I stumbled across this report recently, while looking for some information for a new free hiker in the Newcastle area, and I enjoyed re-reading it and the memories it brought back. I hope a few folks here will also enjoy this trip down memory lane (originally posted on the old TSNS forum).
Ian.
Edited: Since there seems to be some interest in having a few old reports reposted, I have changed the thread title. Feel free to add any older posts that you'd like to get back into cyberspace. Ian.___________________________________________________________
Walk report – Watson’s Pike and Hexhamshire Common 19/6/2012___________________________________________________________
Last night I decided to take advantage of an unexpectedly pleasant evening to get out on the moors of Northumberland again. I had identified four caches that I could connect into a circular walk of about 9 miles. Only one cache was actually on the route, but the other three were within a few hundred yards and I was hopeful that I might be able to do the entire walk without the need to cover up.
I left work on the dot and headed out to my selected starting point, about a mile and a quarter from the first cache. Arriving at 5pm, I soon established that there was no one around and stripped off even before organising my kit into my daypack. The road I was parked by leads to just two more farms before petering out, so the likelihood of any passing traffic was tiny. The route I walked (corrected to show my navigational glitch towards the end) is shown on the map below:
The walk started off along a track, but the cache route suggested walking the path 20 yards or so to the right of the track. This proved to be good advice as the track was rutted and, in places, flooded while the path was damp, but generally fairly easy walking. There were some fresh boot tracks on the path, but only one pair and going in the opposite direction, so I was not concerned.
I had put my t-shirt in my pack and rolled up my wrap and put that in a mesh bottle pocket on the outside of the pack where I can reach it if required without having to stop. Boots only was the only sensible attire for this walk, the ground was harsh in places and would have been way beyond my tenderfoot capabilities and some ankle support was also welcome when I occasionally found edges of holes out of sight under the heather. The sun was shining with just a few clouds occasionally blocking it. Temperature was just under 20C (67F) when I set out and there was a fresh but warm breeze blowing. Perfect walking conditions.
The track rose slowly up the right (west) side of Lilswood Moor and after a mile or so I diverted to find the Trig Point on top of Watson’s Pike, knowing the cache was within a hundred yards or so of that.
The cache proved to be a quick find, thanks to accurate co-ordinates and a good clear horizon allowing for my GPS to collect signals from 10 satellites over a wide spread of sky. Once I’d signed the log and dropped off a trackable coin, I wandered over to the trig point to bag it, as is my habit.
The views from here are stunning and I did what I could to capture them with a full circle panorama from the trig point. Sadly, I seem to have lost that picture.
From here my route took me back to the track, south and then west towards Ladle Well. This area of the moor has many streams and brooks and provides water supplies to the local area hence there are a number of wells and manholes, which always look somewhat incongruous in surroundings like these:
The second cache, just past Ladle Well, was also an easy find, but was sadly in need of maintenance. It was wet inside (hardly surprising given the rain of recent weeks and the fact it had not been found for over six months). I dried it out as best I could, signed the log book, then munched one of my sugary bars to keep my energy levels up and drank some water. I did not stop long as I was keen to get all four caches and get back to the car with plenty of daylight left. If all went well I should be back with an hour to spare before sunset, but delays for eating, drinking, photography, cache searches etc can soon add up and I was very aware of this.
The track continued west towards my next planned stop at Stobb Cross, passing some spectacular views on route:
If you look closely at the picture above you can see one pine tree standing taller than all its neighbours, I logged the cache at the base of that one last week (also while suitably attired).
After a while the cross came into view above the valley. I always feel better once I can see my destination and was pleased to note that I was making good time.
A short climb brought me to the junction of the paths and then it was on to the cross for my third cache of the day. This cache was in a very sorry state. It was in a clip top box, but had lost three of the four latches that keep the lid on and was literally awash with water. I emptied it and just about managed to sign the mushy remains of the log before replacing it wrapped in a couple of dog poo bags (unused!) to provide some weather protection.
In the background of the picture above you can see the track I’d walked along to get here and if you look really closely at the hill to the left of the cross you may just be able to make out the trig point on top of Watsons Pike.
