Fairbrook Naze 1,000

Sunday 23/10/2011

Well aware that I've been creeping towards the thousand-cache marker for a few months I had given a fair bit of thought about where to do it. The "epic gang" that I walk with occasionally, for their 10k and 12k+ caches, had even asked me if I'd got anything in mind back when we did Helvellyn in August.

As it was only 1,000 caches, and with the seasons and weather rolling along, I didn't fancy a long drive up to the Lakes so I looked around for a decent series more local and came up with Fairbrook Naze which starts near the Snake Inn on the A57 and heads up Kinder Scout. I chose this for a few reasons but I think the main one being that I've been caching up there 3 times previously and always enjoyed it. A smaller reason is that the GeoGeriatrics (who I only met once and confess I wouldn't recognise if I met them again) laid down two of the previous series I did up there so I have some respect for their walks and efforts in laying them down.

I now had a dilemma. Well maybe that's too strong a word but my first problem is my kids; they hate Geocaching and they hate walking - they don't appreciate the views, the exercise, the fresh air and the day out. So I've come to an arrangement with them where they have a 'lazy' Saturday and then on Sunday they walk with me. I have to do this as I work five days a week. Anyway this weekend I couldn't leave them with their mother, not that I ever want to do that, but I also didn't want to drag them up a mountain if it was throwing it down. So my problem was this: if I invite people, and they attend, I can hardly abandon the event when I get there and it's raining - I decided not to run the risk. I didn't invite anyone.

I ran my proposed walking route by Patrick, as I know he's done the series very recently, and it turned out that this series and the additional caches I'd planned were exactly as he'd done them - and what's more he'd like to join me to do them again.

So on a dull, yet dry Sunday Patrick picked us up in his van, with Dizzy the dog, and drove us to the A57 where we parked up and set off. I needed 13 to get my 1,000 and hadn't really given much thought to which one it would specifically be as long as it was a Fairbrook Naze one on the way back down.

It was hard work from the off as I'd not warmed up, but also because my rucksack was a whopping 17Kg in weight - yes I'd even weighed it because I had realised it was much heavier than normal, and no wonder...

* 2 litres of water
* 2 small bottles of pop
* 1 flask of tea
* 1 bottle of champagne (!!)
* 4 glasses
* sandwiches for 3
* flapjack, boost bars, crisps
* gloves, hats
* first aid kit

We started with three quick caches, nicely on level terrain, before starting a long gentle climb along the River Ashop towards a couple of points where we needed to gather clues for a mystery cache further up. One of these clue points was at the site of two plane crashes from 1953 where two fighters came down together - presumably after a mid-air collision? There's still debris scattered around and quite rightly a small tribute to the pilots.

All the caches were easy finds because Patrick has done them before and I was quite happy for him to show me where they were and thereby not spoil the flow of the walk. (Yes I'm more of a walker than a Geocacher.)

After about 3.5 miles, 90 minutes from the start, we stopped for a quick cup of tea before starting the hard ascent straight up Kinder with no path - this took us over 20 minutes to get up 130 metres and I was cursing the rucksack I can tell you. (Adam did helpfully keep offering to carry it but I'm determined as I've always seen it as an aid to fitness.)

We stopped and watched the jumbo jets fly overhead - they circle here on the way to Manchester and they looked amazingly close.

Walking along the edge of the plateau for about 1.5 miles, in the freezing wind, we got to the mystery cache and stopped for a lazy lunch sheltered from the wind before getting to our first (actually the last) of the Fairbrook Naze caches - this was number 11 as they're actually numbered ascending up the river for people starting at the bottom.

Adam tucking into his lunch

Patrick and Jade do the same

Laying down to (unsuccessfully) get out of the wind

Dizzy in glorious 3d

Another standalone cache before hitting the actual top of the stream and starting the descent proper. The caches were now numbered simply Fairbrook Naze 10 through 1 and all were simple finds with rather forgettable containers - having said that, these types of walks are more about the walk and the location rather than a fancy box.

My 1,000th cache was actually Fairbrook Naze #5 and we stopped for a couple of pictures and I cracked open the champagne - OK - overpriced sparkling wine. We relaxed over a couple of glasses each before continuing our descent all the way back to the small woods and back up to the car.

My 1,000th cache!
(and a glorious case of hat-hair!)

So that was that. We did about 8.3 miles and bagged 17 caches. Jade was quiet the entire time; in her own world of music. Adam alternated between music, chatting and complaining about the cold. Patrick just boosted ahead and made me suffer from carrying all the excess weight! Only kidding, it was great to have him there for the company, his help and to help me celebrate my 1,000th when I guess he's been there for a good few hundred of the previous ones on the journey here.

