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Monthly Archives: December 2011
Walks And Walking – Quendon Hall Essex Deer Park
Walks And Walking – Quendon Hall Essex Deer Park
We were lucky enough to be invited to a wedding over Christmas at the Parklands Quendon Hall Essex.
Now, I would not normally post family wedding articles on this website but there was a large deer park amongst the woodland settings which was a real surprise and treat. I spent most of the day popping in and out of the building to try and get some really good photgraphs and a short video of the deers. As the evening set in the deers came closer and closer to the walls of the garden so I did manage to get one or two really good photographs.
Seeing deers so close up was great but I still much prefer trying to find wild deers in places like Epping Forest than in an enclosure, still, they had plenty of space to roam around and all looked very happy. As all the grown ups were getting ready for the wedding ceremony or chatting over drinks Tedi and I were out exploring and trying to get the best viewpoints.
Quendon Hall Essex Deer Park Stags
Quendon Hall Essex Deer Park
Quendon Hall Essex Deer Park Stag Ancient Woodland
Quendon Hall Essex Deer Park Stag
About Quendon Hall
Quendon is thought to be named after an Old English translation of “Queen that owns the valley”. Quendon Hall deer park is the only remaining medieval deer park in Essex that still contains deers. Over the decades each family that has owned the original manor house and then the newly constructed Hall, I say newly but it was originally rebuilt within the enclosure in about 1645, maintained the estate and the deer population. It is a lovely well maintained set of buildings with plenty of grounds, elegant rooms with bathrooms almost as large as the bedrooms.
Walks And Walking – Hatfield Forest Christmas Eve 2011
Walks And Walking – Hatfield Forest Christmas Eve 2011
To celebrate Christmas Eve this year with Tedi we decided on an early morning trip to Hatfield Forest for “Pig in a Poke” and Mulled Wine for breakfast.
Here are our photos, shame it did not snow but at least we got to see the wild mistletoe. I say wild, but as it is a parasite I am sure all of it is wild, although I did see a news report about how mistletoe is grown and then auctioned.
Wild Mistletoe Hatfield Forest Walks Walking Routes December 2011 Christmas Eve
The Wild Mistletoe Hatfield Forest Walks Walking Routes December 2011 Christmas
Hatfield Forest Walks And Walking Routes December 2011 Christmas Eve
Hatfield Forest is an ancient woodland, a rare surviving example of a medieval royal hunting forest, of great historical and ecological importance currently managed by the National Trust.
Click this link for more information about Hatfield Forest National Trust
About Hatfield Forest
Hatfield Forest is unique in that it has survived intact, with written records over the last 9 centuries, not only by Kings, but landowners, tenants and peasants.
Hatfield Forest was mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086. It belonged to King Harold passing to William the Conqueror after his defeat at the battle of Hastings. It is probable that Henry I created Hatfield Forest as a Royal Hunting Forest in around 1100AD and introduced fallow deer to the land.
The name Hatfield Forest comes from the Anglo-Saxon word Hoep-Field.Its modern meaning is ‘heathfield’; ‘Hoep’ meaning heathland, and ‘field’ meaning not field, but open space in sight of woodland.
David and Tedi Hatfield Forest Walks Walking Routes December 2011
Mary Hatfield Forest Walks Walking Routes December 2011
Hatfield Forest Walks Walking Routes December 2011 Christmas Eve
Walks And Walking – Latest Offers From Snow+Rock Outdoor Clothing
Walks And Walking – Latest Offers From Snow+Rock Outdoor Clothing
For all of the latest offers please visit the Walks And Walking Shop
Snow+Rock offers the best value, quality and customer service for walking boots, walking clothes and walking accessories keeping you safe on mountain walking routes, ski and snowboarding trips. For the very best competitive offers, top products, massive choice, huge stock and the latest “Deal of the Week”.
Snow+Rock Walking, Climbing, Hiking, Trekking and Outdoor Clothing
About Snow+Rock
Snow+Rock are the UK’s No.1 ski clothing and equipment retailer with 23 stores nationwide.
Snow+Rock have been in the wintersports business for nearly 30 years.
Snow+Rock love what they do and only employ people who are passionate about winter and outdoor sports.
Snow+Rock guarantee that the Snow+Rock brand and the brands that they carry are the best, stocking Kjus, Schoffel, Eider, Spyder, DC’s, Burton, Westbeach and many more including The North Face and Salomon.
Snow+Rock have friendly, trained and knowledgeable staff available to assist their customers, both in-store and online at their UK call centre, 7 days a week.
75% Discount Offer Craghoppers Outdoor Clothing – The Hidden Temple
75% Discount Offer Craghoppers Outdoor Clothing – The Hidden Temple
Craghoppers are adding new lines of outdoor clothing, trousers, tops, t-shirts, fleeces, walking poles and hats to their Hidden Temple range and to help promote these new lines Craghoppers are offering up to 75% off.
