Humbleton Hill Fort - Northumberland 30 October 2014.

Humbleton Hill Fort and beyond
Near Wooler 
Northumberland
Distance 17km Climb 510m
Thursday 30 October 2014

My colleague Adrian, had identified a possible route on the map which we may be use to take some friends on a walk.  Today was our opportunity to check out the route and become familiar with the ground.

Unfortunately the camera I had taken has a small scratch on the lens, the scratch sometimes, depending on the light blurs things or comes out as a ghostly light on the photo.

We left the van at the carpark south west of Wooler and followed the path along St Cuthbert's Way.  This took us over a footbridge heading north through a small wood with s sharp climb.  The Way then turned west.

After approx 300m St Cuthbert's Way continued west, we took the path north on the east side of Humbleton Hill. This took us down hill and was slippery in places.  After another 600m we turned west through a gate and started walking up Humbleton Hill.

Looking south we could hear firing, and could see there was a shoot on.  I hoped it would be over by the time we came back around that way. Strange everywhere we went we could not move for grouse, obviously hiding from the shoot.

From Humbleton Hill Fort 298m we had a clear view of all the surrounding area.  You could see that it had been an area of importance and I suggested we call into the tourist information office in Wooler on our return to see what information we could find out.

We started down following what would have been the outer wall to the path that headed south west.  There was a slippery part here.  Over a style where we followed the ground down then a short climb back up to the St Cuthbert's Way.

We headed up St Cuthbert's Way for a few hundred meters before turning north up Gains Hill towards the spot height.  We decided that on the day of the walk we would turn at the junction and follow the shooting buts up the hill.

From Gains Law 319m we walked west to rejoin the St Cuthbert's Way, which took us south west around a small re-entrant. We moved through a couple of gates following a wall before turning north west across country, still following the Way.  This took us through a gate by the south west edge of a small dog leg wood. From the top of the wood we continued with a gentle climb north west by a fence until we were south west of Tom Tallon's Crag.

This is where we left the St Cuthbert's Way and took a farmers track to join the footpath to the west. Once on this footpath we headed south, passed Wackerage Cairn and height 334m.  We joined the road just below Commonburn House.  Turning right, south west we walked up the hill to Commonburn House, walking passed the farm we turned south on the footpath passed the house.  We followed the wall down to Common Burn and crossed at the ford. Where we followed the track just south of a small wood, at the south east corner of the small wood we stopped and had our packed lunch.

After lunch we headed south along the footpath to Broadstruther. The path undulated in places until it dropped to the Broadstruther Burn.  We crossed the footbridge and followed the road to the rise then took the footpath across to Broadstruther.

From Broadstruther we took the bridle path north, that turned east down to another footbridge back over the Broadstruthers Burn.  Followed by a gentle climb to a gate into the edge of a sparsely covered wood.

The path followed the Burn down further into the wood.  It passed close to a part that would be good for swimming, not today but a nice sunny warm day.  Following the Burn the path continued north east up a steep rise out of the wood.  At a gate after a few minutes rest we moved onto a wide path.

The path continued north east and as we crossed a rise we could see the Humbleton Hill fort, where we walked earlier in the day.  We were also in the area that we had seen the shooting party in earlier in the day. The path took us across Wooler Common before dropping down to the road. As we approached the road we could see the van in the car park.

  
In the car park I had another look at the board and saw this sign for Sheila.

The lady in the Wooler tourist information office was very helpful with regards to information we could share on our walk.

It was a good day walking, we had covered approx 17km with 510m climb.  I hope the lads like it, follow link to next weeks walk.

More to follow.


Boz North

Details correct at time of walking.

If you have enjoyed reading my walk or found it useful you may also like to read other walks I have done in Northumberland or other areas. Please check out the links on the right hand side.

Resterkogel to Aschau - Kitzbuhel - Austria 25 Aug 2014.

