Author Topic: County Bagging: Rutland - Bagged!  (Read 3098 times)

Mel

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County Bagging: Rutland - Bagged!
« on: 19:34:57, 28/06/18 »

Hi all


The past couple of months have seen me concentrating on bagging my latest new County - Rutland. 


The drive down was pleasant enough (no motorways apart from a short spell on the M180) and I was pleasantly surprised at how quickly I can get there.  I was pleasantly surprised at how lovely the area is.  How green and lush.  And, how hilly it is, gentle, undulating hills and valleys not dissimilar to the lower Yorkshire Wolds, which surprised me.  Very rural, in an agricultural/farming sort of way rather than a wild and woolly uplands sort of way.  The villages are made up of lovely honey coloured stone cottages and houses, some with thatched roofs and I'm thinking you'd need a bob or two to buy a property there. 


I concentrated my efforts around Rutland Water with a 7 mile walk on the Hambleton Peninsular, a short 2.3 mile walk starting from Wing and a slightly not-as-I-intended 7 mile walk from Empingham to Whitwell.


I camped both times and used the same site - Wing Hall.  I'd stay here again, particularly Sunday to mid-week during term time purely because it was so quiet and about as near to wild-camping as I'll ever get seeing as I was the only tent in the non-EHU field!


The weather was fantastic too, if a little too hot at times, both for camping (no packing away a soggy tent) and the walks (no squelching through soggy mud).


Apart from the typical touristy areas (Rutland Water) and villages, I never met another person on my walks.


I'm all for a bit of mountainous gnarl every now and again but there is a kind of peaceful tranquility about these undulating rural landscapes that just soothes the soul, particularly at this time of year and really does show off our "Green And Pleasant Land" to perfection.


If you want to have a read of my County Bagging adventure(s) then here's a link to my fairly disorganised bloggy wotsit:


County Bagging - Rutland


Thanks for looking
Mel  :)

Dovegirl

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Re: County Bagging: Rutland - Bagged!
« Reply #1 on: 22:35:00, 28/06/18 »
Enjoyed your TR and photos Mel    :)   Nice to see the wild flowers.  And I very much agree that gentle countryside can offer pleasant walking. 

jimbob

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Re: County Bagging: Rutland - Bagged!
« Reply #2 on: 22:57:09, 28/06/18 »
Thanks for this Mel. I love that area. I have done a number of miles around there.It is a shame that many of the pubs and shops seem to be struggling in what is quite an affluent area.
Rutland Water is a fantastic playground isn't it?
Too little, too late, too bad......

dittzzy

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Re: County Bagging: Rutland - Bagged!
« Reply #3 on: 00:21:54, 29/06/18 »
Class Mel.  I love that you have that little tent, it looks awesome.  Nice foties and write up too.  O0 O0

pleb

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Re: County Bagging: Rutland - Bagged!
« Reply #4 on: 11:38:24, 29/06/18 »
Looks a great place, but is that your tent? U must get paid too much  :P
Think the tall blue spike (s) were bugle.
One u had as pansy looks like henbit dead nettle? One of that family. Deep purple job lloks like either dusky cranesbill or the garden plant, aqualigia. Or however u spell it.................. :-\
Whinging Moaning Old Fart

beefy

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Re: County Bagging: Rutland - Bagged!
« Reply #5 on: 11:45:26, 29/06/18 »
Nice pics Mel  O0
Leave only footprints, take only photographs, kill only time ...

adalard

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Re: County Bagging: Rutland - Bagged!
« Reply #6 on: 12:07:16, 29/06/18 »
Enjoyed the TR and pictures, Mel.  O0  I don't know that area at all, it looks really lovely and lush - especially with all wildflowers and the blossom on the trees.  :)

Mel

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Re: County Bagging: Rutland - Bagged!
« Reply #7 on: 19:27:36, 29/06/18 »
Enjoyed your TR and photos Mel    :)   Nice to see the wild flowers.  And I very much agree that gentle countryside can offer pleasant walking.