For all of the latest offers please visit the Walks And Walking Shop
You will find walking clothes, walking boots, walking accessories for all your walking routes and all sorts of suprises in store ranging from waterproofs, the classic Craghoppers walking trousers, t-shirts and tops, fleeces and many more bargains with limited stock and sizes but a price to make the hunt for treasure a great reward. The Hidden Temple gives you the opportunity to try products that you may not have tried at the normal full price with products from Craghoppers past seasons clothes and colours. I have just checked out the range and there are some really good bargains.
Craghoppers The Hidden Temple
Have you heard of the Craghoppers Hidden temple range?
Well, as Craghoppers offer superb quality world travel clothing they have launched a brand new Hidden Temple range. Deep in the jungles of time where the light is golden and long shadows are cast against the crumbling walls of an ancient temple therein lies Craghoopers clothes, gear and accessories from p[ast seasons. Around the inner sanctum of the temple are a myriad of archways and winding corridors leading your exploration to classic Craghoppers kit packed to the hilt in very limited editions and numbers.
Craghoppers offers quality walking, hiking, camping and outdoors gear and outdoors clothing year after year that last for years and years! Please also subscribe to my RSS or my email list for regular updates!
Walks And Walking – Latest Offers From Ellis Brigham Mountain Sports
Walks And Walking – Latest Offers From Ellis Brigham Mountain Sports
For all of the latest offers please visit the Walks And Walking Shop
Ellis Brigham Mountain Sports Latest Offers
Ellis Brigham offers the best value, quality and customer service for walking boots, walking clothes and walking accessories keeping you safe on mountain walking routes, ski and snowboarding trips. For the very best competitive offers, top products, massive choice, huge stock and continuing competitions please visit Ellis Brigham in the Walks And Walking Shop.
About Ellis Brigham
Ellis Brigham was born in 1933, the brainchild of Frederick Ellis Brigham, who set up business making cycling shoes and walking boots in a tiny ‘two up, two down’ building on the outskirts of Manchester.
After the war, as mountain walking and climbing became more and more popular, the shop began to sell ex-WD climbing equipment and Brigham’s boots with their special nailing patterns became very sought after.
Fast forward almost 80 years and Ellis Brigham now has 24 shops across the UK and a leading website, making it the UK’s premier retailer for ski hardware, mountaineering equipment and outdoor clothing.
Still a family-owned business, today Ellis Brigham stocks a huge variety of outdoor clothing and equipment from more than 100 of the world’s best brands including The North Face, Berghaus and Salomon.
Walks And Walking – Cornwall Walks Looe To Polperro Circular Walking Route
Walks And Walking – Cornwall Walks Looe To Polperro Circular Walking Route
Looe to Polperro is one of my favourite Cornwall walks mainly due to it being, apart from the Looe River walking route, the only walk to do along this section of the South West Coastal Path of any note. The title Looe to Polperro circular walking routes suggests a walk of extra interest but it should just be titled “Looe to Polerro and back”.
However, the photographs of this walk speak for themselves and for all the photographs from this walking route please click here: Looe to Polperro Walk
Looking down to Talland Bay – Looe Polperro Walking Route Cornwall Walks – Walks And Walking
We awoke to an amazing sunrise and planned to walk to Polperro from West Looe for a spot of lunch at The Three Pilchards pub, a favourite of ours that does a great crab sandwich and local ale. It’s such an easy walk to follow along the South West Coastal Path that you can relax and take the steep climbs, rocky tracks and stream crossings at your leisure whilst breathing in that clean, crisp and fresh Cornish air.
From West Looe we walked up to Hannafore and upon entering the fields through the gate we met grazing cattle on our way up to the Lamanna Chapel. After stopping to read the information board we walked back down the hill to rejoin the main pathway to Polperro following the yellow waymakers for the rest of this walking route.
With Looe Island, looking like a vibrant green oasis, out to our left we continued walking to Talland Bay as the pathway undulated along by the flat calm sea below. We then walked steeply up to the war memorial at the top of the next hill. At Talland Bay there are three signposts; one says Polperro is one and a half miles, the next says Polperro is one and a quarter miles and the last National Trust Talland Cliffs signpost said its two miles to Polperro. This is always a source of our amusement.
Beautiful Polperro – Looe Polperro Walking Route Cornwall Walks – Walks And Walking
We continued our walk along the South West Coastal Path passing many ramblers, walkers, locals and tourists until we reached the top of Polperro Harbour where we then walked down the pathway in to Polperro and around to The Three Pilchards pub. The ale was as good as ever and the crab sandwiches were just as good as remembered.
