coffee

Spring Snow Drops

The walk today is out to Potterhanworth woods.

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The route passed behind an old factory.

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There was a convenient fallen tree along the route for a lunch stop.

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I successfully used the “Clik Clak” stove, to prepare cous-cous and water hot enough for coffee, on one fill of meths and the priming fuel – but again there was no breeze at all, so this stove is probably only good for a single boil in normal conditions.

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The only thing wrong with the day was the huge amount of dog mess along the paths – I watched three people walking their three dogs and they were quite happy to watch them making a mess and then they walked on. Oh well I just have to watch where I walk.

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Lancashire Coastal Way pt 2

The Lancashire Coastal Way passes very close to Pine Lakes so as the day was sunny but cold – and to avoid the hill walkers in the Lakes – I chose to walk out to the coast.

There was a suitable path right outside the resort gates so I did not need to use the car.

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Warton Crag

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Lunch Stop

I found a great place for lunch – hot chicken noodles, maple syrup granola bar and fresh coffee – with a view.

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I used my Source 1l roll up water bottle, that Jeremy got me for Christmas, for the first time today. It fitted well into one of the grab pockets on my pack, but it was a bit “squeezy” when I came pour water from it. The result was some spillage over the stove, my trousers etc – it will need a bit more care when in use compared to my Platypus roll up bottle.

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Hiking Food

Whilst Christmas shopping in Aldi, I picked up a few things for my walking trip to Aviemore in mid-January.

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The microwave rice (just heat it in a pot with a couple of spoons of water – you do not need a microwave) looked more interesting than the last varieties I bought and the same for the flavours of the instant noodles.

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The Racer bar is like a Snickers bar but with more peanuts and a better size for snacking on when walking.

I also bought some coffee creamer powder and made up a creamer/freeze-dried coffee mix in a small nalgene bottle (2 spoons of creamer to 1 spoon of coffee) as the only pre-mixed sachets I could find in the shop were the sweetened variety.

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West Highland Way – The Train Back to Glasgow

Due to the Nevis Range being in the way the way back to Glasgow, by train, from Fort William requires us to go north to Spean Bridge and Tulloch first – a big detour. Hopefully the rain will clear from the windows so we can see the views.

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in the station

More wet blurry photos to come!

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the stations are quite high on this line

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lunch – venison pie and tea

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the West Highland Way from the moving train – near Tyndrum


We are now in a coffee bar, in Glasgow. Richard is hallucinating that the waitress looks like “Penny”. Time to go home.

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West Highland Way Day 4 – Inversnaid to Crainlarich

It is now about 3.30pm and we are about four miles away from Crainlarich on the old military road – and the path is such that I can write this whilst walking.

The first five miles of the day were some of the most difficult we will have to walk this week. A narrow fractured, undulating path, where you had to watch where you walked. It took us over three hours to cover five miles. It was similar terrain for the end of yesterday and that too slowed down our progress. This afternoon once we reached the military road our pace picked up.

We had some great views this morning over the loch and even found somewhere to get coffee, Beinglas Farm.

Another thing we saw (and smelt) were goats along the side of the loch, and you really could smell them before you saw them!

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West Highland Way Day 2 – Drymen to Sallochy Bay (and back by taxi)

Small change of plan today, we have shortened today’s walk (to save on the taxi fare!) but what it really means is that day three will be a ten mile day rather than seven.

The accommodation here in Drymen is very good, we have a three bedroom apartment, all the bedrooms and living room have flat screen TVs, the kitchen is well supplied with tea,coffee, milk and the makings for breakfast. There is central heating, and two shower rooms. Richard has done really well to find this place. It has allowed us to sort ourselves out following the first days shake down walk. (Parrot count so far zero – see our Coast to Coast blog.)

We booked our taxi back last night with a local taxi company here in Drymen.

Before starting we watched Jensen Button win the Japanese Grand Prix.

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The Pottery pub where we had dinner last night – the photo was shot just before setting off today – blogging in the rain again, at least for the first part of the day – that’s my positive attitude showing through.

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The path was a stream.

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Lunch – no raincoat and a great view.

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I even wore my sunglasses!

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We are now waiting for the taxi – middle of nowhere and a strong 3G signal – so I’ll publish this now.

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