• Futaleufu; en route, town and walk

    16 November 2023, Chile ⋅ 🌧 7 °C

    We set off from the campsite soon after 8 am. for the 360km journey south through Argentina to Futaleufu; this is in Chile, and the border crossing is close to it.

    There are views of the Andes and flatter scrubland as we drive. After a while, we divert through part of the so-called Welsh area, where there are small flags in some gardens. The border crossing was slowish, but we were back in Chile at about 6 pm.

    It's pouring with rain, and rather than camp, the group can have a sleepover in the quinta, the log cabin on the site, but several people choose a hostel alternative. Then it's into the small town of Futaleufu; we get a lift to Bar Madero - beers and a Mechada Madero sandwich beckon. Back later , and it rains hard all night. Apparently, the weather in this area is unusual for this time of year, as it's going to rain for the next 5 days....

    The river is too high for white water rafting (this is one of the top 3 places in the world for this). Ant and I wander into the small town of Futaleufu to see it and then set off on a local walk. According to Ant's digital watch, we walked 10.5 miles today (most of it in the rain).
    Baca lagi

  • Llao Llao Municipal Park

    15 November 2023, Argentina ⋅ ☁️ 4 °C

    We take the bus to the Llao Llao Hotel, a resort, golf, and spa centre where the very helpful receptionist provided us with a hiking map. The hotel is set at the edge of the Llao Llao Municipal Park, a protected natural area that includes a recreational conservation forest as part of the Circuito Chico area.

    We set off and see the various points of interest along the short walking trails; we do most of them in sequence (see picture captions). We walk 10 miles in total, with the ascent to the peak of the Cerrito Llao Llao being particularly arduous; it was well worth it, though.

    Layer on, it's back to Oveja Negra for empanadas and beers wirh Mark and Chris.
    Baca lagi

  • Cerro Campanario Aerosilla

    14 November 2023, Argentina ⋅ ☁️ 7 °C

    A few km from our campsite, the Cerro Campanario Aerosilla (chairlift) takes you to the top of a cerro (hill) that offers amazing views of the area on a good, clear afternoon from 1,052m above sea level - and it was a good, clear afternoon!

    We walked down from the top. After some downtime, a few of us walked up the road (3km) to the Cervezeria Wesley for beers, bus back, and then stopped off at the bar Oveja Negra, just outside the campsite, for more beers. It was a great night out, and the new sleeping bag enabled me to sleep!
    Baca lagi

  • Bariloche

    14–15 Nov 2023, Argentina ⋅ ☁️ 3 °C

    San Carlos de Bariloche, to give it its full name, is an attractive town in the Nahuel Huapi National Park in the foothills of the Andes; in the Rio Negro province; it has an alpine feel to it.. We get the 20 bus there, thanks to help from locals as we didn't have a SUBA card, and they paid oir fares using theirs!

    We walk along the promenade facing Puerto San Carlos, past a recreation area to see the large cathedral. Then it's back via the main roads to the Centro Civico.

    We have a money exchange, SUBA bus card, and shopping for warmer sleeping bags, gloves, etc, to do. It all happens, and then we have lunch and take the 20 back again, past the camping site, to Cerro Campanario.
    Baca lagi

  • Bariloche; en route and campsite

    13–14 Nov 2023, Argentina ⋅ 🌧 6 °C

    We leave the hostel in Pucon at about 8:30am for the border crossing into Argentina; this is over the Andes, and it is rather cold up there. It's a slow process, taking several hours, but we make it entering Argentina via the national park Lanin and away from the mountains. We make rwo stops, one for lunch and the other for a cooking group shop at a supermarket.

    We are driving through an area known as the Argentine Lakes District; there are good views, despite the steamed up bus windows - it is raining outside, but it stops eventually as near Bariloche.

