THE WRONG TROUSERS!

I have a thing about tights. They feel so good next to your skin. Close fitting. Smooth.

Mine happen to be made by Haglofs and are made from Black Polartec. I am not sure if they have a 'denier' rating'. They are magnificent apparel in the hills as they don't attract too much mud, they stretch with you, are warm (and cool in the heat too!). If they do get muddy, the dirt just brushes off.

When combined with nice big walking boots, you look like Max Wall. (See my picture top right, for the overall effect) Chipping up at a Cornish pub at lunch time, not the legwear of choice perhaps. They are the wrong trousers.

So, new 'hotel trousers' are required for the walking in the populated bits.

I visited my wonderful outdoors shop in Cambridge (Open Air, in Green Street) and Guy & Colin pointed me to a lovely pair of black Patagonia M's Simple Guide Pants.

Deluge DWR coating, softshell, and lots of zipped pockets! And bought at a very attractive price too - thanks G&C. Bearing in mind the impending weight-loss on the walk, I bought them in a very snug 'Medium' - a couple of inches off the present belly size!

Sartorial standards are maintained. Phew!