Trig points OS Sheet 91 - Jardine's farm and Windrigg Hil

Tuesday 6th August 2019 - Jardine's Farm - NY 606 351 - 150m.
                                              
Windrigg Hill - NY 583 177 313m.

Showers were foecast. I put washing out on the line to dry before I departed at 9:00 am. The weather was fine. I rarely turn on the fog lights on my car but twenty minutes later I was driving at peril through monsoon rain with only fifty to a hundred yards visibility - fog lights were deployed.

I intended to mop-up a few of the remaining trigs that are nearer roads and "mop-up" I did. I drove past Jardine's farm and parked up. After twenty minutes there was a break in the now less violent rain and I drove to the farm where I was given permission to cross the couple of hundred yards over a field of sheep to their trig.

My route across country featured nerve racking single track lanes with few passing places and frequent stops to consult the map on this convoluted route. Again I had a short weather window on arrival. It was only a few hundred yards up a field boundary but a trespass. As I found the trig a herd of frisky cows came rapidly towards me and I took a quick shot and set off in retreat with cows following - I turned and shooed them away - they immediately went into reverse and disappeared over the horizon.

The weather was still foul and I made my way onto the A6 down to Shap then down the M6 to Tebay Services to buy one of their special pork pies and what turned out to be a scrumptious rhubarb tart which went down well with ice cream later after my pie. As I left the M6 at Jct. 36 the weather had. cleared and from Milnthorpe onwards there was no sign of it having rained. My washing had dried on the line.

Jardine's Farm trig

Windrigg Hill - it doesn't look like it but the cows were approaching at speed

Jardine's is the red flag. I should have done the one at Culgaith on the way to Windrigg but I'd overlooked it - next time...

NB Tebay Services bottom centre

Woodhead Mountain Rescue Team (and others)

I wouldn't say that people partaking in outdoor activities take our mountain rescue teams for granted by a long way. Having said that I had never stopped to consider in any detail the structure and organisation of these teams. Some time ago I came across a blog which other readers here might have seen, but I think its content should be as widely spread as possible.

Andy Mallinson (blog: awalkonthmildside - see link below) joined the Woodhead Mountain Rescue Team and he has written a detailed account of the surprisingly long period of training required before being fully made up as a qualified team member.

The account brought me up with a jolt as I read what a massive commitment is involved bringing team members to a professional standard in many different skills but all on an entirely voluntary basis

This is s must read for one and all.

---------------------------------------------------

There are two posts:

"Woodhead Mountain Rescue"

"What a difference a year makes. Training with Woodhead Mountain Rescue"

CLICK HERE FOR LINK

Lancaster Cycleway - Lancaster central

1st. August 2019 - Thursday walk with Pete.

With our walks being frequent conversations tend to be formulaic as do conversations with people we meet.Today's venue was well populated with walkers and cyclists.  A middle aged couple holidaying from The Isle of Man with three dogs stopped for a chat proudly telling us all about their three dogs: a Yorkshire terrier, one terrier unidentified and the star - a Long Legged Hungarian Dachshund. Pete always tells them that he and I have known each other since teenage, and that we climbed all over Europe, throwing in several alpine peaks which list seems to increase along with our encounters.

We often recall our anecdotes for each other many of which have been previously aired, but today I had a new one from Pete.

During Pete's National Service in the RAF he was briefly assigned to an engineering shop under supervision of a friendly long serving NCO. Pete mentioned his climbing background and hinted he would like to make a piton hammer (such things were in their infancy in those days) and the kindly NCO agreed. Pete set to work and was machining the shape on a lathe when a toffee nosed officer with a reputation for strict discipline appeared.

"What are you doing airman?"

Quick as a flash from the wily long serving NCO:

" He's making a panel beating hammer sir."

" Very good airman, carry on."

Our walk was a continuation of the Lancaster cycleway from our furthest point a few months ago and it took us through the heart of historic Lancaster following the river Lune.

The Millennium Bridge was adorned with a number of padlocks (see photo below). I saw a single one on a trig point recently and have been enlightened by the younger generation about this practice. It seems couples attach  padlocks and throw away the key to demonstrate their hopefully everlasting love - I wonder if they come back later with an angle grinder after the divorce?

