Winter snows in
Wednesday December 20th. Boulsworth Hill, Wycoller and Trawden. 14 miles. Leader: Peter Smith.
Sunday December 17th. Christmas Cracker 2017. 14 miles. Leader: Norman Thomas.
Norman’s 21st Christmas Cracker
There were over 40 walkers and 3 well behaved dogs. Most walkers had festive hats on and joined into the spirit of Christmas. We made our way through Rivington Woods, up to Wilderswood then onto the road/track towards Rivington Pike. We then came across sheet ice, not good at all, but being the group we are we took it on and got through it safely onwards to the Pike.
We met many runners going up to the Pike, several of them we know very well indeed and we stopped to exchange Christmas greetings. We continued onwards through the Japanese Gardens then to the decorated Christmas tree where we broke into song with ‘Winter Wonderland’ and ‘We Wish You a Merry Christmas’ followed by a minutes silence for absent friends no longer with us.
We then made our way to our lunch stop at The Bay Horse in Adlington where we enjoyed Hot Pot and good beer, well done Karl and his team, A1 again, thanks. Then down to the canal and on to Cowling and onwards over very very muddy fields (sorry about that, it must have rained a lot since I recced it), onwards back to Rivington Village.
What can I say, the weather was the worst we’ve ever had for a Christmas Cracker walk in 21 years. Never mind you were all amazing and took it in your stride. Thanks for not giving me grief, thanks a million.
Stormin Norman
PS: A big thank you to my long suffering wife Betty for making the cakes for the last 21 years.
PS: We had a collection at the pub in memory of Colin, brother of Viv and Barbara, and we raised a record £125, very well done. See below for receipt and thanks.
Click here for Peter's pictures.
Pictures below from Tracey
Pictures below from Hilary
Wednesday December 6th. A Dog of a Walk. 14.5 miles. Leader: Gerald Dentith.
Dave Walsh
Thanks to Dave for the pictures below
Sunday December 3rd. A Different Dove Stone Dawdle. 20 miles. Leader: Steve Clark.
The weather forecast is for fine dry weather but rains a little to start with before brightening up. 10 of us are on the walk starting from the Dove Stone reservoir carpark. Off round the west side of the reservoir. Find our way climbing up to Pots and Pans. Some drizzle here. Drop off rough moorland from Pots and Pans to follow the Tameside Trail to the Visitors centre at Brownhills. On the Huddersfield Narrow canal now to Diggle, stopping for coffee break on the way. Leaving Diggle we climb towards Castleshaw reservoirs. Walk up hill and to a ridge and then drop down to re-join the Tameside Trail, now heading south. Take lunch in the valley and then walk through the village of Delph.
Passing close to Brownhills, Sue leaves us by arrangement for a cuppa at the visitors centre and back to her car, waiting there. We’d arrived here just before my self-imposed cut off time of 14:00. Any later and a shortcut would have been followed. So we were in time for us to achieve the climb up to the mast at Wharmton and be back at Dove Stones before dark. So along the canal for a short while and then up to Wharmton before dropping down on the Oldham Way to the valley once more. Up the other side and walk back to Dove Stones. We finished with daylight to spare. GPS readings were compared and found to be 19.7 – 19.9 miles with 1,007 metres (3,300’). Thanks to those you came out.
Steve