Walking Forum

Regions - Trip reports, destination advice, recommended routes, etc. => Rest of England => Topic started by: Dodgylegs on 16:20:54, 13/01/21

Title: Would you or not...
Post by: Dodgylegs on 16:20:54, 13/01/21
Cross over here?


(https://i.postimg.cc/T2jdVBkR/EB81-A6-FE-EDA4-4-F48-B1-AE-132996-A8-D831.jpg) (https://postimg.cc/pyTMxcb7)


I'll let you know what I did, when I post todays excellent walk!
Title: Re: Would you or not...
Post by: Slowcoach on 16:34:39, 13/01/21
It looks slippery to me...I’d end up below the stepping stones
Title: Re: Would you or not...
Post by: shortwalker on 16:38:32, 13/01/21
No, too risky for me. I would have to have a serious think even if the water wasn't flowing over the top.
Title: Re: Would you or not...
Post by: pleb on 16:40:03, 13/01/21
No.
Title: Re: Would you or not...
Post by: harland on 16:45:59, 13/01/21
Before we answer, have you got your cozzie or a wetsuit on?
Title: Re: Would you or not...
Post by: Dodgylegs on 16:51:20, 13/01/21
Before we answer, have you got your cozzie or a wetsuit on?


Haha .... Just out for a walk, in normal wet winter walking gear, so no.
Title: Re: Would you or not...
Post by: shortwalker on 17:00:27, 13/01/21
Before we answer, have you got your cozzie or a wetsuit on?


Walking in this weather in just a cozzie, certifiable I would say :P
Title: Re: Would you or not...
Post by: jimbob on 17:16:08, 13/01/21
Well I carry a builders sack for those occasions. Of course I would cross doesn't look too bad really, does it? Put all gear into sack and wade across holding sack tightly. Why wouldn't you?

Following that, a trip to a psychiatric specialist to see if I should be sectioned

Nope, in all seriousness, I would not cross at this point but maybe would look for the bridge not too far away???

Title: Re: Would you or not...
Post by: harland on 17:17:07, 13/01/21
Or is Dodgylegs really the Naked Rambler?
Title: Re: Would you or not...
Post by: jimbob on 17:54:22, 13/01/21
Or is Dodgylegs really the Naked Rambler?
O0
Title: Re: Would you or not...
Post by: fernman on 17:56:52, 13/01/21
Yes, you could do it very slowly and carefully, leaning on two walking poles placed on the upstream side.
Title: Re: Would you or not...
Post by: gunwharfman on 18:20:37, 13/01/21
Your photo reminds me of a similar problem I had in the Pyrenees in 2015. If you can imagine the stepping stones as the edge of a sheer cliff and accept that the water facing me was about the same width. In my case, the water was about a foot deep but moving very fast! I took off my boots and socks and tied them together and slung them around my neck, rolled up my trousers, put my flip flops on and used my walking poles to check the depth of the water (at every step) and then walked through the water, I was about six feet from the edge of the cliff and then walked to dry ground the other side. Scary at the time!
Title: Re: Would you or not...
Post by: archaeoroutes on 19:01:56, 13/01/21
Depends.
Is there a reasonable alternative?
What is downstream?
Assuming No and Nothing too hazardous, then I'd wade alongside.
Title: Re: Would you or not...
Post by: Dodgylegs on 19:17:35, 13/01/21
Hahahaha ... Guess my idea of winter walking gear is different from some of you!
Just to say it was hailstones or rain most of the way, so I was wearing lots of warm, waterproof clothing and a hat, no walking sticks. I don't think I'd better say who's land this lies on....



Title: Re: Would you or not...
Post by: richardh1905 on 19:57:17, 13/01/21
Depends upon how much grip there is on those stepping stones - they look like cast iron bollards to me. If they were rough, there was no alternative, and I was not carrying a heavy pack, I would probably go for it.
Title: Re: Would you or not...
Post by: jimbob on 20:06:36, 13/01/21
Riding Mill??????

