Thursday 31 March 2016

Another Badge Earned

The certs and badged arrived today, officially confirming our completion of the Doncastrian Way


Im starting to run out of space on t' 'at

Tuesday 29 March 2016

Walk Report - 'God and Water' - 28 mile Doncaster to Selby

A few posts back, I mentioned that we were considering the possibility of walking between Doncaster and Selby, and were looking at a modification to a cycle route.

So, come Monday, I hauled myself out of bed at the stupid time of 04:15, consoled only by the knowledge that Bob had had to get up even earlier, and after a cup of coffee, started finalising my kit for a days walking! Outside, it was absolutely pissing it down, and had been for hours.

Ready and waiting for 05:00, it was another half hour before Bob arrived, having had to drive slowly to avoid flash flooding in the dark! We loaded my kit into Bobs car, and left for the drive to Bobs workplace in Doncaster town center. It was quite obvious that this was not going to be the most pleasant walking weather!

Around 06:30 we were sat in Bobs office, nattering with one of his colleagues, who despite stating that we were nutters, made us a nice brew. We checked the GPS units had the routes in properly, distributed the food between us, and at about 07:00 or so set out for the short walk to the official start of our new route - St. Georges church, now it seems also known as Doncaster Minster.


Nice and cheerful at this point, despite being already rather moist. Bob laid hands upon the stone and said his benedictions to his god, and we set off!


Going wrong immediately! It seems theres no gate at the corner of the churchyard, so we came back to the gate we went in by, only to find that its a four foot jump down at that point! Not something to do when you have a 15kg pack on your back in the pouring rain! So, we again went back to the church door, and out along the proper path. From here its a simple skirt around a big shop and up a spiral staircase onto the old North Bridge. At least, it would have been, if contractors hadnt closed it off! A short diversion led us in completely the wrong direction for a few hundred yards to the other steps, and then we were finally heading over the bridge and out of town


From North Bridge the route goes down to Yarborough Terrace at the top end of Bentley, over a big footbridge that crosses the very busy intersection of the new North Bridge, before crossing playing fields and then two railway crossings, one a low bridge the other an unmarked level crossing, and out onto the river Don flood banks. On a wall behind the estate here is what looks like a Banksy, whether its a genuine one or another artists work I dont know, but its very good.


A quick stop for a selfie before we struck out along the top of the bank towards the old Pilkingtons workings at Fox Covert and Thorpe Marsh


Already, it was proving difficult to keep the phone dry!


Approaching the workings, things started to get a bit wetter underfoot. At least this time we had managed to be on the correct side of a series of ponds and so didnt have to cross a muddy ploughed field like we did at this point on the Doncastrian, but the path through Fox Covert was quite flooded and needed a bit of care


The old timber bridgework that carried the slurry from the float glass process at the Pilkington Kirk Sandal plant on the other side of the river and canal to the settling ponds is in amazing condition for a relic of close to a hundred years of glassmaking! Once beyond this, we had the short stretch of road into the edge of Barnby Dun to cover. This is one of the unpleasant parts of the walk, as its a fast road, lots of bends and two bridges, and no footpaths. This brought us to the Barnby Dun lifting bridge on the South Yorkshire Navigation. Here we joined the towpath towards Kirk Bramwith


Shortly before you reach Bramwith Lock, the canal splits, the left side heading over an aquaduct that crosses the river Don, to form the New Junction Canal to the Aire and Calder Navigation. We would rejoin this in a while for much of its length. Incidentally, I would advise not venturing too far off the path around here, as Bob in the absence of man-made sanitary ware was forced to attend to his daily constitutional au naturel (the annual memorial service for the fallen socks will this year also commemorate gloves lost in combat during Bobs endless battle with his digestion). At Bramwith lock we crossed over the lock gates and joined the road into Kirk Bramwith


Kirk Bramwith is a very small village with a lovely old church, where a Snowdrop festival is held each year in early spring. From here it was a short section of road walking to Braithwaite and the Top Lane lifting bridge to rejoin the New Junction canal towpath and the Trans-Pennine Trail. The rain by this time was at least easing off, but it was still rather wet


We were keeping well hydrated, possibly through absorption,  and I was averaging 2.5mpp (miles per piss), with Bob much the same.


