Slate Quarries above Llyn Peris

On Sunday morning we had a gentle stroll through the disused slate quarries above Llyn Peris to The Rucksack Club hut at Beudy Mawr. The low grey clouds restricted the views, ensured rain showers were never far away but did nothing to spoil our stroll. This is the first time we have seen the quarries close and the scale is simply overwhelming – looking at them on a map or across the valley gives no real feel for the size of the place. Some of the inclines running from the top of the quarry are a mile or more long and now provide an excellent training ground for fell runners.

Llyn Peris with the quarries beyond 

Towards Nant Peris

The first of the two above was taken much later in the day when the rain clouds had blown away – in order to provide us with sunshine for the drive home and not for the first time.

Approaching the top of one of the inclines we reached a small group of goats, 5 in total, who looked at us long and hard before standing up and wandering off very slowly, almost contemptuously, secure in the knowledge that, even had we wanted to, we would be unable to follow them for any distance over the steep slopes of spoil.

In the heart of the quarries there are any number of ruined buildings, many standing alone on the skyline decrepit and forlorn. On a day like last Sunday morning there is so little colour on the ground and in the sky that everything is just shades of grey or very dark blue. Apart from a little greenery by the side of the tracks this is an alien landscape in a monochrome world and while sunshine would have been pleasant the grey overcast sky is much more in character.

 

 

Inevitably the hillsides are awash and in many places the water can be heard but not seen as it rushes down hill underneath the piles of slate waste. This sound of crashing, roaring but invisible water adds to the eeriness of the quarries  and reinforces the idea that we are just visitors and not part of this particular landscape.

Beyond the piles of slate and out of the quarries the landscape is more familiar – steep, wet ,slippery paths punctuated with lichen covered boulders ready to trip or topple the unwary pedestrian.

The becks are “full to bursting” with local flooding seemingly unavoidable as the ground must be close to saturation.

 

 

 

 

Trees on the west banks of Llyn Peris opposite Dinorwig Power Station appear to see the sun only rarely and are covered in moss with, in some places, ferns growing out of the moss.

High above the water but well below the road these trees seem to be engaged in a difficult struggle just to survive in the permanent shade. At this time of year having shed all their leaves the branches look more like three dimensional sculptures than living plants.

Not quite as alien as the landscape of the quarries but nevertheless not entirely natural; Llyn Peris is subject to unnatural changes in water levels dictated by the immediate demand for electricity because it is the lower of the two reservoirs used by Dinorwig power station.

Beyond the trees the road turns west dropping into Llanberis and away from strange area below Elider Fawr.

Winter Hill

Originally we planned to go to north Wales ahead of The Rucksack Club dinner but the weather forecast was so poor we decided to travel down later in the day which meant I could have time for a run up Winter Hill if I was out early enough. Setting off in the rain under a brightening sky I wasn’t optimistic but I took a camera anyway.

Over Manchester the cloud cover wasn’t quite complete and the sun was trying really hard to brighten the morning. Sadly, this wasn’t to last and although by the time I reached the top of Winter Hill I could see the sky clearing away to the north east everywhere else the cloud cover was complete and threatening.

Turning to run the six and a half miles home I was surprised to see Manchester bathed in the yellow glow of November sunshine.  I am not sure there is enough detail to allow anyone to recognise Manchester although, once you know, you might recognise just the tower.

I got home warm and dry but with very tired, tight legs at the end of 13 road miles. It seems my legs have forgotten how to run but I am still trying to shake off the cold I picked up a week or so ago. Tired or not, I should get back to running before work next week and settling into my “winter training” routine.

Borsdane Wood

The contrast of warm Mallorcan sunshine with cold Lancashire rain could not have been more complete and such was the shock that I picked up a fierce cold within days of landing at Manchester airport. On Saturday morning I wasn’t up to a trog over Winter Hill, or any hill, more accurately. An hour or two after Pauline had set off in the pouring rain the sun appeared and I was tempted out to have a gentle jog through Borsdane Wood and along the Leeds-Liverpool canal where I could pretty sure of avoiding hills.  The winter sunshine was strong if not warm and while most of the autumn leaves are on the ground there are, probably, just enough left on left on the trees to provide some colour.

