Author Topic: Walk Across Wales  (Read 11166 times)

alfredtehbutler

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Walk Across Wales
« on: 23:08:58, 17/01/12 »
Came across this earlier today and I'm definitely going to do it, it's basically  Walk from the border of Wales and England across to the coast (45 miles) and you have 18 hours to complete it, has anybody else done it in previous years or plan on doing it this September?

mike knipe

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Re: Walk Across Wales
« Reply #1 on: 00:07:46, 18/01/12 »
I'd heard about this from somebody who did it last year. It looks like a good walk and I'll probably do it at some point - I'd like to do it anyway. I'd probably take a few days over it, though.
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nvl35

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Re: Walk Across Wales
« Reply #2 on: 09:40:37, 18/01/12 »
That sounds tough going but a cracking walk all the same. What is the route like as the time seems a bit tight if you have to cross some of the mountains to say the LWW is 40 miles and you have 24 hours to do it.
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Swim out and meet the bloody thing !

Barry Sheene

barewirewalker

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Re: Walk Across Wales
« Reply #3 on: 12:45:08, 18/01/12 »
The distance as the crow flies is approx;
 
Welshpool Station-Barmouth 38miles.
Welshpool Station-Borth 40 miles.
Welshpool Station-Aberystwyth 43 miles.
 
Interesting to know what the actual route is.
 
I walked Shrewsbury - Aberystwyth trying to walk as near to line of sight as possible, it is a great route, all cross country but I would not be trying to do it in 18 hours, my limit is 25 miles in a day then I need several days R&R.
 
I hope this challenge walk does not overshadow the achievments of creating and walking lateral routes across mid wales (eg; done that one move on to another area) because there are a many possible lines, only a few miles apart that can give totally different walk experiences.
 
I have walked Shrewsbury to Barmouth but I want to do it again by a slightly altered route, on this route there is a stretch of disused railway line that ought be opened up as footpath/cycle way (before the local farmers bulldoze it away) and people saying that they are walking these routes might make the local authorities wake up, so that pressure is put on those landowners, whose estates block the way.
 
Best of luck with your plans and I will look forward to your experiences on a TR hopefully as I have been trying to get it into my own county councils heads that these types of routes are important.
BWW
Their Land is in Our Country.

alfredtehbutler

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Re: Walk Across Wales
« Reply #4 on: 19:01:25, 18/01/12 »
Found the website: http://www.acrosswaleswalk.co.uk/ [nofollow]

bear.cub

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Re: Walk Across Wales
« Reply #5 on: 19:15:11, 18/01/12 »
It's a great challenge. There's 2 each year that I am aware of, the first is about June time and the other as advertised in this thread, one starts the England side the other the Welsh side. A variety of people take part, some keen walkers others not but they still complete albeit in a bit of discomfort, naturally there are a few who perhaps bite off a bit more than can be chewed. There is good support throughout from the organisers. IMHO, if your not used to distance, do 15 miles and assess personal status(pain), if OK then do 25 miles. The max I trained to was 25 miles and completed. If you want to test yourself in training, I suggest doing a max of 35 miles.
I've never known such a bear for getting in a mess. Mr Brown referencing Paddington Bear

lovinit

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Re: Walk Across Wales
« Reply #6 on: 20:03:46, 18/01/12 »
I really find this appealing.....  :D .
No one can go back in time & make a brand new beginning, but anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.

bear.cub

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Re: Walk Across Wales
« Reply #7 on: 20:52:20, 18/01/12 »
I really find this appealing.....  :D .
That's cos your as potty as a box of frogs :D
I've never known such a bear for getting in a mess. Mr Brown referencing Paddington Bear

lovinit

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Re: Walk Across Wales
« Reply #8 on: 20:55:00, 18/01/12 »
That's cos your as potty as a box of frogs :D


Why thank you kind Sir - who got you a death wish for Christmas?  ;) . Only joking of course  ;D . I assume you are very keen to join me on this walk BC?
No one can go back in time & make a brand new beginning, but anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.

bear.cub

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Re: Walk Across Wales
« Reply #9 on: 20:58:29, 18/01/12 »

Why thank you kind Sir - who got you a death wish for Christmas?  ;) . Only joking of course  ;D . I assume you are very keen to join me on this walk BC?
It's a yes and a no, keen to join you but unfortunately I can't in Sept.
I can checkout the June-ish option tho?
I've never known such a bear for getting in a mess. Mr Brown referencing Paddington Bear

lovinit

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Re: Walk Across Wales
« Reply #10 on: 21:00:40, 18/01/12 »
It's a yes and a no, keen to join you but unfortunately I can't in Sept.
I can checkout the June-ish option tho?


