tea – Page 26 – Clive's Blog

West Highland Way Day 5 – Crainlarich to Bridge of Orchy

12 October 2011 / Photography, Travel, Walking / Golite Jam 2, hiking, iPhone, iPhone camera apps, iPhone photography, Scotland, tea, walking, West Highland Way

The first thing to do today is to get back to the path – which is about half a mile away but it is nearly all “up”.

I am completing this post whilst sitting in front of the log fire, in the lounge at The Bridge of Orchy Hotel lounge.

The day did start with a few spots of rain but by midday it was dry but overcast with the tops of low mountains shrouded in cloud.

We crossed the main road at Tyndrum – where we stopped for a tea and sausage roll in the conveniently placed cafe.

Tomorrow is a twenty-one mile day so we are in a hurry to get to Kinlochleven before dark.

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West Highland Way Day 3 – Sallochy Bay to Inversnaid

10 October 2011 / Photography, Travel, Walking / Golite Jam 2, hiking, iPhone, iPhone camera apps, iPhone photography, Scotland, tea, walking, West Highland Way

The rucksack is heavier today, as we are carrying our overnight stuff, food and equipment we need for tomorrow, because we are not having our case transported today (it costs too much to ship it to Inversnaid). It was because of this extra load that, at the last minute, I decided to bring and use my Golite Jam backpack. The Jam has a very good compression system so it makes a very comfortable daypack for the other days. The large external pocket is particularly useful for my waterproofs, sitmat and gortex gaiters.

To start the walking day we have a taxi ride to Sallochy Bay, where we finished yesterday – I know exactly which rock I was sitting on when the taxi came and that is my starting point for the day.

No 3G signal today so the post is being made from the Inversnaid Bunkhouse, where we are staying tonight. It is a converted church. The room is OK, but we have not yet found a kettle so it looks like if we want a cup of tea we have to buy it – we will ask later.

The walk today was great – we followed the banks of Loch Lomond all day, so it was an easy 10 mile jaunt, the long days start tomorrow. There was plenty of sun today and some great looming clouds and mists.

Tomorrow we needed an early start but breakfast does not start until 8am – we will have to manage.

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West Highland Way Day 2 – Drymen to Sallochy Bay (and back by taxi)

9 October 2011 / Photography, Travel, Walking / coffee, Golite Jam 2, hiking, iPhone, iPhone camera apps, iPhone photography, Scotland, tea, walking, West Highland Way

Small change of plan today, we have shortened today’s walk (to save on the taxi fare!) but what it really means is that day three will be a ten mile day rather than seven.

The accommodation here in Drymen is very good, we have a three bedroom apartment, all the bedrooms and living room have flat screen TVs, the kitchen is well supplied with tea,coffee, milk and the makings for breakfast. There is central heating, and two shower rooms. Richard has done really well to find this place. It has allowed us to sort ourselves out following the first days shake down walk. (Parrot count so far zero – see our Coast to Coast blog.)

We booked our taxi back last night with a local taxi company here in Drymen.

Before starting we watched Jensen Button win the Japanese Grand Prix.

The Pottery pub where we had dinner last night – the photo was shot just before setting off today – blogging in the rain again, at least for the first part of the day – that’s my positive attitude showing through.

The path was a stream.

Lunch – no raincoat and a great view.

I even wore my sunglasses!

We are now waiting for the taxi – middle of nowhere and a strong 3G signal – so I’ll publish this now.

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The National Hamfest 2011 – Tuesday

27 September 2011 / General, Photography / amateur radio, iPhone photography, National Hamfest, tea

This post will be updated throughout the day – check back later.

Early morning start

With tea

GB11NH Antennas going up – members of the Lincoln Shortwave Club “sorting it”.

End of the day

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Lincoln club hosts national festival

23 September 2011 / General / England, IT Support for Lincolnshire, Lincolnshire, Octagon Technology, tea

Lincoln club hosts national festival.

The National Hamfest is next Friday and Saturday – so this Monday morning I am off to spend a week camping at the Newark Showground, to co-ordinate the Lincoln Shortwave Club and it’s friends in organising and running the event.

A big thank you to all those people who help out in any way, in making the National Hamfest a success.

Octagon Technology, for the third year is a major supporter of the show.

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West Highland Way – Practice Walk

18 September 2011 / Photography, Travel, Walking / hiking, iPhone photography, tea, walking, Washingborough, Water Rail Way, West Highland Way

I went out today to get some more practice miles done before the West Highland Way and explored some different paths around Heighington and out to the River Witham and the Sincil Drain.

We ended up walking out to the bridge at Fiskerton using a path that ran along the top of the embankment, by the Sincil Drain. One bit of advice, the path is faint and very overgrown in places with thistles and nettles so wear long trousers (photo above), and don’t walk it when it is wet.

The screenshot above is from my iPhone 4 using Memory Map.

At the Fiskerton Bridge we stopped for some tea and so a wasp could sting Richard! We then returned following the Water Rail Way back to Washingborough and then up to Heighington.

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At the Campsite

11 September 2011 / Camping, Outdoor Gear, Photography, Travel, Walking / Camping and Caravan Club, iPhone photography, lightweight camping, lightweight walking, outdoor gear, tea, walking, Woodhall Spa

I camped in the same spot as I did a couple of months back – but with no ducks.

I have added a wing nut handle to my mug lid – it has proved to awkward to lift the lid off with my Leatherman. The wing nut arrangement means the handle can come off for packing, with the wing nut being stored in the same neoprene case I keep my milk powder, tea bags and lighter in.

To save washing up I made my instant custard in the packet, using the mug only to hold it in and to save burning my hands as I ate it.

I really like Indian tea, but I like it with plenty of milk in (or better still made with condensed milk) – this means it uses a lot of my limited store of dried milk. Yesterday one of my clients gave me some milk sticks, for use this walk but they have all ended up in the same drink. I make the tea the all in way, milk, cold water, Indian tea bag and two brown sugars all in the mug and bring to the boil – then I take half the tea out to drink top up with more cold water and bring back to the boil. Excellent. However this adds to my washing up as the titanium mug/kettle is a mess when finished and it gets worse if it boils over as it did during my Scotish trip last month.

This morning the weather is fine – with a nice sunrise right into my tent as I make some tea.

The bad weather did not materialise here, infect when I woke up there was no wind at all and my tent was perfectly still. However I have asked Diana to check the TV weather and call me.

Breakfast is simple here this morning, plenty of tea and granola bars – many walkers have bars for breakfast so I thought I would try it today.

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