Final thanks must go to the GeoGeriatrics for their time and effort in placing the series.

Only 996 to go to the next major milestone!

October update

Here's a VERY quick update to my sadly neglected blog:

On Sunday 02/10/2011 the kids and I did a great series starting at Hoylandswaine, circling through Penistone, Oxspring and back to the start. "Calmac's Canter" came in at 8.3 miles and 21 caches in total including a few unrelated odds and ends. A nice walk in an area I'm only partly familiar with.

On Sunday 09/10/2011 the same three of us did a series called "PAT'S 2K" which was laid down recently by my good Geocaching friend Patdhill to celebrate his 2000th find. A terrifically windy day, this series around Old Ravenfield came in at 6.4 miles and 12 finds. It was doubly nice for me as Pat's series celebrates some of his favourite finds and one of the caches was named after one of my caches! Thanks Patrick.

On Sunday 16/10/2011 we three again headed off to Wadsley Common (near Hillsborough) to do a quick-ish series before meeting Dad for lunch. "Wuff's Wadsley Wander" was 2.9 miles and included 13 finds, 1 of which was a nightmare to locate. I had to phone-a-friend to Patrick for this and then again at the end simply to rush to the final as we were late for our appointment. Some innovative hides in this series, especially the last one.

I'm now 13 short of 1000 so I'm hoping to do something nice next weekend to celebrate it. I have a good idea what I'd like to do but it depends a little on the weather plus, as Patrick teasingly says, it's hard to get people to join me when I've done "so few" and everyone else has done them all!


More news next week...

What went wrong?

Walking in the Sud Tirol series links: Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5

Thursday-Friday 22-23 Sept 2011 - Sud Tirol walking days 4 and 5
After returning to my room I laid down for a while to relax before having a nice hot shower to scrub off the toils of the day - particularly suncream, I hate the stuff on me.

I lay back down on the bed and fell asleep for 45 minutes. I awoke shivering violently so I put on my nightshirt, got under the sheets and shivered myself back to sleep for another 30 minutes before painfully dragging myself down to lunch, wearing a jumper.

I felt terrible, I was freezing, I wasn't hungry and I felt miserable. I had no idea what was wrong with me - what had gone wrong? I'd drunk plenty of water (3.5 litres in actual fact,) I'd eaten well, I'd had suncream on all day and also my baseball cap.

I gave up and went to bed about 8:30. I shivered until about 2am when the coin flipped over and I sweated profusely until I had to get up at 8am.

Friday
I felt like I had been beaten up during a hangover.

I showered and went downstairs to breakfast - I couldn't eat. I was gutted, I desperately wanted to walk but I didn't want to walk.

I resolved to pull my socks up, I forced myself to have another shower, I changed all my clothes, again, and got ready for the walk. I was kidding myself.

We all met up at the bus stop, everyone full of concern, and we went down a couple of villages and then picked up a cable-car. I could hardly walk.

Head down, one foot in front of the other, I struggled to keep up with the group and felt as though I was holding them back. One foot in front of the other, and the next, and the next... even my walking pole felt so heavy in my hand, seriously, I gave up with it and strapped it to my rucksack.

I took this, but never really saw it

After just over an hour we reached a half way point and a restaurant. I still couldn't face food, in fact I could hardly face water. I tried an energy gel to try to boost myself but that just made me feel incredibly sick. I knew I had to quit.

So I stopped there, feeling sad for myself on two very different levels, while everyone continued their ascent up the mountain to a lake.

After gathering myself in the sun for 20 minutes I descended the hill the way we'd arrived. I couldn't believe how far we'd walked (almost 2 miles) as it had all been a blur to me on the way up. It was such hard work I had to stop at every bend to gather my breath or sit down and rest my muscles.

I descended back to the cable-car station and after wondering for 10 minutes why it was locked (lunch hour) I sat down on a nearby bench and promptly fell asleep.

Awaking to the motors starting I got in a car, sped down the hill and walked up to the bus stop. I missed the bus by 30 seconds but simply couldn't run for it. No rush, I had no reason to rush, so I dozed at the stop for another 30 minutes before catching the next one and returning to the hotel.

Bed.

My route in blue - cable cars in yellow.

So what went wrong? General opinion tends towards sun-stroke but even that doesn't really make sense - like I said I'd drunk plenty of water, eaten well and had used suncream and a hat all day. I had no sunburn, in fact nothing remotely like sunburn.

Was it a bug? Something I'd eaten? All the natural Alp water? My stomach turned sour Friday evening but the night before, when the illness started, it had been fine.

