Lonesome Lurch II

Date: Tues April 22nd

Location: Gunpowder Park
Participants: Lurch

Got out for a quick stroll round my regular course at lunchtime to get sundays soreness out of my legs; came across something new to contend with today - sunshine. Legs felt quite heavy like I'd still got Sunday's mud attached my feet, that or the golden syrup flapjack had stuck to my insides.
Sped up towards the end and finished a tantalising 6 seconds outside my PB.
Off to Cornwall at the weekend to eat lard for a week and ruin all my good work. I must stop calling myself Lurch, it might end up sticking. Bring back Burnsy.

Burnsy.

Sensational...

Date: Sun 20th April
Distance: 22.5 km (14 miles)
Location: Somewhere around Watton-at-Stone and Dane End
Participants: Pip, Nikki, Lurch

Sunday saw Lurch, Mrs Pot and Robbo head off into the wilderness that had previously consumed Wol for 7 hours. Instead of adopting his lackadaisical approach to map reading, I decided to actually use the map and navigated us around 22.5k's in just over 4 hours - not bad seeing as we were time constrained to go Stag hunting later on today.

The walk proved to be most enjoyable even if visibility was poor. It is however a shame that farmers plough up the footpaths every year, then power harrow them in time for horses to walk across them meaning that we carried another 2 stone of claggy mud half the way round.
Still we made it all the way without getting chased by sheep - Lurch did get briefly followed by a fat pony for a while though.

We also learned today that its a good job Daniel is not our nutritionist. His idea of a high energy snack was a big bag of Walkers Sensations, he suggested that next time we take some beer for a break half way and in the final stretch for home he did manage to work out how to drink from his sports cap bottle.

A fine mornings exercise had by all, undone by beer and pizza for lunch and home in time to see the re-run of last nights big fight -
nice one Joe.

Pip.

Counting sheep...

Date: Sat 19th April

Distance: 32.8 km (20.4 miles)

Location: Watton, Wood End, Cottered, Great Munden, Haultwick, Dane End, Watton

Conditions: Cool, Raining at times, Muddy

Participants: Wol.

What should have been a 4 hr walk, ended up being nearly double that, and I've only got myself to blame (well, if really pushed, I could blame Pip as he supplied the maps, but I won't ...).

Started off at Watton-at-Stone armed with 2 maps - one that contained a small part of the start of the walk, and another with the rest mapped out. Fine.

After a while, I kind of forgot about the mapped walk and continued to navigate with the first map, which unfortunately had most of the Herts chain walks marked out on it. It was only after about 2.5 hours that I realised I was still heading away from the parked car and discovered my mistake. Oh well, a few extra kms wouldn't hurt...

However, I badly under-estimated how long it would take me to wind my way back, and was hindered at times by an inability to tie the map into the local area, and less than friendly animals. I'd seen no end of sheep fields, but at one stage I got trapped in the corner of a well populated field where I expected to find a stile but was faced instead with a barbed-wire fence. Looking down I noticed the skeletal remains of a sheep and wondered for a minute if I would suffer the same fate, stuck in a large field with no apparent exit...

At one stage, I came across a section of footpath where somone had fenced it in to graze sheep. This proved to be a slightly nervous moment as I had to pass (in very close proximity) some over-protective mother sheep with their lambs - it was at that point, in my panic to move on asap that I nearly lost my boot is some very deep "mud" that smelt awful. The sudden rain-shower soon washed that off though.

I got a little lost at times and had to keep re-adjusting where I was going in order to get back on track.

At Dane End, I started to struggle, my legs were getting a little heavy and I could feel a blister forming on each of my heels. I'd already polished off all my snacks (wasn't prepared for such a long slog) so energy levels were going through the floor. I did however manage to quicken the pace when a large horse trotted across a field to say "hello"... I had a different (and less friendly) greeting in my mind, but bit my tongue to avoid any reason for the horse to pay even more interest.

The last few miles were tough and I was sooo relieved to get back to the car. 7 hours on the dot and over 20 miles in the bag - I feel exhausted but chuffed. I've counted so many sheep today, I don't think I'll have trouble getting to sleep tonight...

Wol.

Lonesome Lurch...

Date: Tues April 15th
Distance: 6 km (3.7 miles)
Location: Hertford, Bengeo, Waterford

Participants: Lurch

Had 2 shocking days at work and can't get rid of my cold, needed to get out and do a walk to take my mind off things. Decided I needed a Hertford route that i could do in the evening and picked out a route that I hoped I could do in an hour. Set off at 6.45 pm just after putting son to bed and once again with the threat of storm clouds looming. Went off up Byde St, onto Bengeo St up to Sacombe Road, then along past Waterford Heath, down to Waterford and back past Goldings. The route was exactly 6km door-to-door and I did it in under 52 mins, which equates to virtually 7km/hour so I was pleased with that. Got pins and needles in my left foot from Waterford onwards which was a first, but felt it was a good leg stretch, and the rain more or less stayed away. Got my feet rubbed as a reward too.

