Post by mick on Mar 4, 2015 4:58:36 GMT
Newton Tors
The last time I was up this way I had to cut my walk short due to extremely strong winds and as a result its been bugging me to get up there and finish this section of hills .
Another important lesson that I learnt from the last time I was up this way was walking uphill then turning round and walking down hill puts a tremendous strain on my good leg muscles, so this time I decided to somehow plan this walk with a bit of level walking just to stretch out my leg muscles even if it meant an extra mile or so because the last thing that I wanted is to be practically crippled like I was after the last walk up here.
Other problems that I had been having was the skin on my stump has developed a dry line which was promising to tear open at any time (o the joys of being an amputee) to counter this I had slapped on a nice thick gooey coating of some sort of cream.
The only problem with this is, if the cream starts to melt, it means the icross seal will move and the leg drop off. (Yes it’s going to be a fun day) so in my ruck sack I packed a couple of wet wipes , so if the worse happened I could wipe all the cream off the stump. And start again.
All this before I even start the walk.
Anyway the walk parked the car up at Old Yeavering & headed up the farm track towards Torleehouse just before a small plantation I picked up an old sheep trail and headed straight up the side of Easter Tor, as you leave the pasture and enter the heather section there is a good quad bike track that will lead you more or less to the top, if for any reason you are not sure, do what I do and keep heading upwards till you can go no higher then you must be at the summit .(simple really!)
From here I joined a well marked footpath and headed off to Wester Tor, walking along this path seems a bit strange at first because it takes you in a huge half circle coming round the back then the far side of Wester Tor, it adds a bit of distance on, but its more or less level walking until the end section which suited me fine, the other alternative is to cross through the heather, something I have found out is something that requires a lot of hard work.
There are several sheep trails that head in the right direction, but as I have found out to my cost they seldom go where I want to. (And the sheep just look & secretly laughing that me).
Anyway from the top of the Tor I did manage to spot a sheep trail heading back to the main footpath where I wanted to go. (Pleases ignore what I have written above about sheep trails).
From there I simply headed back towards Yeavering Bell, eventually joining the Saint Cuthbert’s way, from there it was a case of heading down back to the car.
First photo: looking back towards the farm at Old Yeavering
Looking along towards Easter tor and a very distant Wester tor
Heading up Easter tor looking towards the Bell
About half way up
At the top looking down towards Hethpool
Looking across towards Wester Tor
Another photo from the top
The way through the heather
The crags at Wester tor
Looking down
Looking down the College Valley
Another photo from the top
And again
Looking across towards Easter tor
A few shots from the top
One showing leg having a well deserved rest
The sheep trail through the Heather, my way back
Stone shooting stells?
Starting to head back down
At last have left the Heather and joined the St Cuthbert’s way, a good place to stop and remove all the crap out of the boot & sock
The way down
Back on the farm track, some of the locals
Some old tree that got hit by lighting many years ago, now re growing on one side only.
Last look back up towards Newton Tors
Now at the farm last look up towards Yeavering Bell.
Not a great deal to say about this walk, the weather gods must have approved because the weather was spot on,
I wouldn’t recommend this walk for any new amputee, because there is a lot of uphill and lots of down hill involved, but what views are tremendous. But if you are willing to give it a go, I would gladly walk with you.
Now if anybody is interested the skin on my stump didn’t breakdown, the cream did the trick. Might come in handy for one of you one day .
The last time I was up this way I had to cut my walk short due to extremely strong winds and as a result its been bugging me to get up there and finish this section of hills .
Another important lesson that I learnt from the last time I was up this way was walking uphill then turning round and walking down hill puts a tremendous strain on my good leg muscles, so this time I decided to somehow plan this walk with a bit of level walking just to stretch out my leg muscles even if it meant an extra mile or so because the last thing that I wanted is to be practically crippled like I was after the last walk up here.
Other problems that I had been having was the skin on my stump has developed a dry line which was promising to tear open at any time (o the joys of being an amputee) to counter this I had slapped on a nice thick gooey coating of some sort of cream.
The only problem with this is, if the cream starts to melt, it means the icross seal will move and the leg drop off. (Yes it’s going to be a fun day) so in my ruck sack I packed a couple of wet wipes , so if the worse happened I could wipe all the cream off the stump. And start again.
All this before I even start the walk.
Anyway the walk parked the car up at Old Yeavering & headed up the farm track towards Torleehouse just before a small plantation I picked up an old sheep trail and headed straight up the side of Easter Tor, as you leave the pasture and enter the heather section there is a good quad bike track that will lead you more or less to the top, if for any reason you are not sure, do what I do and keep heading upwards till you can go no higher then you must be at the summit .(simple really!)
From here I joined a well marked footpath and headed off to Wester Tor, walking along this path seems a bit strange at first because it takes you in a huge half circle coming round the back then the far side of Wester Tor, it adds a bit of distance on, but its more or less level walking until the end section which suited me fine, the other alternative is to cross through the heather, something I have found out is something that requires a lot of hard work.
There are several sheep trails that head in the right direction, but as I have found out to my cost they seldom go where I want to. (And the sheep just look & secretly laughing that me).
Anyway from the top of the Tor I did manage to spot a sheep trail heading back to the main footpath where I wanted to go. (Pleases ignore what I have written above about sheep trails).
From there I simply headed back towards Yeavering Bell, eventually joining the Saint Cuthbert’s way, from there it was a case of heading down back to the car.
First photo: looking back towards the farm at Old Yeavering
Looking along towards Easter tor and a very distant Wester tor
Heading up Easter tor looking towards the Bell
About half way up
At the top looking down towards Hethpool
Looking across towards Wester Tor
Another photo from the top
The way through the heather
The crags at Wester tor
Looking down
Looking down the College Valley
Another photo from the top
And again
Looking across towards Easter tor
A few shots from the top
One showing leg having a well deserved rest
The sheep trail through the Heather, my way back
Stone shooting stells?
Starting to head back down
At last have left the Heather and joined the St Cuthbert’s way, a good place to stop and remove all the crap out of the boot & sock
The way down
Back on the farm track, some of the locals
Some old tree that got hit by lighting many years ago, now re growing on one side only.
Last look back up towards Newton Tors
Now at the farm last look up towards Yeavering Bell.
Not a great deal to say about this walk, the weather gods must have approved because the weather was spot on,
I wouldn’t recommend this walk for any new amputee, because there is a lot of uphill and lots of down hill involved, but what views are tremendous. But if you are willing to give it a go, I would gladly walk with you.
Now if anybody is interested the skin on my stump didn’t breakdown, the cream did the trick. Might come in handy for one of you one day .