OneGuyFromBarlick

Chucked a bit of a shower just as I was setting off this afternoon but not much. Out via a usual escape route, round Parrock and up Westgate to Town Head, Esp Lane to just short of Moor Close then down the field path to Springs. Over the stile out of the yard and followed the beck down to Hollins Lane. Left here and up the hill to return via the buttercup field. Exit from here down onto the Lane down to Calf Hall is getting very wet, soft underfoot with the height of the water table, it won't take much more to turn this footpath into a mire. Returned down the lane then completed the loop back round Parrock and home. Overcast but with breaks of sunshine, plenty warm enough with light fleece and windproof.

Even this short loop has a 100ft climb on the route, twice actually if you look at the plot. My Fitbit tells me that my heart rate got to 101 bpm for 18 minutes of the walk. Not quite double my normal resting heart rate of 55bpm. It also tells me that I recover well.

How did you get up to nearly 6mph Ian?

Going downhill, it doesn't take much in a short burst. On Endomondo, the application I use to track my walks I can see exactly where that burst was. There were actually two. One in the ginnel from the clinic through to Parrock St. I remember speeding up there as there was someone waiting at the far end for me to come through on the narrow path. The second spike was near the end of my walk and was coming down Calf Hall Lane by the factory must just have been in the groove there with a good stride. Can get up to 15mph on some steeper bits, GPS is recording your coordinates down to around 1 sq m or better so it will be quite accurate.

Impressive.....

Good day for a walk yesterday so I togged up after lunch and set off via my usual escape up Westgate. I didn't have a plan as such for a route I just decided to see where took my fancy. I elected to pass Moorgate and go straight up Colne Road. I saw a bloke stood outside Bancroft looking a bit vexed and when I approached he asked me if I knew when the engine was next in steam! The gates were locked and I explained that the shed was shut for the duration due to Covid and he should check the trusts website or Facebook page for the current status. He thanked me for the information and I continued on up on to Manchester Road. I decided to go down Lane Bottom and on up the lane and out onto the heather moor. Once over the cattle grid in the bottom it's a nice steady climb up to the top of the lane.

I passed Quarry Cottage and the rest of the cluster of houses and it always reminds me that we looked at that site over 30 years ago with a view to buying it it when it was a cluster of derelict buildings and barns and we could have bought the whole job lot for £25,000. Four properties there now and the 25K would probably just about buy the large detached garage at the head of the lane, Oh well!

I climbed the steep banking and through the gate, I noticed the boat that used to be parked there had gone. Up and over the stile and out onto the heather moor. Steady climb up by the wall side then diagonally across the moor to the stile in the top corner. I had decided to go over to Higher View near the top of Folly and then probably over to Weet's summit via Duckpond and return via the ridge. I noticed that someone has installed a nice new access gate right in the corner directly next to the stile. It's a footpath style gate and has all its furniture and latching but the curious thing is it was locked with a padlock, can't figure that one out unless the gate is waiting for a spring closure mechanism or something. Its quite a high wall here over into the pasture, three steps up over and down. Not as easy as it used to be with drop foot, anyway I got over and made my way up the slight incline on the path heading for Higher View. What was waiting for me on the path ahead, Belted Galloways with calves at foot. I decided that discretion was the better part of valour and retreated back down to the negotiate the stile again. Plenty of alternative scope to continue my walk. You can see my reversal clearly on the trace of my route.

I retraced my steps to halfway back down the heather moor then crossed one of the feeder tributaries for Gillians beck and followed the path over to Lister Well Lane. I exited at the gate, I could go left or right here. Right would take me up and I could continue up to Prospect and Duckpond and rejoin the Weets Loop or I could carry straight on to Gisburn Track or I could go left at the top of the moor and return via Copy Nook and Salterforth. Lots to choose from, all those options would extend my walk to 6 or 7 miles. It was already 3.30pm so I decided to turn left down Lister Well and make another decision on my return route. I got to the bottom and contemplated going back over the field to Lane bottom then over to Folly via Lower Standridge but again that would make me late for my tea and I getting ready for it. I doglegged 50m down Manchester Road onto Hodge Lane, went to the end and on towards King Hill. I took the stile on the right though and came down the fields to Park Bridge on Kelbrook Road. Left here and back up into Barlick, when I got past the school and approaching the memorial Gardens I ran into Sally who was just setting off to stretch her legs after doing a stint in Bosom Friends charity shop. She was going down to Salterforth for a return via the canal. I came home and had a brew.

Nice day standard lightweight kit and plenty warm enough. A nice bit of cardio on the first part of this walk 4.3 miles and a 482ft climb through the heather to 1211ft nearly to the top of the moor if the Belted Galloways hadn't been in the way.

