Sunday 31 January 2010

31st: Family walk

31st: Family walk

The family walk went ok, 3 families and Shirls parents out. Very slow progress was made because the boys were playing with the ice, breaking off icicles and  shattering great panes of ice from the puddles. The frosty trees were amazing weren't they? It almost looked like spring blossom with the ground losing its  white frost cover first.
The photos show in order, Niamh (walk photographer), ascent from Shaw farm to Mellor Cross, frosty trees and icicles* 
Helen B
 
* sorry - the photos seem to have been lost!

31st Sutton Common

31st Sutton Common

From the warm temperate climate of Torkington Park we travelled down to the frozen snow covered tundra of Langley where not even the Ice Road Truckers would dare travel. However, we are more hardy (or foolish) and whilst we waited for a new recruit Shelley (travelling all the way from near Holmfirth!) and Scooby and Jessie (her dogs) a playful snowball fight ensued instigated no doubt by a certain member of Scottish origin whose name starts with C and ends in ampbell (allegedly). Once all assembled 15 humans, 2 Canines and 1 Campbell set off for the top of Sutton Common where we all but bumped into the TV tower due to the mist. However, as we dropped down into the valley we caught glimpses of the sun as it tried to burn through the mist. And after lunch, having descended off Wincle Minn, the mist finally left us giving great views of the Roaches and Shutlingsloe. The final leg home mainly followed the Gritstone Trail back to Langley with only one or two (or maybe three) up hill bits!

Sunday 24 January 2010

Weekend at Haworth

Weekend at Haworth

Haworth YH is a fine Victorian Gothic mansion, originally built by a wealthy industrialist for his family. It is situated high above Haworth with some wonderful views across the valley from the dining room. The stained glass windows at the top of the carved wooden staircase are very special. The dorms were big and the bunk beds were the sturdiest we have ever encountered – no creaking when anyone turned over and the ladders weren’t too uncomfortable on the feet.
Thirteen members booked on the weekend and apparently we had better weather than those who had stayed at home i.e. fine, cold & no rain. We managed to keep below the fog. The snow had almost disappeared which made walking less treacherous.
On Friday & Saturday evenings we found ourselves in ‘The Fleece’, A Timothy Taylors establishment that served the full range of brews. tried them all. The food was good too.
Colin & Helen drove up for the day to join Saturday’s ‘undulating’ walk. We started walking from the hostel, through the village to the church, over to Penistone hill, continuing onto the Bronte Falls & Bronte Bridge, then up on the moors to Top Withens. We returned via the Pennine way, retraced our steps over Penistone Hill and straight into a café.
 Approx 8 miles.
The ‘undulating’ Sunday walk started from Trawden which is just outside Colne. The route was a circular one which took us onto the moors below Boulsworth Hill (too misty to climb : ) and down into the Wycoller valley with its bridges, an ancient aisled barn, the ruins of Wycoller Hall (another Bronte connection), then a muddy return to Trawden. – Straight into another café!!!!! Again approx 8 miles
4 members spent the day travelling on the Keighley and Worth valley Railway.
All in all a very relaxing weekend. I’m looking forward to Wastwater in May
Pam 
Photos: http://picasaweb.google.com/stockportwalkingoutdoors/HowarthHostelWeekendAwayByPam

Sunday 17 January 2010

17th: Sue & Pete's walk

17th: Sue & Pete's walk

Nineteen members of the recently  renamed Stockport Walking, Talking and Outdoor Group enjoyed a walk to Bowstone Gate, Sponds Hill and Dale Top. The day was full of laughter! Lots of famous characters were met en route including Donald Duck .
Campbell had to work extra hard helping the ladies in the snow.
There were excellent views of Shining Tor, Shutlingsloe , Alderley Edge and Helen M's workplace !!!!!
The walk was followed by a welcome apres- walk drink in The Boar's Head.  New year's Resolutions were quickly broken as lots of cider, chips and crisps were consumed. 
Sue H

25th: Crowden walk

25th: Crowden walk

Whilst many of the group were away on a weekend, eight of us got together for an extra walk. Setting off from the old Crowden YHA car park, we climbed up through the disused ranges to Laddow Rocks, Crowden Castles and Sliddens Moss, climbing over the watershed and down Crowden Little Brook. A bit of a different walk with much snow walking, a bit of scrambling, two river crossings. Unfortunately we missed the aircraft wrecks in the clag, but we were lucky enough to see 3 mountain hare. The weather went from a bit wet, to misty, to absolute no visability (about 5metres) out of mist and into rain.Umbrella Steve

Thursday 14 January 2010

14th: Making it up as we go!

14th: Making it up as we go!

At short notice, eleven of us set off from Romiley with the intention of following the Goyt Valley Way back to its start at Vernon Park.
We'd thought that, after this week's relatively milder temperatures , the snow might have thawed a little and made the going easier. Well yes, it had thawed a bit, but then had frozen again overnight, and it soon became clear that sledges or skis might have been more appropriate than hiking boots. Certainly crampons wouldn't have been overdoing things, as descending through Kirk Wood towards Chadkirk was just like trying to negotiate a particularly bumpy ski jump ramp. Lots of yelps and squeals rang through the air as we made our barely controlled way down, clinging to every available bush and tree.
Eventually we reached level ground safely, but our slow going was already making us wonder if we'd have time to complete our planned route.
The track from Otterspool alongside the Goyt was more level, but was still an almost unbroken length of solid sheet ice, and progress was treacherous and slow.
After crossing the footbridge towards Offerton, Sue and Jack were dubiously eyeing the steep rimy climb which was our next stretch. My dodgy knee, painful after a twist the day before, was all the excuse needed to declare this a slope too far, about turn and head back to the Hare and Hounds on Dooley Lane. There we were consoled by the genuinely friendly welcome and the excellent food and drink!
Our re-planned route was to follow the river through Marple Dale and then up the road to the Peak Forest canal. But yet again we were frustrated by the icy ground which made descending to the river impossible. So we diverted via the ruin of Marple Hall and through the village to the canal, and from there back to Romiley along the marginally less icy towpath.
 
Geoff

Sunday 10 January 2010

10th: Snowy walk from Disley

10th: Snowy walk from Disley

Not such a long walk today, but quite a trudge through virgin snow which was not made easier by the leader's failure to read the map accurately which meant that we wasted time walking around a reservoir rather than taking the path just outside the boundary wall. It was a somewhat unfamiliar route that took us via the Moorfield Hotel and down to Furness Vale where we enjoyed a leisurely pint, before the final two miles along the Peak Forest Canal back to Disley. There were 12 of us including Joseph from the Czech Republic, his last walk with us before continuing his travels in New Zealand. Good luck there, Joseph!
reported by your leader for the day, John