Resterkogel to Aschau
Austria
Distance 14km Climb 340m
Monday 25th August 2014

A couple of years ago we did this walk following a suggestion from Klaus at the Hotel Edelweiss.  Today we would make a change in the route so that I could take Anne to see the Blaue Lacke (Kesselkarsee). Before leaving the hotel Veronika gave us a list of times for the buses on our return journey.

We headed for the 09.08 bus at the local bus stop.  The bus was for Mittersill and we along with a number of other people on holiday got off at the Hotel Breitmoos and got on the cable car up the Resterkogel at 1894m.

It was a long ride up the cable car and you could not see into the deep valley where Mittersill was due to the low cloud.  In the past on our way up on this cable car we had previously passed a number of cars going down with people in them having breakfast, I think we only saw one today.  

At the top of Resterkogel 1894m, after a few photos, we headed west around the lakes.  In this photo in the distance you can see the multi humped Kleiner Rettenstein where I had tried to reach the cross earlier in the week. Just below and almost in the centre of the photo is a faint white dot, this is the chair lift station at Trattenbach.  This was where we were headed. 

We set off past the lakes and headed north west on route 15, it soon warmed up and we had to take our coats off.

At Hartkaserhohe 1900m we turned right and headed north, the route was easy and well marked. Here in this photo you can see the Kleiner Rettenstein and the chair lift station in the centre.  It would still be some time before we reached there.

We turned left, west, just before Sonnalm.  Apart from a little climb this was mainly a steady down hill path.  After about 1.5km the route moves off the road onto a crass track which took us steeply down hill towards a stream.  Once over the stream we turned north east and had a little gentle climb up to Trattenbachalm 1628m.  It was lovely walking here, very peaceful.

I had passed Trattenbachalm on my walk earlier in the week.  Today there was a lady struggling with her pigs, they were big, one was moving where she wanted, the other just lay there.  Even though she was slapping and hitting it and trying to get it to move it would not.  It must have been enjoying the sunshine.

Moving north and upwards from Trattenbachalm we followed the road as it twisted to Gauxjoch then turned west and climbed up to the Trattenbach chair lift station.  Through the cables you can see the Resterkogel cable car station where we started our walk.

We moved off the track and followed the narrow path north, cross country as it climbed up a narrow trail to the ridge.

In the middle left of this photo you can see the Schwarzkogel. We had walked this earlier in the week, however today it was clear.

Crossing the fence we continued west towards Blaue Lacke. It was beautiful and clear.  As we arrived at the Lacke, I thought we could stop and have our sandwiches, but a few cows were standing in the perfect spot.  Anne was not happy and would not settle so we had to move on. It took some time for Anne to move past the cows.

We continued up and down the narrow path to the fence line that runs up the Kleiner Rettenstein.  Once at the fence we turned right, and headed north, crossing the Kesselboden 1828m, for approx 300m where there was a track junction down route 11. On the whole this was a steady climb down and in places cut through little dips towards Stadlbergalm 1629.  Lovely views across the valley.

Stadlbergalm was where we were earlier in the holiday when we climbed the Schwarzkogel together.  The path down was difficult it had been churned up by the cattle and the mud had hardened making it difficult walking.  Well at least for a few hundred meters.  We were then on a grass path that took us down to the woods.  It was a very steep path down, as it twisted and turned down through the woods. Eventually arriving at the little shrine on the Oberer Grund Ache.

On the Oberer Grund Ache we passed the turning for the Spiessnagel, this was where we were going to walk earlier in the week and heard it was closed.  Today there was a gate across the path and a sign.

It did not take us long to reach Aschau.  We turned right and heading north again, we were on the road that took us down hill to Aschau.  We had missed the earlier bus, never mind it was a lovely day and we decided to have a coffee at the bar.  Within minutes a bus turned up, it was not on the timetable and Veronika must not have known about it as it was not on her piece of paper.  Rushing our coffee we paid, and jumped on the bus which took us back to Kitzbuhel. This was the last walk following another great holiday at the Hotel Edelweiss.