My daughter tells me that a bridge in Paris had so many attached to one side that it became distorted and had to be re-engineered!

The old warehouse buildings lining the river have been refurbished into quality accommodation and the whole area made attractive for this riverside walk which I remember as a place of sordid dereliction twenty years ago. The cycleway continues to Glasson Doack and beyond so this will give us  more walks ideal for Pete on good level surfaces.

Worth clicking first photo for enlarged slideshow

Setting off towards Lancaster centre. This area has a number of popular interconnecting cycle routes

 From Skerton Bridge looking down to Greyhound Bridge - Lancaster Castle on the skyline

Skerton Bridge.

Completed in September 1787. Cost £14,000 (equivalent to £1,750,000 in 2018).When it was examined in 1995 it was considered to be strong enough to carry vehicles weighing up to 40 tons—ten times the weight of the heaviest vehicles in 1783.

Skateboard park

Greyhound Bridge undergoing major surgery - the road north to Morecambe

Millennium Bridge

"Opened in 2001 Now, at long last, pedestrians and cyclists (especially cyclists) are able to cross the River Lune without dicing with death on the one-way 20,000-vehicles-per-day Greyhound and Skerton Bridges, or staggering up (and down) the long flight of steps to the walkway alongside Carlisle Bridge."

Above with thanks to http://www.lunemillenniumbridge.info where a longer quite lively account resides

"Enduring Love"

Our cycleway route followed the line of old sandstone built warehouses now converted into quality apartments and a pleasant venue to walk through compared with the dereliction that I remember from twenty years ago

Lancaster Maritime Museum - I've put it on the list for a visit

Carlisle Bridge  carrying the  West Coast Main Line railway. A  long flight of steps leads to a walkway alongside the railway'

Thomas Brassey, William Mackenzie, and John Stephenson;  built between 1844 and 1846 and opened in 1847

The Millennium Bridge with the Ashton memorial on the skyline

Car insurance and Saga (2)

First of all a correction.

My original post indicated I was seeking renewal from Saga. My current insurer was the AA and it was only after seeing their 22% increase for my pending renewal on 23rd. August that I sought a quote (not a renewal) from Saga which brought to my attention their three year guaranteed premium offer which I found involved an annual premium of £700+ and for which they wanted to take my first £700 one month before the policy would start - them sitting on my £700 for nothing for a month is the whole nub of my complaint, not so much the 22% increase in renewal premium from the AA.

Because I saw Saga's policy of at the least sharp practice I wrote to my MP (Tim Farron) and see below copies of correspondence to date.

Hi Tim, 

I’ve just asked for a motor insurance quote from Saga. They are promoting a fixed three year premium package ( by the way it will no longer continue to be fixed if your circumstances change, e.g. accident, claim etc. - they reserve the right to adjust.)

My renewal is due on 23rd August - I spoke to them yesterday 24th July.

The renewal premium (supposedly fixed for three years) was in the region of £700.

I was asked to submit card details for payment. I asked when would they debit my card? “Straightaway" they replied. I protested ssying that meant they would have my £700 for a month for which I would receive no value. The lady sympathised and left me on hold whilst she went to consult a manager. She came back confirming their take-it-or-leave-it policy. She pointed out that I would have the (very tenuous in my opinion) advantage of securing their wonderful offer which could possibly be withdrawn in the intervening period.

I am not a lawyer but sitting on somebody else's money for a month and giving no value is verging on the criminal. Their suggestion that I could have some value in guaranteeing their offer in case it was withdrawn in the intervening period is worthless - I would just cancel and go elsewhere, BUT in the meantime I would be running the risk of them going bust before my cover starts. At the least this is sharp practise of the highest order coming from an organisation that promotes itself as a specialist in giving sympathetic service to the elderly who, unfortunately, are the group most likely to be taken in by this malfeasance.

There should be some legislation to prevent this common practise - it is not the only organisation I have noticed operating a similar policy.

Regards,

Conrad Robinson
Arnside.

On 29 Jul 2019, at 11:50, tim@timfarron.co.uk wrote:

Dear Conrad

Thank you very much for your recent email with regard to seeking a Saga insurance policy and the somewhat dubious practice of asking for your money a month in advance as a way to lock in a deal when the policy is not active for a further month.

