Favourite Walks and Rambles

[PanBiker]

Went out for walk round the fields yesterday. Out via the stables, through the orchard below Cow Pasture and up the hill over towards Raygill. Here is where I found that my new boots are not suitable for my drop foot. The grass has not been mown on the first hill so I had to do about half a mile up and over the hill in relatively long grass. My new boots are a mid design and do not come over the ankle. I nearly did myself a mischief as a result.
My right ankle is still a lot weaker than the left and that, with a combination of my drop foot were nearly my undoing. I was glad to get to the top but my ankle was sore and I had to take five minutes to recover. I got the boots because they are fully waterproof and have a Vibram sole that I like underneath me. I will have to abandon them and get some with more support. Sally likes the lighter boots so I reckon they will get used. I turned left up the bridleway and up to Hollins. I started down the path to the stock yard but decided to cut across into the buttercup meadow. Back down Calf Hall, Parrock and home. Glad for a sit down.
I shall go back to my KSB's in the interim, they are still OK in the dry but have a split on one of the top seams on one boot that lets in the water when wet.



Pleasant day, a bit overdressed. with my light fleece and windproof. I had to shed the fleece and tie it round my waist. Plenty warm enough with just the base layer and open windproof.

I have inherited a new gizmo in the shape of a Fitbit smart watch from our Jack, he has upgraded. My kids are transpiring to get me to be more active and have challenged both myself and Sally to a week long step challenge. They will fail against their mum, Sally is averaging about six miles a day and did nearer seven yesterday. I am in front of both my kids after the first day. They are both at work though so we do have a bit of an advantage.

Sally is going swimming, I reckon Weets is beckoning.

[Wendyf]

I can recommend the leather Brasher/Berghaus Hillmaster boots, they are light but very supportive around the ankle. One of the features I really appreciate is the number of cleats for lacing them up, so many modern boots just have 2 pairs at the top and you have to battle to slacker the laces. I know, they need a bit of tlc! They were on offer, I didn't pay full price.

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[PanBiker]

Yes, I know you like your Brasher's Wendy. I work from the sole upwards and am convinced the Vibram keeps me upright where other soles have failed. I need to feel confident in my boots. If I can find some Brasher's with Vibram I will take a look.

The ones I got are very comfortable and Sally says she will give them a go, she prefers a lower boot. I'm with you, I need the over the ankle support.

[Wendyf]

I think the latest version does have a Vibram sole.

[PanBiker]

Yes, found some Brasher Country boots, a tad on the expensive side though at £129.00 even on discount from £155.00. Berghaus also with Vibram but again around £120 and above.

[Wendyf]

They are expensive.
https://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/1226378/be ... gJngfD_BwE

[Stanley]

I reckon that's not dear for a good pair of boots. About the same I paid for my hand made fell boots, they have Vibram Commando soles and heels. Like a pair of slippers! (LINK)

[PanBiker]

I have the discount card for Go Outdoors as we got some camping kit from them as well as the mid boots.

Agreed they are not particularly dear compared to what you can pay but it depends how much disposable you have. We have been managing on one pension for the last six years of course so not much of that floating around.

Cut your cloth according to your means.

[PanBiker]

Did a Weets circular today. Moorgate, Standridge then into the field and up the ridge. Round the trig then back to the cairn to put a call out on 145Mhz (2M) from my handheld transceiver. Simon came back who was operating mobile from the top of Burnley, then Ray from Winewall called in. Simon was a service engineer and was in between jobs so couldn't stay on long. Ray is more local and a regular contact. We chatted all the way over the moor past Duckpond and onto the top of Folly. We broke contact just above Higher View as i was dropping down behind Whitemoor by then and would lose Rays signal as I descended any further.

Nice and warm just base layer and windproof today. No track as I have put it up many times before. Met two dogs on the way round, a Boxer who was very fond on the way up and just as I was trying to negotiate the tiny stile over the fence out onto the moor to Duckpond a really fussy Golden Retriever, both tried to give me a wash.

I put my KSB's back on today and felt a lot more secure with above the ankle support.

[Stanley]

"Cut your cloth according to your means." I'll agree with that Ian!

[PanBiker]

Good day for a walk yesterday so I togged up in light gear and set off. Went down through Victory Park and took the path by the beck down to Broad Ing Bridge on Greenberfield Lane. I crossed the road here and into the opposite field. It was a bit claggy in the fields as I made my way over to the stile at the opposite side of the field. Through and on to the gated stock bridge where I had to detour slightly along the side of the beck to avoid the quagmire on the line of the path. I was intending to go round Stock Village and back through Bracewell then over to Cloggers and Brogden but I noticed something was not quite right as I climbed the hill making for the barn at Gilbeber, the back of my left heel was rubbing so I decided to stop at the barn and have look. I took off y boot and peeled my sock off to find I had inherited a blister on my heel, It had already burst and was quite sore. I cant quite understand why this happened. I had my well worn in KSB's on and my cotton lined double skinned "Thousand Mile" socks on, specifically designed to avoid you getting blisters! Made no difference, I was stuck with it!
I pulled my sock back on and boot which I re-laced quite tight to reduce any movement and made my way painfully up the hill to the marker post on the bridleway. I elected not to shove the extra couple of miles in going down to the bridge and round Stock Village. I took the bridleway to the gate and out onto Bracewell Lane. Once out of the uneven fields underfoot I found I could manage on the road so I crossed over to face the traffic and made my way back home via Syke and up Gisburn Road and through Valle Gardens. Nice day for a walk but spoiled with this blip.
On inspection the blister was about the size of a 20p. The skin has come off so I just have a patch of raw flesh on my heel. Time for the Compeed plasters. We have two packs of different sizes but I can only find the smallest, I have put one on but it doesn't quite cover the raw skin. Cant find my bigger ones so I will pop out today to get some.