Was it exhaustion? Highly unlikely as I'd felt fantastic Thursday afternoon.

It's all a big mystery but most importantly of all it was bloody annoying; it was a disappointing end to a fantastic week.

Anyway...

Yes a fantastic week. I'd met 7 new friends and we'd all had a great time. We'd walked about 40 miles up and down some of the most spectacular views on the planet. Mountains, streams, sun, snow, fun and laughter. What more could anyone ask for?

So as a final note I'd like to personally thank Ron, Jenny, Nancy, Kristina, John, Cindy and Aveline for their company, care and conversations over the week. It was a great holiday made greater by you.

The long and short of it

Walking in the Sud Tirol series links: Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5

Thursday 22st Sept 2011 - Sud Tirol walking day 4

Today we caught the bus up to Prettau again although we got off a stop or two earlier than the previous day. We knew we were doing the longest walk of the week and had all brought packed lunches from the hotel although it turns out I'd forgotten to bring one for the walking guide. I say forgotten but in actual fact I knew nothing about it - this would be an ongoing joke all day. Fortunately we all had enough spare to support Kristini and her fantastic appetite.

We were all aching today after adding muscles onto muscles over the previous few days but there was no sympathy as we were thrust immediately into some steep track walking before settling into a long gentle incline.

We started at 1460m and within two hours we were already at a record-breaking (for us) 2000m - after 2 hours 40 minutes we'd walked 4 miles and had reached a breath-taking 2100m.

Looking back down to Prettau or 'Predoi'

A quick break at a closed restaurant.
Meet the gang (l-r):
Nancy, me, Kristina, Aveline,
John & Cindy, Jenny and Ron



We didn't stop at this point and pushed down and around a long sweeping bend, exposed to the elements, before starting up the next section where Kristina had planned a surprise break. I'd jokingly challenged her to a race to the top (she's older but much much fitter than me) which she accepted so I took a risk and ran the first 30m. She complained I'd cheated but I managed to just hold on to my lead despite struggling to breathe and finding walking through the snow phenomenally hard work. "The tortoise and the hare" was praying on my mind the entire time.

At our peak of 2150m (7,053 feet!) Kristina stopped us all and pulled out a hip-flask of Schnapps from which we all had to knock back a glug. I was very reluctant as I don't mix with spirits, plus the alcohol saps energy from my muscles immediately, but I wasn't allowed any excuses so did the deed to cheers and photos.

Thirty minutes later we stopped for a proper lunch break at some huts. Kristina took off her boots and cooled her feet in a natural spring (with a tap). I dipped my boots in, to cool down, to groans from all who don't realise they're completely waterproof.

We shared sandwiches and snack bars and soaked up the burning sun. I reapplied my suncream and refilled my waterbag - I'd already drunk 1.5 litres.

Then we began the long, long descent back to the valley floor.

On a typical day walking downhill is the thing which makes me struggle the most - by this time you're often running out of energy and your knees begin to ache with fighting gravity but today, for some reason, I was completely full of beans and happily skipping down the shortcut paths which we used to cut long distances from the winding roads.

As we descended the sun seemed to get hotter and hotter but I was fighting fit and had plenty of suncream, water and my cap. In fact when the walk ended at the bus stop I realised there was only fractionally over a mile back to the hotel along the road - I thought it cheating somewhat, with being so close, so I asked around if others wanted to join me but ended up walking back along the road on my own - surprisingly actually beating them all back as the bus turned up 5 minutes later than planned.

An angled plot of our walk -
we started on the right hand side.

This plot is taken from directly above
and North is at 12 o'clock.
My extra mile is in darker yellow.












An altitude plot of our 700m ascent,
peaking at a whopping
2150m/over 7000ft.



Back at the hotel we all stopped at the bar for lemonade and teas and to reflect back on our 11.5 miles before retiring to our rooms for showers and a rest. I felt wonderful and really thought I could have walked for another few miles.

How wrong I was...

The restaurant at the end of the valley

Walking in the Sud Tirol series links: Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5

Wednesday 21st Sept 2011 - Sud Tirol walking day 3

Today we caught the public bus up to Predoi to start a walk right up to the end of the valley. I say we caught the bus but it's all a lie. Just as the bus arrived I realised I'd not got my GPS and not wanting to lose it I vowed to get the next bus (30 minutes) and catch them up. The GPS was in my room (not lost at all) so while waiting for the bus I asked the hotelier for our walking guide's phone number just in case I couldn't locate them.

Just on my way to the bus stop and the hotelier's husband pulls up in his Merc - jump in, I'll take you! What incredible service, they really are amazing people and a real loss to the industry as they retired the week we left.

