Although I said this a year ago and nothing is official at the time of writing, I’m aiming to walk The Ridgeway National Trail this year, with a preference for the end of May.
A year ago, I wrote a short series of posts on my plans and intentions for backpacking the long-distance trail (you’ll find links to those posts further down). Now, I’m looking ahead to this challenge for 2018, with perhaps the only outstanding issues to consider.
Easter Sunday. A day when many might be stuck indoors eating chocolate eggs… Believe me, I could’ve easily done the same, if only I hadn’t celebrated a birthday the day before and following an absolute downpour of a Good Bad Friday.
Weather-wise, this had promised to be the only reasonable chance of walking over the four-day weekend. To keep it close to home wasn’t appealing and so, I embarked on the eighty-minute drive east across Somerset to arrive at Cranborne Chase.
One week prior to this walk, Britain was again battered by the Siberian ‘Beast’, which delayed the event of what would become and enjoyable and dry day down on the Quantock Hills.
This was Jenny’s second walk-leading experience of the month – the first of which was also postponed due to snow. We’d start from the free village car park in Crowcombe, beneath the western edge of the hills.
Over on YouTube, I was recently tagged by a couple of other channels (Paul Outdoors and Gillian Smith) in a ‘Five Items’ challenge.
I believe this particular tag-challenge began in the bushcraft/wilderness survival scene. As I don’t frequent that area of the outdoors and I’m not currently a wild camper, I’ve decided to respond with five items that I carry in my backpack on every hike.
I don’t know where it’s suddenly gone but, here with are in April; the season of spring (apparently) and it’s past-time to review my miles.
One week earlier, the south-west of England had suffered its heaviest dosage of snowfall for a good number of years (dubbed: ‘The Beast from the East’). Portions of the M5 motorway were, closed as many counties slowed to a standstill.
Worst of all, this walk was cancelled and immediately postponed for seven-days. But when the time came, the weather was greatly improved.
I find it hard to believe but, the Met Office are warning of freezing temperatures and possible snowfall over the coming Easter weekend… This would mean a third instance of snowfall for the southern half of the UK!
Bearing in mind that we hadn’t seen much more than a few flakes since 2013. During the return visit of the ‘Beast from the East’, I did manage a simple solo walk over to the neighbouring village of Churchill.
