#45 Watergrove to Calderbrook

10.87 Miles
363 Metres Ascent

I had planned a few routes for the next 3 days and it’s only typical that I had to change these plans at the last minute!   Family ‘bookings’ meant I could initially stay out until 1, but this changed to 12.30 by the night before.  In the end I was out of the house by 8am, on a cold dank morning.  The stream running down the middle of the road from the rake was an early indicator of the moisture content of the hills above!

 

The changed plan meant I was going to walk for approx. an hour and a half, then turn around, retrace my steps before a little loop to add a few more miles in.  Not a pretty solution by any means but it was easy to plan and also meant I had a good idea of my times.

All points of the Compass

Furthest East I have been = Kabul, Afghanistan.
Furthest West I have been = Forks, WA, USA.
Furthest South I have been = Mount Pleasant, Falklands.
Furthest North I have been = Lossiemouth, Scotland.

Disappointed that Scotland is as far North as I have been!  So I will have to add Iceland, Greenland and Alaska to the planning lists!

Mud Mud Glorious Mud

Only a short 9 miles today, avoiding most of the mud.  The fields are super saturated, the rivers are in flood and then the sun came out so not all bad! 

 

 

Sadly the weather is set for more rain.  I might end up on the harder track at Grafham a lot more than I'd want this year.

Challenge Update - End of the year! Roll on 2014

All things considered, December has been a decent month with 7 walks.  Admittedly they have mostly been fairly uninspiring local walks but at least I'm out and about!  Fitting stuff in while working silly hours is still an issue, but the money is always good.

Unfortunately most of the local walks are pretty waterlogged so it can be hard to get motivated for something muddy and slippy that doesn't offer much in the way of views and adventure.  I still need more hills to climb, so January will involve a bit more travel!

December - 71.49 miles and 1724 metres ascent.

November - 44.07 miles and 1857 metres ascent.
October - 27.97 miles and 643 metres ascent.
September - 71.40 miles and 4129 metres ascent.
August - 62.63 miles and 913 metres ascent.
July - 16.24 miles and 258 metres ascent.
June -  82.05 miles and 1063 metres ascent.