Getting Outdoors

Fallen Rocks – Where’s Pebble?

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One of the great things about Arran is just going for a drive and pulling in to different places to see what is there.  I suppose that can be the same anywhere really.  After a morning spent at Kildonnan looking for seals, we decided to drive round the island, pulling in wherever we fancied.  It was getting late when we drove into a picnic area at North Sannox.  It was a gorgeous spot.  After messing around for a while at the spot where North Sannox Burn enters the sea, we decided we head back to the cottage for some tea.  Before we left, I checked the information board and noticed that we could start a walk to Fallen Rocks from here.

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Torr Righ Beag and The King’s Cave – Incy Wincy Spider

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After we’d visited Machrie Moor Stone Circle, there was still plenty of time left for more adventure, so we drove the short distance down the road to Torr Righ Beag, a coniferous forest by the sea.  From here, we could walk down to the beach to explore the King’s Cave, but not before the customary check of the information board.  Here, we found a circular walk which, for no particular reason, we chose to do clockwise.  We made our way to a forest track on the left hand side of the car park.

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Allan Bank – Bluebells and Woodland Creatures

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Running up to getting married in Coniston earlier this year, we were up in the Lakes for meetings with the hotel on several occasions. After one, much shorter than expected, visit to the venue, we found ourselves with some free time but no walking gear to venture onto the fells with. We decided to make our way to Grasmere to visit Allan Bank, former home to William Wordsworth and Canon Rawnsley (one of the founders of the National Trust)

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Beeston and Peckforton Castle – Two Towers

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Earlier this year, we took advantage of some dry sunny weather and went for a day out in Beeston.  The plan was to walk from Beeston Castle, around Peckforton Castle to get back to Beeston in time to explore the grounds.  A walk around these two towers was something I’d had in mind for a while so I already had a shiny new OS map of the area (any excuse).  There is parking outside Beeston Castle (postcode CW6 9TX ) and after going into the castle to pay the fee, and getting a quick bite to eat at the Sandstone Café we found the start of our route.

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Almost Bowfell – A Windy Day Out

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During the last months of 2017, I made plans to get up to the Lakes for a solo walk.  I’m pretty cautious regarding the weather when I go on my own, and it seemed that every time I made plans to go, near gale force winds were forecast and I would end up cancelling at the last minute.  After the third time of postponing it occurred to me that I didn’t actually know what it felt like to walk in 30 – 40 miles per hour winds.  After a chat with Rick, I decided I would head up anyway.  If it was too windy for me to feel safe, I would turn back and take myself for a nice low level wander somewhere.

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Shutlingsloe – The Return

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My blog has just turned one year old!  On 5th February 2017, I published my first post.  It was about our first proper walk of 2017 – a stroll up Shutlingsloe with the help of some jelly babies.  We didn’t make it.  Arriving at a wall with a step stile covered in ice, we decided to cut our losses and head back to the car.  Shutlingsloe would be there for another day.  That day arrived a couple of weeks ago.

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The Watkin Path – Plan B

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During the October half term holidays, we had a plan to get up early and head to the Pen-y-Pass car park on Snowdon.  We were going to take in the lakes along the Miner’s Track, have a picnic and head back, dependant on how far Rowan’s legs fancied walking.  We knew we would have to get up early as the car park fills up quickly, but knowing, 1. How popular a walk Snowdon is and 2. How rubbish we are at getting up super early, we had a plan B.  Now there is the option of the Snowdon Sherpa, a bus that can take you from other car parks and villages round the foot of Snowdon to the Pen-y-Pass, but the thought of taking our ruffing furry pair on a bus wasn’t appealing.  When we arrived at the car park, nowhere near early enough, plan B – the Watkin Path, was put into action.

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