Walking Forum

Main Boards => General Walking Discussion => Topic started by: Gadabout Bounder on 23:37:54, 06/02/18

Title: Tonights walk
Post by: Gadabout Bounder on 23:37:54, 06/02/18
I live in North Staffs, on our boundary (back of the house) the Staffordshire way runs past the fence, I am fortunate to be able to get into the countryside within a couple of minutes and I tend to get out most nights for a 'training' walk (walking from the house)


I can go up the lane and back, I say a lane - it is a single lane tarmac road that takes a long sweep round to the main road through the village (in a big C shape) - there and back is 5.4 miles


I've got another loop that is just over 4 miles, a 2.2 mile loop for a quick walk and then we have the Churnet Valley 5 minutes downhill from the house and I can do walks from about 4 miles up to about 8 miles staying within a relatively small geographical area with a reasonable amount of ascent (we walked on Sunday and did 1700 ft of ascent in the valley on a 7 mile walk)


I went out tonight up the lane and then dropped down into the valley (this has always been a day route), there is no light at all once off the road, pitch black.


Knew what I wanted to do - the route was off the road, down to Consall  and then down to the canal/railway line and the Black Lion, a very muddy walk back along the canal to the road and then the uphill in one go back into the village.


Thankfully I've got a Fenix HP 30 head torch which gave me enough light to see very clearly in front of me.


What a fantastic walk, little bit of snow on the ground all the way through the trees and down to the canal, completely quiet, still night, an owl hooting on the way back along the canal.


What I hope was an otter on the other side of the canal (if it wasn't it was a very big rat).


I've walked at night before but tonight was a fantastic 6 miler that put me in a great mindset after a very busy day.


The alternative was Emmerdale, Coronation Street and whatever else was on between 8 & 9.


There's going to be a lot more late evening walks.


Gad
Title: Re: Tonights walk
Post by: BuzyG on 18:52:27, 08/02/18
Nice little write up.  O0


We are fortunate enough, like you, to be in the country side a few steps from our front door.  I do enjoy a walk in the moon light around the local footpaths and lanes.  It was a revaluation the first modern LED head torch I bought, they are great tech. O0