Inheritance Walks

Inheritance Walks moving to Walking For Happiness

2010-08-30T14:12:00.000-07:00

As of August 2010, this blog is closed; all activity is being transferred to http://www.WalkingForHappiness.com

I look forward to seeing you there!

James Hardiman, The Happy Walker

Way to Go, ME!

2010-01-27T08:29:00.000-08:00

Wow, I impressed myself! I walked the whole of the Test Way, from Totton (Salmon Leap) to Inkpen Beacon in three days, Friday 22nd Jan 2010, to Sunday 24th Jan 2010.

Friday I did Salmon Leap to Kimbridge Farm Shop (12.4 miles). It was SERIOUSLY flooded north of Romsey, before Squab Wood.

Saturday I did from Kimbridge Farm Shop (such nice people!) to the Plough at Longparish. Exactly 17 miles.

Sunday I was profoundly alone; even George the Dog couldn't manage it (lightweight!). Longparish Church to Inkpen. 17.7 miles. Arrived just in time to see a glorious sunset.

So, I can tell you that the Test Way is NOT 44 miles, as all the signposts say, it's 47.1, as recorded by my Sat Map. I'll upload the tracks as GPX files when I get a moment.

Now we're going into training for the Naomi House Clarendon walk on 6th June (my dad's birthday).

And we're implementing the "Quantum Body" programme to help get and stay fit for it (just hoping to persuade some of the QB people to come with me!!)

2010 a disaster so far, walking wise!

2010-01-08T08:14:00.000-08:00

Well, Xmas has done some damage, and so has the snowy weather! I just got on the scales, and was horrified what they said (basically, they yelled "get off"!)

So, I'm going to develop a programme of walks for 2010, interspersed with some training runs to prepare for the Eastleigh 10k road race on 28th March.

I will publish all the training plans on the website, and link to them from the blog.

First walk will be tomorrow, with Abbi and Lou, in the very snowy New Forest, to celebrate Abbi's birthday (which is today). She's 21 (again).

All four Clarendon 2 caches were FTF by the same person

2010-01-01T09:59:00.000-08:00

Well done to Mrs Bella Cullen, who was FTF on all four of these caches.

She was out in the sunshine while I was playing web pages and watching The Guns of Navarone!

I guess I better think about the caches for Clarendon 3.

Award for completing all the Clarendon Caches

2010-01-01T02:57:00.000-08:00

I am thinking of making a little award -- maybe a certificate and badge -- for finding all the caches on the whole series of Clarendon Way walks.

As I haven't laid them all yet, it will be a while, but if you follow this blog, I'll publish news here of the progress.

I'm thinking of a FTF, and a Completion award. I may ask for a donation to a charity to cover the cost.

Happy for people to post comments and ideas.

Happy New Year!

New Geocaches on Clarendon Way

2009-12-31T11:14:00.000-08:00

Last Sunday I laid the Geocaches for Clarendon 2 (Farley Mount). Four new geocaches: long walk, and muddy, but easy to find when you get there.

They are now published and are accessible from the Clarendon Way, Walk Two (Farley Mount) webpage.

Whither are You Going, or Falling in Love with Quo2

2009-12-26T02:46:00.000-08:00

For years I've used Fugawi as my electronic access to Ordnance Survey mapping, but it was creaking more and more, so I looked for an alternative. I was on the point of buying Memory Map, when I read a negative review on Amazon, which also praised Mapyx Quo. As Quo is free software, and the maps are half the price of anyone else's, I thought I'd give it a try.

A few days later, and I'm a complete convert. In a way, I think the names of the two pieces of software tell you something. In both cases a certainliteracy is required to get the allusion: I won't spell out the allusion that "Fugawi" offers; I want this to be a family-friendly blog (e-mail me if you don't get it). I guess the Quo allusion is to the Latin phrase, "Quo Vadis"; where are you going.

Anyway, if you don't have mapping software, or may be in the market for an update, here's the review that sold it to me, and here's where to get it.