Here is the track for the truncated walk, just shy of three miles and half of it quite miserable to complete the loop.

[Stanley]

Hard luck Ian. Blisters are miserable little buggers!

[PanBiker]

A Weets circular variant that I haven't done for quite a while. Certainly a first since my surgery.

Usual escape, Colne Road, Moorgate, Folly up to Standridge then into the field and up the ridge to the trig. A constant breeze from the North along the ridge and all the turbines I could see as far out as Gargrave ad Gisburn plus the more local ones were in full production. We have had a bit of rain and it's still apparent on the ridge path in the claggy bits and out onto the top which is sodden. I did well to keep my feet dry with my KSB's with the split on a top seam. Will need to sort some new boots before winter sets in.

I had the hill to myself apart from a dog walker who arrived up at the trig about 5 minutes behind me she had five dogs with her. Not warm enough in the wind to linger long so I made my way to the path on the moor-side and down to Weets House. I turned right here and went down Gisburn track into the valley bottom. I had a sit down and my biscuits on Jenny's seat, still on the track but off the moor. I took five minutes here and then continued down the lane to the parish boundary with Middop and Rimmington on Brogden Lane. A mile and a half or so back along Brogden and then over to Jack House. Back in the fields but only one hop from the bridleway to Hollins. I washed my hands in the spring water flowing through the stone trough in the yard at Hollins. Down the lane and then cut through to the buttercup field. Out onto and down Calf Hall Lane, and back home via the Parrock.

Just over 6.5miles, sunshine and clouds but fine all the way round, breezy up the ridge and over the top of Weets. Didn't have to shed any layers today but never cold so base layer, light fleece and windproof just right. I have had to put my walking pants in the wash as they picked up quite a bit of muck in the muddy bits.

Compeed plaster still in place on last weeks blister but no further duress today.

[Stanley]

I'm glad there was no recurrence Ian. Blisters are miserable things.

[PanBiker]

Slightly stiff today despite my morning exercise regime. Furthest I have been since my surgery with a hill in the way, quite pleased. I'm leading this week in my kids step challenge, over 20,000 yesterday.

[PanBiker]

A slightly different route yesterday for my walk. I went out down Valley Gardens and up Fredderick Street, across Fernbank and down through the fields onto Brogden Lane. I turned eft an went up the lane for about a quarter mile to Raygill. Left again here through New House yard to the stile back into the fields. Up the hill, another stile and over to the opposite corner, down across the stream then up the field to Cow Pasture. Through the stock yard and up the side path to Hollins Lane, I took 5 minutes on the bench there. Then left along the lane through and up onto Esp Lane. There are a lot of posters on Esp Lane encouraging folk to complain about the planning application for a new house in the field on the corner at the bottom of the lane. I returned home via Town Head, Westgate and Walmsgate.

Just a tad over three miles. Dry day with a bit of a breeze and some sunshine Only needed my base layer and windproof top, plenty warm enough.



I have noticed that my average walking speed post op has now settled down to about 2.5 mph. It's fairly constant regardless of terrain, flat or with hills in the way. It used to be around 3.5mph all terrain before. Weets summit, up the ridge, takes about an hour instead of 40 mins. Never no mind, I can still do it which is a bonus.

[Stanley]

Mine's less than that Ian but I still get there! I don't do brisk these days...

[Wendyf]

Weets circular this morning, I have never seen it so busy up there! Is that a complete new build beside Prospect Ian or has the cottage been extended?

[PanBiker]

Not sure Wendy, I rarely go up via Lister Well or Prospect, Duckpond above is about the nearest I get. I know there has been a lot of work going on though.

[Wendyf]

I took a photo, but it's a bit distant. There is a new post box down at the bottom of Lister Well Lane.

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[PanBiker]

Looks like a separate dwelling then Wendy. As I say I rarely go up or return on Lister Well, I find it quite boring. Much prefer the ridge from Standridge or return via Duckpond and Folly. Gisburn Track or tip off the North side and over the moor.

[Stanley]

When Doc was there there was the start of a refurbishment of the old barn and it looks as though this has been completed. I seem to remember Doc saying that planning permission was in place and that was the intention of his buyer when he sold out.

[Big Kev]

Amy, the new buyer, did indeed complete the works. They had a large caravan on the site, for 8 months, while the works were carried out
Doc approved of the finished job

[Stanley]

[Wendyf]

Thank you!