In my own footsteps

Walking Women Spring Gathering 24th to 30th May 2008

On the Saturday of the late May bank holiday weekend, I headed north on the train for a 6-day adventure with Walking Women. We stayed at Comrie Crofts, a privately-run hostel between Crieff and Comrie about 40 mins drive west from Perth.

Arriving on the Saturday evening, we settled in and sorted ourselves out to start walking the next morning, smug in the knowledge that we were in for a few days of excellent weather.

On the Sunday we warmed up with a walk around the hills, streams, and gorges northwest of the hostel and north of Comrie. (about 7 miles, approx 250m ascent)

The Monday found us travelling to the dam at the foot of Loch Turret, source of the water for Famous Grouse Whisky. Walking via a lochside track we made for the summit of Auchnafree Hill 789m (a Corbett) enjoying some off-piste walking through heather and boggy ground on the way and seeing our first mountain hares. The journey back down was a long trudge on a track, although we were rewarded with bright sunshine and excellent views of curlews towards the end of the afternoon. (about 11 miles, at least 550m ascent)

We were dropped off at St Fillans by Loch Earne on the Tuesday morning. After making our way along the side of the loch for a short distance we headed up (north-ish)to Loch Boltachan. From the north side of this litle loch we went roughly west down Glen Boltachan and across fields and through woodland to Comrie for tea. (about 8.5 miles, approx 400m ascent)

By Wednesday I was knackered and, unusually, I had a big fat blister on my heel. It rained so plans were changed and from a high hill walk to a lower level wander in the countryside around Crieff. Feeling uninspired by everything today, when we reached the Famous Grouse distillery I opted to cut my day short. (5-6 miles, not much more than 100m ascent)

Thursday started with feet patched and taped and the all-weather gear packed. From Glen Lednock near Comrie, we followed the track beside Invergeldie Burn before heading cross country up through the mist towards Ben Chonzie. It was a long slog up for me with legs tired from the last few days, but after a short lunch stop the weather cleared as we made the summit at 931m. Some of us (me included) had bagged our first Munro. We looked out across Loch Turret below and across to Auchnafree Hill where we had been on Monday. We descended roughly southeast, stopping to play in the last of the snow on the way and spotting a few mountain hares. We picked up a track running southwest along a stream and eventually to the river Lednock below. (about 9 miles, approx ascent 710m; only another 283 Munros to go...)

We were going home on Friday, but there was still time for a couple of hours walking on the hill behind Comrie Crofts. It had been a wonderful few days with great company, scenery, and wildlife. We'd seen ospreys, eagles, mountain hares, and roe deer, as well as a huge variety of wild plants, including sundew, butterwort, and bog cotton. My feet were knackered and it was along way home on the train. I'm already thinking about my next holiday.

First of all, thanks to Helen for making it all happen...

Twenty nine of us stayed at Kington Youth Hostel in Herefordshire, close to the Offa's Dyke national trail and in the shadow of Hergest Ridge. Suffice to say we all had a great time with the usual great organisation, superb catering, and fun, fun, fun!
But... that's for those of us who were there, and I'll just stick to describing the two lovely walks that I went on.

Saturday May 17, 2008 10.5 miles, approx 350m ascent (Map OS Explorer 201)
Hergest Ridge Circular

This was my contribution to the weekend. I led 20 of us off from Kington YH in light rain, going down the high street and then turning northwest up hill along Church Street to join the Offa's Dyke trail by the church.

We soon warmed up as we started up the east end of Hergest Ridge along Ridgebourne Road. Where the road ended, the trail passed through a gate and we paused for a breather and to shed layers as the rain stopped. The trail continues west and upwards as a broad track and crosses the route of an old racecourse. At the western side of the old racetrack there's a small plantation of monkey puzzle trees (why?) where we stopped for elevenses.

The trail continues along the top of Hergest Ridge, and we were soon beyond the highest point, heading down to the southwest. After a brief interlude recapturing Duncan after he made a bid to run away and join the doggy circus, we headed onwards an down to the Royal Oak at Gladestry. Some made for the pub, some sat outside for sandwiches, and some did both, though it started raining a bit again and wasn't ideal picnic weather.

After gathering everyone together again (my biggest challenge of the day), we retraced our steps east out of the village and the rain switched off. At the turning for Offa's Dyke path, we stayed on the road southeast-ish for about half a mile, turning northeast at Llan-y-Felin farm on a bridleway towards Upper Rabber, with red kites circling above us.

At Upper Rabber we turned north-ish, making a short steep climb and stopping for a necessary breather and to round up stargglers before heading east on a bridleway towards Rabber Dingle where we recrossed the border back into England. We followed this bridleway east through open country seeing more red kites and a buzzard. We then followed the continuing footpath northeast to the crossing of paths above Bage, where we had an afternoon tea stop before going southeast down the lane from Bage to Castle Twts. The verges of this lane were covered with wild flowers: bluebells, yellow archangel, red campion, greater stitchwort, jack by the hedge, and bush vetch (among others).