Approaching Sykehouse, we again crossed the canal at the lock, pausing for a while to watch as a narrowboat piloted by a bloke almost buried in a so'wester, passed into the lock. There is something very pleasing about canals, and locks in particular.



By now we were coming up to about the half way mark, so started looking for a suitable place to stop and change socks, not an easy task in the weather conditions! In the end, we found a bus shelter just outside Sykehouse, and with the next bus due a few days later, settled down for a good sorting of feet and some lunch.

My very careful attention to my right heel was working well, and my feet were in very good condition. Bob was finding things a bit tougher, having made a poor choice of boot for the conditions. I started my lunch with a chocolate noughat bar that took more calories to chew than it contained


Heading now, feet refreshed and bellies refueled,  toward the village of Topham and then on toward the crossing of the Aire and Calder canal, we passed a converted windmill before crossing the river Went. Shortly after we had to pass under a high voltage power line, where we noticed a very bad wind oscillation on the cables of the lower tier. The photo below is in fact just to remind me to report it to National Grid!


We were now approaching Pollington, and crossed the Aire and Calder canal. By now the rain had mostly stopped, and we were beginning to dry out. Bobs fear of having suffered a stroke proved unfounded when it was realised that he just couldnt feel one side of his face from the windchill, and I was still suffering the bizarre one dry/one wet hand, due to being constantly battered by the wind and rain on my left side.



From the Aire and Calder it was back to road walking, a mile or two, during which time we again had to find somewhere for an impromptu refreshment break, and we were climbing the bridge up and over the M62


I took the opportunity,  which rarely presents itself, to do a spot of dad dancing on the bridge, much to the amusement of several passing drivers



So, we were now ready for another sock change break, and had planned this to be in the churchyard at Snaith Priory. But, Bob being Bob, the desire for porcelain plumbing led us into a nearby pub.


So we took the time to enjoy a cold drink (non alcoholic!) and relax for a while, whilst giving the old tootsies a fresh load of tape and padding. Bob enjoyed inspecting his blisters, which by now were quite a bumper crop, and decided that the weather was actually quite nice now, so we would pack away the waterproofs.


It was, however, still a bit chilly to do without the woolly hat!


From Snaith, there were just a half dozen miles to go! Our marker for the distance was to be Eggborough power station, which loomed on the horizon. From Snaith the road took us out over the river Aire into Carlton, where we realised a few hundred feet could be shaved off the distance by taking a side road, and then we struck out onto the long road section to Hirst Courtney and its many commercial greenhouses. By now our feet were starting to get a bit sore. My dodgy toe was intermittently giving me a lot of grief, its sharp and sudden intense pain making me wince, but was relieved for quite a while by any short rest stop, such as the one I took behind a tree just short of Temple Hirst!


By now we had adjusted the data fields indicated on the GPS units to show remaining distance. This proved to be a good moral boost. The weather was better, still windy but now on odd occasions even warm enough to remove the hat for a while!


But shortly after leaving Hirst Courtney to head on to Burn, the weather decided we'd had quite enough pleasant walking, and the rain started again. We held out for a while then stopped and put our waterproofs back on. The rain stopped about ten seconds later! But, it would prove to be intermittent from now on, so we kept on as was.

Reaching the level crossing at Burn shortly after a train had passed, I decided I needed to rest the toe for a little while. So as we started around the peritrack of the old RAF Burn airfield, we looked for a place to stop. A small mound of rubble suited this purpose, and we rested for a few minutes and shared a bottle of Lucozade. We were nearly there, over twenty miles done, and in great spirit. We were starting to tire, the legs beginning to ache, and the feet a bit sore, but remarkably better than usual for the distance, and in spite of the weather. The airfield was skirted with much discussion on the fields history. It was nice for me to be walking a familiar section but which Bob was new to.


