26 August 2016

Travellin' Light

Last year I walked from Edinburgh to Glasgow along the towpaths of the Union and Forth and Clyde canals. It was only about 50 miles miles and almost totally flat and it nearly killed me. Well it nearly killed my knees. By the time we reached the end of the walk I was existing on a diet of ibuprofen and whisky and vowed never to do another multi day walk again that wasn't supported by baggage carriers. That was until May this year when we decided to take a shot at the first few days of the Cape Wrath Trail.

Not known as Britain's toughest long distance trail for nothing the CWT is an unofficial, unmarked route from Fort William to Cape Wrath. There are a number of possible ways to go and we chose the Great Glen option, walking along the Great Glen Way to Inverarnan then heading north west to Strathcarron. 

This allowed us to find accommodation each night without carrying a tent but which ever way you walk the Cape Wrath Trail there is no baggage support. Everything we needed had to be  carried. I realised that I'd been lulled by the nature of the towpath walk into thinking it would be easy so I'd rammed everything I thought I might need into my pack and hoped for the best - change of clothes for the evening - check, lipstick - check, address book for postcards home - check. I wasn't going to make the same mistake twice. If me and my knees were going to survive we were going to have to travel light. So here it is. My kit list for the Cape Wrath Trail.

2 walking poles
1 rucksack with waterproof cover
1 waterproof jacket
1 hat
1 pair gloves
1 pair waterproof over trousers
2 pairs walking trousers
2 tops
1 fleece
1 sports bra
3 pairs knickers
2 pairs liner socks
2 pairs walking socks
1 pair boots
1 pair crocs
toothbrush
toothpaste
comb
moisturiser
washing flakes
midge repellant
first aid kit
bivvi survival blanket
maps
kindle
phone & charger
money, cards& tickets





The whole lot including my rucksack weighed just over 6 kilos and when I added food, water and flask each day I still set off each morning carrying no more than 7.5 kilos. 

Result! 

I managed fine for the 10 days we were away, washing tops, socks and undies as needed and although I've never been so pleased to see anything more than a bit of lippy when I got home my knees said - thank you and they meant it!






16 August 2016

Victoria Square

In the second half of the 19th century Titus Salt famously built Saltaire. Not personally of course, in fact I doubt he even picked up a shovel. He created a model village consisting the mill, homes, shops, bath-houses, a school, hospital and church. He also saw fit to include a Club and Institute, the building that we call Victoria Hall today. It was completed in 1871 and housed a library, reading room, chess and draughts room, a smoking room, billiards room, lecture theatre, concert hall, rifle range and a gym. As Titus Junior said, it should supply all the advantages of a public house without its evils. 

The space outside the hall was known as Victoria Square and marked at each corner by the four lions, War, Peace, Vigilance and Determination. The square itself has been long forgotten, busy traffic on Victoria Road has made sure of that - until now. 

Bradford Council has recently completed work along Victoria Road including the restoration of the square as a cobbled area outside the hall. It's a great addition to Saltaire and a perfect place to start walking A Dales High Way. Start your walk with Determination and finish at Peace.