Cross-Dales Trail 1 – Day 2

22nd May 2021: Kettlewell to West Burton – 12 miles My delayed start to this walk seems to have paid dividends, as I only had a couple of stomach cramps today and only a single  false alarm, which occurred when I was in the middle of nowhere and I would have coped OK if it […]

Cross-Dales Trail 1 – Day 1

21st May 2021: Settle to Kettlewell – 15 miles I was supposed to be walking today, but rather than writing this in my B&B in Grassington after a long day’s walk, I’m sat at home with a clear path to the toilet. Some of the following details may be a bit graphic, so close your […]

Injury Frustrations

This is one of those posts that’s mainly for me, a stake in the ground for my future reference, something to record my current state of mind and body – but perhaps it’s also a post that will resonate with some readers, if so, all the better. Despite being a pessimist my whole life, I’ve […]

Cross-Dales Trails

Last year was a disaster. The death of 75,000 Britons, in any context is a disaster. We aren’t out the other side of this yet of course, but 2021 looks like it could see the tide begin to turn. We have two vaccines being distributed and more in the pipeline. I’m hopeful that this coming […]

New Year, New Me!

A Litany of Failures! Regular readers will know I had a pretty shocking time last year when it came to long distance paths in particular and walking in general. I started out on five different long distance walks, and only one of them ended in the way I had planned. Over Easter I walked 4 […]

Yoredale Way 2019 – Day 5

9th October 2019: Ripon to Boroughbridge to Home – 8 miles Interim report, until I get some time and calm down a bit….. A great day’s walk, with another lovely day’s weather. Completely overshadowed by the shit show of a public transport system we have! Neither of the trains I’ve taken so far today has […]

Yoredale Way 2019 – Day 4

8th October 2019: Masham to Ripon – 13.5 miles After having been bitterly disappointed at the quality of the BBC weather for the last two days (albeit being quite happy with the weather itself!), I decided to carry out my own weather forecast this morning. I looked out of my bedroom window, which faces my […]

Yoredale Way 2019 – Day 3

7th October 2019: Middleham to Masham – 11 miles Breakfast at the Dante Arms was OK, I was on my own in the bar area, which was nice and as I was finishing I got chatting to Emma who runs the place. I think my criticism of the place may be premature, she’s only just […]

Yoredale Way 2019 – Day 2

6th October 2019: Askrigg to Middleham – 14 miles The rain never arrived! Despite what looked like an unequivocal forecast last night, 70-80% chance of heavy rain in every hour slot of the day and in the end I got nothing. Well, the last 10 minutes into Middleham were a bit drizzly, but not proper […]

Yoredale Way 2019 – Day 1

5th October 2019: Garsdale Head to Askrigg – 12 miles I’m in the small single at the top of the stairs, the same room I’ve always had when I’ve stayed at the Moorcock in the past. I don’t remember feeling as cramped in the bed on my previous stays though! I haven’t grown much (other […]