    We arrive at the Camping Petunia campsite, 13 km west of Bariloche, at 8 pm! The food group does a great job, and it's late to bed; it's very cold tonight.
    Baca lagi

  • Santuario El Cani

    12 November 2023, Chile ⋅ ⛅ 3 °C

    A walk in the park; in this case, a private park to see the area where the Mapuche lived; this privately forested area, the Cani Sanctuary, was saved from logging and entrusted to local residents in 2004.

    We set off on the 7:50 am minibus to the area, we being me, Ant, Mark & Chris, and Phil. It's a long walk uphill from the administration entrance, and we stop at the various observation points (see captions). The actual park entrance is at The Sawmill Hut. There was a lot of snow yesterday from here upwards, although it is lovely today, and it is hard work walking up the steep slopes. We see the ancient Pewen trees held sacred by the Mapuche people; these are considered living fossils as they were around with the dinosaurs. We finish at the Laguna Negra and double back; it is considered too dangerous to go on to the Melidekin viewpoint (views of volcanoes), and there are warning signs not to go further. However, back in Pucon, we are lucky with the light and have an amazing view of the Villarrica volcano from the town.

    A great day out; 13 miles, half hard uphill with the return downhill difficult due to the snow and the trees thawing.
    Baca lagi

  • En route to, and, Pucon

    11 November 2023, Chile

    We set off at 9:30 am in the 800km, 2 day journey south to Pucon. It's raining all day in Santiago today, so it's a good time to be leaving. There are 21 on the bus today, excluding Claire (our leader) and Kevin (our driver), and the layout is very different from those I have been on before, as the seats face inward with the bags stored underneath them in deep lockers.

    There are many vineyards as we head south through the heavy rain, eventually stopping at a large campsite near Chillan at about 6 pm; we are the only people here. We put up our tents; these are sturdier and roomier than expected as they were recently acquired from the now defunct tour company Toucan). The cook group for tonight serves up a lovely rice dish with vegetables. There is a disco / nightclub next to the campsite; it's Friday night, and they close at 5 am.....

    The next morning, we continued on to Pucon - through the rain initially, but the weather improved as we got closer to Pucon, arriving at 1:30 pm. It has a very European feel to it, with the scenery, buildings, and trekking shops.

    We have a quick explore of the town, seeing the lake with its black volcanic sand, and enjoy beers and food, as you do!
    Baca lagi

  • Santiago 3; Offbeat Santiago Tour

    9 November 2023, Chile ⋅ ☁️ 25 °C

    Today, it's the Tours4Tips Offbeat Santiago tour that shows "normal" life for city dwellers. Before we cross the river, canalised in this part of the city, we see old embassies and the Posado del Corregidor (now a museum). After the flea market, we pass through various sections of the Mercado Centrale, before emerging into an area that is now popular with the various migrant communities that have settled here (Koreans, Venezuelans, Peruvians, etc.)

    We then visit the Santiago General Cemetery, which is much like a small town with "blocks of flats" and "mansions," depending on the wealth of the departed. It is actually very interesting and considered a "must see" in Santiago.

    Later this evening, we meet the rest of the Oasis Overland group. 24 travellers on the bus; what could possibly go wrong? Seriously, they look to be a good group, and we look forward to a great trip!
    Baca lagi

  • Valparaiso

    8 November 2023, Chile ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C

    We take the metro and bus to Valparaíso, a city on the coast. It is well known for its colourful buildings covered in street art, steep streets, etc, but it is also a major port. We start our exploration from the centre, Palace Sotomayor, and visit Cerro Alegre and Cerro Conception via the funicular and lots of walking. It's a fascinating place to visit.Baca lagi

  • Santiago 2; More places of interest

    7 November 2023, Chile ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C

    After the Trips4Tips tour finishes in the Lastarria area, we wander through to the Santa Lucia Hill. There are some interesting buildings here, including an old Fort. When the part of the Mapocho River that flows through Santiago was canalised, some of the detritus was put here to make the hill larger. There are great views of the city and the Anne's from here

    Back in Lastarria, pisco sour awaits at the amazing Chipe Libre. Is it better from Chile or Peru? It's hard to say, as they were both excellent!
    Baca lagi

  • Santiago 1; Highlights Tour

    7 November 2023, Chile ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    Anthony and I arrived in Santiago after the long flight from Heathrow. After checking in at the hostel and planning at reception, we take the funicular to the top of Cerro San Cristobal and have an explore before returning for lunch.