Our route off of the airfield though did look somewhat tricky as we approached -


Luckily, this expanse of water was only a few inches deep, and we were soon around it and ambling up the side of the railway to the underpass below the A63 bypass, where we got our first glimpse of the Selby canal and the familiar route of our old stamping ground of the Selby Horseshoe. As we crossed Brayton bridge to gain the towpath, the GPS units indicated a trifling 1.5 mile remaining! I had already sent a text to my good lady requesting our taxi for 18:00 outside the Abbey! But, at this point for me personally, a more pressing priority seemed to be the possibility of having to repeat Bobs earlier actions beside the South Yorkshire Navigation! Talk turned to whether or not the Abbey would still be open to use the visitor facilities!


 The familiar sight of the chemical works and the shops appeared, closely followed by the Selby Boat Center and its collection of vessels. The bridge ahead would lead us off the canal towpath and onto the direct road to the Abbey


With a mere quarter of a mile to go we started up the railway bridge and passed the official sign for the town. Our feet now realised we were nearly there and decided they had already finished, so began to complain of having to keep going! But it was such a short little distance to go, and even the temptation of the odours wafting from the Jinnah curry house didnt divert us


As it happened, the Abbey was closed. But the main gate was open so we completed the walk as we had started, some 11h earlier, by touching the stone.


We then, having come some 27.7 miles, settled onto one of the benches to await recovery by my wife, who was delayed by the level crossing and Network Rails amazing ability to schedule four trains across it at the same time. During our brief wait, we met a chap somewhat worse for a few bevvies, and seemingly undecided whether to be sad at some perceived sporting failure, or to continue singing joyous hymns, and as if it knew we were now sat, immobile, wet and cold, it began to absolutely piss it down again.



About ten minutes later, we were collected by my wife, with my son, and in my car, and driven home. A brew and a snack, and for me a change of clothes and a visit to the lavatory, and all that remained was for me to drive back to Doncaster, drop Bob off, collect my trainers and flask from his car, visit my mum, and drive back home to Selby for a nice hot bath. Stopping just the once in Eggborough to relieve the cramp in my leg!

27.7 miles, 11 hours. And now we have seen a few places we can shave a mile or two off. Bob has published the route as a Garmin Adventure for others to try, and were considering doing it again, but adding the York Lines route and taking it all the way to York Minster, after all, its only another 16 miles...




Wednesday 16 March 2016

Lions Summer Walk 26th June

Having a father in law whos heavily involved in charity work means by default so am I. One of the things I do for the Lions is to maintain a fleet of 2-way radios, which are used at various events.

This year the Lions are hosting a charity walk between Doncaster and Thorne, in aid of a Doncaster Royal Infirmary scanner appeal. This is a bit under 12 mile I think.

Well, we have our entry submitted and our numbers. Me and Bob will do this one operating the radios as we go, and so im also now in discussion with the regulator Ofcom for a special event radio license. The plan being to set off at the front of the walkers, along with the van of the walk, which includes Ben Parkinson, and I believe Doncaster Rovers. After a while we will slow and drop back, allowing others to pass us, before moving up again, essentially just moving about amongst the walkers, keeping an eye on them and helping out anyone who needs it.

More info here http://www.thornerurallions.org.uk/doncaster-cancer-detection-trust-charity-walk/

As I understand it a Just Giving page or similar will be established at some point, for you all to sponsor us via.

This walk will come less than a week after our next crossing of the Lyke Wake! So watch out for the two muppets with radios walking like John Waynes stunt doubles!

Recovery from mondays Doncaster Monster is coming on nice and swiftly. I can just about walk at normal pace again! Still a bit of aching and a pain in left thigh above the knee. The only real trouble is that now my heel has begun to heal, its tightened up and become fairly painful when walking due to the pull on it as I step. So no running in the gym tonight, but a bit of bag work and some rowing are perhaps in order.

Tuesday 15 March 2016

Proposed New Walk - Doncaster to Selby 27 miler - The 'god and water' path

With me living in Selby, and Bob in Doncaster, we've been looking at possible routes between the two towns.