As the weather was so good we decided to walk back the way we came to enjoy the splendid views once again noticing how the number of canoeists almost matched the number of walkers in the sea below us. The heat from the sun glaring off the sea was an absolutely lovely feeling as we walked back to Looe stopping off at the first pub we came to; Tom Sawyer. A quick check to make sure our walking boots weren’t too muddy and we were in, at the bar and with a Tribute in hand in a matter of moments!
This made this walking route a respectable 10 miles taking us just under a total of 4 hours walking time to complete.
Walks And Walking – Cornwall Walks Bodmin Moor The Hurlers Walking Route
Walks And Walking – Cornwall Walks Bodmin Moor The Hurlers Walking Route
Bodmin Moor is one of the recommended Cornwall walks as it is steeped in history and mystery.
The history being one of smallest, mildest and most accessible of Cornwall’s great moors and The Hurlers which is one of the regions finest prehistoric sites. Not to mention the various tors, disused quarries, cairns, hut circles, field sytems, settlements and, of course, the Cheesewring.
The mystery being the Beast of Bodmin Moor whom farmers claim has been mauling their livestock since 1980 but to this day there has never been any conclusive evidence that such a beast exists.
All the photographs from this walking route can be seen here: Bodmin Moor Images
There is a short video to watch here: Bodmin Moor Video
Disused Quarry 3 The Hurlers Walking Route Bodmin Moor Cornwall Walks - Walks And Walking
So, we had our walking poles at the ready just in case we did meet the Beast of Bodmin Moor as we set out on our walking route that started at the Minions car park. At the bottom of the car park we walked up the steps by the left of The Hurlers information board to then walk right on to the main track to The Hurlers and a Disused Quarry that we had heard about.
At this stage I wasn’t wildly excited about a Disused Quarry but I was assured it was quite spectacular. It was very muddy and extremely windy so I had my windproof jacket on and was a little annoyed I had forgotten my gaiters. My walking boots still hadn’t recovered from previous walks that week and were still a bit damp.
The Hurlers were just ahead of us to the right as we walked up passed The Pipers Staning Stones on our left hand side. After a few quick photos we continued our walking route up to the Disused Quarry where we took the left hand fork when the path had split three ways. Looking to our right hand side we could see the Cheesewring at the top of Stowe’s Hill but that treat was for later.
We then walked up to the Disused Quarry where my jaw dropped at such a find. I’ve been to Bodmin Moor about three times before and have never ventured over to this area before and the map did nothing to highlight such a beauty spot. The water was crystal clear and walking in to the Quarry there was such a peaceful silence and aura of utter calmness. I took plenty of photos and took a quick video of the Disused Quarry before we then set off again for the rest of our walking route.
From the Disused Quarry we then headed North West to walk between two trees in the middle of Bodmin Moor and on to the remains of Settlements and field systems. There were no distinct pathways on this part of the moor so we then headed diagonally down to our right hand side to the edge of farmalnd and down to Witheybrook Marsh. We took the time to look back to our left to see the outskirts of Siblyback Lake Reservoir. As we reached the stone wall we turned right to follow it down to the marsh but due to the very heavy rain and damp conditions we skirted around the top of the marsh and crossed over the metal gate on our left. Walking carefully along what we thought might be private farmland we continued to walk all the way along the tracks following Withey Brook.
The final stages of this section took a bit of careful navigation through the gorse and long grass until we reached the end of the farmland where we turned right to cross the river and walked up to the embankment. We then climbed the embankment and walked up to Trewortha and the adjacent farmland perimeter to cross over the lane and up towards Trewortha Tor where we then started to walk to our right hand side and up to Hawk’s Tor.
From Hawk’s Tor we headed back down to recross the lane and head towards Twelve Mens Moor and Kilmar Tor. Although at a good height the mist had descended so we couldn’t really see much. We then walked around the base of Bearah Tor as our legs were getting a little weary and we need tro save then for the ascent to the Cheesewring. We then walked around to the left of Sharp Tor to encounter a heard of furry cattle before we descended down to Wardbrook Farm at Sharptor. We continued straight down through the open gates until we reached the farm and a very friendly farmer who allowed us to walk staright through to begin our walk up Stowe’s Hill and the Cheesewring which we tackloed straight on.
The Disused Quarry on Stowe’s Hill is fenced off with barbed wire but we still managed a quick peak over the top to see quite a sharp drop below. After catching our breath and mooching round the Cheesewring for photos we then took the distinct narrow pathway down to join a junction of paths. We then took the second path on our right hand side to walk back towards The Hurlers. Just after the small pocket of water at the Disused Mine Shafts we took the left hand path that we had walked up earlier to walk down to The Hurlers and back to the car park.
We filled up with energy at the beginning of the day with a large pasty each and that had seemed to keep us going. As we took our muddy boots off at the picnic bench we went halves on the extra one we bought reflecting on a good 8 miles of hard walking which took us just over 4 hours.
UK Walking Routes 