Author Topic: Tough walking in Summer  (Read 997 times)

robrymond

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Tough walking in Summer
« on: 22:42:49, 07/07/19 »
Aside from the heat being an issue, does anyone else find it increasingly difficult to get around ROW during the main Summer months? I've done two walks this weekend, both of which are named trails and found it quite difficult in parts to get around.


I'm talking those 'wild meadow fields' where its left to grow to around 4ft in height, big nettles and thistles poking you and grass so tall it takes mammoth efforts to trudge through. There were some fields which had been cut for hay, but most of my routes this weekend involved some difficult walking, let alone with the over-growth near stiles and roads making for a prickly 'get through as quick as possible' walk.


Maybe I should stick to the well populated Peak District routes at this time of year...

richardh1905

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Re: Tough walking in Summer
« Reply #1 on: 08:45:11, 08/07/19 »
During July and August I tend to avoid one of my local clifftop walks here in Orkney, rank growth of thistles, nettles, dockans make it less than a pleasure. But they'll be dying back in September, and the wind will soon flatten them. Plenty of other places to walk.
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robrymond

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Re: Tough walking in Summer
« Reply #2 on: 09:10:47, 08/07/19 »
I don't think most vegetation round here dies back until late Autumn, although it gets a bit easier. Plenty of places in the rocky peaks to walk or heathland but farmers fields etc are a struggle.

roughyed

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Re: Tough walking in Summer
« Reply #3 on: 09:33:06, 08/07/19 »
Had the same on named trails down the Great Ouse.  Annoyingly some short sections had been strimmed, but bits in-between hadn't.  Guessing its different landowners. 

gunwharfman

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Re: Tough walking in Summer
« Reply #4 on: 09:51:51, 08/07/19 »
I run off-road and am running through 'wild meadow fields' and they are energy sapping. Very attractive though and I don't want any of the areas to be changed, its part of the natural order of things and I like to savour and 'soak it up' while it lasts. I notice on a couple of my runs that a few people who live rough are 'enjoying' (maybe the wrong word?) it as well. I've become used to seeing a bloke who walks up a long hill most morning to the burger bar at the top and just orders a cup of tea. He then strolls over to the verge, put his carrier bags down, lies down on the grass and enjoys his cuppa and a fag! Very casual. There's another man who uses some steps nearby that have been cut out of the chalky bank, the steps then doubles up as his easy chair. Sometimes I think we spend too much time waiting for the future, trying to live for a while in the 'here and now' can be enjoyable as well.

Dovegirl

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Re: Tough walking in Summer
« Reply #5 on: 12:29:19, 08/07/19 »
There are a few paths I avoid on the South Downs because of the rampant vegetation

gunwharfman

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Re: Tough walking in Summer
« Reply #6 on: 12:53:37, 08/07/19 »
In the summer months, I too know of such paths, the worst ones for me are when the brambles are at the height of their growth. If I plan to walk a known one, I always take my curved sunglasses with me, just don't want my eyes scratched (it happened to me once, very painful!) and I take a hiking stick with me to bash my way forward!

pauldawes

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Re: Tough walking in Summer
« Reply #7 on: 13:03:44, 08/07/19 »
I've found some of the local paths I walk are most "overgrown" I can remember them being for last 10 years. And yes energy sapping.


But...for me.its temperature that's key factor...anything over low twenties makes me really reluctant to go on long walk. (I actually did a 10 miler last Saturday...starting really early to avoid really high temperatures later in day. In middle of first sweetish climb...I remember thinking "much too hot already"...looked at watch and it was 8.30 in morning.)

snaderson

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Re: Tough walking in Summer
« Reply #8 on: 14:17:33, 08/07/19 »
I was walking in Staffordshire last week along some fairly unused paths that were very overgrown. As it was hot I was in shorts and afterwards my legs were tingling with stings and scratches. I think it just comes with the territory.
Yesterday I had to walk through a field of mature barley about armpit height - not good if you're ticklish! It was better than the tall oilseed rape on the Yorkshire Wolds which overgrows the path and is a lot harder to push through.

lostme1

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Re: Tough walking in Summer
« Reply #9 on: 18:51:45, 08/07/19 »
Over grown paths make walking very hard this time of year. Yesterday I tried to cross a field with oilseed rape and gave up. Last year the field was wheat which was doable. I won't walk that path till after it has been harvested. Rampant vegetation is making some paths difficult or unwalkable. Trousers only for me.
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robrymond

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Re: Tough walking in Summer
« Reply #10 on: 21:58:25, 08/07/19 »
Yes just trousers for me (though they convert to shorts if needed), but the overgrowth is just too thick. I don't mind crop fields but we don't get many in this area as its mainly diary farming. Sunday was only 21C but with no breeze and beaming strong sun it was very hot indeed for me and the dog. That said the more you sweat, the more weight you loose  :D

BuzyG

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Re: Tough walking in Summer
« Reply #11 on: 23:10:56, 08/07/19 »
Once the ferns are at at full height I steer clear of them as much as possible, to avoid ticks. Hate the things. >:(

strawy

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Re: Tough walking in Summer
« Reply #12 on: 04:09:11, 09/07/19 »
Rape fields..
When fully grown,that stuff takes some getting through,and even when its harvested,the stumps are hard & sharp.
No complaints with my local farmers,they leave a clear path after sowing,but that stuff just takes over..
Walked round the edge of one field,nettle city and a half mile detour  >:(

rural roamer

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Re: Tough walking in Summer
« Reply #13 on: 13:25:36, 09/07/19 »
Lots of rape fields in Suffolk! I hate them  >:(  Every year we seem to find one where we can’t get through. A few weeks ago we had to turn back and walk an extra mile as there was no way round the edge of the field either. Need to carry an axe!


When it’s hot I prefer to walk in shorts but that causes a problem when encountering nettles etc. I have been known to put my waterproof trousers on to walk through a path of nettles and thorns and then remove them the other side  ;D

 

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