Well i decided to just do just three geocaches today... ones i had missed on previous walks, just to fill in the gaps on the map really. However i should read peoples comments on the website before setting off, as the first one i made my way too was missing? after a few seconds head scratching and re reading the comments on my phone, i realised it had been taken away for maintainance!! it would be back next week, great!
Anyway i got the other 2 quickly enough and after taking a few pictures of Ewes and lambs i headed off home

i had only been home 5 minutes when i decided on going for another walk/picnic for tea with my youngest son Scott, we walked up to Hollingworth lake and ate a few sandwiches on a picnic table overlooking the water :)
as i headed back i went through some fields with Horses and stood talking to a guy, who was deer spotting!!

Happy lambs for a change, none missing and no dead animals either.... things are looking up!!

Went out Geocaching again in the sunshine... was red hot, im not complaining though cos we dont get enough of it. I parked up on Edenfield road close to the Owd Betts pub


View Larger Map
After parking up i walked over the to the first cache, as it was close to the road (Left of this picture) i was that busy looking at the GPS i walked through nettles in my shorts ahahah not the best start.
So with itchy legs i went over the hill, and after a short  walk i got to a cash called Kill Gate Brook (GC1TH9J) what a bugger to find it was...took me ages to find it.... crawling over a big rock above a little river... which i managed to fall in a couple of times :) nearby sheep watching me wondering what the hell i was doing... good question!!
Anyway, cut along story short after finding 7 Caches and reaching my first milestone of 50 total caches found, i set off home calling at the supermarket for some beers to take to the BBQ im at in a few hours.

The long road

Well i had time on my hands today, so decided a stroll in the hills was order of the day.... i even threw a bit of Geocaching in too :)
I set off out of Rochdale up Rooley Moor Road, i have been up this road many times but never followed it right to the end.... not suprised really...cos walking it seems there isn't one!!! looking at it on Google earth give the impression its a well maintained road that is possible accessible by car... well 4x4 off roader maybe.
So i was walking up this road leading into the hills for over an hour, all uphill! as i got to the entrance to the old Diggle Quarry, this was the location of my first Cache found with no problem. I then made my way over the hills collecting a few more caches
I then reached a cache are hidden in the hills, and reading recent logs by fellow Geocachers i knew it would be hard to find
the clue was "I lie under in a small gap in the rocks, above me is a 'hammer' shaped slab, which lies below a fallen monolith with a surface like the beach."
Well i looked for ages... i was about to give up and from the following picture you can see why....

That big stone you see in the middle is actually about 8 feet long!! and this is just a small area of the whole picture...was a nightmare, as you can see i put an X marks the spot for the next person...save them tearing their hair out LOL
Under the X was what i was looking for :)
So on i went over the hills and far away... i decided to detour and check on the little Lamb from last week, as i was walking i was wondering how i would recognise the little fella. I just thought well as long as i don't see any dead ones and all the little lambs with mums ill be happy :)
As i approached over an hill, i noticed a sheep that appeared to be stuck against a fence, it was a fair way off so couldn't see what the problem was.
I upped my pace and tried to get to it, it was up a very steep hill... i climbed up in the heat ...sweat dripping off me! i could see the sheep now, slumped forward with its feet on the other side of the fence.... i had to free it! i climbed as fast as i could, it was all in vain thought as i realised the sheep was already dead :(

Even worse news... the sheep was heavily pregnant, so the baby had died along with the mother :(

This place isn't starting to hold good memories for me... the lamb from last week was nowhere to be seen...dead or alive.