Daniel.

Cat Feeding Challenge...

Date: Mon 14th April

Got home from work just as the heavens opened up and didn’t fancy the walk over to Gee’s. However as soon as it had started the rain had stopped. So put on my walking shoes, grabbed my brolly (in case it rained again and also for defence against any muggers in the underpass). Got the stop watch at the ready and started my attempt at Gee’s cat feeding challenge.

Felt a bit stiff to start with (I’m convinced sitting at a desk all day is bad for your health) and it took a while before the legs decided they wanted to work. By the time I got to Castle Hall I was flying. Like Richard Ashcroft in that video….

Did a time check before the underpass and realised I needed to step on it if I was going to beat Gee’s record time. Pushed up the slopes and round the final bend. Thought I’d blown it when nearly scuppered by a wayward tennis ball but made it in 19mins 12 secs. Smashed the record by some 19 secs! Then spent the next 5 minutes trying to catch my breath and not pop a lung. The cats didn’t want anything to do with me, maybe it was the heavy breathing or maybe they were just being cats.

Decided to take it easy on the way back partly due to the fact I was knackered and partly due to being stopped by a woman asking for directions – ‘can you tell me where Tesco’s is?’ my reply ‘Do you see that sign that says Tesco, that’s where it is’. Made it home in a leisurely 20 min 26 secs.
I now have another 7 chances of improving on the time but have decided to go into retirement. I’ve beaten the record and don’t think my body can cope with 7 more attempts at that pace. Gee threw down the gauntlet and I took him to the cleaners. What Gee didn’t realise is over a short distance my normal walking speed on the flat is about 6.5km per hour. I think he’s just been hustled…..

Nikki.

Night walk...

Date: Mon 14th April

Distance: 12.1 km (7.5 miles)

Location: Hertford, Ware

Conditions: Cold and Dark

Participants: Wol.

Felt a bit groggy this evening, so thought I'd get some fresh air and have a stab at "night-walking". Nothing very strenuous - just headed down the Ware Road and kept going until I arrived at the Great Amwell roundabout, then turned round and came back. A little further than I remember (I thought it was about 5.5 miles, but it ended up being 7.5), but a pleasent 2 hours brisk walk. Thankfully the streetlights and moonlight saved me from having to deploy the head-torch - that treat can wait for another time...

Wol.

An hour for a cup of tea...???

Date: Sun 13th April
Distance: 18.7 km (11.6 miles)
Location: Deacon Hill, Lilley, Pirton
Participants: Robbos, Gee, Lurch.

The morning saw an early frosty start to the day when Lurch, Gee and the Robbos met up for a re run of Wols Saturday adventure. The frost in this instance was generated by Mrs R as unbeknown to me I had apparently kept her awake by taking an hour to make a cup of tea after failing to make the pre walk curfew following an Oliver Reed style bender in London.


In my defence I had resisted the urge to demolish the rhubarb cake cooked for the walk and also didn't drink the half bottle of wine in the fridge - so if it was an hour, at least I behaved myself suffice from talking to the cats too loudly as well - the court ruled in my favour due to insufficient evidence - no case to answer to.

Fortunately the bright Sunday morning saw the frost lift as we started out on the Icknield Way - todays essential item missing from the kit bag were Rennies and chewing gum - Beaujolais for supper and egg sandwiches for breakfast did not work particularly well as a combination.


The walk itself was particularly enjoyable with a few hills thrown in, lots of tits zipping about in the hedgerows and highlight was the rhubarb cake stop. Lurch also excelled himself by doing 8 body pops allegedly in the style of press ups. I was disappointed that there were no takers for the gym class at the top of Deacon Hill but at one point we did manage a jog as Nik was trying to catch us up - a take on pulling away in the car when someone is trying to get in and equally as humorous - kids eh! We also now have a special date marked in Lurch's holiday calender - I'm sure that SMS technology will keep us up to date of progress.


3 hours fifteen minutes saw us get round the loop, finishing literally 2 minutes before the heavens opened. I was particularly impressed by my completing the walk and have been warned that any such pre walk drinking and curfew abuse will be met by a fine of two weeks wages. I'm not so much bothered by that when compared to the alternative threat of waking up cuddling the toilet brush for any future abuses.


Robbo.

Run to the hills...

Date: Sat 12th April
Distance: 18.7 km (11.6 miles)
Location: Deacon Hill, Lilley, Pirton
Conditions: Dry, Cool and Sunny
Participants: Wol.