I intend to update my Inheritance Walks website offering everything as Quo projects. Also, Quo makes it child's play to publish routes as Google Earth KML files, so I'll offer that ont he website, too. That gets over a problem that I had ... I could talk about the walks, and publish the GPX file, but there was no easy way to show the walk. A mouse click to see it on Google Earth seems to give the answer, so that's what I'm about to do.

Having started thinking about Clarendon Way circular walks, and having recently finished end-to-end on the Clarendon Way, I've almost finished designing my CW circular series; they should be published before the end of the year; watch this space.

Books for Christmas

2009-12-26T02:30:00.000-08:00

Here's another walking project offered by the books that my wonderful (grown up) kids bought for me for Xmas. The project is all 166 mountains in Wales! (Or is it 200?)

The three books are a two-volume set (Hillwalking in Wales Vol1 and Vol 2, by Peter Hermon), and The Mountains of England and Wales, Vol 1, Wales by John and Anne Nuttall. All published by Cicerone.

At first glance it would seem that we have complete overlap here. Indeed, if the books weren't a present I wouldn't have bought all three. In fact, I would have been so confused as to whether to buy the two-volume set, or the single book, I'd probably have bought neither!

So, thanks, David, Louise and Abbi, for the gift, and for removing this problem!!

The Nuttall's book does Wales in one book, with pen and ink drawings by John, which gives the book a flavour of Wainwright (There's a wonderful article about Louise's famous namesake; apart from the surname, they couldn't couldn't be more different!).

The Herman book has lovely colour photographs, and in two volumes gives more details; the Nuttall book has B&W drawings, and is more compact. Together they are an inspiration to go to Wales and get walking in places new to me; not just go back to Cader as I have for the past 45 years. Of the two, I think the Nuttall's book is the most useful; it arranges the peaks in circular walks, giving distance to be walked, peaks covered, etc. Here's a sample.

The Herman book has a series of one-way walks, numbered in his own somewhat irritating system, and with no useful information (like, how long it is). Here's a sample. The most irritating thing about the Hermon ouevre is that it's organised alphabetically across two volumes. So Cader Idris and the Tarrens; right next door to each other (we did both, easily, in our recent Welsh Walk Holiday) are at either end of the two volumes. I can see the justification for having an alphabetical index, but if I'd been contemplating which book to buy before going on our holiday I'd have dumped Hermon in favour of Nuttall, just because he was forcing me to buy two volumes for one holiday! Why not split it North Wales and South Wales? Anyway, I'm saved me the irritation, so thanks again; it's nice having all three (the way to do it is drop broad hints to the family in late autumn!)

And, would you believe, the Nuttalls have got more mountains in Wales than Hermon. They have 200, to his 166. It's all to do with academic discussions of what constitutes a mountain, reminiscent of the movie The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain. In that case the criterion was 1000ft; in the Nuttall's eyes (and Hermon's), it's 2000ft.

Well, I don't think I'm going to manage 200 Welsh mountains before I die, or even 166, even if I tick off the ones I've done, but it's an interesting project to see how many we can tick off!

I'll start recording them on my Inheritance Walks website, using Quo2 (my new mapping software--see my bext blog entry), just as soon as I've finished the Clarendon Way, and our bits of the SW coast path (for both of which I've now bought all the 25K tiles for Quo2).

Solstice Walk

2009-12-25T16:47:00.000-08:00

Well, we did the solstice walk last Sunday; walked from Dunbridge station, leaving at 08:00, arrived 8 hours and 17 miles later at Salisbury Cathedral, and VERY cold it was, too; but a lovely day.

Weather glorious on Sunday, and worse than dreadful on the real shortest day, Monday.

Will post pictures, and videos, and the route, as shown on Google Earth, just as soon as I've mastered my new favourite toy, which is Mapyx Quo, of which more, anon.

Happy Xmas,

Moving Forward on the Clarendon Way

2009-12-16T08:34:00.000-08:00

Last Sunday we (George and I) walked 13.8 miles of the Clarendon Way, from Kilham Lane, Winchester to Buckholt Farm, West Tytherley. Susan was poorly and stayed home (but she did come and pick us up).