It does, as you point out, seem rather beneficial to the company and not the prospective policy holder.  I am pleased to confirm that I have written to the Chief Executive of Saga to share your example and to ask whether this is standard practice at Saga or across the insurance industry as a whole and whether they would honour this price but agree to take payment near to or on the day of policy initiation.

I will write again, when I have received the response.

With best wishes

Yours sincerely

Thanks for your reply. I am impressed and pleased that you have taken the trouble to pursue this further. I look forward to hearing from you when you receive a reply from Saga. I have, as you may guess, arranged insurance now with another company.

Regards,

Conrad Robinson
Arnside. 

Saga car insurance. Thumbs down.

I’ve just asked for a motor insurance quote from Saga. They are promoting a fixed three year premium package ( by the way it will no longer continue to be fixed if your circumstances change, e.g. accident, claim etc. - they reserve the right to adjust.)

My renewal is due on 23rd August - I spoke to them yesterday 24th July.

The renewal premium (supposedly fixed for three years) was in the region of £700.

I was asked to submit card details for payment. I asked when would they debit my card? “Straightaway" they replied. I protested ssying that meant they would have my £700 for a month for which I would receive no value. The lady sympathised and left me on hold whilst she went to consult a manager. She came back confirming their take-it-or-leave-it policy. She pointed out that I would have the (very tenuous in my opinion) advantage of securing their wonderful offer which could  possibly be withdrawn in the intervening period.

I am not a lawyer but sitting on somebody else's money for a month  and giving no value is verging on the criminal. Their suggestion that I could have some value in guaranteeing their offer in case it was withdrawn in the intervening period is worthless - I would just cancel and go elsewhere, BUT in the meantime I would be running the risk of them going bust before my cover starts. At the least this is sharp practice of the highest order coming from an organisation that promotes itself as a specialist in giving sympathetic service to the elderly who, unfortunately, are the group most likely to be taken in by this malfeasance.

There should be some legislation to prevent this common practice - it is not the only organisation I have noticed operating a similar policy.

Trig points OS sheet 91 - Shacklesborough and Brown Rigg Moss

Tuesday 23rd. July 2019 - Shacklesborough NY 909 170 -  454m.
Brown Rigg Moss - NY 949 166 - 419m.

Predictions had been issued for the hottest day of the year. After driving an hour and a half from 7:00 am it was only registering 16/17 degrees. When I started walking it was the same and I felt the need to wear a light fleece (unzipped) on top of my Rohan Expedition shirt. That fleece remained until halfway back from Shacklesborough summit. I had been denigrating the forecasters in my mind, but  It was not long before I was apologising to them.

The heat built allowing me to ascend Brown Rigg Moss in pleasant warmth, but by the time I was descending after midday it was uncomfortably hot. The car had been left (with no option) in full sun. The only thing I could do was set off immediately with the air conditioning turned on but it was excruciatingly hot and sticky, but not as bad as my worst heat encounter ever on the SW Coast Path:

MONDAY, 18 JULY 2016

SWCP Downderry to Kingsand

It was only about twelve miles to Kingsand and I opted for an 8:00am breakfast - I should have known better.Mr. Board dropped me off back on the path and it was uphill between hedges and bracken immediately on an awkward path. It was incredibly hot and I was bothered by buzzing flies, little black flies that bite, and the occasional horsefly that bite like hell. Within twenty minutes my shirt was exactly as it would have been if I had taken a shower, yes, the whole shirt and I do not exaggerate.

After leaving the B6276 on my way from home my route wound its way down nerve-racking country lanes between Selset and Grassholme reservoirs and then crossing the dam between Balderhead and Blackton reservoirs. There were places where meeting another car would have demanded much dexterity - such problems loom larger as age advances, but I was lucky.

Parking at the other end  of the dam had a feeling of remoteness and silence - not a place to break down. Before setting off for Shacklesborough I chatted to a fly fisherman who was tackling up in the pursuit of wild brown trout only. Many waters these days are stocked with the larger Rainbow trout which are not indigenous, and somewhat inexplicably I had a good feeling that only  brownies lived here - it seemed appropriate to the wilderness feeling of this location.

