Boxing Day - Staplehay to Pitminster

A circular walk around the fields to Pitminster and back to Staplehay.  The snow still lies on the ground and is powder soft.  Val, John, Rich, Kat, Bec, Dave and Teresa plus Honey and Bob slide along the road towards the first stile into a field

Heading for the bridge over the M5

He's behind you!!!

The walk was 5 km , very flat walk compared to those in Devon.

Bob barking encouragement!!

Walking back from Pitminster

Bec's best friend

Taunton - East Deane Way Friday 24th December 2010

Christmas Eve - in Taunton with inlaws.  had to get out for a walk!   Bob and Dave went for walk watched over by snowman

Why is he looking so pleased with himself?!!

  

snow, snow and more snow

why won't you play with me??????

motorway bridge (m5)in background. which way dad??

confused looking dog

summer house in winter

reached the manor house

Quantocks in the background

Route was 5 miles so an average walk.

At last, a decent meal!!! ( had to cook it myself!!)

Jennycliff - Turnchapel - Oreston - Saltram - Wednesday 22nd December 2010

Dave finished work yesterday for the christmas holidays, so planned this walk.  It is bitterly cold and the snow has melted, then froze again, making walking quite a challenge!  But that's what he's taken on, so it must all be for his good, in the end!   As I am getting over a cold, and am a wimp when it comes to walking on ice, I dropped Dave and Bob off at Jennycliff.  The plan was to walk the coast path around Mount Batten, Turnchapel, Hooe Lake, back beside the Plym, along the Saltram path called The Ride and home.

View from the car park at Jennycliff

Dunstone Point where you can see Mount Batten breakwater and the Hoe

Dunstone Point looking towards Mount Edgecombe with Drake's Island on the far right.

looking back to Dunstone Point

Mount Batten Tower & the keeper

Mount Batten Breakwater

 Every July, the fireworks for the competition are set out on this breakwater.

View of Jennycliff from breakwater

The Aquarium can be seen from here

Plymouth Hoe

Shouldn't that be ' I am sailing'  ????

Clovelly Bay

The village of Turnchapel with a very nice local pub

Hooe Lake

Hooe Lake one side, Radford Lake the other

Still Hooe Lake

Yes, you ARE sinking!!

Laira Bridge

 The path runs along the river and leads to the beach, and the path along Saltram grounds again. 

This scanned picture of the map isn't very clear but it can give you an idea of the coast path which runs around the city.  The green dotted line at the bottom of the page is the route Dave took.  He recorded 14700 paces on his pedometer which he says is about 7 miles.  Bob was certainly tired when they got back.

The Park - Sunday 19th December 2010

54 days to go!!  Thank you everyone for donating to the causes. Dave and Rich are taking their training seriously.

Still very cold here, some flurry of snow this morning, but nothing else.  Dave's injections for the trip have kicked in as he was a little under the weather.  It was to be expected, especially after the busy week he had.

So just a really short walk, the usual morning walk that Bob gets before breakfast, only today, we went at 3!
Crossing the main road, and walking over the railway bridge.  It was really icy on the metal bridge but we made it.

Do you see the moor hen?

Linketty Lane

Crossing the road to the park.  I am way behind, as I am trying not to slip.

The Park, St Mary's church and the new housing estate in the distance

Hardwick Woods on the horizon

You can see the moors covered in snow from here

Bob finds a playmate

A beautiful sky

St Mary's Church

Back towards Vicarage rd

The ice has not melted today

Back home safely ( just)  I nearly slipped down here

The forecast for next week doesn't seem to be any better. Good job most of our christmas shopping has been done!