Will publish details on the website when I get time.

This coming weekend is the shortest day (well, it's Monday, but Sunday is only a few seconds longer!)

Am planning (we'll see if it happens) to walk from sunup (08:05) to Sunday (16:01): I was planning to take the car to Dunbridge station, arriving at Dunbridge at 08:00. Then walk north by footpaths and small roads to pick up the Clarendon Way here.

Then my plan is to follow the Clarendon Way to Salisbury cathedral, then walk the extra half a mile to Salisbury Station, and get the (16:30) train back to Dunbridge. It's a total of 16.1 miles, and I will need rests!

My plan is to rest at approximately 4-mile intervals, 15 mins mid morning and mid afternoon, 30 mins at midday. That's roughly 10:00 am at East Tytherley Church, about 12:30 to 13:00ish at the pub in Middle Winterslow, and about 14:00ish at the church in Pitton (still working on that).

Will post results (if it happens ... is threatening snow!)

First Walk with Amesbury branch of BWF

2009-12-16T08:26:00.000-08:00

Having discovered IVV and Volksporting in Florida, we just did our first walk (well, 29 November) with the Amesbury Walkers from Collingbourne Kingston. We did the 20k walk, in feezing weather and a downpour with hail. Slightly less fun than Florida!

Will put the route up on the website when I get a moment.

Have got our BWF logbooks and first stamps.

More Florida

2009-11-15T10:29:00.000-08:00

Well, we've had a GREAT walking time in Florida! We did 9.3 miles in the Seminole State Forest, on the Sulphur Island Trail from Cassia Trailhead, and 10.3 miles on the Lower Wekiva Loop from Bear Pond trail head, both in Seminole State Forest. We've decided to go for the TrailWalker program, and are already planning future trips. Will write it all up on the website when we get home, and put up a load of pictures.

Then on Saturday, we discovered the Mid-Florida Milers, and, through them the AVA. Now we're looking for Fun, Sport, and Friendship back home in Blighty!

In Florida

2009-11-09T08:41:00.000-08:00

Hotter, dryer, flatter (but it is windy).

Did four miles, with poles, in the Sabal Point Wildlife Preserve.

Saw white-tailed deer, and a black snake.

It's a foreign environment; don't know what bites, stings.

They say there are black bear here, and I know there are alligators; I've seen them before.

And I want to walk the Florida forests, and overcome my anxieties.

But at te moment I'm full of a million ideas, and writing in the Learning Blog, not this one!

Wild, Wet, Windy Wales

2009-10-20T08:54:00.000-07:00

Well, it is today, which is why I'm sitting in the public library in Tywyn, blogging about walks and geocaches, rather than being out for a walk.

So far we have walked from Minffordd up to Cwm Cau and around the lake, finding three geocaches (that was on 15th October). Coming down kiled my legs; I was so wobbly I could hardly stand!

The next day we walked from Abergynolwyn up to the quarry at Bryn Eglwys (something I've done dozens of times), but then tried something new, clambering up a stream to Pont Llaeron. We didn't follow the proper path up (navigational mistake), and had an extremly adventurous climb, through a really enchanting river valley, up to where there was once a dam. We then clambered up on the dam, and eventually found the path to the bridge, which is the most beautiful, most perfect fairy-tale bridge ever. Will upload photos when I get home and on my proper computer. Susan found the "Llaeron Earth is it?" geocache, and has become a member of the e-leat. It really is a shame more people haven't found it. Will include a link later (probably from the Inheritance Walks website).

Sunday we did my "Two Valleys" walk; park by the church at Llanfihangel, walk up towards Cadair, then cross Afon Cadair and follow the track to Pencoed. Then along the Waun Rhiwogof, stopping at the Devil's Stone. At the far end of this "upper valley" we dropped down through Coed Maes y Pandy, then up to the top of Nant yr Eira, and back down to the car. We stopped on the way to do the "Sliding with Style" geocache.