Bob found a cycle route, but it wasnt quite to our liking, so ive adjusted it somewhat. Although I will not publish the actual route until we've walked it ourselves and proven it, I will reveal a few details here in advance,

The route is a 27 mile walk, between The Abbey in Selby, and St. Georges church in Doncaster (some are now calling this Doncaster Minster!). It uses some sections pinched from other walks, such as the Bentley to Barnby Dun riverside stretch from the Doncastrian Way, and the Burn to Selby canal path from the Selby Horseshoe. As much as possible is along canal towpaths. It takes in several churches, quite a few swing bridges, and even a Second World War airfield!

Hence the provisional name - God and Water

Despite being 27 miles, its mostly flat and easy going, the only energetic bits being some stairs in Doncaster! Doable in a day as a single walk, or can be easily split into three smaller stages each with good 'escape routes'

Roughly -
Doncaster - Barnby Dun - 6 miles
Barnby Dun - Snaith -       10.5 miles
Snaith - Selby -                  10.5 miles

Food and drink, either shop or pub, is just off route in Barnby Dun, by no more than a mile.
Plenty of shops and pubs in Snaith.
And a smattering in other villages.


Bobs going to check out his end of the route over the next few days. I'll do the same my end.
And then, we'll walk it!

Doncastrian Way - 14th March 2016

Being a native of Doncaster, i'd known of this long distance challenge since I was quite young, probably 12 or so. Im not sure where I first found out about it, perhaps when I was in the scouts. I sort of knew of it passing through the next village from mine.

Anyway, it had long been on my list of routes to do sometime. So, when me and Bob were looking for something long and a bit different to the usual fare of doing the three peaks again, I suggested we took this one on. Bob of course was all over it like a rash!

Normally for a route of this length there would be several weeks of planning... nah, sod that. We decided to knock this one off the next day we had off work together. However, we did decide to do the fluids, nutrition and sock change regimen as a dry run for the next Lyke Wake.

So Bob planned the meals, I informed my mum that we would be taking over her driveway at 06:00 on monday morning (I told her this 11:00 saturday!), Bob treated himself to a new GPS unit, and I obtained a copy of the 'official' route from the Vermuyden branch of the LDWA. Parking at my mums meant a couple or four extra miles between villages to get on and off the actual route.

Well, yesterday morning arrived, and after a pretty poor attempt at a nights sleep, I slipped out of bed at 04:30, put my trousers on, had a cup of tea, made up a flask and loaded the car. At 05:00 I set off for the drive to my mums, and a text to Bob woke him up.

A bit of breakfast, some tape on the feet, and a mug of steaming brown liquid (potentially decaf coffee) from the flask, and a chat with my mum, and with every electronic device about our persons set to record our progress, the above pictured duo of metalists hit the trail


In very little time, what to us as kids had seemed a very long walk to the next village, was done, and we reached the farm shop, our rendevous with the official route. We were already two miles in! From there over the canal and river to cut left into Fox Covert and down past the 1900s remains of 'the second st. Helens', this being how Kirk Sandals Pilkington float glass plant used to be known. It was rather muddy along this section


But we were soon out of that and onto the flood embankment towards Bentley. A small miscalculation here but soon corrected and back on course, with slightly heavier boots due to claggy mud. At this point we realised that there would be a few styles along this walk - we dont mind styles when walking light, but are not so keen when we have a 15kg pack each!
But we went on, the countryside starting to wake up around us. Soon the double railway crossing into Yarborough Terrace was behind us, and after threading our way around the early morning chavs and crackheads, we were over the roundabouts and passing back into open country with HMP Doncatraz and Crimpsal MF station on our left, Cusworth hall on the horizon to our right,



Pressing on, we approached Sprotborough Falls, Bob as usual on the hunt for some plumbing facilities. What we found, whilst interesting, were not quite the comfortable sit-down porcelain Bob was favouring







Over the falls, up the bends, and away across Warmsworth we went, noting with interest that the big pub is now a resturant, just as well really since I was barred from there some years ago (not for the obvious! - I put a cue through the pool table lights during a bad shot), past the sewage works and over to Alverly Grange, passing the very house my wife grew up in, and the fields where she used to horse ride



The woods between here and Wadworth were a sea of thick, cloying mud, churned up by bikes. Somewhere along here I took a nice whippy sapling right across the lip! Ooh that stung a bit! The picture above I dont think is from this stretch of the walk, but I cant be bothered getting them all in proper order! The ones below however, are as we crossed the final fields to Wadworth and our lunch stop!



