There were 13 lucky souls out to enjoy the sunshine in Upper Teesdale. Starting from Middleton in Teesdale, a climb up to Middleside where we wondered at the exposure of the Whinsill outcrops above Holwick and the views to upper Teesdale, with Crossfell and the Dufton radar dome highlighted with streaks of winter snow. Descending into Newbiggin to note the old chapel and its conversion to a home we had a pleasant break before the steep climb in to Red Groove.
I have just received this brief email from Trevor -
Race postponed for 10 months. Need to be out of the Philippines by Thursday night. Depending whether l need to go into UK quarantine l should be back on the hill with SOC reasonably soon.
We never expected 9 people to turn up on a day forecast by the BBC to be 3˚C and sleeting off and on, but walkers are a strange breed, including Stuart, who came all the way from Sunderland! We enjoyed a fine walk with blue sky at a number of points, no precipitation at all and fine views of snow dappled hills.
Here we are on the “silver bridge” in Barnard Castle at the start of a seven and a half mile walk last Thursday, 30 January. The weather was kind and the walking varied as we followed the river before crossing grazing land to reach Cotherstone. Lunch at an idyllic picnic spot once we had crossed the water. Our path then climbed gently and we were able to enjoy some splendid views of the lovely River Tees. For the final mile or so we took a steep descent and then followed the water’s edge passing through glorious woodland.
Coalsgarth featured in Ann Luxmoore's Richmond Round walk on 6 February. This photograph captures several things. It was an unusually good day considering the winter we have had and it was a splendid walk. It is also a reminder that nearby Coalsgarth is comparable in its setting and visual delights as almost anything in the Dales. Love the place!
Eight hardy members (Ann L, Brian, Caroline, Frank, Gwyneth and Richard) braved a cloudy, drizzly morning to meet in the Market Place for a later than usual 11.00 am start for a stroll around the environs of Richmond ahead of the SOC AGM scheduled for later that afternoon.
So here I am again motoring through the Doldrums Corridor, this time on the Solomon Sea rather than the Atlantic Ocean, as in September 2019. Conditions here, on the other side of the planet, are even hotter as we make our way from the heat of the Australian Summer towards Sanya in China, via my second equator crossing. There is no escape from the heat as the sun beats down every day, with the odd shower or heavy downpour of rain increasing the humidity which remains with us through the hours of darkness.
This Thursday’s walk started out with the loss of its leader – Geraint broke his foot before Christmas so Kate stepped in, having recced it with him before his Westfield “trip”. We began by nearly gaining two to our number with a couple of “Walking for Health” members who mistook us for healthy people. It was quite a coincidence that WfH were doing their “Hill and Dale” walk on the same day but from the other end of the racecourse.