Monday was the most amazing walk; totally new to me. We left the car at the Rhydyronen station on the Talyllyn railway, then walked up the valley to the Allt Gwyddgwion and on up to Trum Gelli. From there we walked the Tarren ridge across Tarren Cwm Ffernol (taking in the Tarren Memorial) and across Mynydd Esgairweddan up to Tarren Hendre.

From there we dropped down to Bryn Eglwys quarry, and turned left to come down the mountain track to Abergynolwyn station, where, I'm delighted to say, we were in time to catch the last train back to Rhydyronen! 10.1 miles, and well over 4000ft of ascent.

Which is how come I'm delighted the weather is lousy today, and we can take a rest.

If you're a walker, and have never done the Tarrens, we can really recommend it. Fantastic views to the south east of the Dyfi valley and Aberdyfi, and of the Dysynni estuary in the other direction. The weather was fabulous (for October!); bright sun and clear skies; Cadair easily visible, but very cold and blowy at the top of Tarrenhendre.

We did the three geocaches at Trum Gelli, Tarren Memorial and Tarrenhendre, and were really grateful that they are easy finds, given that they are NOT easy to get to!

More later ...

And now Abbi's made it, too

2009-10-13T13:32:00.000-07:00

Well, I was pretty chuffed when Susan and I trekked for a few hours down the Test Way last Sunday, but I guess my daughter, Abbi, has blown that one clear out of the water! She just sent us this picture by SMS, having trekked the Inca trail from Cuzco to Machu Picchu!

Way to go, kid!

I pass on Hampshire and Wales in my Inheritance Walks; she passes on Peru!

We did it! (Walked the Test Way Half Marathon)

2009-10-11T09:36:00.000-07:00

We don't know why, but the Half Marathon (13 miles, downhill, from Stockbridge to Romsey) seemed much tougher than the 15.1 miles we did two weeks ago, to complete the Test Way.

That day was glorious "Indian Summer"; today was very definitely autumn.

And that day we were alone, and totally set our own pace. Today there were hundreds of people, and we set out to overtake people. Did the first mile in 10 minutes, the second in 15. 20 minutes for the third mile, and I think we were probably down to close to 30 minute miles by about mile 8 or 9. And then we picked up, started signing marching songs ("Men of Harlech", and "Be Kind to your web-footed friends", mostly), and probably did the last mile in under 15 minutes again.

Last time I looked we had raised about £200 (including Gift Aid) for our two charities. And we're happy for people to donate more: for Susan's charity (Helen Bamber Foundation), click here for her JustGiving page. For James' charity (Southampton Hospital's "Red and White Appeal"), click her for his JustGiving page.

Going to watch TV now; we deserve the rest!

More Monarch Way (and South Downs Way)

2009-10-09T15:30:00.000-07:00

Feels weird to be walking on the South Downs, in sight of Lancing College Chapel, and be on the Monarch Way, which we have walked on at the same time as the Test Way, and in our local woods: Ampfield Woods.

But that's what we did today, round Steyning Bowl, and then along a yellow road, and back to the start along the South Downs Way. In the cold and overcast, and on-coming rain; perfect rehearsal from Wales next week.

Park here and head downhill, east, along the concrete track until you get here (that's all Monarch's Way). Then turn right along the yellow road through Annington. Where the road goes sharp left, head up the track (marked with the blue South Downs Way acorn logo).

When you get to the road, turn right inside the fence, and so back to where you parked. 4.14 miles, and over 600ft of up. Great views from the top (and cold and windy, if it's cold and windy), but sheltered down in Annington. No pubs, shops, or any other civilisation! (But all that present in Steyning).

Heading for the Hills

2009-10-08T16:33:00.000-07:00

We're all psyched up for the half-marathon "Walk the Test Way" this weekend ... got new fancy rubber ends for our Nordic poles, and, looking at the weather, we're brushing off our wet-weather gear.

And we've scheduled our walks for our Welsh Walking Week that's coming up: 52 miles on 9 walks, with 13,000ft of ascent.

I'll keep the blog as well as I can from the Welsh Hills, and publish all the walks on the Welsh part of Inheritance Walks when we get back.

