Sculpture Trail - Fat Girl Walking

I'm really getting into the hill walking round here.  I was saying to GO just the other day, I remember complaining about how steep Ladder Hill in Wheatley was, but compared to some of the "mountains" round here it was a "molehill".  I find that I can walk for miles and miles on the flat but the minute the gradient goes up I start to struggle.    This is why I have tried to incorporate lots of hill walking into my repertoire.  They are difficult, they are killers but they are always worth it.  None more so then the Pendle Sculpture trail we went on this past weekend.  It was a warmish, sunny day.  I had picked up a few walking books and leaflets from the Tourist information Centre in the middle of Tod and had seen the Sculpture trail leaflet, I had seen it a few weeks before and I decided to check it out.

http://letswalkinpendle.btck.co.uk/thependlesculpturetrail

"The Pendle Sculpture Trail has ten ceramic plaques. Each has its own unique symbols which represent each of the Pendle people who were hanged 400 years ago in the biggest witchcraft trial in this country."  

We downloaded the guide, parked at the suggested car park in the village of Barley and set off, the get to the trail its about a mile through the village, past the green and two very full pubs.  I did feel sorry for the villagers having all of these ignorant tourists descending on the weekend of the bank holiday.  I have to admit that I did feel slightly smug, as I have just left Oxford where the bank holidays mean that you, a local/resident, can not do anything with out having to queue or barge through groups of tourists.  We carried towards the trail passing by the two reservoirs, over looked the entire time by the Pendle Hill.  "One day..."  I muttered to myself.  I have decided that one day I will ascend that hill, not by car, by foot.  I know it won't be a quick journey but I am determined that it will be under my own steam.  Just got to do a bit of research on the walk first.  For warned it fore armed and all that.

As we walked through the village and then off towards the trail, I thought I'd better phone home, just in case I didn't get back in time to Skype.  "The guide book says it takes three hours to complete the trail, we'll probably take four hours, if you don't hear from us by then we're lost".  We all laughed, (it turned out it only took us just over two hours and we stopped for a snack break)  only the day before I had heard in the news about a lady who had gone of the path on the Appalachian trail to pee and got so lost, that she wasn't seen alive again.  It made me think, its never a bad thing to let people know where you are.

We made it the start of the sculpture trail, we both knew it was in the woods on the hill, but neither of us had thought about what that would mean to two slightly unfit walkers.  I strode off at speed, I am obviously the more experienced walker, I made it  about 100 yards when I had to stop and catch my breath.  In my defense.....  It was a hot day, in fact the hottest I have ever experienced north of the M25.  I gathered myself and set off at more of a leisurely pace, and soon we have made it to the summit and so began the treasure trail.  The sculptures were clearly plotted on the guide, but what they looked like in 2D and what they looked like in real life made quite difficult to determine whether we were looking at a sculpture or a dead tree, some were obvious, others were so well hidden we couldn't find them.


Quaker Tree

Witch Finder

Ceramic Column

Reconnected 1

Reconnected 2

The Gate Way

Life Circle

Living wall

Two bats (look up)

Tree Roots

Spirits of the Wood

Spider on the Web (couldn't find)

Sleeping bat (look up)

Three Bats in Flight  (look up)

Owl

Then the

Bronte Falls - Fat Girl Walking

I'd heard about it in the staffroom, I'd seen it on Instagram, I'd driven past it on my way home from work nearly everyday.  Today I decided to go an visit the Bronte Waterfalls.  GO and I hopped in the car, we didn't really take anything with, on a normal walk we'd be laden down with backpacks, wet water gear, and other such supplies.  This was only a quick walk, it was just off the main road.....

"I intended to have written a line yesterday, but just as I was sitting down for that purpose, Arthur called to me to take a walk. We set off, not intending to go far; but though wild and cloudy it was fine in the morning; when we got about half-a-mile on the moors, Arthur suggested the idea of the waterfall; after the melted snow, he said it would be fine. I had often wished to see it in its winter power, so we walked on. It was fine indeed; a perfect torrent racing over the rocks, white and beautiful!"

Charlotte Bronte, November 29th 1854

Well it seems, dear reader (I'm getting a bit carried away with the Bronteness of it all), I am the Arthur of this family.  I knew there was a waterfall, what I didn't know was just how far away it was.  2 miles, that isn't far.  It isn't far at all, but over hill and dale it can get a bit tiring.