    It's a bit of a rush to join the Tours4Tips tour of the Highlights of Santiago, but we make it. We see many interesting buildings before finishing at the Centre Gabriela Mistral cultural centre in the Lastarria area (see picture captions).
    Baca lagi

  • Regent's Canal 2; to Mile End

    1 November 2023, England ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C

    Back to St Pancras Lock and we carry on walking east along the Towpath reaching the Islington Canal Tunnel; this takes the Regent's Canal 960 yards (878 m) under Angel, Islington, the longest such tunnel in London.  We access the Eastern portal after a diversion via Islington High Street, and enjoy great views before passing Sturt's Lock and on to Haggerston Bridge - where there are sharks!  The Haggerston Sharks are a controversial art installation that has been changed several times to suit local council demands.

    Then we reach another installation; this time, the conversion of the Bethnal Green gasometer to very nice and expensive residential apartments (much like those at the Kings Cross Gasholder Park).  We soon reach Victoria Park, a large park in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets (formerly the traditional East End); we visit the southern part of the park and see the Dogs of Alcibiades (guardians since 1912) and the Chinese Pagoda (a folly on an island in the Western Boating Lake).  We leave Victoria Park and follow the Towpath to reach the Mile End Lock to end this leg of the walk and have lunch.
    Baca lagi

  • Regent's Canal 1; to St Pancras Lock

    13 Oktober 2023, England ⋅ ☁️ 20 °C

    Ant and I reach Cumberland Basin, where there is a large Chinese restaurant boat, and reach the Camden Lock area in the heart of Camden (it is actually Hampstead Road Lock). Camden Market is here, and there are many interesting buildings, shops, and stalls.

    It is a pleasant walk as we reach Gasholder Park, a redeveloped area of King's Cross, where the wrought iron columns from the Old Pancras Gasworks were used as frameworks for apartment blocks. A little further on is St Pancras Lock, with a traditional canal lock cottage sitting on a small island; behind this is an ornate Victorian water tower and the Camley Street Nature Park. We leave via Canal Drops Yard,
    Baca lagi

  • Little Venice and part of Regent's Canal

    13 Oktober 2023, England ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    Little Venice, a prime residential area of London, is centred around Browning's Pool, a triangular shaped basin around the junction of the Paddington Arm of the Grand Union Canal, the Regent's Canal, and the entrance to Paddington Basin; there is a small island in the middle.  We walk along the Paddington Arm of the Grand Union Canal, along an edge of Little Venice enjoying the views, and then join the Regent's Canal, but have to walk above it for a short while as the canal passes through the Maida Hill Tunnel; we re-join the canal tow path at Crocker's Folly, formerly an opulent Victorian pub but now a Lebanese restaurant.  

    We rejoin the Regent's Canal; there are many moored narrowboats along this stretch of the canal, until we pass along the edge of Regent's Park and see some very fine buildings on the other bank, in the Park.  We reach Macclesfield Bridge, also known as Blow Up Bridge; this is because in 1874 a barge exploded right underneath it, destroying both itself and the bridge - the bridge was rebuilt like for like, but with the pillars swivelled meaning that rope grooves are visible on both sides.  London Zoo is in Regent's Park, and we see some of the outskirts of the zoo as we carry on towards Camden Town.
    Baca lagi

  • Bingley Rise Locks /East Riddlesden Hall

    19 Ogos 2023, England ⋅ 🌬 18 °C

    We stop at Bingley Rise Locks along the Leeds to Liverpool Canal; these comprise two sets of locks to manage the hill here.

