[Floss the dog]

Spring will be sprunging very shortly.
Should we be celebrating with a meet ?

Suggestions ???

[Martyn Wells]

And ditto midlands too...

[Andy Mayhew]

How about the Malverns on the 3rd March? Asuming it's not too wet .....

Some of us need a bit of exercise in prep for another event later this year!

[Martyn Wells]

Sounds ideal; I'm available

[Floss the dog]

Me too, I'll bring my wellies and canoe.......

Are you saying Evesham Andy ? Thought it was Akkan's turn !
Anymore for the skylark ?
Looking at the member's map it seems there are a few within reasonable distance. Hereford. London. Buckingham. Maybe even Brum, Northampton & Bath.
If travelling a distance check out Megatrain.com Book in advance, tickets from £1

Is this a definite?

Thread title change ?

This post has been edited by Floss the dog: 13 February 2013 - 21:33

[Andy Mayhew]

Floss the dog, on 13 February 2013 - 21:30, said:

Are you saying Evesham Andy ? Thought it was Akkan's turn !

Aye, that is true. But the Malverns are nearer Worcs that Evesham I was just thinking that Martin and I could probably do with a sightly more serious walk in prep for June And with luck we may get a nice spring day with some fine views from the oldest hills in England.

I'll move these to a new thread.

[Andy Mayhew]

The first of our Midlands meets in 2013. All welcome!

[Floss the dog]

Huff pant puff.....caught up with the new thread. Gasp.

Yes, I'm in.

A hike sounds good, but I'm not in practice for a major expedition. Can you give us some idea of what you are thinking.
Understood that training is required for Martyn's Big Summer Bash, but I can't manage that sort of trek. Maybe 8 miles-ish ok for me these days.

Looking forward to it.....

[Martyn Wells]

More like 5 miles; up to the beacon and then 3 other hill tops and back to town; about 1,500' of ascent in total; you'll manage Tony

[skanky]

You can do the Link to Beacon top and back in under two hours. Once you're up the initial bit it's pretty easy (unless you're going up from the cut, in which case it's a longer, steady ascent). Always take in the Sugarloaf and North Hill. The latter is my favourite. Then finish off in the Nags Head.

Can't make it unfortunately, but would have been good if it had coincided with one of my trips over there.

[akkan]

I can do 3 March.
Not sure about the Malverns as my hip is playing up, - flat and downhill is OK, uphill is problematical, but I have to do an 8 mile and a 10 mile walk round here before then so it will probably be a last minute decision based on how my leg is. Gives me 2 weeks to do my exercises properly

[Andy Mayhew]

I should explain: I said the Malverns because I was already planning a walk over them that day anyway as I like to do a hill on or around my birthday (which is the next day)

There's a reasonable route from Malvern Link that isn't too strenuous or with too much steep ascent that we could do, with those who wish waiting below the summit of Worcestershire Beacon whilst the rest of us run to the top Should take no more than 2 hours at the very most. The steep bit is the descent down into Malvern!

However, if folk would prefer a more level walk, I'm happy to change accordingly.

Be nice if one or two other folk could make it and offer their opinions? You even get to meet a BBC1 TV star!

[Floss the dog]

I'm assuming start / finish is in Gt Malvern, not Worcester. Is that right.
Trains ok - 9:58 from Oxford arrive GtM 11:46
Return 19:11 from GtM arrive Oxford 20:48

If Akkan finds it a problem is there an alternative flatter route? Maybe a last minute decision on which is appropriate.

Please arrange the weather to be as today's, and it will be perfect !


EDIT Our posts crossed Andy - you are ahead of me already !

This post has been edited by Floss the dog: 14 February 2013 - 20:39

[skanky]

I expect Andy and Martyn know all this anyway, but I'll mention it.

There are alternatives - there's a steady and not too difficult route up from Wyche cut, or a short walk up to British Camp (a hill fort), aka Herefordshire Beacon. Both will require driving though. If you're walking from the Link, you should look for trains to Malvern Link. I recommend the Nags Head if you are at that end (don't swear though).

http://binged.it/VhyfUM

[Martyn Wells]

Sugar loaf and north hill are lovely extensions from the beacon and less congested.
The route up to the beacon via the gold mine is ok ish; the approach Andy suggest much more sensible. On a clear day you can see for miles, given the relatively flat river valleys to the east (Severn, Avon), west (Teme) and south (wye), even if you don't make the beacon. And all of the paths are stable; no shale in sight

Oh, and I was going to bring along my partner to get her in training for our summer walk. She's proper Malvern through and through!

[skanky]

Yeah my parents live in the Link so I normally go up North hill by the quarry, or up Happy/Green valley. North hill is my favourite one.

[Martyn Wells]

North hill is the final challenge to take on when Andy and I walk the worcestershire way in June; approaching from Herefordshire side, after 29 hours of walking.
It won't be my favourite later this year.

[akkan]

In general it's not a problem as I've waked along various bits of the Malverns since I was 8, out the two alternatives that Martyn gives the British Camp is somewhere I'd rather stay away from as the steps are designed badly being wide and shallow.

If you're going at a reasonable speed (ie not too fast!) I should be fine, as I said, I'll do my exercises several times a day beforehand instead of just once a day.


And Martyn, do you mean 29 hours of walking or are you taking it gently?

[Martyn Wells]

I meant 29 miles of walking when I walk the Worcestershire way for my charity in June!

[Floss the dog]

The world is shrinking - it was 31 miles the last I heard