Walking Forum
Main Boards => Long Distance Walks => Topic started by: ninthace on 17:21:03, 05/08/19
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https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-49234186 (https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-49234186)
Come on DA - off you go!
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:( >:(
The last bastion falls. They just couldn't leave well alone.
I remember quite a few years ago being involved in a discussion about this proposal made by busybodies. When waymarked (and often sanitised) trails are springing up all over the map, we were really hoping for just one superb long distance backpacking concept south of the border to remain known but unpublicised and unmarked for connoisseurs of mountains and wilderness.
We can obviously make up our own, as I've frequently done with shorter backpacks, but I find this CW case depressing.
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I understand where you're coming from, vghikers.
Dare I admit that I didn't know it wasn't already an "official" way.
Why, I wonder, has it taken as long as fifty years?
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I printed off Drakes account of his walk a few years ago with the intention of one day doing the CW. I even plotted the route onto a SD card for my satmap GPS. However bio mechanics have meant that i haven't got around to it. I will now purchase the guidebook by cicerone and have a further look at it.
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There's two sides to it - whilst official recognition no doubt gives access to pots of money for upkeep etc, I too prefer to find my own way rather than follow in the footsteps of the masses. And there are so many different ways of doing a Welsh coast to coast.
Same applies to England. Why do so many slavishly follow in Wainwright's footsteps - after all, even he described his route as "A coast to coast walk".
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I think the original idea of the Cape Wrath Trail was you just had a start and finish, it was up to you to find the route. Then someone wrote a guidebook and everyone sheepishly follows that route. It's not even all that interesting a route, it follows estate roads for large section. The original idea was far more of a challenge.
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Same applies to England. Why do so many slavishly follow in Wainwright's footsteps - after all, even he described his route as "A coast to coast walk"
Exactly. In this case only because it was him. Anyone else and the route would probably be languishing in obscurity.
We designed our own variation traversing the Lakes mountains, the Cross Fell range and the Cheviots, a route we found far more satisfying.
I think the original idea of the Cape Wrath Trail was you just had a start and finish, it was up to you to find the route. Then someone wrote a guidebook and everyone sheepishly follows that route.
I didn't know that, so even the CWT now. >:(
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Exactly. In this case only because it was him. Anyone else and the route would probably be languishing in obscurity.
We designed our own variation traversing the Lakes mountains, the Cross Fell range and the Cheviots, a route we found far more satisfying.
O0
Did exactly the same when I did a Welsh coast to coast, many years ago - started in Swansea and finished in Conwy, stumbled across some wonderful out of the way places.
..and I will do the same when I do an English coast to coast (sometime soon, hopefully).
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I agree to an extent. I did the official C2C from St. bees to RHB twice, then took much of my own line through the lakes during an East to West trip, then a more direct line altogether in a West to East trip. I found making my own lines much more interesting and enjoyable than the official line.
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Cambrian Way guidebook arrived today. Very well set out and fantastic photo's. Plenty of variables. I think if ever I do attempt it, with my issues, I will plan al lower level alternative route for the entire length that i could revert to should the need be, thus save abandoning altogether. There are many long steep ascent and descents and that is when my hip/leg problems kick in, on more level and not so steep ground I can still bat along. In the book it is broken down into 21 day sections but I would not want to spend more than 12 days on it, at 25 miles a day, which with an early start and late finish should be doable.Although I am at present working on a more or less wholly un-Wainwright C2C route.
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Always a bit suspicious of fixed ways, the lower routes in mid Wales can be fascinating, although not an LDP walker of any note I always try to think out the connectivity of some of the ways I walk. There is a line of medium rise hill on the N2S approach to Llanbrynmawr, it's profile fascinates me and if it were possible to crack the exact line to walk it, I suspect there is a golden contour there. Thing is it's charm would only visible in the right weather, now the valley below would be stunning even if clagged in.
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I'm planning on doing this next year, also I don't have issues with way marked paths. I've done the beacons way and only met 1 other person doing the trail when I was on it