    Bingley Five Rise Locks are now Grade I listed and are the steepest staircase locks on the longest canal in the UK. They were opened in 1774 and were a major feat of engineering at the time; the five locks are still managed by six gates. Bingley Rise Three Locks are a little further down the towpath.

    Nearby is East Riddlesden Hall, a historic 17th century Manor House now managed by the National Trust. It was rebuilt by James Murgatroyd, a wealthy clothier from Halifax, in 1642 and overlooks a bend on the River Aire as it wends its way to Keighley

    We explore the house and small gardens to complete two pleasant excursions at the end of our Yorkshire holiday.
    Baca lagi

  • Skipton; Town

    18 Ogos 2023, England ⋅ 🌬 18 °C

    Skipton is a market town and the southern gateway to the Yorkshire Dales; it is also known as Skipton-in-Craven, Craven being the old name for this district of Yorkshire.

    The owners of Skipton Castle acquired a market charter in 1204, and the town grew wealthy as a trading centre for wool and sheep. Further growth happened with the building of the Leeds to Liverpool Canal (130 miles long) during the Industrial Revolution in the 18th century.

    We explore the town, seeing the main buildings and sites.
    Baca lagi

  • Wharfedale; Grassington Circular

    18 Ogos 2023, England ⋅ 🌬 15 °C

    This is Walk 5 in our booklet of "Yorkshire Dales Outstanding Circular Walks," and we start at the village of Grassington.

    The village is noted for its cobbled market square and many old houses. It was originally a farming centre that expanded due to mining and quarrying locally; it now thrives on tourism - it was used as the setting for the TV series "All Creatues Great and Small".

    We leave from the north end of the village and walk past Lea Green, an ancient Neolithic / Bronze Age settlement on the outskirts of Barstow Wood. We then cross the Grass Wood Nature Reserve before heading down to the River Wharfe. We follow the riverside to reach Ghastrill's Strid, a narrow and rocky stretch of the River, before continuing along it further and back into Grassington.

    A very pleasant 5-mile walk.
    Baca lagi

  • Fountains Abbey and Studley Royal

    17 Ogos 2023, England ⋅ ☁️ 18 °C

    Fountains Abbey is now part of the Studley Royal Estate; the Aislabie family created the water gardens here. The estate is now owned by the National Trust and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

    We follow the National Trust map guide and visit Fountains Hall, late Elizabethan, and Fountains Mill, originally built in the 12th century for the monastery.

    We now visit the ruins of Fountains Abbey itself; this is the largest and best preserved Cistercian monastery in England and was founded in 1132 when a group of monks were expelled from St Mary's Abbey in York. They were brought to this site in the River Skell valley, and the natural features enabled the creation of a monastery ; it was named after the six springs that watered the site.

    We then walk across to the Studley Royal Water Garden, where there are several follies and statues. Fom here, we walk to the deer park - seeing no deer - and exit the park next to St Mary's Church.

    Another great day out.
    Baca lagi

  • Brimham Rocks

    17 Ogos 2023, England ⋅ ☁️ 16 °C

    Brimham Rocks is made of millstone grit, created in a river system 320 million years ago; this layer lifted up when the Pennines, a range of uplands in the North of England, formed. Today, Brimham Rocks is a natural landscape created from the weathering that has split the rocks along natural joints and horizontal weaknesses; the last Ice Age, 10-18,000 years ago, wore away the softer rock leaving the shapes we see today. Natural erosion still continues.

    Brimham Rocks is now managed by the National Trust; we followed the trail map for the site to see the rock formations. It was very interesting.
    Baca lagi

  • Wharfedale; The Strid and Bolton Priory

    16 Ogos 2023, England ⋅ ⛅ 17 °C

    This is Walk 21 in our booklet of "Yorkshire Dales Outstanding Circular Walks," and we start at Barden Bridge (free parking).

