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Stories, problems, mishaps while traveling are usually funny, rather than tragic only in hindsight. Ah yes. Here are a very few of the more laughable incidents during years and years of travel:
- Hiking through the pastures of Switzerland, big, healthy-looking cows roam freely. After all, this is their territory. No worries until the day we were hiking uphill on a steep incline and a herd of cows picked up speed coming downhill, right at us. Where do you run? To the left? To the right? We stood there in horror with visions of a major cow-flattening when they fortunately swerved. Wheew...another accident adverted.
Continue reading "There's A Bat in My Tent... A Few Tales From the Road" »
I received the comment below on Travels With Sheila from Giuseppe, in Florence, Italy and thought I'd let you read my answers to his questions...
..."Hello,
I'm an italian guy, aged 49, and I'm planning with my daughter aged 12 the trail from St.Bee's to Robin Hood Bay, approximately next august, 2009. I've visited your site, really interesting and full of news about this adventure, and if possible I would like to have 3 informations: which kind of training is it necessary (or do you suggest) to prepare the walk, if in your opinion a young girl of 12 is too young to approach the trail, and if is it strictly necessary to be organized with tent equipment. Thank you very much in advance for your kind reply, and compliments again for your travel site!"...
Continue reading "Comment and Information About Hiking The Coast to Coast Across England" »
It's a good thing that today was the last day because my ankles coudn't have taken much more. Severe tendonitis in both ankles from all the mud and bogs. If you've never had the opportunity to walk through a muddy forest (and why should you), every footstep slides in a different direction. The tendons start screaming for mercy...
This was it. We left Pickering again to begin the last day's walk on the Coast to Coast, across the heather moors one more time. Through the woods to Littlebeck hamlet...to Falling Foss Forest Trail...to Greystone Hills. Eventually we came to a vantage point for a fast look at the North Sea still far away. A descent, more ups, down again...a traverse to the tops of coastal cliffs and at last the red-tiled roofs of Robin Hood's Bay with the North Sea in the distance.
Robin Hood's Bay in the distance
Continue reading "England's Coast to Coast: One Final Push to Robin Hood's Bay" »
North York Moors National Park was the most desolate section of the Coast to Coast. This is definitely a ...Heathcliffe atmosphere...and man, would I hate to be lost in the moors. It was in the North York Moors that we started noticing signage for the Cleveland Way and Cleveland Way hikers. All with their map cases strung along their necks. Lots of stopping to chat with the always surprised Brits who don't see that many Yanks on the trails. And many times, we'd see the same people on the trail the next day and commiserate about the weather...
We stayed at the nicest rural B&B run by the sweetest family. They'd sit around the telly at night, cook up huge scrumptious breakfasts (and...they cured their own bacon) in the morning, and explained the intricacies of the water heating contraption in the shower. The lady of the house was the epitome of a classic English "mum." When I wanted to take this picture below, she fluttered around twittering..."oh..but I'm wearing me apron and me hair's a mess." Adorable.
our landlords in Great Broughton
Continue reading "North York Moors National Park, England" »
Back on the trail in the Yorkshire Dales National Park for a long 10-mile day. Today, we'd cross the main watershed of the Pennines and it was also the halfway point of the Coast to Coast. Nine Standards Rigg is an array of cairns at the top of the watershed and we made our way up in a complete fog and steady rain. (No one knows how the stone men of Nine Standards Rigg originated.) It was impossible to even see the person in front of you on top and I was seriously concerned about getting lost and wandering forever over the moors, calling..."Heathcliffe...where are you"... No photo ops at the top and Chris was walking back and forth looking for the next directional marker down when all of a sudden, we heard, "does anyone want any chocolate?" It was Chris's girlfriend who walked to the top from her home for the fun of it and joined us for the next two days.
Do bears #*!# in the woods? Of course, we wanted chocolate. Feeling better, the long way down through more fog, lots of mud and bogs. I still couldn't imagine "yomping" through this terrain. The entire stretch to Keld is wild moorland made worse in bad weather occurring now.
