Week 40 walk - Cadir Idris, Wales

Climbing Cadair Idris in Wales has been at the top of my 'to do' list all summer - but work shifts and the dreadful weather has meant that I have not been able to get there and I thought that I would have to put it on next year's list - but this weekend promised sunshine and no showers for a change, so I took a chance and what a fab day out I had.

There are various routes to the top of the mountain and I took the Pony Path - which was a well marked and steady path to the top.

The path started off in some nice lush woodlands - with just a hint of Autumn nipping in.

But soon the path opened up onto open grass lands. The summit looks a long way away from here!

Then near the top it turns into a steepish gravely path - but the end is nearly in sight here.

Each time I stopped for a breather - there were gorgeous all over the surrounding mountains.

It did not take too long to get to the top and look at the gorgeous day I had - it was delightful.

A selection of views from different points at the top.

On my way down I took a slight detour over to another summit which overlooked Barmouth estuary - far below is Barmouth railway bridge.

But the reward for this little detour was a view like this where I sat down and enjoyed my afternoon tea - before starting back down the mountain.

I wonder if I can fit in another jaunt up here taking in one of the other routes up - before the end of this year?

Week 39 walk (3) - The Peak District - Derwent Edge overlooking Ladybower Reservoir

We woke to much better weather on our second day - so yay we were able to head into the hills. We walked over Derwent Edge which overlooks Ladybower Reservoir and what a great walk I chose. The views were gorgeous and the path excellent to follow as it is land managed by The National Trust.

The reservoir stretches for miles and there are many more different walks to take around the bottom of it.

Along the ridge were these amazing Tors - with stange names such a Salt Cellar, Wheel Stones and Bread Cakes! These are the first Tors we found - the Wheel Stones - you can see how large they are comparing Steven taking photos of them.

There was a geocache hidden in there somewhere - without a hint as to where to find it!

This is the gorgeous Salt Cellar which leans at quite a precarious angle.

The Salt Cellar from a better angle rock wise but facing straight into the sun - so not photography wise!

And these are the Cakes of Bread - so named as apparently they look like the food which is local to the Peak District.

On this notice board is some information about the Red Grouse which is found up here - we saw loads of them - again a first for us and their call or cackle was very distinctive.

A great first visit to the Peak District and hopefully it won't be our last

Week 39 walk (2) - The Peak District - Castleton

We spent the day exploring around Castleton a lovely little village - but to get down it I had to drive down Winnats Pass - a very steep and narrow mountain pass. I had never driven down it before and this was what I was greeted with - the road covered in low level cloud cause it was so high up. I could hardly see more than a foot or so in front of me. It was very scary!

Once we had safely parked - we were free to discover the place and it was lovely.

The shops & house were all built with this same distinctive grey sandstone.

And streams ran among the narrow streets and houses.

This is the youth hostel in the centre of the village and the owner told me that only last week that had had tons of concrete removed from the front of the building to show all the old original features and that they had won a heritage grant to restore it back to its former glory - if we come back in 2 years he said that it would look absolutely outstanding.

At long last I am finding out what my wide angle lens can do - wide angle close up shots like this - not mountain landscape views that I had been trying - doh!

There were lots of lovely establishments to eat in and stay at - we have already earmarked a few for our return journey.

Week 39 walk (1) - The Peak District - Blue John Cavern

We have just spent a few days in the Peak District - it was our first ever visit and it won't be our last as it was gorgeous! So gorgeous that I will be posting 3 walks this week instead of one, as I can't choose between all the photos I took.

The plan was to climb Mam Tor on our first day, but the weather was against us - so we headed underground instead, to one of the many caverns that dot the landscape. The tour lasted an hour and we walked deep into the cavern. We were not not the only people there as the BBC was filming for a documentary to be shown in November.

The textures in the rock walls were amazing.

The cavern is still a working mine and the guide was very informative.

The height of the ceiling was very low in some places and really high in other places.

Some walls had some rather revolting slime growing all over the walls.

Week 38 walk - Caer Caradoc, South Shropshire Hills

This week's walk was over this majestic hill below - Caer Caradoc in South Shropshire.

A geocaching event was held around here last week ( I could not go as we were visiting Jess in Norwich) and lots of new caches were set up for the event. So it was a good opportunity to return for a great walk around here and 7 geocaches found.

I am still not getting on well with my new wide angle lens - even though it gets a wider aspect in - it is at the expense of moving the landscape further away - not what I want at all. I hope it does not become an expensive white elephant. I am getting *slightly* better results now that I have added the new grad filter on the front. The photo above was taken with the new lens and the one below - taken with my old kit lens! I know which one I prefer and its not the expensive one!

Walking over the hill gave great views - here over to one of my favourite hills - The Lawley, with the Wrekin in the distance.

It was nice to see some signs of Autumn out now.

It is a good hill at the top - lots of grass, for easy walking, but also lots of rocks to make it more interesting.

This one below is one decent one taken with the wide angle lens - it appears it is better for close up wide angle, not landscape photos as I was led to believe.

The nice path to follow down the hill - looking over to even more hills to explore.

Week 37 walk - Blakney Point, North Norfolk.

This week's photos do not actually fulfil the brief of a walk completely, as they were all taken during a rather rocky boat trip - hence the not very good quality of the shots. However a walk along Blakeney Point to take photos of the gorgeous blue lifeboat house and the seals WAS planned - but the sea was too choppy to land - so we could not do it.

Common seals and Grey seals congregate along this stretch of coastline in vast numbers - there were about 100 today when we visited. When they have their babies there even more to see.

They were so funny waddling out of the water to laze about on the sand.

What a life - basking in the sun all day - interspersed with a bit of swimming every now and then!

This gorgeous blue lifeboat house has now been transformed into an information centre and accommodation for the NT wardens as the point keeps growing year on year and there is now a quicker route out to rescue ships and people at sea.