In the meantime, we've been doing a bit more getting ready on the Sussex downs at Chanctonbury Ring, and trying out our new Platypus Hoser hydration systems (no horrid plastic taste!)

My brother-in-law, Guy, trains people in "mushing" (dog-sledding) near Aspen, in Colorado. George and I thought we'd show him that we can do that in England, too (on top of the South Downs, near Chanctonbury Ring).

And my daughter, Abbi, is on our minds ... right now she's hiking the Inca trail from Cuzco to Machu Pichu.

Losing Weight

2009-09-29T12:51:00.000-07:00

I just noticed my first entry on this blog, dated 16th August, saying I'd lost over four and a half stone (64 pounds, 30kg).

Time for an update. It's now 7 stone, (98lbs, 44.5kg).

Still on the Lipotrim. Fantastic.

Sponsorship flyer

2009-09-28T15:56:00.000-07:00

We have made a leaflet talking about our taking part in the Walk the Test Way sponsored walk, and you can get a copy here.

Nordic Walking Update

2009-09-28T00:24:00.000-07:00

If you check out the photo on the "Finished" blog entry, you'll see that we're still Nordic Walking ... we wouldn't do any other kind.

If you want to try it yourself, we started with Frances and Dave Stephens in the New Forest.

Finished!

2009-09-27T23:22:00.000-07:00

Phew! Way to go us. Yesterday we finished our Test Way walks. On Saturday we did Eling to Totton, which had been on our "must get around to" list for ages, and on Sunday we did Ibthorpe to Inkpen and back (15.1 miles).

What a difference! If you're intending to do the Test Way, do it south to north, because you get a HUGE prize ... definitely this last section was the best. And, bless it, Totton really isn't much of a prize if you go the other way, not least because it's really badly signposted, and if you ask any passing locals, they'll tell you that it starts at the Salmon Leap.

Well, it doesn't. It starts somewhere near Eling Wharf, somewhere near the Anchor Inn in Eling. But there are no signs to indicate that you've started (or arrived, depending on which way you go). The first TW sign is on a telegraph pole near Eling Quay, just east of the tide mill. And signs are thin on the ground in the town. You need the 25,000 map (which I forgot to print out).

But the other end is wonderful! And it was a lovely day yesterday, so now I'm going to update the website entries for walk 0 and walk 11, and then make a flyer for our next Test Way walk, which will be on October 11th, when we do a half-marathon as part of the Walk The Test Way event. You can sponsor James (walking for Southampton Hospital Red and White appeal) and/or sponsor Susan, walking for the Helen Bamber Foundation.

Geocaches 2, 4, 5 on Clarendon Circuit One

2009-09-03T15:32:00.000-07:00

Well, what a day. Made a complete b*g of recording the co-ordinates of cache two, and had people searching in the rain about 200 metres away! Went and checked this morning, and discovered the mistake. My punishment was that I walked there with no coat ... thin shirt, and it poured on us on the way back!

This afternoon laid caches 4 and five of this series. I've checked them pretty carefully, and I'm sure they are right. Details on Inheritance Walks.

Off to the Sussex Downs again tomorrow, and going to do the penultimate walk of the Test Way on Sunday. Watch this space.

Clarendon Way Circular Walks, with Geocaches

2009-09-02T05:45:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday we began designing, walking, photographing, and Geocaching a series of walks. All while walking with the Nordic poles!

You can see the first of the Clarendon Way walks here, with the associated geocaches. Pretty walk, as you can see from my picture.

And you can see the pictures on Geograph, under my name (click here).

It's quite an effort, both physically and mentally, to weave all these things together, but very rewarding.

We've also booked up a walking holidya in Wales, in October, and a visitn to Florida and New Mexico in November, so keep watching this space!

Test Way, Forton to St Mary Bourne

2009-09-02T05:42:00.000-07:00

Did it in drizzle last Sunday, and my daughter, Abbi, came too.

Nice walk, despite the drizzle, but the distances are starting to push us now! 10.9 miles, and about 650ft of ascent.