A track on the map showed for only a couple of hundred yards before dwindling into a footpath, but as I walked  it continued. I met a couple coming the other way (early starters I reckon) and they told me the track now lead right to the foot of Shacklesborough which they had come from climbing. Weather had been sultry with flat light poor for photos, but the views down Balderdale were enhanced by the three reservoirs, and the trig had a bonus gentlemanly cairn companion to give more interest to my photo.

I couldn't see the white limestone hardcore track from the summit and felt impatient to bother trying to find it again - it had not been comfortable to walk on. I beelined back across fairly easy going moorland to round off an enjoyable two hours walking in isolated and majestic surroundings.

I had to drive over six miles round the two easterly reservoirs to the cul de sac car park at the end of Blackton reservoir where the Pennine Way path would give me access to Brown Rigg Moss. I had no recollection of this section from walking the PW in 1987, but I did have an interesting encounter near here at the time:

27th April 1987 - Pennine Wsy

I think it was on a short road section just past Balderhead Reservoir that was quite steep and I was really toiling and sweating when I came to farm buildings on the right. There was an aged farmer's wife type doing something rather strenuous like throwing bales of hay or shovelling manure. I stopped and passed the time of day. I was very struck by this lady. I asked if I could fill my water bottle and she insisted I sat down and rest while she went off to fill the bottle. The lady came back with a stool for me to sit on and also  some tea and biscuits. What I really remember is an overwhelming aura of kindness from this lady. She told me she was a widow and had looked after the farm for some time since loosing her husband. She was obviously living a very hard life physically, but she was just a fabulous kind person. I later deduced that this must have been Hannah Hauxwell who was later identified and taken over by the media. She was whisked  off all over the world making TV appearances and publishing books about her life. I think the emphasis was on the fact that she had never travelled outside her own environment in all her life, and she was living in a kind of time capsule, but given the chance she was articulate and given to making wise comments about the modern world. Because it was only afterwards that I realised who she was I had not made reference to her in my daily log which was written on the spot, but my memory of her writing this ten years later is still vivid.

I was pleased to find the PW path was still just a modest track climbing up over the moorland with no serious erosion. I do wonder how much the PW is walked these days - it is a fine long distance route and has not become a scar on the landscape on sections I have walked recently.

I followed the PW to its high point then struck off on a boundary line for this second trig. As I arrived a huge four engined military propeller plane came over at only two hundred feet - I panicked with the camera and failed miserably to get it in my sights.

Balderhead reservoir. my car right. I had driven across the dam. Grassholme reservoir is immediately to the right - next photo.

Grassholme reservoir

A huge flock of these came across the sky and landed here - not sure what they are

Shacklesborough and the extended Land Rover track not shown on the map

Shacklesborough summit and Balderhead reservoir

The Pennine Way leads off from the road at the head of Baldersdale

I left the PW here to follow the boundary wall and fence to Brown Rigg Moss. On my return I sat on the stile with coffee and sandwich

Balderhead reservoir from Brown Rigg Moss

Padlock embedded with concrete in trig point top. I have seen similar. I think it has to do with orienteerring?

Green line is my drive between wslks

Ranidaphobia

A few days ago my son told me he’d seen a large frog in my garage but it had  scampered off. I left the door open for long periods afterwards and kept s nervous lookout. I am sorry to say I am frightened of frogs - I think it’s their unpredictability, and I would have to summon up courage from the depths to pick one up.. Today I grabbed some shopping bags from the floor near the garage door and I was simultaneously startled almost to cardiac arrest as the frog jumped up and shot off into a narrow dark corner between a chest of drawers and the garage door where long handled gardening implements are stored. I have to say it was big.  There was no way I was going to pursue it, rather regroup and formulate Plan B.

Whilst pondering I had a call from my friendly plumber Phil to ask if he could come and service the boiler in the garage. Phil arrived and we chatted and I casually told him about Froggy. Phil is a friend and a great guy, always cheerful and with a positive attitude, and additionally not over frightened of frogs, although when he offered to help I notice he first donned a substantial pair of gloves. I carefully moved all the gardening tools and Phil went in.

Froggy was transferred to s cool spot underneath the large Hydrangea in my garden.

I am expecting a larger than usual bill for servicing my boiler.

From Pintrest