More Practice Walking
With only two weeks to go until we start the West Highland Way, I thought I would walk into Lincoln this afternoon, rather than use the car park near the office where my meeting was.
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iPhone photography
West Highland Way – Practice Walk
I went out today to get some more practice miles done before the West Highland Way and explored some different paths around Heighington and out to the River Witham and the Sincil Drain.
We ended up walking out to the bridge at Fiskerton using a path that ran along the top of the embankment, by the Sincil Drain. One bit of advice, the path is faint and very overgrown in places with thistles and nettles so wear long trousers (photo above), and don’t walk it when it is wet.
The screenshot above is from my iPhone 4 using Memory Map.
At the Fiskerton Bridge we stopped for some tea and so a wasp could sting Richard! We then returned following the Water Rail Way back to Washingborough and then up to Heighington.
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Walking to Woodhall Spa – Day Two
The weather was good when I was packing up – which was lucky as packing the new Golite Jam 2, did not go as easily as it did when I packed it at home. I had put the tent in the large outside pocket but this was a mistake as that pocket has to be packed before the main bag. Both pockets share the same volume – packing the main pocket reduces the size of the outside pocket. This means the tent needs to be packed first – when actually, when packing up, it is the last thing to go in the bag. This morning, I simply piled my gear up on a small tarp I had with me, took the tent down and then packed, but it was dry and sunny. So I need a new packing plan.
I ended up meeting both Richards in Bardney – one had had walked there from Lincoln city centre the other drove – and we went for coffee. So that was the end of the walking, we got a lift home.
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At the Campsite
I camped in the same spot as I did a couple of months back – but with no ducks.
I have added a wing nut handle to my mug lid – it has proved to awkward to lift the lid off with my Leatherman. The wing nut arrangement means the handle can come off for packing, with the wing nut being stored in the same neoprene case I keep my milk powder, tea bags and lighter in.
To save washing up I made my instant custard in the packet, using the mug only to hold it in and to save burning my hands as I ate it.
I really like Indian tea, but I like it with plenty of milk in (or better still made with condensed milk) – this means it uses a lot of my limited store of dried milk. Yesterday one of my clients gave me some milk sticks, for use this walk but they have all ended up in the same drink. I make the tea the all in way, milk, cold water, Indian tea bag and two brown sugars all in the mug and bring to the boil – then I take half the tea out to drink top up with more cold water and bring back to the boil. Excellent. However this adds to my washing up as the titanium mug/kettle is a mess when finished and it gets worse if it boils over as it did during my Scotish trip last month.
This morning the weather is fine – with a nice sunrise right into my tent as I make some tea.
The bad weather did not materialise here, infect when I woke up there was no wind at all and my tent was perfectly still. However I have asked Diana to check the TV weather and call me.
Breakfast is simple here this morning, plenty of tea and granola bars – many walkers have bars for breakfast so I thought I would try it today.
Walking to Woodhall Spa – Day One
The pack weight is 11.4kgs – including all food and about 2.2l of water. This note is written after about two hours and the Golite pack is proving much more comfortable than the Karrimor I pushed into service.
There were a few drops of rain as I approached the campsite but they did not come to anything, so I got the tent up in the dry. However the warden mentioned that later we may get some wind and rain, the leftovers of a hurricane!
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The Journey Home
We are coming home via Loch Ness, Fort William, Glencoe and then Glasgow and the motorways.
Loch Ness
The Commando Memorial
Fort William
Glencoe – Lunch
We found somewhere to park along the route for a lunch stop.
A brew up and a chance to fill the flask for later. We really needed the extra wind shield in addition to the “built in” wind shield on the Crusader Burner – even so the wind was strong enough to push the flames onto the hardboard base and set it alight! The Crusader Mug lid I had made for me was also essential to get the pot to boil – thanks Mark – get yours here, from The Little Frog Group.
Small change of plans in the end, there were severe hold ups on the motorways around Glasgow, so we headed across to Perth on the A85 and then on down the A1 eventually.
And a photo in England.