 

 

  

A fishing competition on the canal meant there were long stretches of towpath were occupied by nearly motionless fishermen with long carbon fibre poles. Seems a strange way to pass a Saturday morning but I expect the feeling was mutual. I am sure I missed the best of the autumn colours here and I certainly missed the best of the wildlife, disturbing a kestrel  and then minutes later spotting a kingfisher flying down the canal inches above the water. Both were far too fast for me and my camera.

Wildlife has to be nearly stationary. Even these ducks were almost too quick but effect if their wake and its ripples on the reflection is more interesting, I think, than they are.

Bridge 62 was as far along the canal as I went and just before turning to run the five miles home I realised the sunshine reflecting off the water was illuminating the underside of the bridge in a way I had never seen before. Five miles didn’t seem a long way but the last three felt like the end of a marathon and I was pleased to be able to record 10 (slow) miles for the morning

Mallorcan Miscellany

Port de Soller is a popular destination for walkers from all over Europe as well as people living or holidaying on the other side of the mountains. Although the express coaches are faster and cheaper many travel from Palma by the electric train through the mountains to Soller where they take the tram down to the port.

The tram can just be seen above near the centre of the picture

The tram (in case you didn’t spot it in the first one)

 

 

The beach

Cerveza Grande

Why not?

The mountains around the port hide the sunrise and the hills beyond the harbour conceal the sunsets even after the late afternoon clouds have drifted through, if they do. Late in the week we saw the afternoon clouds dispersing above Cuber (immediately below) and decided to go out to one of the lighthouses above the harbour to watch the sun disappearing below the horizon. As a sunset it was much more than we could have hoped for.

High clouds above Cuber

 

Puig de Galatzo

Puig de Galatzo (1027m) is the highest of the south western mountains, the only one higher than 1000m and on a clear day, because of its position, commands outstanding views. Very clear days at this time of year are rare, not least, because of the smoke from bonfires in the olive groves and so although the views are outstanding they are also somewhat hazy.

Galatzo

Looking north east with Puntals de Son Fortesa (893m) on the left and Es Teix beyond

Looking south west to S’Esclop (928m)

While the views may be hazy the cairn builders around Galatzo are inspired and not content with merely building small piles of stones they take every advantage of the local amenities – from dead bushes to huge boulders.

 

 

This must have been built by a climber, or a boulderer, because the boulder itself is about 7 metres high

Circuit of L’Ofre

The Barranc de Biniaraix is one of the most emblematic walks on the island and as part of the route to the Monastery of Lluc, used by pilgrims since the 14th Century, it is one of the oldest. Staring at Biniaraix the cobbled track winds its way up through the gorge (barranc) to reach an alp occupied by the farm at L’Ofre above which tower a number 1000m peaks including Puig L’Ofre. On an earlier trip we walked the Serra d’Alfabia (1067m) from the radio masts to Es Cornadors (956m) but didn’t have time to visit Puig des Col des Jou (1052m) on the ridge between L’Ofre and Orient in the valley far below towards Palma.

Soller from near the top of the Barranc

 Puig de L’Ofre with the farm below

 

Alfabia (with radio masts) and Es Teix on the skyline

Soller with Port de Soller beyond from Es Cornadors

From Puig des Col des Jou with Puig Major (left) Puig de L’Ofre (wooded in centre) and Massanella in the distance

The late afternoon clouds may have been troublesome on Tomir but today as we descended the Barranc they provided some dramatic pictures swirling around Es Cornadors.

 

 

 

A splendid way to complete a splendid day.

 

Map centred on L'Ofre

Puig Tomir

Two years ago in the company of a karaoke-obsessed Scotsman we climbed Tomir (1103m) swept by heavy rain and swathed in low cloud. The conditions weren’t that bad when we left Lluc but a steady deterioration ensured we were wearing everything we were carrying by the summit. We saw nothing from, what is said to be, a commanding position at the head of the Pollenca valley and so with more stable weather this year we were tempted to return. Tomir is also close to Black Vulture Conservation Foundation (BVCF) and a place where Black Vultures are likely to be seen. Ironically, we didn’t see any here this year or two years ago but we saw a pair yesterday on Es Teix sitting on rocks watching walkers, almost like a cartoon.