The light was still good, so I took a couple of self-portraits, using a rock to support the camera as I did not want to spend the time getting the tripod out of my bag and assembling it again.
According to my GPS I was two miles from the final planned cache of the evening. I reckoned I had plenty of time to complete my route, but there was the option of turning off early and cutting almost a mile off the total walk length if time started to run short.
The scenery remained impressive and a good enough reason to have done this walk (even clothed had that been necessary); I had not seen hide nor hair of anyone else since leaving the car and was thoroughly enjoying the walk accompanied as it was by the sound of curlews and lapwings and interspersed with the startled “laughter” of grouse put to flight by my presence. I had also seen rabbits (in huge numbers) plus, of course, sheep roaming free and a few cattle fenced into fields in a couple of spots. The tranquillity was amazing and just what I needed to calm my spirit after a couple of stressful days in the office.
At the junction of paths I had my first head scratching moment as I tried to work out which track or path to follow. Although the Ordinance Survey maps show all the official paths and tracks there were several additional obvious tracks made by game keepers (or their clients) vehicles and I chose the wrong one. After half a mile I decided I was too far west and amended my route to get to the final cache of the day. Yomping over the heather was great fun, but hard work and would not have been an option in lighter footwear. I have to confess that I was half expecting to have to do part of the walk barefoot, as my boots are rapidly approaching retirement.
This cache was also an easy find, but fortunately it was in better condition than the last two. While sat on a rock to sign the log I spotted something odd over the top of a drystone wall. How on earth did they get this up here?
Time to turn back towards the car. I had to retrace my route back to the last path junction, but this time I would follow the wall rather than the track that had mislead me earlier. I was about 200 yards short of the junction when I spotted a couple of heads coming up the path I intended to take. They got to the junction and I hoped they would turn away from me so that I did not have to dress. Sadly they stopped there, leaning on a gate as the husband tried to get his breath back after the climb. Rats! Time for the wrap. I passed them with a cheery “Hi” and received a greeting in return. No apparent curiosity about the guy wearing only a skirt and rucksack.
A minute or two later I had dropped behind a rise in the ground and was able to remove my skirt again though, since I was approaching the no through road I was parked on (albeit mile from the car), I kept the wrap in hand. I could see two farms I had to pass, but they both looked to be far enough off the road that I thought I could stay naked and I was hopeful that land levels would provide extra visual shielding.
I could see a 4x4 across the valley, being driven slowly and apparently checking the grouse feeders. He was far enough away that I did not feel any need to dress even though I could just about make out the drivers clothing when he got out, however there was no way he could reach me quickly enough to present a threat. I had to stop to take a picture of these trees; apparently it gets a little breezy here on occasions…
As I continued I had an excellent view of the road ahead before it disappeared behind a stand of trees, so I was confident I would see any traffic approaching from that direction in plenty of time. The steep hill behind me hid anything coming from that direction, but I was confident I would hear anything climbing that slope and so was able to stay naked. I had hoped to go the entire walk without covering up, but that possibility had already been scuppered by the couple at the path junction, as a result I was not too disappointed when I spotted a Landrover on the road ahead. I waited until it was behind the trees then covered up with about 20 seconds to spare before it came into view again in front of me. I stepped off the road (a good idea given how narrow it was) and got a wave of thanks from the driver who was soon out of sight over the brow of the hill behind me, allowing me to strip off once more for the final section of the walk.
I could see another car parked by mine, but guessed that belonged to the couple I’d seen earlier. As I got closer I was able to see that it was unoccupied and so continued back to my car properly dressed. I sorted my pack out, swapped my knackered hiking boots for a pair of crocs and then, very reluctantly, dressed to drive back to the apartment.
I’d been walking for three hours and fifty two minutes and naked for all but seven minutes of that time. Fabulous. I have to confess to slightly tight calf muscles today, but since my GPS recorded a distance of 8.93 miles at a moving average speed of 3.3 miles an hour over broken terrain that is not entirely surprising.
Now all I need is a chance to plan another walk…
Have fun,
Ian.