    We follow the footpath to a turreted bridge, a Victorian aqueduct, and join the Dales Way through Strid Woods, renowned for its flora and fauna. We reach a narrowing section of the River Wharfe where the fast flowing water is both deep and dangerous - The Strid. We carry on along the path past the Cavendish Pavilion and the Cavendish Memorial Fountain. We head down to Bolton Priory, which is part of the village and parish of Bolton Abbey on the Bolton Estate.

    Bolton Priory was founded in 1154 and dissolved in 1539, one of the last to fall in Henry VIII's Dissolution of the Monasteries; altough most of the Priory buildings are now ruins, part still survives and is used as the local church. We then join the road and double back a short way past the Victorian Bolton and walk up the hill through fields and a small forest to reach Moorland. There are good views as we reach Middle Hare Head. From here, it is down through the heather to reach a road, which we follow downhill to Barden Tower; this was used as a hunting lodge by the Clifford family (the original owners of Skipton Castle), but was extended in the 15th century. The ruins survive and are also part of the Bolton Estate.

    It has been another excellent day out, covering over 10 miles in great walking conditions.
    Baca lagi

  • Wharfedale; Burnsall and Linton walk

    15 Ogos 2023, England ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C

    This is Walk 13 in our booklet of "Yorkshire Dales Outstanding Circular Walks," and we start at the pretty village of Burnsall.

    From the Burnsall Bridge, we follow the Dales Walk along the River Wharfe paat Loup Scar, a limestone gorge on the river, and cross over the Hebden Suspension Bridge (1895). We follow the riverside path and turn off towards Linton, with a good view of the squat Linton Church of St Michael and All Angels. Reaching Linton, we cross the bridge over the Linton Falls, a natural limestone waterfall. Linton Beck joins the River Wharfe here, and we see Little Emily's Bridge, an old Packhorse bridge. Linton is very pretty, with a village green and a pub; this part of the village is dominated by the Fountaine Hospital, a 1721 almshouse.

    We leave Linton via a footpath across Moorland and then follow a single track lane to the small village of Thorpe and its Manor House and then take another path over undulating fields back to Burnsall.

    It has been a good, not overly challenging, 7.75-mile walk in pleasant weather with some lovely views. Things could be worse!
    Baca lagi

  • RHS Garden Harlow Carr, North Yorkshire

    14 Ogos 2023, England ⋅ 🌧 16 °C

    RHS Garden Harlow Carr is located on the Western edge of Harrogate, North Yorkshire.

    Springs of warm sulphur water were discovered here in the 18th century, and a hotel and bath spa house was finally established in 1840. The Northern Horticultural Society acquired the 26-acre site at Harlow Hill and opened the Harlow Carr Botanical Gardens in 1950. The site was acquired by the RHS in 2014 after the hotel, now the Harrogate Arms, closed in 2014; this is now being redeveloped as a cafe area, whereas the Old Bath House is now an exhibition area.

    The weather was inclement today, but we enjoyed exploring the gardens, seeing the various areas (see photo captions for some of them).
    Baca lagi

  • Skipton; Castle and Woods

    13 Ogos 2023, England ⋅ ☁️ 17 °C

    Skipton Castle was originally built as a motte and bailey castle by the Normans in 1091; the cliffs behind drop down to Eller Beck and woodland behind it, making for a good strategic position. It was passed to and renovated by the Clifford family in 1310 and is one of the best preserved and complete medieval castles in England.

    During our visit, there was a 1635 household reenactment going on over the weekend; it was interestto hear how things were done then by chatting to the serving staff, the cook the physcian, and the musicians in some of the places our tour map took us from the main gates. These included Lady Anne's Steps, the Conduit Court, the Kitchen, the Banqueting Hall, the Withdrawing Room, the Lord's Day room , the Watchtower, the muniment room, the curing room. It was a good visit!