The Belted Galloways that roam Harden up onto Kelbrook Moor are little sweeties, even with tiny calves around.

I consider them the small tractors of the cow breeds. I got squeezed between two of them returning from Malham Cove a few years ago. Solid little sweeties. I prefer Highland cattle which seem to be much gentler despite their menacing look.

Lovely pic of the belted Galloway Wendy. I never have any fear of cattle but of course that's because I have spent so much time with them. I heard a report of research somewhere that has come to the conclusion that cows like being talked to. Wouldn't surprise me at all, I have been talking to cattle for most of my life. One thing I would recommend to walkers is always carry a stick of some sort. We always did when outside the farmstead. Cattle respect sticks! Go to an auction and note how the older farmers usually have one, they aren't fashion statements and many are not walking aids.

With the failure of the seam on my KSB's I have ordered some new boots. I found some Brasher Country Walker boots with Vibram soles which I like. Reduced in the Black Friday Sale to just sub £100 from £125 retail.

My new boots came yesterday and I am currently wearing them around the house as recommended for breaking them in. They feel very comfortable for first try on. Three pairs of cleats at the top and nice support for the ankles. Full grain leather and HydroGuard lining, Vibram soles.

PanBiker wrote: ↑14 Oct 2020, 15:46 Even this short loop has a 100ft climb on the route, twice actually if you look at the plot. My Fitbit tells me that my heart rate got to 101 bpm for 18 minutes of the walk. Not quite double my normal resting heart rate of 55bpm. It also tells me that I recover well.

A bit more on cardio vascular rates for best benefit. I was reading an article I found the other day about heart rate, workouts and exercise and what you should aim for for maximum benefit.

First of all you work out your maximum recommended heart rate by subtracting your age from 220. For me that works out at 153 bpm. In any form of cardio exercise you should aim to maintain 60% - 70% of this maximum for as long as possible through the effort you put in. So again for me that equates to 92 bpm - 107bpm. So 101 bpm is about right. With regular exercise the recovery time back to around your resting heart rate will decrease as stamina increases. It will also become easier to maintain that elevated heart rate for longer periods. All good stuff.

I'm a simple soul Ian. As long as mine is beating at about 78rpm that's about right!

Second time out for my new boots today and they did well when I sank up to the boot top in the mud in the beck below Cow Pasture. Just a short loop today, up Esp Lane, down Hollins and then down to Cow Pasture. Claggy in the fields with all the rain although it kept fine for my walk. I returned back via the stables and it just started chucking it down about five minutes after I got back.

First time out for a different tracking App on my phone as well, I am now using Strava. I have used Endomondo for the last four or five years but the app is due to be "retired" at the end of the year, hence to move. Strava does the same thing and will track any exercise that you care to mention. Not tweaked it fully yet so the track looks a bit lighter on stats than the Endomondo plots. I may be able to tweak the settings somewhere.

Here are my new Brasher boots after a couple of coats of dubbin.



Kids gave me money for Christmas so that I could get what I wanted. I have ordered some new lined Winter walking pants. These are Brasher as well, got them from Go Outdoors in the sale reduced from £55.00 to 38.50

Can I bring mine round please?

I bumped into this Pennine Way today.

Fast forward to 15 minutes - I feel I should know this horse.

Hear how he pronounces Gargrave - been taking lessons from Nigella?

Wendyf wrote: ↑26 Dec 2020, 14:47 Can I bring mine round please?

Of course you can Wendy.

I'll pay them some attention tomorrow, they certainly deserve a little tlc.

Tripps wrote: ↑26 Dec 2020, 18:56 I bumped into this Pennine Way today.

Fast forward to 15 minutes - I feel I should know this horse.

Hear how he pronounces Gargrave - been taking lessons from Nigella?

Just watched the video to West Marton, loved Gargravee but didn't see the horse. You can see my house from Pinhaw Beacon above Lothersdale and I know that little wooden bridge where the sheep are stuck very well. From there the Pennine Way heads down to Brown House Farm and Thornton in Craven.

Just slide along to 15 min 0 sec. You have to see it.
He said hello and the horse nodded.

Thanks Tripps. I’ve saved 1 and 2
The white horse is definitely on there for about 30 seconds, he even gives him a stroke.
Have another look Wendy, I reckon the horse is one of yours.

Well that passed twenty minutes, I watched the lot. Wrong horse though.....

Not yours Wendy ?

No, not mine.

If you get the chance to see them Tripps there was a short series on BBC 4 called Yorkshire Walks with a Keighley artist called Shanaz Gulzar. They don't seem to be available on iPlayer at the moment unfortunately but I think you would enjoy them. Just Shanaz and her thoughts as she walks, filming with a clever 360° selfie stick.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/lates ... hire-walks