Nine Standards Rigg up ahead
Continue reading "Yorkshire Dales National Park and Into North York Moors, England" »
Praise the Lord, a rest day. ex-Marine and I had planned to spend the day in Kirkby Stephen doing nothing but didn't realize that when you stay in a B&B, you are booted out after breakfast! Duh... With no place to go, we joined the group for the day trip to Durham, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Durham is a quiet little medieval city known for its Norman Cathedral built in 1093. The gothic cathedral is the final resting place of St. Cuthbert and the Venerable Bede known as the "father of English history" and the greatest scholar of his day. I knew nothing about either. I found the Sanctuary Knocker more interesting. Durham Cathedral had the right of sanctuary through the Middle Ages. A criminal could arrive at the north door and claim protection by using the knocker to draw the watchman's attention. He could then choose between trial or voluntary exile.
Durham sanctuary knocker
Continue reading "A Rest Day in Durham, England" »
Three nights in Kirkby Stephen staying at a Bed & Breakfast. Alfred Wainwright originated the Coast to Coast Walk, that passes through town. The famous Settle-Carlisle Railway also stops at a station 1.5 miles from the town center. Kirby Stephen is in the Yorkshire Dales and over nine million visitors visit this area, each year. Many restaurants and shops along with an abundance of B&B's catering to walkers and visitors. However, the B&B's were usually too small to accommodate the entire group in one place. Split up, ex-Marine and I ended up in Mrs. Bradwell's Fletcher House. Lucky us.
A completely charming B&B filled with antiques. ... View image Mrs. Bradwell had lost her husband a while back and we were the first guests she'd had in a long time. There were no en-suite bathrooms but we just shared with Brad and Annette. (I noticed that Fletcher House is still in business but don't know if Mrs. Bradwell still owns it.)
bedroom
Continue reading "Fletcher House B&B in Kirby Stephen, England" »
The van shuttled us back to Patterdale. Off we went, up the steep slopes of Place Fell and through the col (a pass) between Patterdale and Boardale. Today was the last of the high fells along a 2,500' mountain ridge. We followed an ancient Roman road (the highest built by the Romans in England) past Angle Tarn, a small mountain lake to the top of Kidsty Pike. At Angle Tarn, Michael decided this would be a great place to strip naked and jump into Angle Tarn while we stood around and laughed. This certainly wasn't the greatest day for an ice cold dip but if that's what he wanted to do...be my guest. Psst --- Has anyone noticed the complete lack of sunshine in any photograph? Pretty depressing...
Kidsty Pike was the last, and highest, vantage point to look back at the Lakeland fells. Got to tell the truth...not only do I take a pass on "exhilarating"...but vantage points on a miserable day are also anticlimatic. Dislike (no, I HATE) stopping, sitting or standing around in cold weather with sweaty, wet clothes on. Would rather just keep plodding on until it's DONE..finished...kaput. Now heading towards Limestone Country made famous by James Herriot's All Creatures Great and Small.
more gloom...
Continue reading "England's Coast to Coast: Keswick to Kirkby Stephen and The Yomp" »
The van transferred us back to yesterday's stopping point and off we went for some "fell walking." Up rocky paths past Eagle Crag and later on, Lining Crag. From here, the official route took us down a path into Far Easedale along a "beck" (What the hell is a beck?...a brook or swiftly running stream ...) The Coast to Coast zig-zags its way across England, south, southeast, northeast....
If you've never seen, heard of or know what a "peat bog" is, you'll find out on the Coast to Coast. Actually, I really started enjoying the bogs. One after another, we'd fall or slide into one...get a boot stuck...and one day, ex-Marine wore new beige shorts and promptly took a butt plant in the bog. Two big muddy butt circles on his pants that never did come clean. Hilarious laughter for the rest of the day looking at him from the rear with those two big, black circles.
Sheila and ex-Marine in their stylish gaiters
Continue reading "The Lake District of England - Grasmere, Grisedale Pass and Patterdale" »
Today's walk took us along the shore of Ennerdale Water and into Ennerdale Forest. Ennerdale Water is the most isolated Cumbrian lake because there is no public access road on either side. Up and over open fell country to reach Honister Pass and Borrowdale, a beautiful valley. Don't you just love the names? I do. Another 12 miler with some difficult days of hiking coming up. Right now the only difficulty is England's notorious weather. Yes...it is raining....and cool... The mountain scenery would be magnificent with all the pastures, cottages and sheep against mountains but in the rain, it's just one long slog.
