A standard start to the day - a lie in, a quick breakfast of bacon and egg bagels and out for a walk in the sunshine before 11am.
I was tempted to redo a walk i’d done before but I thought if I did a walk I didn’t know it might give my idle brain something else to focus on rather than dwell on stuff that doesn’t need dwelling on. So I did.
I started off in familiar territory and ended up that way as well. However, the 2 hours in the middle was all spent covering new ground.
I climbed down via the Pennine Bridleway to the River Wye in Chee Dale. This is my usual access to the nice walks just over the A6 at the end of the farm drive. Then the new stuff started, following the Bridleway out of Wye Dale up onto the top.
I followed a few footpaths that cut some corners as the Pennine Bridleway doesn’t seem to go in a straight line. Another shout out to cousin Di for recommending the OS App - I would have never have picked my way through these little footpaths without it.
I went through the pretty village of Wormhill and then on to the head of Monks Dale. I considered walking down this Dale but decided to climb up onto the ridge and pick up another Bridleway - The Limestone Way. The good thing about these bigger Bridleways is that they have stone walls either side thereby keeping the sheep from the sheep dogs so the 2 hounds were off the lead for most of the time.
I crashed out in the sunshine and shared a snack and drink with the dogs before pressing on down The Limestone Way and onto Millers Dale. I was now on familiar territory again and picked up the Monsal Trail.
I’d seen just a couple of walkers until then (over 2.5 hours in) but the Trail was a lot busier - although not too bad. This was probably the most boring part of the walk so I was quite happy to get to the foot of the hill again and slowly make my way up the Dale side to the A6 and on back to Brunnehilda.
The walk was just over 8 miles long and took me about 3 1/2 hours. So during my 4 walking days this week I’ve done 11, 10, 11 and then 8 miles. Henry Vths army averaged 10 miles a day marching through Northern France during the Agincourt campaign so I was quite pleased with this. Although I didn’t have fully body armour on and wasn’t being fired on by the French. Mind you they didn’t have 2 crazy collies to look after!? As you can see my mind was on other things today other than dwelling on my mental state - good job too!
Relaxed for 30 mins and then a quick wash and brush up before heading out to Roston - the other side of Ashbourne. Met up with Helen for a cuppa at the farm and then we headed out with her and Pip to their local for a bite to eat. It was really nice - the food and the company. Missed Karl this time, he was still travelling back from a work trip, but it was smashing to catch up with 2 of the 3 Davis’. Although towards the end of our meal, the pub got very busy and my lousy ears weren’t coping too well!
Back to Brunnehilda for the usual Cadburys, Better Call Saul and blogging. Up early in the morning - I want to be on the road by 9.30am.
It’s been a mixed week but, as always with these Brunnehilda trips, I have nothing but nice memories to think back on. I’ve been on some fantastic walks and been blessed by the weather. It’s a shame my brain wasn’t in the right place at the start of the week but i still think processing this crappy stuff in my head and then trying to write it down does help!
Not sure when I’ll get out in Brunnehilda again but I’ve made my mind up I will be planning another Northumberland trip next September. And who knows, there may be someone other than a crazy fungi lady and 2 potty sheep dogs to share it with!? But if there’s not, that’s also fine.
Topley Head Farm:
Pros:
1) Great position
2) Good value
3) Quiet
4) Good 4G
5) Loads of room to spread out
6) Great walks from the site- 10 mins from Chee Dale
7) Just off the A6 so easy to access / find
8) Great views / sunsets
Cons:
1) Long(ish) grass
2) Patchy hard standing
3) Annnoying and unnecessary (at the moment) gate
No comments:
Post a Comment