Contents

Hiking the British mountains and hills

This is a list of our walks in everything hilly in the UK (so this basically qualifies as Mountaineering).

The spots to explore are mainly:

  • The Berwin range, in Wales (the closest)
  • Snowdonia, in Wales (also close and more scenic, we started there in April (2017).
  • The peak district.
  • The black mountains (south Wales).
  • The lake district.
  • Cheviot Hills.
  • Highlands, in Scotland.
  • Irish mountains (MacGillycuddy's Reeks, Mourne & Sperring mountains).


Itineraries

Llyn Idwal

On 15 April (2017), with Camilo, as part of our Easter trip to Wales (April 2017).

Llyn Idwal is a small lake in the Pont Pen-y-benglog area.


Our first lakes of the Lake district and the Cathedral Cavern

On 12 August (2017), with Georges who was visiting us and UK. This walk brought us round the Tom Ghyll waterfalls, the Tarn Hows lake, the mind-blowing Cathedral Cavern, some Cumbrian quarries and the Yew Tree Tarn lake.

ElenaGeorgesJulia-in-CathedralCavern-Aug2017.jpg


Thorpe Cloud

George-vs-ThorpeCloud-aug17.jpg

On 13 August (2017). On our way back from the Lake district, as this was a long way to Wolverhampton, we stopped at the Peak district. Although we camped in the evening, we had time for a delightful walk to the Thorpe Cloud. Not only has the mountain a fantastic shape, the walk (we parked in the nearby Ilam rather that at the overpriced Dovedale car park) through the fields with lambs running round and crossing the Dovedale stepping stones was big fun. The only negative point of the day was that we did not find any place to eat and ran out of gas in our tent, hence this was a frugal last day after much walking.ThorpeCloud-itinerary-aug17.jpg


Round the Wrekin

On 1 October (2017).

The Wrekin is a mythic hill of Shropshire, although not an impressive one to the eye; here you see Julia and Elena in front of it:

Round-the-Wrekin-1Oct2017.jpg

It is nevertheless a prominent, well-known and cherished local landmark, if not a symbol of Shropshire (at least to motorists who recognize it from the nearby motorway). A famous local expression (that locals would tell me when hearing of our excursion) is going round the Wrekin to mean, taking endless detours. There is also an adorable legend about a giant (Gwendol Wrekin ap Shenkin ap Mynyddmawr) discouraged in its plot to smother Shrewsbury by a clever cobbler, resulting in the material he had collected to be dumped at its present location. The otherwise flat surrounding indeed makes this vestige of a foiled revenge stand out, even though it is a mere 407m above the plain. It is the extension of Shropshire AONB into Telford and is also of much geological significance for its little companion, the Ercall which stands by its side. You can access both, starting with the Ercall, from Wellington's train station, which is how we approached this legend. The walks through the nearby woods are enchanting. It was a very windy day, so much so that we could not stay too long without taking cover. It is said to be extremely popular although we found few other people and even found ourselves alone treading it at some point.

Clent Hills

On 8 February (2020), at the occasion of our 6th campervanning trip.

ClentHills-8feb2020-24.jpg

A 7.7km circular walkScreenshot 22-02-2020 123939.jpg in 3h40 with a visit of Clent's church (and a fail attempt to eat at the Vine Inn, though we would achieve that on the next day). It is the most popular hillwalking site and even non-paying attraction in the Worcestershire area [1] and was indeed quite busy when we visited, despite storm Dennis passing by. The Clent Hills are named after the village Clent that sits in between the hills, itself formerly Klinter (cliff). The church was very pretty, with a glass cross to commemorate apparently a representation of Jesus Christ superstar there. The Clent Hills are also the placed where a Saint (Kenelm) was murdered.


Caer Caradoc

On 1 March (2020), as the highlight of our 7th campervan trip to the Shropshire hills (Caer Caradoc)

CaerCaradoc1March20-28.jpg

We wanted to have a go at the Shropshire hills and settled for one of the flanks of Church Stretton. Caer Caradoc looked shorter and easier than the Long Mynd, and since Elena was 7th month pregnant, we opted for that option. We could only make a late start as the weather was uncertain till the late morning, with a few showers, although predicted as cloudy (but not rainy) for the day. So we spent this time in Church Stretton instead. When we finally got started, we did not plan to get till Caer Caradoc since time was amputated from the morning and the weather was still unclear as to its afternoon intentions. Already on the first summit, on the flank of the Hope Bowdler Hill, it got very windy and showering violently. As quickly as it started, it stopped and we enjoyed a quiet and sunny talk until it turned all black again, with the hills in front getting absorbed in darkness, first from the sun gone and then disappearing in the fog. It hailed profusely for a few minutes, which was really a wondrous and enchanting spectacle. After that, it was all sun for the rest of the day, although the ground got quite wet in spaces. This was the first walk maybe where Julia was leading for much of the walk (at least in its first phase) and also expressed genuine and exalted admiration at the scenery. Down the first hill and towards Caer Caradoc, Julia fell on the muddy, soaked floor, and we had to change her. The ascension to Caer Caradoc was a bit more difficult than expected and Julia and Elena sheltered by a rock while Fabrice completed to the top, enjoying the panoramic views and to get a glimpse of what was on the other side. More Shropshire. We got back but could not follow the main road which was not going in the right direction, so we cut through fields, very wet again, and we had to jump a gate to get back to the road. Fabrice closed the loop running to fetch back the van. A long hike (9.4km in 4h52), especially as Luz was almost part of it. Elena got, not precisely sick, but unwell in the night, though possibly as a result of the Greek food we got after in the pub of the village.

Trajectory-caercaradoc1march20.jpg

Possible walks

Others that one could make from a train station (as we did for the Wrekin).

Snowdonia:

Midlands:

Links