Just got back from a short night walk - 2 hrs 45 mins, 6.5 miles of woods and footpaths and lanes in Cheshire. It's a stormy night here, with intermittent but torrential hail showers. The car thermometer had said 0 degrees C, but I felt warm in between the hail. I took no map or compass or GPS, figuring that I could not get lost in this familiar territory, even in the dark, and carried no bag - nice and light. I used the headtorch hardly at all - only for the first twenty minutes when there was risk to life and limb while I was ascending the hill. After that I could pick my way along the paths without it, and the half moon emerging occasionally from behind the clouds helped light up the wet and muddy ground. Leaving the paths from time to time to take shortcuts through the woods, I had to go quite slow and keep a hand in front of my face to prevent twigs poking me in the eye. I didn't do too badly - although I occasionally teetered on the steep, muddy leaf mould, I never once went on my ar*e. Much as I have shunned them in the past (like headtorches!), I wore mini-gaiters as I knew that otherwise the mud would go over the top of my boots. Fiddly things, but they did the job. I stopped for a smoke at midnight on the lee side of the woods, listening to the groaning trees and a tawny owl, and flushed a roosting buzzard which I glimpsed for a moment in silhouette a few feet above my head. Nothing else stirred - not even a fox to be seen in an area where they are very common, and no other deranged humans whatever. There's something really nice about being on a hilltop in the dark with the hail lashing around you while you remain completely dry and warm. Then back home to a second helping of this evening's roast dinner. Excellent.
Just got back from a short night walk - 2 hrs 45 mins, 6.5 miles of woods and footpaths and lanes in Cheshire. It's a stormy night here, with intermittent but torrential hail showers. The car thermometer had said 0 degrees C, but I felt warm in between the hail. I took no map or compass or GPS, figuring that I could not get lost in this familiar territory, even in the dark, and carried no bag - nice and light. I used the headtorch hardly at all - only for the first twenty minutes when there was risk to life and limb while I was ascending the hill. After that I could pick my way along the paths without it, and the half moon emerging occasionally from behind the clouds helped light up the wet and muddy ground. Leaving the paths from time to time to take shortcuts through the woods, I had to go quite slow and keep a hand in front of my face to prevent twigs poking me in the eye. I didn't do too badly - although I occasionally teetered on the steep, muddy leaf mould, I never once went on my ar*e. Much as I have shunned them in the past (like headtorches!), I wore mini-gaiters as I knew that otherwise the mud would go over the top of my boots. Fiddly things, but they did the job. I stopped for a smoke at midnight on the lee side of the woods, listening to the groaning trees and a tawny owl, and flushed a roosting buzzard which I glimpsed for a moment in silhouette a few feet above my head. Nothing else stirred - not even a fox to be seen in an area where they are very common, and no other deranged humans whatever. There's something really nice about being on a hilltop in the dark with the hail lashing around you while you remain completely dry and warm. Then back home to a second helping of this evening's roast dinner. Excellent.
An exciting, stirring TR - thanks v. much! 🙂
Now I feel like going out into the gale force wind for a walk.
Best wishes, -- ,, (**)PeeWiglet~~ / \ / \ pee AT [guessthisbit].co.uk
Peewiglet <[email hidden]> wrote in news:[email hidden]:
Quoted message said:
Rooney said:
Just got back from a short night walk - 2 hrs 45 mins, 6.5 miles of woods and footpaths and lanes in Cheshire. It's a stormy night here, with intermittent but torrential hail showers. The car thermometer had said 0 degrees C, but I felt warm in between the hail. I took no map or compass or GPS, figuring that I could not get lost in this familiar territory, even in the dark, and carried no bag - nice and light. I used the headtorch hardly at all - only for the first twenty minutes when there was risk to life and limb while I was ascending the hill. After that I could pick my way along the paths without it, and the half moon emerging occasionally from behind the clouds helped light up the wet and muddy ground. Leaving the paths from time to time to take shortcuts through the woods, I had to go quite slow and keep a hand in front of my face to prevent twigs poking me in the eye. I didn't do too badly - although I occasionally teetered on the steep, muddy leaf mould, I never once went on my ar*e. Much as I have shunned them in the past (like headtorches!), I wore mini-gaiters as I knew that otherwise the mud would go over the top of my boots. Fiddly things, but they did the job. I stopped for a smoke at midnight on the lee side of the woods, listening to the groaning trees and a tawny owl, and flushed a roosting buzzard which I glimpsed for a moment in silhouette a few feet above my head. Nothing else stirred - not even a fox to be seen in an area where they are very common, and no other deranged humans whatever. There's something really nice about being on a hilltop in the dark with the hail lashing around you while you remain completely dry and warm. Then back home to a second helping of this evening's roast dinner. Excellent.
An exciting, stirring TR - thanks v. much! 🙂
Now I feel like going out into the gale force wind for a walk.
Poor you. It's a bit blowy but otherwise a gorgeous day here in Edinburgh. Just off to the Fife coast with the children.
"Rooney" <[email hidden]> wrote in message news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
Just got back from a short night walk - 2 hrs 45 mins, 6.5 miles of woods and footpaths and lanes in Cheshire. It's a stormy night here, with intermittent but torrential hail showers. The car thermometer had said 0 degrees C, but I felt warm in between the hail. I took no map or compass or GPS, figuring that I could not get lost in this familiar territory, even in the dark, and carried no bag - nice and light. I used the headtorch hardly at all - only for the first twenty minutes when there was risk to life and limb while I was ascending the hill. After that I could pick my way along the paths without it, and the half moon emerging occasionally from behind the clouds helped light up the wet and muddy ground. Leaving the paths from time to time to take shortcuts through the woods, I had to go quite slow and keep a hand in front of my face to prevent twigs poking me in the eye. I didn't do too badly - although I occasionally teetered on the steep, muddy leaf mould, I never once went on my ar*e. Much as I have shunned them in the past (like headtorches!), I wore mini-gaiters as I knew that otherwise the mud would go over the top of my boots. Fiddly things, but they did the job. I stopped for a smoke at midnight on the lee side of the woods, listening to the groaning trees and a tawny owl, and flushed a roosting buzzard which I glimpsed for a moment in silhouette a few feet above my head. Nothing else stirred - not even a fox to be seen in an area where they are very common, and no other deranged humans whatever. There's something really nice about being on a hilltop in the dark with the hail lashing around you while you remain completely dry and warm. Then back home to a second helping of this evening's roast dinner. Excellent.
--
R o o n e y
Presumably after midnight then that would be a first helping of yesterday evening's roast dinner....My first walk of the year was stopping off at Arley, near Great Budworth on Saturday afternoon, on the way back from Horwich, and walking the Arley round which is about 6 miles. Very, very mild, - 57 deg F, but well muddy through the fields. However, a major deluge occurred 1 mile from the car, so got a tad wet. The 2 spaniels were in their element in neo Sommelike conditions and refused to get back in the car which I considered to be remarkably unhelpful at the time as it was bucketing down....and when they did, I wish they hadn't.....
