Christmas Coach Ramble 2011

We always used to go on the Coach Rambles but they got more expensive and Peter got three slipped discs and we got a major dose of CBA where these were concerned so we got out of the habit.

However Isobel has been nattering at me to join in again so I got my (very late) finger out and booked to co on the Christmas walk. Last Friday I almost wished I hadn't as it was snowing and sleeting and hailing all day and Saturday it rained, a lot!

Sunday morning I had got everything sorted and off we went. There were several people who got on the coach in Bradford and we were warmly welcomed back after an absence of err 11 months!

Isobel decided she was going to do the A walk which was about 10 miles but I wasn't confident about walking so far at the moment so opted for the B walk of 6 miles especially as when we pulled into Giggleswick Station car park it was raining cats and dogs. The A walk set off from there and we were dropped in Settle car park. It was still precipitating it down when we set off and boy was it wet and muddy underfoot!

When we got to the weir we were amazed at the amount of water coming over it and the force of it. I was glad I was NOT canoeing over that one.



The river coming down from the top of the picture is normally just a small beck.

The walk was pleasant but uneventful. I got to talk to lots of different people about lots of different things. I caught up with peoples lives in the last year and as we plodded back to Settle I was glad we had done the walk.

I got changed at the side of the coach as I am not shy that way! We then went to the Falcon Crest Hotel to start the festivities. We usually have a meal and a dance but this year was a new venue and we didn't have dancing facilities. Oh well never mind.

The meal was nothing special but nothing awful either. The we had a multiple faceted quiz. This descended into much chaos as we were supposed to swap the picture quiz with a neighbouring table and we ended up with it going all wrong! One of the tables didn't swap correctly. What a scream. Then we ran out of time as the coach driver had to be back for a certain time.

Oh well in terms of exercise I walked 6 miles so it's all good. We booked to go on the January walk. No idea where we are going but who cares.

Day Fifteen, Just a walk

I woke up early this morning and had decided yesterday that I was going for an early run. However the last few days I have noticed a niggle just below my knee and in my ankle. So I thought it wise not exacerbate the problem.

It was windy and raining but I put Evie and Bear on their leads and set off for a walk. The first part of the walk is usually on the moor so that I can throw the ball numerous times and get some of the excess energy out of their legs. Bear likes drinking out of puddles but he always takes the ball with him and drops it in the puddle. That's usually ok as balls float. However the 'ball' we are currently using is like a cube with the corners rounded off and has holes in it. It is also made of solid rubber and does not float.

Bear found the biggest, muddiest puddle to drop it in and it could not be seen. He won't retrieve it and Evie couldn't see it to retrieve it so guess who was stood in the middle of a moor, ankle deep in water at 8am!!! I nearly gave up but eventually located it and had to plunge my hand in to get it out. Great way to start the weekend.

Thought it was then a good time to carry on with the actual walk. I had put my Garmin Forerunner on to try and see if I had got the settings right and to see how far my walk is.

We carried on down the moor, around onto the second moor and emerged onto a road. This road comes out in a neighbouring village and we came round the pub and back up our road.

Our road is a very long road so we weren't near home yet. We take a footpath from the road that leads up to a farm. Now usually Evie (who is now 11 years old) is dragging behind by this time but for some reason she was running ahead of us and I had to keep calling her back again. At the top of the hill there are really good views for miles, right across to the Pennines.

We went through the farm, across another field and came through a snicket and out into our village, next to the pond.

A walk back along the road brings us home again.

The blooming Garmin, yet again, hasn't recorded the route and mileage but I know I was out walking for 53 minutes. Must read that instruction book AGAIN!

After having a shower. I made my special mince pies. Yes you read that right, mince pies. I was going to a Christmas party this afternoon that had been postponed due to the snow.