continued on towards the top and into the cloud.

We approached the Cairn at the top and then huddled in a group to beat back the cold wind. We then polished off lunch which Wendy kindly made for us. At this point the rain started to come in, being at that height some of it started coming down as hail. Conscious that it probably wasn’t the best to stay we all started to move. I lost my bearings  briefly but walked away and consulted the map and compass. Unfortunately at this point I noticed half of the group were walking off in the wrong direction. The wind at this point had picked up and I was screaming at the others to turn back, a few luckily heard me and begrudging started to turn around and started walking over. I did start to think I better had got this right otherwise there would be a few miffed people. But I did thankfully, and promised myself that I would buy a GPS for future backup!

We made the way back down the same route of ascent and down beneath the cloud layer, we could see again the view, although the rain at this point was definitely here to stay. We got down towards the little col between Foel Rudd and Clogwynygarreg, where the group split into two. Dan wanted to head off early so he took half of the group back to  the hut so they could bring down the cars to the pub. The rest of us took the path down through Beddlegert Forest and back to Rhyd Ddu. At this point we were soaked! The rain now pretty persistent we made it to the Cwellyn Arms. Where we found a corner of the pub to dry off near the fire and drink a well deserved pint.

After rounds of dinner we had a few more beers and the taxis arrived through the course of the evening and ferried everyone back to the hut.  A few games of famous people and other drinking games took hold. Before the infamous cries of such and such a place is a shithole began to ring around the hut! A few scary moments later as Tom threw a crazed expression across his face and the scary mountain axe in his hand for a photo shoot, before people began to disappear into the night.

Another morning and up early again, the breakfasts began. A few people with rather sore heads, began to surface as the bacon and egg toasted sandwiches were being dished out. After a clean up and dropping off I kid you not 4 black bin liners of bottles and cans at Rhyd Du recycling – we all departed our ways..

Thanks to everyone who came along, it was great fun! The weather didn’t dampen peoples spirits too much and we got a good walk in. A few honourable mentions below, I’ll end on this note. A couple of years ago, it was just six of us in the hut, in 2008 it was doubled to 12 – and this time we got to 22!! Long may it continue.. Although it may be a very tight squeeze if 40 people turn up next year!

Prizes go to: Chris for his leap of faith and organising the hut, Antony for preparing a most awesome curry, Wendy for providing the lunches,  Rowena and Laura for braving a trip with Phil to a hut in the middle of nowhere meeting a bunch of strangers – fair play – and finally Tom for noticing the gnome on the beer glass…