Blog
(2013)
Blog updates are only on an
"ad hoc" basis when I have something to say and will not be
particularly regular. Latest entries first.
21 November 2013
Been laid low with Campylobacter
for a cople of weeks courtesy of an Asian restaurant in Bradford (99% sure
it was them anyway). I think that is the most ill I have ever been and the
moral is to check the "Score on the Doors" at your local council
when eating out. Had I doen so here, I would have discovered the score for
food hygene was "Fair" and the confidence in management was
"Some". Very reassuring! Overall score was 3/5. Antibiotics seem
to have sorted me out and desperate to get back out there with my boots on.
Been having a look at my website
statistics and clearly from end September onwards is the time everyone books
their Canary Island holidays. The views of my Lanzarote pages have been
amazing. The Lanzarote Walks page would probably be the third most visited
page, if just counted from the begining of October. I look forward to some
feeedback.
29 October 2013
So
Lonely Planet have just voted Yorkshire the third best place IN THE WORLD!
Only third? The accolade comes as no surprise to those of us born, bred and
living here. Evidently we were beaten by Sikkim (a Himalayan area of India)
and Kimberley (Western Australia). With La Tour De France kicking off here
next year and this report, I can see 2014 being a little busy!
19 October2013
I have just discovered that a
new long distance footpath is in course of preparation with a view to it
being fully open in 2014. This is the South Yorkshire Way.
14 September 2013
A little while ago, I decided to
include some of the walks I had done in Lanzarote on Happy Hiker. As they
are a little out of place on a UK walking website, I did not really expect a
great deal of interest, not least because I never thought of Lanzarote as a
walking destination especially. I have been amazed how much interest there
has been in this section.
11 August 2013
Thought I would publish another Kindle
Book, this time with the idea that there would be a pub roughly half way
round because I enjoy a pint and I know others do too. Many pubs these days
are stocking beers from micro breweries. Lots of these are really tasty and
characterful. Long may this continue!
17 July 2013
After years of neglect by
Bradford Council, the stepping stones at Burley-in-Wharfedale, West
Yorkshire have been repaired. It is always a bit of a lottery as to whether
these will be above the water but when the river is low, they provide more
options for walks from this village. I am in the process of writing up a
walk I did over them on Monday.
8 July 2013
Just got back from holiday in
Cornwall and Dartmoor so will be posting some walks from there over the next
two or three weeks. This is the first time I have walked on Dartmoor and it
is a fascinating place. Lots of ancient "stuff" around - hut
circles, stone circles etc.
28 May 2013
Just completed writing up the
third of my walks
in Shropshire - Wenlock Edge. This was my first trip to the county other
than previously "passing through" and I was impressed with its
picturesque nature and tranquility. There is quite a mixture of walking from
moorland on the Long Mynd to limestone scenery on Wenlock Edge, all within a
few miles. There are also lots of historic sites to see and Stokesay Castle
at Craven Arms is quite something.
30 April 2013
I am amazed how many
vague/spurious/non-relevant requests I get for links, despite what I think
are clear instruction on my Links page. I keep trying to clarify these
instructions. These requests just waste everyones' time. How hard can it be?
I am happy to consider genuine links, especially on a reciprocal basis, but
if you are not up-front about to what you want me to link, don't be
surprised if you never get a reply!
28 March 2013
A friend of mine thought he
should do something to improve his more or less non-existent map reading
skills before he ventured into wilder parts so very sensibly went on a
map-reading course. Telling me about it on his return, the instructor was
evidently very dismissive of GPS satellite receivers. I cannot understand
this because surely any aid to navigation is beneficial (providing of course
basic compass/map abilities are not ignored). If caugth in a whiteout or low
cloud suddenly, a GPS receiver would tell you where you were even if you
were not using it to follow the route. You could then use the compass from
that point. No doubt when compasses represented new technology some were
equally dismissive of them - but they seemed to catch on!
18 February 2013
It might seem a bit strange to
find the Canary Island of Lanzarote hiding amongst the list on the My
Walks page on what is otherwise an exclusively UK related site. However,
I have visited this island two or three times over the years to top up the
vitamin D and despite its somewhat bleak initial appearance, the more I
visit, the more I warm to it. I cannot just lie by a pool all day for days
on end so have explored it quite a bit and done a few walks there now, some
of which I have decided to share. For anyone reading this who has not been,
been put off by others or put off by the (unjust) "Lanzargrotty"
nickname, I say put your preconceptions on one side and give it a try. You
could be pleasantly surprised.
17 January 2013
The Tour de France is to start
in my home town of Leeds on 5 July 2014 and over the 5th July will head
through the Yorkshire Dales (Otley, Ilkley, Skipton, Kettlewell, Hawes,
Ripon and Harrogate), passing within half a mile of my front door! On 6th
July, it starts in York and journeys to Sheffield (York, Knaresborough,
Keighley, Haworth, Hebden Bridge, Huddersfield, Holmfirth and Sheffield).
This will be a huge boost for Yorkshire but for anyone planning to visit to
do any walking and not interested in cycling, these are probably dates to
avoid! Also, accommodation may be in short supply.
All information on this
site is given in good faith and no liability is accepted in respect of any
damage, loss or injury which might result from acting on it.
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