Leafy English lanes

Kirby Bellars

Reeds and a small Willow tree at the nature reserve

Took a stroll across to the nature reserve near us today, a picnic in the glorious sunshine with the impatient patient. Then after dinner we went out to another nature reserve a short drive away. It's around an old mineral quarry and mine. We've driven past a few times but never took the time to stop and walk around it. Beautiful evening for it.

All's well n chillin'

Everything going well at the LRI By eck is she complaining though, about everything! Significance can wait, she needs to moan so let her. She is doing well and her griping is great to hear as to me it means she isn't worrying about her condition. Then home to a subdued house, a few reflections on life through the glass that holds my lager at the top of the garden. It fixes nothing but helps sometimes to put things into perspective.
Life is frighteningly short, get on with fulfilling your dreams when you can.
Love my Dad who just mutters swear words down the phone to me but still remembers to say he loves us all. GBY Dad, you deserve it.

And here's a photo to show for it, my empty glass.
Worse for wear? Me! "oh yeah"

WAITING ROOM

I'm sat here chewing my tongue and my gums and my nails etc. Jac is sat in the LRI operation admittance ward waiting to see if a bed will be available for her after her planned operation. Last week she was sent home after waiting in the same place, starved for hours, bored and uncomfortable. No beds last week either. Oh come on NHS, why book folk in if you know, and you must have some idea, there will not be the space for them. Allowing for emergencies of course.
Last week they couldn't operate on over a dozen patients, no overnighters at all due to the lack of beds. Is it the bed space or the staff to man them? The government really ought to do something about this. I've no doubt a good percentage of their....NO!, OUR....resources have been taken up accommodating foreigners claiming the right to treatment even though they have never lived here or paid into the system. One governing party couldn't get it right, what chance have we with two, pulling in differing directions.

Update

OK so it's been a while since I posted on here and a couple of things have happened since April.
I got older for one, according to Orbits of the Sun anyway. That's one small circuit the Earth takes lately!
Due to the planned weekend away celebrations were a little on the quiet side. I received a compass and a map of Snowdonia. So, armed with my new Silva, one of the better known and well trusted makes of magnetic needle devices and Ordnance Survey map OL17, we left for Wales on Friday evening of a bank holiday weekend.

Saturday, May 5th. Snowdon Mountain

Saturday morning saw us up and out by 7am. An hour down the road and daysacks adorning our back's at Llanberis car-park. Jac, Sally, Alex and I set off along the road towards the path that would lead us to the top of Wales. See next post for Photos.

Day Two in Ffestiniog, Wales.

After yesterdays successful ascent of a mountain we went for another. On the other side of the valley outside our accomodation was a mountain with a hydro dam near the top. Following instructions from our resident neighbours we set out for conquer number two. this would see the car parked at a much higher altitude to start with though. Only 400m ascent approximately to the dam wall. See next post for Photos.

Day three started with a wet forecast so we decided to pack up and make our return home earlier than anticipated. Turned out to be a good decision.

 

Derbyshire, Sunday May 13th

Kinder Scout

The following weekend Jac and I are in the Derbyshire peaks. The black or dark peak as it is known. Kinder scout to be precise, from Edale.
A circular route planned but map unowned or borrrowed. A good idea of where were going and an app on my phone that emulates rather poorly a GPS device.
We started out well, up a steep incline towards the peat bog of a moor atop the hill. Up on the top the breeze was more noticeable, we traversed some bog and stopped for a rest and refuel in the shelter of some rocks. The wind as forecast was increasing in speed, the meagre temperature felt even colder in the full force.
After a feed we got our bearings and decided as we were slightly of our intended route to go for the direct route across the bog towards some more rocks in the distance.
The peat is very yielding until you try to climb out of a stream bed up the sides of whatever ravine you happen to be in. Then you can't get your foot to dig in to the side for purchase and the surface is as slippy as ice, so you carry on along the stream bed until you find a way out up the 8ft or higher banks on either side. On top you have to go from grassy lump to grassy lump or Heather mound.
Several tentative walks across the bare peat , feet squelching away, and we're still no closer to our target as we keep having to circumnavigate deep ravines in the peat.
We we're walking across one patch and as I put my foot down it kept going as if nothing was there. A panic step forward on my other knee and a dive for the Heather in my reach and I dragged my leg out of the cold wet mulch. Jac was also wet, with tears of laughter! I needed a change of underwear due to a virtual accident in my pants and the peat topping on my walking shoes. It was getting to be an non-enjoyable experience prior to this and now we could see no way out.
We persevered and after a second disappearance of my leg I was getting the feeling that a helicopter may be required to get us off here. Being axle deep in thousands of years of wet dead plants is not a pleasant feeling. However much I feared a drop of more than my height into the mire, Jac just kept laughing at my plight. The more I panicked when crossing the s**t, the more I sank in it. Stealthy steps are required to stay afloat, and with the desperation to reach the next island I was quickly losing that ability. Definitely worried now.
We did eventually follow a stream bed away from the very top of the moor.. The water obviously having washied away the peat to a point where it met rock, providing firm footing for the foolhardy who got in too deep (pun intended) and an escape to drier ground.
Some photos below show the more pleasant side of the day.

Kinder Scout

Looking down from near the top of the path leading to the moor

Not the best place for me with my Labyrinth (balance issue) playing up

Nice view though

Texting to see how Sally is

Take a photo, it's a lovely view

Looks like a Dinosaur's elbow bone to me

Still suffering from a pretty big hangover

The way down along a stream bed of rock

A long steep descent

"you be careful" she says

Halfway down and the water is building now

Time for a rest

Stwlan Dam

Tarmac all the way

 Another Power Station in the background

Looking towards Porthmadog

At the top

Crazy place for a bus stop

Moelwyn Bach

Llan Ffestiniog

Snowdon, the top.

The Snowdon Railway. A rack and pinion drive system ensures positive traction

Here comes the chuffa

Here it is

On it goes

North East'ish from near the top

Alternative route, The Pyg track

The Pyg and Miners tracks

From the top looking over the train teminal towards the West This looks more over-processed than it actually is. It was a very clear day.

Same position as above but looking at the very busy and not very spacious

 summit.

Snowdon. Llanberis path

Even fairly low down the views are stunning

After over an hour we get our first view of the summit

It's only this big Dad!

Still playing the fools

Marching on

More than halfway now. Notice the different direction of rock layering in the background of this photo of Alex

Looking back. The rail track just visible

That is snow on the path!

Onwards and upwards

Looking out over the Southern side of Snowdon. The peak in the background.