Pulling up at Predoi the group were waiting for me - I was lost for words and genuinely touched by them enduring me being such a numpty.

We set off up the hill and walked through the woods, the day looked like it was going to be a scorcher.

Out of the woods and looking down
the valley towards our start

Never take a picture into the sun -
rubbish; this one looks great!

I admit it - I'm trying to get a
photo in the brochure

A snow fuelled river

Everywhere you look there's a photo
that needs to be taken

Having driven up the valley before we even started I was soon surprised to notice that our altitude was higher than I'd managed to achieve on my hard-work solo walk the day before.

This was an easy walk, we were simply following a gravel road alongside a stream up the bottom of the valley. I detoured off on my own immediately after the church pictured above to go and find a cache ("Italy North") about 40m up a couple of fields. This turned out to be quite a scramble with the sun really beating down on me. It was a tricky find, helped along by a noisy but soft-as-a-brush dog from the nearby farm, which took me a good 10 minutes to locate. I signed the log, stopped for a rest, water and some suncream, before descending back to the road and then pushing myself to catch up with the group.

Nancy leading the way



Easy going as we head toward the
end of the valley

We walked about four miles to the end of the valley where I was surprised to discover a restaurant - this probably explains the good condition of the track/road. Here we were at an altitude of 1850m - the highest I'd been so far but even this would be dwarfed the next day.

We rested a while before returning back the way we'd come and then stopping at a restaurant a couple of miles further along where we all had excellent food.

Starting the walk back



Almost back to the start



The total for today was 9.3 miles with a steady altitude gain of 326m. An easy walk but nevertheless a beautiful one which I heartily recommend to all.



Our route today.
North is about 10 o'clock.



He'll be walking round the mountain

Walking in the Sud Tirol series links: Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5

Tuesday 20th Sept 2011 - Sud Tirol walking day 2





The view from my room...



...and again











Today was a free day and I'd resolved to get up 'when I was ready' and try to get to the nearest cache to the hotel; one which I knew was quite a way up a mountain.

More snow had fallen overnight and from my estimates the snow level had lowered from a normal 1800m down to about 1600m. Of course I didn't really know this at the time and altitudes/snow lines meant nothing to me as I'd not left the bottom of the valley - I could see some rather big 'hills' all around, with snow 'further up' but it was all lost in the distance, the vastness, the epic scale of the landscape.



St. Jacob (I think) - the next village









Despite a few fizzy pops in the gasthof bar the evening before (my last real drink of the week) I was up bright and early and after a slow breakfast and taking my time to get ready I was all set to go by 10am.

Following the arrow on my GPS I set off on the adventure of a lifetime! I walked a short way up a road leading to another Gasthof and then diverted onto a farmers track and up a fantastically steep path. I say path, but it turned out to be flattened grass where water and sticks had cascaded down the hill during the rain. Eventually I arrived at a road barrier and I was back onto a mountain road - if only I'd walked around!

I stuck to this road for a mile, working my way up the mountain, and taking in my first views from altitude.

I was heading to a cache located near a monument to an aeroplane that had crashed in the Second World War, with loss of half the crew. It was a nice thoughtful place to stop and I actually saw a couple of deer very close by but didn't have my camera handy.

The well kept cache was quickly found and I left a decent length log thanking them for it. It hadn't been found for several months which surprised me - I know it's a little out of the way but I figured the area would be popular with tourist walkers.

I kept walking up the mountain, eventually hitting the snow level and losing all signs of paths or trails. The air was clean, the sun was burning and aside from streams and the wind it was utterly peaceful. I'd not seen a soul for two and a half hours and could easily have been the only person alive.

At this point I had to stop - an altitude of 1790m. Although the snow was very cold underfoot (of course), the sun was baking hot and causing it to melt quite quickly. Consequently the going was treacherous because the grass, under the snow, was very wet and slippery. I didn't want to risk an accident especially with being out on my own.

Incidentally, according to my GPS, at this point I had been out for 2.5 hours, with 1 hour stopping time (rest, food, photos, refill water bag) yet frustratingly I was still only 1 mile from the hotel! I had actually walked 2.8 miles - a testament to the gradient I was walking.

I started to descend along the same route for a while and then diverted along a bridleway heading west.

Dropping down, down and further down, out of the snow the sun once again became more apparent. 



I patiently waited here for the
tractor to return on his loop







So today I'd had an adventure of my own. I'd found a cache, walked 7.1 miles and climbed 600m.

Best. Day. Ever.

The route I walked. North is about 2 o'clock.

Rotated a little, here I've added a red line showing
roughly where the snow level really was.

An elevation map of my route.