We took the footpath north-ish at the base the mound of Castle Twts, crossing several stiles over the fields to Park Wood. The rhodedendrons were in magnificent bloom as we passed through Park Wood on the footpath running northeast. Where this footpath leaves the wood it joins a lane that runs roughly east. A quarter of a mile after joining this lane we turned onto a short stretch of footpath running steeply downhill (south east) to a road.

We crossed the road and turned south west past Mill House to pick up the Herefordshire Way back into Kington (going roughly northeast). From the town centre we retraced our outward route back to the hostel for tea, cake, and the end of the FA cup final. We'd had a great day's walking and all made it bacl more or less unscathed.

Sunday May 18, 2008 6 miles, approx 200m ascent (Map OS Explorer 201)
Bradnor and Rushock Hill Circular

A shorter walk today before we headed for home, led by Wendy, with expert back-up from Caroline. Twenty of us (with a few swaps with the whippet group) made off through town towards the church and then roughly northwest by road to the A44 at Floodgates.

Crossing the A44 we turned east and shortly after this picked up the footpath northeast passing through Bradnor Wood, then north past Dunfield, and curving northeast and east to Holywell. After a short detour and a "navigational adjustment", we curved round to the north for a short uphill to join the Offa's Dyke trail.

After a short breather and photo session we followed the trail east along a short section of Offa's Dyke on Rushock Hill. We stopped after about three quarters of a mile for a lunch break on the hillside looking south over the beautiful soft green hills.

The last stretch of our walk was along the Offas Dyke trail south back to Kington. We crossed fields edged with bluebells and passed an oak wood with more bluebells, before crossing the edge of the golf course on our way down. We came into Kington along grassy paths between cottages, crossed the stream at Crooked Well (still following the Offa's Dyke trail), and made our way back to the hostel via the lanes behind the high street.

Another lovely walk, with a variety of landscapes and scenery - just enough to send us on our way.

Sorry no pictures this time.

Sunday May 11, 2008: 11 miles, approx 280m ascent (Map: OS Explorer 123)

It was hot hot hot again, and only 8 o'clock in the morning. So with 2 litres of water and a similar amount of sunblock I set off for this month's walk with the Sussex Women's Walking Group.

After collecting 3 Londoners from Lewes station and narrowly avoiding picking up a few more ladies from the Croydon Ramblers, we drove to the Bo Peep car park, which is on top of the Downs a couple of miles northwest of Alfriston in East Sussex. The car park was stuffed and the top of the Downs was crawling with paragliding enthusiasts launching themselves up into the spiralling thermals.

Collecting ourselves together we set off just before 11 o'clock over open Downland on a bridleway southwest to Heighton Hill, where we had a short break; Gardener's Hill; Stump Bottom where we got stung; and Poverty Bottom. The path southeast through Poverty Bottom is one I like very much and the shade over the sunken track was very welcome today.

We continued to Norton, where we headed northeast-ish on the footpath along Devilsrest Bottom, making height gradually and then more steeply as we made for the ridge ahead. It was hot going and we arrived at he junction of paths on the ridge in need of a breather and lunch in a shady spot. We stopped at the bench by the junction and made our own entertainment, which included me modelling her new Merchant-Ivory-style summer walking scarf.

Following a longish break we followed the bridleway curving southeast along the top of the ridge (a track called The Comp) past Camp Hill and Cradle Hill. Crossing the Afriston Road, we made our way northeast across the Access Land down to the river Cuck. Following the river we crossed the footbridge at Litlington and continued towards Alfriston beside river on the Vanguard Way.

Recrossing the river on the footbridge at Alfriston, we wended up into the centre of the village still following the Vanguard Way. We were lucky to get a table in the garden of the best tea shop in town for a good long break for tea and the excellent (as usual) cakes and scones. If you want to know which tea shop is the best you'll have to go and try them all and decide for yourself.

Duly replenished, we continued on the Vanguard Way, following the road northwest out of Alfrison. Where the road ran out, we left the Vanguard Way and picked up the byway (Comp Lane) that was the once coach road (see last entry), continuing roughly northwest towards Alciston. Apart from one lovely shady section, it was hot and dusty on the track, and we were glad of a shady interlude on the Millenium bench at the junction with the lane to Alciston. We had a short break cool off and to prepare ourselves for the hot slog uphill back to the top of the Downs.

Just northwest of this junction, we picked up the footpath going roughly southwest along a field edge and then a sunken track, before emerging onto the open hillside and heading southeast and steeply up.

We made our way up hot and tired, to arrive on the top among the paragliders and their owners who were attempting to launch themselves into the almost cloudless sky. Like us, it seemed that they had already had the best of the day so we didn't get to see any spectacular take-offs. So, leaving the would-be aeronauts behind us we followed the South Downs Way northwest for the last half-mile back to the car park.

It was still hot hot hot, but we'd enjoyed a beautiful walk across open Downland, and along cow parsley-lined tracks, river banks, and shady sunken paths, as well as in and out of the tea shop garden.

Thanks to Beth for her photos.