Title: Re: Would you or not...
Post by: Jac on 20:55:56, 13/01/21
I'd rather not have to :-\
Title: Re: Would you or not...
Post by: cornwallcoastpathdweller on 11:04:46, 14/01/21
Would be a no for me im afraid, i just know id end up falling in and im cold water adverse.
Title: Re: Would you or not...
Post by: pleb on 13:11:52, 14/01/21
http://www.walkingforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=25431.0
There were some stepping stones several pics along on here.... Submarine, you can't see them.  
Some bods were doing it, without boots.  
Title: Re: Would you or not...
Post by: GnP on 14:02:13, 14/01/21
That`s a good question . :coolsmiley:
Title: Re: Would you or not...
Post by: Dodgylegs on 15:33:02, 14/01/21
Not sure what occurred to my follow up post it lost most of it when clicked 'Post', so attempted again.


Hope it is sensible!


I've discovered something rather odd has happened to that post!
Sorry, not going to attempt to change any more.




Title: Re: Would you or not...
Post by: barewirewalker on 12:04:08, 15/01/21
I definitely would if the river level was lower as I suspect many others here would. I have long thought that the use of stepping stones is a 'lost art' in the development and design of our Access Network. Probably a victim of the too safe interpretation of safety ideals, so that little scope is allowed for the user to exercise personal responsibility.

There some huge stepping stones that cross the River Vyrnwy at Dolanog, which walkers of the Glyndwr's Way may have spotted, though rather hidden and a rather long jump apart. Probably extremely ancient as they are so smooth (water-worn) that even dry they are risky. But the nearby old and near bridge have rendered them obsolete many years ago. It was these that first started me thinking how stepping stones could transform summer walking, making many fords that have lost their right of way status into valuable strategic crossings.


It would be possible to design a hand rope with a collapsible post, using a shear bolt at mean water level, with manufactured stones such as these. Clearly, the coarse aggregate near the surface has been quite skilfully tamped in at the finish so the stepping surface has grip. The other advantage would be that they could all be cast on-site from a well-designed mould.


There would be a wonderful opportunity to avoid a nasty road crossing of the A458 near Llanfair Caereinionion and bring the beautiful Maesmawr Estate into the cross Britain walks, but the potential of this route is too hidden by lostways and other lost opportunities through the lack of creative thinking.

I thank the OP for a picture of an excellent example of a valuable walking asset. Were more of these assets bought to the attention of those who administer our access network and their value studied and evaluated, then some progress might be possible in understanding how access can benefit both user and occupier.
Title: Re: Would you or not...
Post by: Dodgylegs on 12:22:50, 15/01/21
Barewirewalker An Ultrarunner pointed me in the right direction to find these stepping stones as they had just run across them... not slippy, just get feet wet!
Spoke to a guy who lives nearby who uses them on his way to shops. Tales were told when the water level was about a metre over the top, washed a few of the blocks away! Once access was found, Council came along and replaced them.


NT owned Fountains Abbey & Studley Royal Water Park in N. Yorkshire, took out some of the steps from their stepping stones to stop people using... H & S reasons! Water is usually only a few inches deep.
Don't know if you've ever been there... the river Skell, that flows through, goes down a lovely valley towards Ripon, named Seven Bridges Valley after the old stone arched bridges. This is a very tranquil place, unfortunately it is rather spoilt as the river has found it's way underground near the 2nd bridge!
Title: Re: Would you or not...
Post by: jimbob on 19:14:51, 15/01/21
Not sure you're correct in that matter BWW.
 The council has just put some across the River Aln, before lockdown, as well as the Coquet and the Wabsbeck.

I could imagine that if there are accidents then they may have to rethink matters just as they do with speed limits in accident blackspots.

I think when you see how many people have been fined in the last six months alone for being caught going over 150 mph alone then leaving some things to common sense is pointless.