Cheers Dovegirl.  The wild flowers were out in force on my first trip (May), less so last weekend. 


Thanks for this Mel. I love that area. I have done a number of miles around there.It is a shame that many of the pubs and shops seem to be struggling in what is quite an affluent area.
Rutland Water is a fantastic playground isn't it?



You're welcome jimbob.  Considering it's a man-made reservoir, Anglian Water have done a grand job of making it accessible to all with a wide variety of activities and wildlife habitats.


Class Mel.  I love that you have that little tent, it looks awesome.  Nice foties and write up too.  O0 O0


Hey! It's not so little! It's about the size of a hatchback car.  Got all my creature-comforts in there too.


Looks a great place, but is that your tent? U must get paid too much  :P
Think the tall blue spike (s) were bugle.
One u had as pansy looks like henbit dead nettle? One of that family. Deep purple job lloks like either dusky cranesbill or the garden plant, aqualigia. Or however u spell it.................. :-\


Cheers for the plant IDs pleb, I was struggling with some of them.  ... And my tent didn't cost that much, what with end of season sales, money off vouchers and emergency services discount.


Nice pics Mel  O0 


Cheers beefy.  The camera's getting on a bit so I'm always pleased when they turn out "not bad".


Enjoyed the TR and pictures, Mel.  O0   I don't know that area at all, it looks really lovely and lush - especially with all wildflowers and the blossom on the trees.  :)


Cheers adalard.  I think Spring/early Summer is probably the best time to visit.  I was pretty lucky with the weather both times too.






mananddog

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Re: County Bagging: Rutland - Bagged!
« Reply #8 on: 15:13:52, 02/07/18 »
Odd to see my back garden on a trip report. This is a very quiet area for a walk especially where I live. Dog is not up to our big walks now, we used to do 20 to 30 miles on one go. I went out for a meagre 15 yesterday after walking dog and saw no one at all.

Mel

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Re: County Bagging: Rutland - Bagged!
« Reply #9 on: 19:42:06, 02/07/18 »
Your actual back garden?  :o 


Only 15 miles?  That's practically the width of Rutland isn't it  :D

sunnydale

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Re: County Bagging: Rutland - Bagged!
« Reply #10 on: 09:43:39, 03/07/18 »
Lovely pics Mel...and the tent looks great! O0
***Happiness is only a smile away***

April

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Re: County Bagging: Rutland - Bagged!
« Reply #11 on: 12:15:56, 03/07/18 »
Enjoyed that and your second trip report too  O0

That tent is a palace  :)
Hate will never win

Jac

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Re: County Bagging: Rutland - Bagged!
« Reply #12 on: 13:37:06, 03/07/18 »
Great report. Went to Rutland water years ago for the water birds but the highlight was my first and only singing nightingale - stupendous.
So many paths yet to walk, so little time left

Mel

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Re: County Bagging: Rutland - Bagged!
« Reply #13 on: 21:42:18, 03/07/18 »
Lovely pics Mel...and the tent looks great! O0


Cheers sunnydale.  The tent's certainly a cheaper way of getting lots of little holidays in  :)


Enjoyed that and your second trip report too  O0

That tent is a palace  :)


Cheers April.  At 7.5kg, it'd be no good for a wildcamp though  ;D


Great report. Went to Rutland water years ago for the water birds but the highlight was my first and only singing nightingale - stupendous.


Cheers Jac.  I love spotting all the wildlife and flowers on a walk.  What a treat to spot (and hear) that nightingale though  O0

April

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Re: County Bagging: Rutland - Bagged!
« Reply #14 on: 23:19:58, 03/07/18 »
Cheers April.  At 7.5kg, it'd be no good for a wildcamp though  ;D

I don't mind Beefy carrying it  :D
Hate will never win

 

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