    We then walked through Skipton Castle Woods, part of the landscape for 1,000 years, and very much a part of Skipton, industrial heritage. In the 18th century, Eller Brook was dammed so as to provide water for the Mills of the town; it was also fed into the Spings Canal to provide water for the Leeds and Liverpool Canal. The walk took us past the Round Dam and the Long Dam and then back over Moorland to the town.
    Baca lagi

  • Yorkshire Sculpture Park

    12 Ogos 2023, England ⋅ 🌧 20 °C

    The Yorkshire Sculpture Park occupies the parkland of Bretton Hall, near West Bretton, Wakefield, and is basically an art gallery with both outdoor and indoor exhibition locations. Internally, there are exhibits in an underground gallery, as well as at The Weston and the redundant Bartholomew Chapel.

    It was very interesting to see these and walk around the park.
    Baca lagi

  • St Ives

    11 Julai 2023, England ⋅ ☁️ 22 °C

    St Ives is a market town 12 miles north-west of Cambridge; I have worked here, on the Industrial Estate on the edge of town, for the last 10 years (on and off) and have finally got round to a proper explore and town walk (now that I am retired!)  Originally called Slepe, St Ives is situated on the banks of the River Great Ouse; it was a strategic location in Anglo-Saxon times and in the 18th and 19th centuries was an active river port and trade hub on the way to London.  The use of the River Great Ouse declined as the railway and road networks improved, but it is still an active market town.

    I start at the Riverside; the St Ives Bridge dates to the 15th century and is one of only four bridges in the England to incorporate a chapel (it is Grade 1 listed as a result); there are good views from the bridge, including the old corn mill which has been converted to flats (and is where Clive Sinclair invented the world's first pocket calculator.  I walk back into town along the riverside to the car park and bus station - the site of the original cattle market and only the gatehouses remain at the entrance - and then double back to the wide Market Hill (where the modern market is now held).  Here, there is an imposing statue of Oliver Cromwell, who was born close by (in Huntingdon) and moved to St Ives for a while, during which time the non-conformist Free Church was built, as well as many old buildings along the street and nearby.  

    A short walk along Merryfield brings me to The Broadway, another wide street where the Victoria Memorial is situated, as well as many other fine old buildings.  The Broadway meets a riverside area known as The Waits; this is a lovely area, and the Norris Museum is here, featuring a collection of Huntingdoshire's history.  Along the road is the Old Butcher's Shop, the Old Grammar School, and it finishes at the Parish Church of All Saints (Grade 1 listed).

    St Ives is a lovely place, and there are some great walks nearby.
    Baca lagi

  • RHS Garden Rosemoor, Devon

    19 Jun 2023, England ⋅ ⛅ 19 °C

    The house at Rosemoor (originally Rowe's Moor) was bequeathed to Lady Anne Berry by her father in 1931, and she created the original garden around the house in 1959; it was noted for rare and unusual plants (and is still very much a "plants woman’s" area).  In 1988, Lady Palmer (as she then was) gave the garden to the RHS along with extra land, which has now been developed into the Formal Gardens area. 

    Starting from Lady Anne's Garden, we wander through the exotic garden and stone garden to view the temperate house; then it is a nice walk through the arboretum, past the bog gardens and across the estate grass to double back past the play area and the stumpery.

    From the newer Formal Garden, close to the entrance, we have a lovely walk through the Queen Mother's Rose Garden (modern roses), Model Garden, Winter Garden to the Cool Garden and Hot Garden (they are arranged symmetrically around the Long Border, a straight walk that bisects the Formal Garden); then we see the Shrub Rose Garden (old traditional roses), Herb Garden and Foliage Garden. 

    Leaving the Formal Garden area, there is a short walk to see the Lake, Orchard, and Fruit and Vegetable Garden.

    There is much variety here; another fine visit to our third of five RHS Gardens in the UK.
    Baca lagi

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