In the very far distance on the photo above, it was possible to see the tower of Rockware glass factory. We had started several miles on the other side of it! It was quite amazing to think that we were now right over the other side of town from where we started!

 We stopped for lunch and sock changing in the churchyard. Coconut water and pasta, and fresh socks! Feet not too bad at this stage. Feeling good al round. As expected my right heel was blistered, so that was Compeeded up, but my left ball of foot and toes were doing better than expected.



 From Wadworth a steady bimble, with a bit of a play on 2m FM, led us down into Rossington. Here the GPS track showed differently to the available footpaths, so we decided to go with the GPS and ploughed on straight over the pit top! We passed round two of chav and scum, stopped briefly at the level crossing, which we went over in the half a dozen seconds that it opened for before the next train, on into the more affluent part of the village (taking me away from the temptation of a kebab special at the Nelson chippy) and off over the open parkland leading eventually to Bawtry Road and the Mount Pleasant Hotel



 The above photo taken I think in Kings Wood, was taken during one of around half a million momentary 'refreshment' breaks! We do like to keep properly hydrated...


Starting to ache a bit now and with the feet becoming a little sore, we passed the lakes and made a slight navigation error requiring a bit of inventive navigation, a minute or two of death defying climbing on a narrow ledge under a bridge, and the customary few hundred yards run, to regain the railway crossing we should have used at this point. But we didnt die, again, and so carried on, passing within calling distance of Bobs mums house, and over to our second foot care stop at Auckley, the time now being about 15:00


Socks changed and bodies refueled, we set off along the pleasent banks of the river Torne, for the long stretch to Hatfield Woodhouse. This also involved the hairy scary walk along the side of the rather fast road, but we were soon off of this and a brief stop at a farm allowed Bob to replenish one of his water bottles from a farmers hosepipe! It was now just gone 16:00, it was finally T-shirt weather, although this wouldnt last much longer





As we made our now slightly weary way along towards the crossing of the M18 besides Ruane Potatoes, the sun finally set and the light began to fade. We were still around ten miles from the end. These last few photos from the walk show the dying embers of  the day



Now, footsore, tired, aching, we pushed on towards Dunsville. Neither of us quite sure which way the route took us here. As we bent our weary way past the spud factory, a waxing moon stood above us in the now forbidding darkness. Crossing open fields again, we realised that a couple of head torches wouldnt have gone amiss. But, soon enough we reached the bright lights of Dunsville. We now knew all that was in front of us was to cross the fields to the edge of 'Ratties Wood' past the old ICI bunkers.

That said, we didnt remember that theres a wood to go through first! By now it was very dark, the stars were beginning to shine over us, as we threaded our way by the light of Bobs I-phone. The woods past, we could see the bright lights of the driving range to our half-left, but the glow of a passing train showed we were a good way yet from the final level crossing. By now we were moaning, breathing heavily, but still in surprisingly good spirits and maintaining a decent enough clip.

The next train to pass showed we were close, and then we were back in civilisation, or as close an equivalent as posisble on Pinehall road in Barnby Dun! Back on home ground, it was just a 'short' walk from here, over the railway bridge, and across the fields back to my mums house, pausing only to send her a text telling her to get a brew on!

And then, we were done! Sat with stinging feet and slowly seizing limbs at my mums kitchen table, agreeding whole heartedly with her assesment - 'your bloody mad you two'

13 and a half hours, 35.4 miles. We had done it. Back in time for tea and medals!


Compeeds are great until the come off early!