This must have been a very dry summer on Mallorca as two reservoirs supplying Palma (Cuber & Blue Gorge) have very low water levels.

Blue Gorge reservoir with Sa Rateta (1122m) on the distant skyline 

The morning’s rain didn’t materialise and as we set off for Puig Tomir’s summit the grey clouds were breaking up and drifting away. Encouraged by these improvements we stopped for a bit to eat just below the summit plateau and we stopped just long enough for the mid afternoon clouds to drift in!

 Approaching Puig Tomir’s summit

With no likelihood of the clouds lifting we walked to the trig point, turned round and headed back to Binifaldi. The clouds remained on all the high summits but others remained clear.

 

   Sa Moleta (835m) under clouds

Northwest to Puig Caragoler (923m) in sunshine

Northwest to Puig Roig (1004m) with Puig Caragoler on the right

Puig Tomir still in cloud

Port de Soller is a working harbour with its own fleet of fishing vessels and nets laid out on the harbour to dry between trips. The larger vessels appear to slip out of the harbour after dark and return in late afternoon although I am far from sure this is a consistent pattern. The one below was preparing to depart.

fishing boat in Soller harbour

 

Roma bar on the sea front

map centred on Puig Tomir

Es Teix

Es Teix (1064m) stands high above Deia and Valdemossa from where it is easily ascended. Es Teix is a popular mountain without any real distinguishing features apart from its location in the middle of a long ridge that runs from  Talia Vella above Valdemossa to Sa Gelara above Soller. This ridge provides a long interesting walk which we did a couple of years ago. The Sa Galera end is remote and rarely visited and provides a better end to the day than the, now closed, route to Col De Soller. Es Teix provides extensive views to both sides of Mallorca as well as along the main ridge of the Serra de Tramuntana and south to Galatzo.

From the south side of Es Teix looking north east with the radio masts on Alfabia and at the far end of the ridge Massanella on the skyline

From the south side of Es Teix looking south east over Palma

From the south side of Es Teix looking south west with the conical summit of Galatzo on the far skyline

From the north summit of Es Teix looking north east with Alfabia, L’Ofre, Massanella and Puig Major all clearly visible

West summit of Es Teix

Looking north east with Puig Major visible beyond the late afternoon clouds

 

Es Teix, Mallorca

Soller Market

An early flight from Manchester to Palma last Saturday allowed us to reach Soller before the Saturday market finished at lunchtime. Although there are tourists here, us included, most of the people are locals, here to to do some shopping and catch up on the gossip.

No excessive packaging here!

 

 

 

 

 

  

Sunday morning at Greendale

To complete the weekend Joss leads a walk from Greendale on the Sunday morning after the dinner and we were delighted to join him and the sizable group gathering under a grey threatening sky. The rain didn’t look far away and it wasn’t.

After collecting his dogs we strolled up Buckbarrow to see worsening weather rolling in from the Irish Sea. The views into Wasdale were disappointingly hazy and the cold wind meant lingering like yesterday wasn’t an option – none of which bothered either of the two dogs.

  Titch clearly enjoys both the company and the audience the group provides.

 

This is a part of the weekend Joss clearly enjoys, out on the fells chatting with people who share his love of these hills and our idiosyncratic sport of fell running.

I feel extremely lucky to have enjoyed a huge amount of support and enthusiasm from friends, old and new, on the fells this year. Without them I wouldn’t have reached Greendale Bridge on time in April, I wouldn’t have been at The Bridge last night and I wouldn’t have been here on Buckbarrow with Joss this morning.  There is a intense camaraderie enjoyed by runners sharing long days on the fells together and it is a humbling privilege to be a part of it, especially to be a recipient of it. I still am unable to find the words to express my appreciation to all of you who helped on that “perfect day” in April, “thank you” seems so inadequate when, quite simply, I couldn’t have done it without you. Most of all, of course, I couldn’t have done it without Pauline’s constant encouragement and support.

Pauline on Joss’s Millennium seat overlooking Lower Greendale