The walk for this weekend was designed to get the heart pumping and get a bit of a sweat on - and it didn't disappoint. Armed with the map that Robbo/Nik kindly provided me (I'm not able to join the rest of the team on Sunday as I'm going with some of the family to watch the marathon), I headed off on my lonesome to rural Bedfordshire. The walk started at a rather early 8:30 (it seemed especially early after the late finish to Vorn's pool/poker session the night before), but the weather was fantastic - cool, dry and beautifully sunny.



Got stuck into it immediately by yomping up Deacon Hill and paused for a few moments to take in the views, then headed off along the ridge towards Pegdons Woods. Just at the point of re-joining the Icknield Way, I remembered Robbo talking about the loop that takes you down and up both sides of the valley, so while I was still blowing a bit from the quick jaunt up Deacon Hill, I gave it go. The return uphill was a real test compared to all previous walks and I guess this is the sort of work out that Mr Motivator (Robbo) is expecting us to do on a more regular basis (what joy).



After taking on some water, I continued and although the rest of the walk did contain some ups and downs, nothing really compared to what I had to endure in the first 45 minutes.
Had to administer some first aid after about 7 miles - walking in new-ish boots over more tricky ground had taken it's toll on my right heel, so I had to get the plasters out. After a quick patch-up though, I was back ontrack and able to step-up the pace - I was on a time limit as I needed to get back to take eldest to the Lane (to see a rather frustrating 1-1 draw with Boro).

All-in-all, a very enjoyable walk in good conditions and with more challenging terrain. 3 hours 31 minutes later, I was back at the car, and definetely feeling like I'd had a bit more of a workout....


Wol.

What on earth have you been doing...?

Friday 11th April

12.50 pm - looked out the office windows and saw dark satanic clouds overhead, but the lure of the walk was too strong and decided optimistically that they might pass and interfere with someone elses walk instead.

1.05 pm - 3 minutes into the walk I am wet to the core, and it's now started hail-stoning, absolutely pointless turning round though and recording the shortest walk in history (shorter than gee's car drive to orange even - how times change!).

1.45 pm - have just got back to the car - I am cold, my linen summer trousers are sticking to my legs like glue, I can't feel my hands, my waterproof jacket is full of water in its pockets, my scabby nose is running and people are looking at me a bit funny.

2.05 pm - this is the worst bit - I'm in the office and I'm trying to dry my legs with a portable heater and I unexpectedly get called into a meeting with the directors. I look like an urchin. First thing head boss says is 'what on earth have you been doing' - I try to explain but I can tell from his face what he's thinking and any chance of lurch going up the life ladder today have been well and truly scuppered. I decide not to try and sell him any rambling books today.

2.30 pm - sun's out.

I want a badge for that.

Daniel.

Pair of Bristols and a Brown Dog...

Tues 8th April

Took myself off for another Gunpowder Park walk this lunchtime as didnt manage to clock any miles up over the weekend, preferring to sit on the M4 on the way to Bristol in a massive traffic jam on the around Reading Services instead. Shouldnt really be walking at the moment as got a heavy cold and i feel a bit lame, not unlike the 4 national horses i picked that came nowhere on Saturday, but I found a strange pull towards the park and decided to risk it. No sooner had I started than Phil was badgering me to do a 'Robbo Boot Camp' in the park tonight. When I found out it involved press ups (personal best = 3) and chin ups ( PB = 0) it was an easy invitation to decline - I dont want to be pelted with dogshit and laughed at by Hartham Park teenagers. Need to rest my vocal chords anyway. Anyway got round the course in another PB, though that may be due to the ephedrine in my cold cure. Got mounted by an amorous brown dog halfway round too, so i must be looking well fit right now.

Daniel.

I haven't a scooby where we are...

Date: Sat 5th April
Distance: 15.4 km (9.6 miles)
Location: Hertford, Cole Green Way, Unknown, Little Berkhamsted.
Conditions: Bit muddy
Weather: Chilly, Raining at times.
Participants: Phil & Nikki, Gee, Family Wol.

"I haven't a scooby where we are" - as these words tumbled from Phil's mouth, so the map was thrown over his shoulder into the field behind. We'd reached a low point in our confidence of where we where and our ability to reconcile local landmarks to anything shown on the map.

Despite the slight hiccups in orienteering, this was one of most enjoyable walks I've participated in, once again discovering new areas of Hertfordshire, enjoying the good company, having a good laugh (in the main, I admit, at Phil's expense), and finishing off with a couple of pints in the pub.

We all met at HTFC and headed off down the Cole Green Way to Letty Green - so far, so good. We'd seen a muntjac and some rabbits, heard a woodpecker and to help maintain the kids' interest, Gee had helped them find some long walking sticks (he looked a bit like Gandalf with the hobbits jumping around him).