I'll walk where my own nature would be leading: It vexes me to choose another guide. Emily Bronte

We walked past meadows and over the tops in the most glorious sunshine, there was the ever present cloud looming and multiplying over head, a constant reminder that I had dared to hang out my washing on a Sunday, but it was an idyllic day.  We/I wasn't really sure where we were going, as is the norm, I had googled a bit, but I was basically following two hiker shaped objects in front of us.    I wouldn't acknowledge GO's concerns that they had packs and supplies and we had a camera and my handbag.

We made it and it was, while glorious might be too grand a word, lovely.  I have read on the website (that I discovered on our return) that he best time to visit falls is just after rainfall, as they look spectacular.  When we arrived the area was full of hikers and families enjoying the sunshine and tucking in to their very British picnics.  As we didn't even have a bottle of water (I know, I know), our feelings of annoyance may have in actual fact been feelings of jealousy.

We made our way back, planning to one day return and to attempt the Top Within' trail, we seem to always decided to try another trail on the way home from a trail we are on.  Promising ourselves that the next hike we try would be well provisioned.  There is nothing like a cup of coffee and a biscuit that you have lugged all the way from home in a stainless steel cylinder.  We enjoyed the walk back to the car, we didn't have the feeling of anticipation that you have when you head out somewhere new, but we had the joy of knowing that this glorious, wonderful countryside and all of the epic scenery around us, was only ten minutes from our front door.

Facebook profile - of course

I found a spot to chill

It's a shame, but he didn't fall in, I didn't even try

Plans for the future

Posers

Biggest sky I have seen in a while.

I will tell you the tale of this sheep and her lamb, one day.

More info about Haworth, The Bronte's and just a brainy quote or two;

http://www.haworth-village.org.uk/brontes/places/bronte_falls.asp

Read more at: http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/e/emilybront385392.html

Time to get fit, and I mean it this time

I have recently come to the conclusion that I am a slow burn when it comes to new ideas. Although I jump on the bandwagon with new things, especially at work, quite quickly, I often then slowly realise that I don't like it and try to get off.   This has been my approach to fitness in recent years. 

I try something decided I love it, invest in all of the equipment/membership and then by the third session fall out of love, or get bored, and I find I am stuck with it.  I either let it go to waste or would just try to ignore it.   Gym membership.....

Which is why I have put off writing this post.

A case in point, was my decision to walk 1000 miles this year.  I bought the boots, a new coat, poles and lots of books (even though you can get the information for free on the internet).   By March I realised that I was never going to make it to 1000 miles, just making it 10 100 miles would be an achievement enough, I wasn't doing enough during the week to add to my mileage.  I should just give up and not bother!

While I would normally have stopped altogether and chalked it up to experience. Something in me didn't want to stop, I know 1000 miles this year is not going to happen, how long would it take me to walk 1000 miles I wonder? I found an app that has helped my keep count.  While I am not out every weekend, I am out, often, and my walks are getting longer.

Now I was out and moving at the weekends, keeping me busy while G.O was at work. What about the rest of the week? As a supply teacher I am now getting home for 4/4.30 pm almost every night (except for staff meetings).  Whereas  I used to come home at 6/7 pm, and would eat, shower, sleep, then go back to work.  I was now finding myself with 6 or 7 hours to kill before I went to bed.  What to do?  

What ever I decided to it would improve my PCOS fight, it couldn't  hurt to lose a few pounds, get fit and hopefully have a bit of fun.

I began with a Zumba class on a Monday, 6.30-7.30 pm, I used to hate going at that time because, I could never make it.  It was fun, intense and hard work to begin with, the class was rammed every week.  £5.00 per person and there were about 50 people, is a very happy instructor.  Each week I pushed myself a little bit more, the day after I would feel the pain, I loved it.

Shortly after I began to look around for another aerobics class to fill in my time.  I found one at a local primary school, I went along but it was too intense and the instructor was very severe.  I didn't want to lose my motivation so I looked elsewhere.  At school I mentioned my lack of classes and in particular yoga classes (except use and stress relief in one go, bonus!), as I was pointed in the direction of Tara Yoga.  

It is a one hour hatha yoga drop in class, and fits the bill for me.  It's relaxing and not too strenuous. Rather than doing moves that flow into each other, you hold poses for a long time.  Giving your body a chance to really stretch.

To supplement my zumba and yoga sessions I also swim during the week.  For the first time in my life I feel healthier, toned and I believe I am getting fitter each week.  I have definitely started to move more and eat less and it is having an impact.  I should have done this years ago...