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04 April 2012

Skunk Cabbage

Living somewhere flat does pose a few problems for a hill walking chap.

To get fit for the hills I have been trying to follow Chris Highcock’s excellent Hill Fit guide on a bi-weekly basis, and I am pretty sure things are improving on the strength front.

On the stamina front it’s more of a struggle. This year’s route is a bit of a toughie and so “something has to be done!” With no hills to beetle up and down I am left with just distance work. Under my old normal routine with Lord Elpus, we would by now be walking every Sunday about twelve miles or so with loaded rucksacks, scaling the Suffolk Munros.

Without the hills, I have been increasing the distance and now manage, pretty comfortably, a giddy fourteen miles. But, with no rucksack. Today’s stroll was more or less the same as Saturday’s with a slight deviation at Virginia Water to take in these wonderful chaps:

WESTERN SKUNK CABBAGE

I knew you would be impressed. I got my feet quite muddy so I could be in the right spot to take this picture, so you had better be appreciative.

There have been rumblings from my fellow challenge team members (Andy & WeeWillyWilky) about the annual PreWalkDaunder. Nothing had been organised as possible hospital appointments might clash with dates chosen. But as the Royal Berkshire and Addenbrookes don’t seem to be able to talk with each other, we have picked a date anyway. The summit team will be heading off when all the little brats will be back at school children will be gainfully employed learning how to fill in Job Seekers Allowance forms at school, leaving the hills empty, save for ourselves. We don’t want any nasty children pointing and laughing at us, see.

Of course, it wouldn’t be the same without Lord Elpus and so he has manfully accepted the role of chaperone, in case a coven of three (or more, the more the merrier!) nubile lovelies wish to take advantage of three balding fat blokes.

We have dates, a rough idea of where we are going, so now we just need a route. It needs to start at a pub…

20 comments:

  1. I have no idea where we are going.
    I believe the Lake District was mentioned.
    I hope there will be a tea room at the start as well.
    You need a pub the night before you start and a tea room on the first morning.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "I have no idea where we are going"
      I hear that quite a bit when I am out with you, Sir!
      I have a cunning plan brewing that involves a pub the night before, a cafe in the morning and THREE pointy hills. And an idyllic wild place to flip up the the girls (Wendy, Wanda & Anya)
      A pub at the end for three of us. One of us will be on coke. (The driver...)

      Delete
    2. Indeed sir.
      I only managed to blog ladt yesrs route, because of the trace on my Asbo bracelet :)

      Delete
    3. No one needs those fancy Spot devices, do they? Just knock off a copper's helmet and get yourself tagged for free!
      :-)

      Delete
  2. I have much the same problems living in the Fens and trying to get my stamina up for a five day hike in the Pyrenees this summer. Suffolk is mountainous compared to the fens, I can tell you ; )

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oooh! Which bit of the PairOfKnees are you visiting? I tinkered a little bit a while back there.
      See HERE

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    2. Personally I prefer the Pyrenees to the Alps.
      We had a wonderful time walking the GR10 from Andorra to the coast, back in the day.
      That was pre children.
      We must go back some time.

      Delete
  3. I'm heading for the Carlit Massif and Ariège, can't wait. Will check out yr posts.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Having only just found your blog I'm going to spend time today catching up.
      :-)

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  4. Involving The Kirkstile Inn might be a good idea!

    JJ

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's just beer, beer, beer with you, JJ.
      I don't know!
      :-)

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  5. I'm all in favour of you getting wet feet in order to take photos like that one. So this is what skunk cabbage looks like eh? Can it be eaten?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Apparently it can be eaten - the indigenous peoples of NW USA used to use it when food was low.
      It is appropriately named; It does stink to high heaven. You would have to be desperate.

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    2. The same applies to a really ripe Camenbert, but that doesn't seem to put everyone off.

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  6. Ah yes, but....the importance of maintaining correct level of hydration should never be underestimated.

    ;-)

    JJ

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    Replies
    1. It's the minerals and vitamins that are important, as well... and you can never be too careful drinking the local water. Beer doesn't have any nasties in it, surely?

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    2. Beer is obviously good for you. After all, Monks used to drink it instead of that mucky water stuff.

      Macrobiotic AND blessed - what more could you ask? :-)

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  7. Might I suggest that your training regime could be improved by picking a pub some 17km from your house - consuming some 13 pints of strong ale - then making your way home while maintaining a minimum of 3 points of contact with the road surface. While this may not mimic exactly the ascent of a Munro it will at least provide a degree of difficulty equivalent to that of the Black Cuillin. Just don't pick a busy road.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ken: After twelfty pints of even the weakest ales there can only be a minimum of four points of contact for me, which will include my shoulder blades and heels.
      The return trip would have to wait for the next day after a snooze.

      Delete

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