The group is friendly and in good spirits no matter what the weather is. Hy and Harvey, two of our travelers in their 60's (HEY...that's what we are now...in our 60's! How did that happen?), are determined to spend hours in pubs along the way. I love pubs. There's nothing like a toasty warm pub at the at the end of the day. But not fun sitting in sopping wet clothes dripping all over the floor. A discussion with Chris and no more pubs until the end of the walking day. May, June and September are supposed to be the driest months but not this May.
up through the rain and fog
Continue reading "In Lake District National Park, England" »
Britain is loaded with long distance hikes. More than 135,000 miles of footpath. And they make it incredibly easy to do a portion or set off on one of their long distance National Trails for weeks on end. The National Trails are waymarked with an acorn symbol. Use this Visit Britain link to find out absolutely everything needed about any trail in England. Another valuable link is the National Trails site. I've listed some of the choices below:
- The Southwest Coast Path encircles the Southwest peninsula of Somerset, Dorset, Devon and Cornway. 962 km/598 miles. A biggie that would take 56 days but most people choose to walk the Trail in four sections: Minehead to Padstow; Padstow to Falmouth; Falmouth to Exmouth and Exmouth to Poole (a rugged section).
Continue reading "Other Long Distance Walks in England" »
ex-Marine and I trained from London to Manchester and met the Wilderness group of 10 at the Manchester Airport. Brad, Annette, Michael, Topo, Suzanne, Toni, Heidi, Harvey, Hy and Sharon from all over the United States. Chris was our guide (I think he's still guiding for Wilderness Travel) and transfered us to Cleator, a West Cumbrian village on the River Ehen for two nights. Dinner, orientation, time to smooze and exchange backgrounds. The entire route is 305 km/190 miles and most organizers walk England from West to East. You have the prevailing wind at your back and the most difficult ascents start in Cumbria. The end of the Coast-to-Coast wanders through the heather moors of northeast Yorkshire, finishing at Robin Hood's Bay on the North Sea.
A short drive the next morning to St. Bees on the Irish Sea, the most westerly point of Northern England and our beginning. Traditionally, you christen your boots in the Irish Sea before setting off. Boots christened we immediately headed uphill for a 300m/1000' climb up the cliffs. No rain yet, but cool and extremely windy. So windy that I was thrown from left to right...back to left again...a few steps back...blown by the gusts and looked like a drunk. (Everyone else thought this was pretty funny but me.) The coastal path rolled along with what would have been views out to the Isle of Man (if it had been clearer) and headlands plunging down to the sea. (The headlands, I saw.)
St. Bees, the Coast to Coast beginning
Continue reading "The Coast-to-Coast Began at St. Bees, Cumbria, England" »
It was just a few years ago...whoops...many years ago, when ex-Marine (husband, Steve) and I walked across England from the Irish Sea to the North Sea. This famous walk is known as: The Coast to Coast; Wainwright's Walk; and Hiking Across England. All the same and considered one of "The Great Walks of The World" as well as the "Ultimate Hike in England."
We booked this trip through Wilderness Travel and they are still operating this fantastic trip with a few changes. Many, many tour operators also organize the Coast to Coast: Adventure Center, Mountain Travel Sobek, Distant Journeys, Sherpa Walking Holidays to name a few. You can also arrange this trip as a freedom hiker and contact one of the transport companies to move your bags from place to place along the route.
Coast to Coast route
Continue reading "Hiking Across England aka The Famous Coast to Coast" »
We flew through Heathrow just six short days ago on August 4, and with the new terrorist threats and huge snafu at Heathrow, I thought you might be interested in what traveling through there was like even without the new terrorist threats. Heathrow has a reputation as the WORST airport to go through with its 4 Terminals...well-earned, and I had already written this article to appear with my series on Austria, which will start running on August 18.
We flew Munich to London on Lufthansa, landing in Terminal 2, and then had two hours to connect to our United, London-Chicago flight out of Terminal 3. You'd think that's plenty of time, right?
This is the routine:
1. After getting off Lufthansa in Terminal 2, walking close to a mile as rapidly as possible, there is SECURITY in front of you. Hundreds of passengers who had just gotten off planes being directed into TWO lines for additional scanning. We had a 3:40pm flight and it was now 2:30pm. ONE HOUR later, finally through Security. Next?
Continue reading "Timely Comments on London-Heathrow Airport" »
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