Come chat hiking with me!

[SanFranBear]

I've noticed whenever hiking comes up as a general chat subject, loads of people jump in to say how much they love it. I thought there might be a general thread somewhere on this as I'd love to chat with people who walk regularly but couldn't find one.

Would anyone like to join me? I live down on the South Coast so am lucky that there are some gorgeous places for me to walk - the New Forest, South Downs and further up the coast in both directions. I normally manage a couple of decent walks a week, depending on DC's care pattern, as well as trying to get out for the occasional hour or so on other days. I mainly walk alone but do have a friend who joins me on occasion.

I'm quite a novice as only really started walking in February of this year and the furthest I've walked is just over 20k, but I'm finding it so liberating - I feel like a different woman after a walk, my mind is free and my body feels tired but satisfied, if that makes sense?

Would just be nice to have a friendly chat with like-minded bods. And perhaps share some photos - helps the weather is beautiful at the moment but I'm struck every time I'm out, just how beautiful our country is - even when I'm wandering in the inner city. Here's a couple of pictures from my Friday walk - a stunning church in a village in the middle of nowhere and some great graffiti on the side of a motorway underpass 😃

@DelightfulDoris I've done the Cleveland way and Cumbria way. Both are amazing.

There's a good Facebook group for Cleveland way chat uk. It's for Yorkshire Wolds Way too.

@Juniper68 which did you enjoy the most?
I know they are quite different from each other.
I am drawn to massive hills, been looking at Cicerone Cumbria Way guide and OS maps app and it’s quite straightforward to add some higher routes to that hike.

I would say the Cleveland way. So diverse.

I can thoroughly recommend the Cleveland Way. We walked it this year and absolutely loved it. I have to say the first half across the moors was my absolute favourite as the clifftop walking down the coast was fairly scary at times, due to my fear of heights
The PW is definitely on my bucket list though.

I’m tempted by the Cleveland Way too. I rode the Cinder Track cycleway from Whitby to Scarborough and back this summer which the CW runs alongside for a little bit and it looks amazing.

I think I have anti Cleveland prejudice- I grew up near there and the image I have is poverty stricken post industrial dump - clearly I need to look again

@becausetrampslikeus clearly you do! There's plenty of lovely areas. I'm from the area and live on the coast.

@Undergroundovergroundwomblingfree yes those cliffs are a bit hairy. Especially as they're crumbling in parts. I'm often over there.

My first properly wintery hill of the season on Saturday - Beinn a' Chochuill and Beinn Eunaich out near Oban. Rather too slippery, not cold enough / base on the snow.
But great views at times and good to be out....I just need to get fitter again after a few months of faffing while moving house...

@outdooryone that sounds like a great hike.
I'm also out of condition. I haven't done a proper hike for about 2 months. In fact not much exercise at all lately. I feel sluggish.

I am hoping to head out tomorrow to one of the last Munro's local(ish/all things relative) to me. Looks cloudy and cold, but wind should be OK...
https://www.mwis.org.uk/forecasts/scottish/southeastern-highlands

Anyone else got plans?

Well it’s another weekend with family responsibilities so no big walk out for us again. Needed to be in Edinburgh last Tuesday and it was of course the best weather of the week so we got a few miles around Arthur’s seat

Off today so did 11 miles around the Trans Pennine Trail and Dunham Massey with a good friend and her dog. Was really lovely but has set off my plantar fasciitis though so maybe feet up with lots of tennis ball 🎾 rolling breaks over the weekend.

I haven't been to the Peak District for years but DS2 and DIL who live abroad were here for Christmas and wanted to do a walk up Mam Tor where they got engaged. Loved it so I've decided to do a day trip once a month. Will do mid week for easier parking 😁. Have also just booked 3 nights b&b in the Yorkshire Dales in September. DH isn't up to hiking anymore due to health issues so going solo.

Love walking at this time of year

Have any of you done the Thames Path - from Source to say just beyond Oxford (but to as far as Henley)? Thinking of making this my annual amble with my walking friend. But the valley nature of it is slightly putting me off - we tend to head for hills.

Any intel welcome x

What does everyone eat when they are on a long hike. I find that sandwiches sit heavily these days and prefer to snack every hour or so but cereal bars/nuts and raisins etc just feel a bit dry. I'm thinking of taking a pot of hummus and some carrot sticks to try. I took a little pot of pineapple in juice and that was nice but possibly light on calories.

I am totally with you with the hummus but I'm afraid I'm a sandwich lover on long hikes. Smoked salmon or chicken, rocket and avocado.
But, if I couldn't take a sandwich, I'd take egg muffins (which I batch cook and keep in the fridge as the grab and go breakfast option for my kids, who all have busy outdoor jobs).
Whisk up 6 eggs per 6 muffin tray. Add chopped veg: peppers, peas, sweetcorn, broccoli, grated courgette etc
Bit of turmeric
Crumbled feta
Bake in the oven for around 20-25 mins.
Tasty and keep you feeling full whilst light.
Or pasta salad.
But most importantly, a packet of salt and vinegar crisps which, I swear, once saved my life on an Ultra Challenge 100k at around 3am and I've been a fan of ever since 🤣

That recipe sounds worth a try but I'm going to pass on salt and vinegar crisps, can't stand them.

Peanut butter abs marmite. With lashings of butter. It satisfies the salt one craves, and holds together beautifully.

changing the subject, am off the walk some of the Thames path next week. From source to beyond Oxford in 4 days. It’s going to ge hot again arghhh! Any great swim spots along the way?

Sounds a good walk but I don't envy the weather.
I'm taking hummus and veg sticks and a pot of rice for my next trip. Which will be tomorrow or Thursday depending on the ever changing weather forecast. I'll decide just before bed this evening. Hopefully the forecast will be more accurate than last week where the temp at Edale by the time I finished was forecast to be 22° by the time I was due to finish but turned out to be 30° with a feels like of 33. Thankfully I'd taken plenty of water and was very happy to find a farmyard with an ice-cream vending machine at Upper Booth.

@countrygirl99am counting on lots of ice cream pit stops!

Very wise

Had a lovely hike around Mam Tor yesterday. It rained. I've never been so happy to be walking in the rain.

Has anyone been on any interesting hikes lately? It's been too hot for me most of the time. I'm loving the current cooler weather. Hopefully the countryside that has been affected by the drought will start to green up again soon.

Did you keep this up? Where have you wandered?

I've had a few trips up now. A couple more from Castleton doing variations on Mam Tor, one trip to Stannage Edge, Alport Castles and a couple from Edale. Planning to go up to Edale again next week and do the same route as last time but the other way round so I'm going up Jacob's Ladder.