Author Topic: It's an Ill Wind  (Read 800 times)

ninthace

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It's an Ill Wind
« on: 19:49:41, 06/02/20 »
I am slowly rehabilitating an injured knee.  This involves walking whenever the weather permits and making each walk a little longer than its predecessor.  The long spell of wet weather has rendered the footpaths round here just about impassable, especially as I am not sure I can support a slip yet and prefer to wear shoes rather than boots at present.  Hence, we are "reduced" to walking lanes and dry paths.  Having exhausted the local lanes for a fair radius in all directions, we are starting to cast our net a bit further afield.  This is proving a bit of a challenge as each walk has to fall within a specified distance, be on a good surface, with little traffic and there has to be somewhere to park, preferably near a pub.
I am spending a lot of time pouring over the OS mapping website and have learned a lot more about nearby areas that we would not normally consider to find a walk.   Occasionally these walks work out far better than expected by rewarding the road walking with an unexpected view or building.   Today was a case in point.  Not only did we get get a decent walk combining a tow path with lanes, but we discovered a "new" pub with good food and beer.  I also discovered a jumping off point for another walk.
Does anyone else have similar experiences of unexpected rewards from "ill winds"?
Solvitur Ambulando

gunwharfman

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Re: It's an Ill Wind
« Reply #1 on: 20:55:09, 06/02/20 »
I got a running injury last November which has taken a long time to heal so I decided I would walk my normal running routes and walk some areas that I don't know or hardly know. I did this on various days until the end of January.  Whilst I walked I kept saying to myself, "well I've never seen that before!" For example on one of my routes, there is a small concrete 12" x 4" square post, with a tiny notice on top, I always assumed it was a water board post, I've never actually stopped to read it. In fact, now that I have read it its a small commemoration post for a soldier of the First World War. I also found a similar post a few miles away commemorating a Spitfire pilot who was killed in 1941. I also pass a couple of old forts on the top of Portsdown Hill which was built when Britain was worried that Napolean invading when I walk around the back of them and look closely at their walls I can now get an appreciation about how the designer (Palmerston of 'Palmerston Follies' I believe) built in a system of gun slits to deter anyone getting too close. Down one of the footpaths, set back in a small area of wood I came across a huge metal pipe about 30" across and about 20' high just sticking out of the ground with ivy growing up it. I've been told that under Portsdown Hill there are huge fuel tanks which can feed the ships down below in Portsmouth Harbour, this pipe is some form of a ventilation shaft.

Jac

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Re: It's an Ill Wind
« Reply #2 on: 08:06:49, 07/02/20 »
Not due to an 'ill wind' but in taking up the yearly mileage challenge and not wanting to drive every day just for a 3-4 mile walk in horrible weather I have been walking from home on paths/lanes/roads to save getting plastered in mud. Having lived my house over 40 years I've have discovered alleyways and shortcuts I never knew existed.

Ninethace were you walking the Bridgewater (Tiverton) or Exeter Ship canal? Would love to know which pub you discovered.
So many paths yet to walk, so little time left

ninthace

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Re: It's an Ill Wind
« Reply #3 on: 08:54:50, 07/02/20 »
Jac, it Was the Grand Western from Sampford Peverell.  The pub was the Redwoods Inn at Uplowman.
Solvitur Ambulando

Yorci

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Re: It's an Ill Wind
« Reply #4 on: 19:09:46, 07/02/20 »
I am slowly rehabilitating an injured knee.
I got a running injury last November which has taken a long time to heal...
My sympathies guys, I know how you feel, I'm currently waiting for a stent to be fitted in my right leg. It started a year last November where after walking a couple of miles, I would lose all power, and I ended up walking like a lame duck. No pain or anything, it just doesn't work. Its got worse, can now only walk 600 yards or so unaided. It takes about 20 minutes to regenerate itself. They only worked out the problem in December after numerous x-rays and scans. Just waiting now. So for over a year, no serious walks or any skiing :( . I'm able to do about 6 miles by leaning on a walking stick, but nothing challenging, luckily I live in East Yorkshire so it is pretty flat, but I'm getting a bit sick of spurn head, the River Humber and the Welton area. I'm going to give Mam Tor a try next week, or possibly tomorrow, as once you get on top of the ridge it is fairly flat. Hopefully I get there before the snow comes, as the walking stick is useless in snow, even with the basket on.
Leave only footprints, take only memories and photographs.
Life is short, time is fast, no re-play or rewind, enjoy every moment and make it count.

watershed

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Re: It's an Ill Wind
« Reply #5 on: 08:56:48, 08/02/20 »
Guys hope you all recover from your mishaps.
I've been taking it a bit easier recently due to a clunking noise in my right knee (No pain).
After x rays of both knees and inspection by the NHS Physio I have been told to keep walking on it, as they cant find anything wrong and it should be OK. "the noise might just disappear".
I have been doing more road work because of the concern and started using buses to drop me off then I walk home.
I had forgotten how useful they are for this kind of thing, as I usually take my car to and from the hills/coast.
I will definitely use the buses more, now as a drop off service, so I can walk back home over the hills. It is probably a greener option than my usual choice. Fortunately we have a very good service here. I could do some 2-3 day camps on the way back from the longer drop offs.

rural roamer

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Re: It's an Ill Wind
« Reply #6 on: 14:51:06, 08/02/20 »
The fields are so muddy around here this year that we have walked a bit more on country lanes. Someone told me about masses of snowdrops in a wood about 7 or 8 miles from us.  We fancied a short walk yesterday in the sunshine so I looked at the map and worked out a 3+ mile route mostly along lanes and what I hoped were decent paths (they were). It was a lovely walk, and indeed lots of snowdrops which we wouldn’t normally have seen as there was no path through the wood. The lanes were mostly quiet except for one stretch that was a little too busy.  One to keep in the repertoire for wet winters.

Jac

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Re: It's an Ill Wind
« Reply #7 on: 19:44:34, 08/02/20 »
Jac, it Was the Grand Western from Sampford Peverell.  The pub was the Redwoods Inn at Uplowman.
Ta very muchly - a new one to try :)
So many paths yet to walk, so little time left

 

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