At Letty green, we left the Cole Green Way and walked a little way along the road with the intention of re-joining a public bridleway and heading off towards Howe Green. No problem, Phil was all over the OS map (he'd already pre-mapped out the walk, marked out the Herts chain walks, knew the distance and everything).

It's only when we realised that the heart of a working quarry may not be where you'd bring your horse for a quick trot, that we needed a review of where we were going.

After a quick reccy of the area, and no sign of the bridleway (and to be fair to Phil, this quarry was not marked on his map), we worked our way out and headed off down another track. This diversion did prove to be a big hit with the kids though - it was like a set from "Bob the Builder - the movie"...

After a few moments though, we were clearly not on course and Phil had to seek help from someone working in a nearby horse-farm (equestrian centre?). We were sent back from where we came, to the entrance of the quarry to take a different route and shortly we were back on the bridleway. Hurrah!

The end of the bridleway at a road not on our map once again plunged us into the unknown. We walked up the road for a bit, turned round, and walked back down the road. We had a quick snack-stop - of which there we many (it seems that as soon a kid's attention/interest wanes, they suddenly become starving). A little dog from a nearby farmhouse had joined us to warn us away from it's territory - fair enough - but then decided to join us for a while why we had our snack and re-checked the map, continuing to warn us off. This was a very quick stop, and good job really, as I think the dog was seconds away from being warned-off itself by the force of Phil's walking boot...
Anyway, we changed our strategy and decided to head for a tower that we could see (that could been one of two marked on the map). This positive move seemed to give Phil a bit of a boost and with map in hand he stepped up the pace and marched off down the footpath. When the footpath ended in an "unexpected" place, this was the moment that the map took flight and Phil acknowledged that he was clueless as to where we were.

Undeterred, we continued through the fields towards the tower, and once we'd encountered a road, Paula had a eureka moment and recognised where we were. Indeed, when this road came out on a more major thoroughfare, we had confirmation of our position, our location on the map, and our route home.

3 hrs 40 mins later, we were in the Black Horse, pouring over the map to work out where we'd been and enjoying a couple of well-deserved pints.

Note to oneself - must monitor the kids' jukebox selection in future...

Carl.

Lurch smashes his own personal world record...

Date: Thur April 3rd
Location: Gunpowder Park
Participants: Lurchio

Just finished another gunpowder loop, again with a disconcertingly sore left calf; managed to cut shoelace stops to just the once this time, though hindered my overall time by dropping all my change over the park grass, scrabbling around like a fool picking up the queen. Got back slightly disappointed as thought I was slower than last time, only when I checked time back at the office did I realise I'm in with a chance of beating Heather Mills in a head to head. Lopped 15 seconds off my pb for this particular walk.
On the way round was thinking about John and Shayne and the imminent arrival of little David Boon on Saturday morning, will it come out holding a lager? Maybe Sumo and lil' Sumo can try and beat Boon's record of 72 tinnies on a flight from Brisbane to London later this year. I was also contemplating an article I read at the weekend where robots will satisfy humans unfulfilled sexual needs by the year 2050. Seeing as I'll be 81 by then I'm not sure I'll bother saving up.

Daniel.

Parklife...

Date: Thur April 3nd

Distance: 5.5 km (3.4 miles)

Location: Berkeley Square, Hyde Park

Participants: Wol

Took an extended walk around Hyde park to further break-in the boots. Same route as last time, except I did a loop all around Hyde Park - a gorgeous day for perusing the green areas of London. Shame I had to go to back the office...

Wol.

These boots were made for walking...

Date: Wed April 2nd
Distance: 2.5 km (1.5 miles)
Location: Berkeley Square, Hyde Park
Participants: Wol

Took a quick 23 min walk at lunch-time to break in some new boots. Left the office and headed off to Hyde Park where I skirted the NE edge of the park and then returned via Grosvenor Square, past the gun-toting coppers outside the US embassy, back to the office. Extremely uneventful and brief, but the new boots seem a promising acquisition and didn't cause me any problems - good job really, as we'll be spending quite a lot of time together...

Wol.

Off like a rocket...

Date: Tue April 1st
Location: Gunpowder Park
Paticipants: Lurchio

Just done my bi-weekly lunchtime gunpowder plot walk, from Gunpowder Park down to the Plough at Sewardstone, across to Enfield Lock then back up to the Abbey. Sunday's excursion is playing on my left calf but I put down a fair pace - just missed my PB but that was down to the windy weather and a couple of shoelace stops. Still can't do them up properly at 39. Jo double knotted my boots on Sunday and it took 10 minutes, a huff, and a pair of scissors to get them off.

Daniel