With 14km and approx 340m climb and a 1200m climb down.  

More to follow

Boz North

Details correct at time of walking.

If you have enjoyed reading my walk or found it useful you may also like to read other walks I have done in Austria or other areas. Please check out the links on the right hand side.

Follow link to previous walk in Austria Kitzbuhel to Kitzbuheler Horn

Kitzbuhel to Kitzbuheler Horn - Kitzbuhel - Austria 24 Aug 2014.

Kitzbuhel to Kitzbuheler Horn
Austria
Distance 10km Climb 1230m
Sunday 24th August 2014

This was the second time this holiday I have done this walk.  If you look at the pictures from 17th August 2014 you will see the difference a week can make.  Last week I walked up to meet Anne for the open air mass on a crag near Hornkopfl so though we could do the same today.  After breakfast at the Hotel Edelweiss we set off.  As usual Anne would use one of our cable car tickets to go up the Kitzbuheler Horn and I would walk up, we would meet up near the top.

A lovely group of Irish guests were staying at the hotel and we mentioned the mass, so I was expecting to see them on my walk up.  Today was also the day they had a race up the mountain.    

I walked through the bottom of the town, although the weather was sunny, there was a little damp in the air, as I walked up I could see cloud gathering and in places it was cold and chilly.  I crossed the river, the main road and the train line before starting up hill passed the cable station at 763m at the bottom of the Kitzbuheler Horn.

The track up to the Kitzbuheler Horn is up, up then more up, I soon left the town behind as I worked my way up, the path leaves a tarmac road and goes onto a gravel path that moves through the trees, becoming very steep in places. I was looking to take different pictures to what I had the previous week.

Looking across the valley I could hardly see the Rauher Kopf due to the cloud.

I reached and walked passed the house that was still being built.  I said previously it had not changed in the last four years, only the path to it was starting to become a little overgrown.  Still no change from last week.

The part of the walk up to the Adlerhutte - the middle station at 1266m is the steepest part of the walk.  From here there are still some steep parts to climb up, they are not as bad as in this first part.  

After a couple of steep climbs the view opens up on the right and if there was no cloud I would be able to see across to the Kitzbuheler Horn.

Looking down into the valley I could see part of the Kitzbuheler Horn race.  A lad from the hotel was taking part in the race. Later in the hotel we saw him arrive with a trophy, he came first in his age group, excellent.

Coming across the rise at Trattalmen I joined the road below the Alpenhaus. I then turned right towards Alpenblumenweg.  It did not look like there was anyone on the Hornkopfl for the mass.

As I approached Hornkopfl 1773m, I looked back at the hutte, last week this was full of people, cyclists and walkers.  Today there was nobody.

Today on looking across at the crags you can see there is no-one there, totally different to the numbers here last week.

I met Anne where the path joined the road which leads from the Alpenhaus to the Kitzbuheler Horn.  It was very cold now and despite having a sweat on I needed to put my coat on.

After a few meters, I moved onwards and upwards towards the cross and then the top.  Anne would walk at her own pace.

At the top they still had the race markers out and apparently were waiting for the last runner.  You can see what the view was like from the next few photos.  At the top I also met a group from the Irish party who were eating lunch waiting for some of their group who had decided to walk up.

After some lunch ourselves we took the cable car back to Kitzbuhel.  I would not normally cover this as it was not a walk but on our way down we saw a fox sleeping near by.  This was on the part from the middle station to Kitzbuhel and we had to go back round on the lift to catch this photo on the second pass.

Tea and cakes at the Hotel Edelweiss. All in I had covered approx 10km with 1230m of climb.

More to follow.


Boz North

Details correct at time of walking.

If you have enjoyed reading my walk or found it useful you may also like to read other walks I have done in Austria or other areas. Please check out the links on the right hand side.

Follow link to previous walk in Austria Kitzbuhel to Oberndorf
Follow link to next walk in Austria Resterkogel to Aschau