Next Sunday's walk has 1300ft of ascent.

We're still using the Nordic Walking poles, and definitely feeling our upper bodies getting the benefit!

High Old Times at Chanctonbury Ring

2009-08-22T07:10:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was our first foray on the South Downs Way. Two walks, one very short, and the other a little longer, with more up. The longer one was from the Washington South Downs Way car park, up to Chanctonbury, and down in a circular walk. 3.57 miles, but 1100ft of ascent, and three geocaches (one DNF :o( ).

Shorter walk from this pull in, north along the South Downs Way to the trig point and back. 1.29 miles. Fantastic views ... good limber up for the day. This short walk also included a small section of the Monarch's Way, which we seem to be doing by minute pieces at a time!

Will add this to Inhertitance Walks when I get time.

Four Geocaches on the Brook to Stockbridge section of the Test Way

2009-08-20T14:42:00.000-07:00

There are five geocaches on section 7 of our Test Way walks (Sprat and Winkle Line (GC8725), SideTracked no more - Horsebridge (GC1H9ZE), Steampixies (GCQN81), Sidetracked No More (Stockbridge) (GC1VXM7) and The Cockatrice (GC6DCB)).

We didn't want to do them last Sunday, because we didn't want to be slowed down, so we did the first four today, in two walks. We parked at Traflagar Way, Stockbridge and did Steampixies and Side Tracked (Stockbridge). That was just shy of two miles.

Then we went to the Test Way car park at Horsebridge, and did Sprat and Winkle, and Side Tracked (Horsebridge) and brought the total distance up to just over four miles.

Good walks, good caches, and a second (successful) outing with the Nordic Walking poles.

Nordic Walking and Brook to Chilbolton

2009-08-16T07:58:00.000-07:00

Well, what a fabulous walk. We haven't had formal training with our Nordic Walking poles, but they still made an amazing difference. They speeded us up by about 25%, made us feel like we'd had a really good workout at the gym, but we both felt less aches and pains than normal.

Typically my back hurts at the end of a long walk, but the poles make me walk with much better posture.

And it was a great walk. Navigation on any section of the Test Way is pretty easy (just follow the TW signs). But on this section, you are also following the course of the old "Sprat and Winkle" railway line, so it couldn't be easier.

And, despite the weather forecast saying "overcast" ... it wasn't, it was glorious.

So we are looking forward to our short walks this week, with out poles, and to section 8 next week: Chilbolton to Forton.

We didn't do any geocaching today, and walked right past 5 caches. So we are going to do them as short walks later this week, and also intend to polish off section 0: Eling Tide Mill to the Salmon Leap, north of Totton.

Somewhere on today's walk we passed the halfway mark between Totton and Inkpen, so that feels pretty good.

Nordic Walking

2009-08-16T00:58:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we discovered Nordic Walking! Saw it in a magazine, found it on the web, and went for a taster session.

We decided it was pretty amazing, so we went to John Lewis, Southampton, found they were selling off their stock of Nordic Walking poles, bought two pairs of Leki Spins (£60 on that website: we got them for £24.25, and bought them with John Lewis vouchers that we got from Utility Warehouse--how good is that!?!?!?)

Today we're off to do the seventh section of our Test Way walks, Brook to Chilbolton, and have decided not to do the geocaches (because they slow you down), and are interested to see what difference the Nordic Walking makes to our calories burned (we wear heart rate monitors), and our overall speed.

James Hardiman's Inheritance Walks

2009-08-16T00:46:00.000-07:00

I decided a while ago that I would create a set of Inheritance Walks, sort of in the spirit of Saturday Live's Inheritance Tracks, and I'm building up a complete library.

Rather than keep changing the library, I have decided to record actual progress in this blog, so expect it to contain library entries, news, updates, etc.

This is all part of a programme of losing weight and getting fit. The weight loss is HUGELY helped by the totally amazing Lipotrim Diet. In two months I have lost over four and a half stone (64 pounds, 30kg).

I will be very interested to hear people's responses to both the blog and the Inheritance Walks website.