Day out geocaching

Got up this morning, weather lovely... bit windy but nice and sunny. so decided to get out and enjoy a spot of geocaching with kids

For those reading this who dont know what geocaching is... basically its a treasure hunt, treasures are called a cache and you will have em near your house too.... they are all over the world. You need a GPS unit or at the very least a mobile phone with GPS built in :) (http://www.geocaching.com) i use my Phone

Not too hot not too cold... great for walking... after a couple of hours, even the wind dropped too :)
We found 5 caches today, spread out over about 8 miles and over a few BIG hills ahahah, great views and i made a friend too

 

A poor little lamb had lost its mum and came running over to me... poor thing was frightened and was stood against my legs.... it started following me, i looked everywhere for its mum and spent a long time with the little thing trying to help out.... i found a fence with a hole that someone had made in it.... probably made by Motocross riders!!!  lots of sheep on the other side so led the little lamb into the field then sneaked off

 

As i walked away i kept looking back to see how it was getting on... it was still shouting for mum :((( quite sad really.... even though the poor bugger will more than likely end up on someones dinner plate soon, how ironic would it be if it was MINE!

Long break!!

Due to the fact i had a break from blogging...then forgot all about it ahahah there has been a fair break between posts :(

Well its nearly British summer time now (not that you would beleive it looking at the weather!!) so hopfully ill be out and about and post a few posts along the way :)

Grange over sands

 If there was ever such thing as a holiday for dogs... this was it, they loved it
We went to Grange over sands... this is the area where famously all them Chinese cockle pickers drowned a few years ago. the sand seems to go on for miles in every direction, but as the tide comes in, it goes round the back of you and CAN trap you!!

Although we all enjoyed it, i think Rocky (white) and Barneys (Brindle) got the most from it.... because they are both nasty to other animals, basically anything with 4 legs??? great with humans... they spend most walks wearing muzzles and on a lead.
So as there was nothing for miles in any direction, i let them off the lead and they ran wild :)

Speaking of running wild, the kids did too.... what is it with kids and caves? they see one and HAVE to go through it ahahah

As we made our way back Scott slipped in the water and get all muddy hehehe

TOP TIP: dont all laugh or as you can see in th next picture, he doesnt like it!!

Oh dear.... not a happy chappy

As we headed back the sun went down and the water was coming in, although dangerous it looks great.... Dogs knackered...kids knackerd, and Dad off to the bar for a few pints and Relax.... wonderful :)

The Morning after :D

Well its the day after... and after a hot bath and a lovely bed :) i am now reflecting on the memories of the 270 mile trek

It has to be said, the weather did its best to spoil our first half of the walk... so its no suprise i enjoyed the second half better in the sunshine, even if the heat made uphill walking more difficult.

i would recommend the Pennine Way to anyone, i think anyone can do it, just some may be quicker or take longer.

The point isnt how long it takes, do it at a speed thats comfortable and you can take in the sights... Thats the main problem really, taking your time means probably 3 weeks and more!! its a long time and as i found out... it ends up costing more that you think too.

Along the way you see enough moors to make you bored to be honest... climbing a big hill for a few hours in hot sunshine with tired legs just because the view is supposed to be great.... then finally getting there to look at even more moors, when you have been already looking at moors for 2 weeks... definately loses its appeal!!

views of open hills is cool for day walkers... but to the long distance walker it becomes yet another hill to go over :(

ok moan over ahha now the good stuff :)

when you finally get off the hills and see parts of this great countries quaint little villages and sights is something to cherish...
Local history that people are proud of.
Seeing wildlife you dont see if you spend alot of time in cities
Great river walks taking in waterfalls fish and footbridges
walking through forests that you only thought was available in Canada!! only without nasty Bears here :)

So yes its alot of miles and you do get sore legs... but its worth it.

on top of that you find out a few things about yourself too... stamina and mental strength.

they say 500 people a week start the pennine way... and only 1% finish it!!
I have to say when i started in Edale i saw plenty of people and its true that most people give up after 2 days(1 of our party did) but after a few days we saw hardly anyone.. perhaps 1 person every 4 days or more!!

so pleased i did it... proud i finished it and have great memories :)

In fact im already thinking i want to do it again... just a case of when, ill definately do it earlier in the summer next time though.