Live dangerously BC, let your tail down  ;D . (Sorry, electric Ribena is out tonight  ;D ).
No one can go back in time & make a brand new beginning, but anyone can start from now and make a brand new ending.

barewirewalker

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Re: Walk Across Wales
« Reply #11 on: 10:59:09, 19/01/12 »
I'd heard about this from somebody who did it last year. It looks like a good walk and I'll probably do it at some point - I'd like to do it anyway. I'd probably take a few days over it, though.

Hi Mike,
it is a good walk. I have walked most of the sections albeit as part of circular walks. Reading the website for the challenge walk the route between checkpoints is a matter of taste and there are off RoW short cuts, which Mrs BWW and I have got away with by using the lie of the land, don't expect they would be too easy to pass unnoticed when a hoard is passing over the countryside.
 
Personally 'my challenge' would be a leisure route of 3 days starting at Bishops Castle. As a transport hub it has bus terminating from Shrewsbury and Ludlow, both with main line rail stations.
 
The Kerry ridgeway would be the most direct route towards the area of the Anchor start, and links into the triple watershed of the sources of the Mule, Ithon and Lugg. Adds 10 miles thereabout. If you are not racing the clock a slight drift south to Cilfaesty Hill and the ring will give you an unusual experience. I would be the tempted to head for Landinam as there is a pub to go with the Severn river crossing. I expect the challengers take the upriver bridge to the south.
 
The Llandinam crossing would take the route slightly north of the checkpoint but I would be tempted to walk by Llyn Ebyr again. This positions the route to take on Bryn y Fan from the blind side, so that you get the full effect and surprise of the Clywedog lakes as you make the summit. The best view point in the district according to a local walker I spoke to at bar of the pub in Trefeglas. There is a track to take you off the west side of the hill to the lake and back on track to the speed route.
 
Severn Break it's Neck falls is part of a posted walk, which might not be on the agenda of those eager to get to the Checkpoint in the Hafron forest, as the chance to walk another watershed might be, this is the divide between the source of the Severn and the Wye. Still on my to do list, as my LDW across Plynlimon took me to around the north of Nant y Moch.
 
Still the great feature of Clarach bay will be the same as you come of the high ground, either side, a very distinctive cleft in the sky line as you look across the coastal plain, beckoning you onward to the sea.
 
This is a good end goal to a non organised LDW as it is a short and spectacular walk around the cliff path to Aberystwyth after a soothing paddle in the sea with boots off. I finshed My LDW(Shrewsbury top of Pride hill to end of pier Aberystwyth, 90 miles) with a pint on the piers 48m short of my aim. This was the end of the pier which was unsafe to go on. Then only a short walk to the railway station.
 
As a shorter self designed LDW this has great potential IMO, will be looking at it myself. I have also talked to proprietors of farmhouse B&B's in that area who have told me that they would be happy to pick up and drop walkers off on their route line.
 
 
BWW
Their Land is in Our Country.

mike knipe

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Re: Walk Across Wales
« Reply #12 on: 14:18:07, 19/01/12 »
Yes, BWW - Three days would be a good trip. I'm not really interested (or capable!) of doing this as a Challenge walk and the idea of being accompanied by hundreds of other people wouldn't be specially enjoyable for me, although if others like that type of thing, then good luck to them..   I'd be more interested in just inventing a route or, maybe just walking West from the far end of Shropshire till its not possible to go any further due to that deep puddle they have around the edge of Wales. I'd probably have a celebratory paddle, socks off, nice malt in hand, being careful not to spill any...
Bishops Castle seems a reasonable place to start. Leave the map at home and just head into the sunset!
Some kind of happiness is measured out in miles

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alfredtehbutler

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Re: Walk Across Wales
« Reply #13 on: 17:34:02, 19/01/12 »
Yes, BWW - Three days would be a good trip. I'm not really interested (or capable!) of doing this as a Challenge walk and the idea of being accompanied by hundreds of other people wouldn't be specially enjoyable for me, although if others like that type of thing, then good luck to them..   I'd be more interested in just inventing a route or, maybe just walking West from the far end of Shropshire till its not possible to go any further due to that deep puddle they have around the edge of Wales. I'd probably have a celebratory paddle, socks off, nice malt in hand, being careful not to spill any...
Bishops Castle seems a reasonable place to start. Leave the map at home and just head into the sunset!

It's all well and good just heading into the sunset but where would you plan on sleeping and getting water? :P

mike knipe

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Re: Walk Across Wales
« Reply #14 on: 17:43:03, 19/01/12 »
It's all well and good just heading into the sunset but where would you plan on sleeping and getting water? :P

Don't worry about that Alfred, I've done this sort of thing before. I have a tent and Wales being one of the wettest places in the world, I doubt if finding water would be much of a problem.
 
Some kind of happiness is measured out in miles

See the blog!  www.northernpies.blogspot.com

 

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