Post by mick on Mar 4, 2015 5:50:25 GMT
My walk to day took my up past Rothbury to the forest and crags at simonside,
Now as I have written I don’t as a rule like walking in man made forest but I had been informed that the park ranger service had done some good work up there repairing & diverting the footpaths on the hills. And I am a bit of a nosey person I decided to have a look.
I parked up in the forest car park; there is notice board situated here with maps and details of three colour coded walks that are available should you wish to do them.
I have done all of them at one time or another and have found that all the routes are well way marked so you can’t go wrong.
However I tend to wander where ever I want to go. The forest comes under open access so it’s ok to do so.
My walk today took in some of the forest trails then I headed up to the crags where I had a look at the new stone path that the rangers had laid.
I don’t like walking along these types of paths the unevenness of the stone makes it extremely hard for me to get a nice smooth even gait (I don’t know if any other amputees have this problem or whether it is just me) but with the amount of soil erosion that has taken place I can see the need for it and the stone path does blend in well and give it a couple of years to settle and let the vegetation grow over the edges it will soften the hard effects. And despite my dislike of this type of path I must admit they have made a good job of it.
Once up on to the crags I wandered along the top taking in old stell crag and Dove crag from there I dropped down back to the forest trails and headed back to the car.
The forestry trails here are very easy to walk, you could if you wanted spend the whole day just walking these routes, so as a new amputee this would be a good place to come and start. It goes without saying that there are lots of other not so good trails that are in the area that are perfect training paths. Starting at easy going up to very difficult.
First photo taken just after the car park heading up one of the many forest tracks
The trees here aren’t crammed in like some woods so there is a bit of green vegetation
Looking back down it a dull grey day
I am leaving the forest track here and heading up one of the many footpaths that cris cross this forest. (I wouldn’t recommend that a new amp comes this way till they had a bit of experience of rough ground)
Same path just further along
Heading out of the forest, the path has gone from stony to a very slippery mud
Have left the forest and now looking towards the crags it is a pity that there is a low cloud covering
Taken half way up the crags, it’s not as bad as it looks. However again I wouldn’t bring a new amputee this way until they where a bit confident.
At the top looking down
Looking at a section of the new stone path that been laid
Looking at where the old path and where it used to run
A couple of grouse
Still on top of the crags looking at the new path (right) and old path (left as you look at the photo)
Section of the new stone path
Looking back
At Dove crags there are some strange rock formations here, I will sort out some better photos when I get a bit of time.
Again looking back
Entering the forest again, looks like they are starting to harvest the trees
Looking up at the crags, what a mess the forestry wagon are making of this track
Entering the forest and a nice spot
Looking up at the crags where I was earlier
Then right out of the blue you get lucky, Deer It really makes my walk when you bump into these shy creatures.
Two great, I am now trying to sneak up to them
I’ve been spotted
At least I didn’t scare her off.
Simonside, lovely place to walk, lots of different paths to get around, easy or as difficult as you want to make it.
Just to bore you all senseless one photo of what the old path looked like.
Now as I have written I don’t as a rule like walking in man made forest but I had been informed that the park ranger service had done some good work up there repairing & diverting the footpaths on the hills. And I am a bit of a nosey person I decided to have a look.
I parked up in the forest car park; there is notice board situated here with maps and details of three colour coded walks that are available should you wish to do them.
I have done all of them at one time or another and have found that all the routes are well way marked so you can’t go wrong.
However I tend to wander where ever I want to go. The forest comes under open access so it’s ok to do so.
My walk today took in some of the forest trails then I headed up to the crags where I had a look at the new stone path that the rangers had laid.
I don’t like walking along these types of paths the unevenness of the stone makes it extremely hard for me to get a nice smooth even gait (I don’t know if any other amputees have this problem or whether it is just me) but with the amount of soil erosion that has taken place I can see the need for it and the stone path does blend in well and give it a couple of years to settle and let the vegetation grow over the edges it will soften the hard effects. And despite my dislike of this type of path I must admit they have made a good job of it.
Once up on to the crags I wandered along the top taking in old stell crag and Dove crag from there I dropped down back to the forest trails and headed back to the car.
The forestry trails here are very easy to walk, you could if you wanted spend the whole day just walking these routes, so as a new amputee this would be a good place to come and start. It goes without saying that there are lots of other not so good trails that are in the area that are perfect training paths. Starting at easy going up to very difficult.
First photo taken just after the car park heading up one of the many forest tracks
The trees here aren’t crammed in like some woods so there is a bit of green vegetation
Looking back down it a dull grey day
I am leaving the forest track here and heading up one of the many footpaths that cris cross this forest. (I wouldn’t recommend that a new amp comes this way till they had a bit of experience of rough ground)
Same path just further along
Heading out of the forest, the path has gone from stony to a very slippery mud
Have left the forest and now looking towards the crags it is a pity that there is a low cloud covering
Taken half way up the crags, it’s not as bad as it looks. However again I wouldn’t bring a new amputee this way until they where a bit confident.
At the top looking down
Looking at a section of the new stone path that been laid
Looking at where the old path and where it used to run
A couple of grouse
Still on top of the crags looking at the new path (right) and old path (left as you look at the photo)
Section of the new stone path
Looking back
At Dove crags there are some strange rock formations here, I will sort out some better photos when I get a bit of time.
Again looking back
Entering the forest again, looks like they are starting to harvest the trees
Looking up at the crags, what a mess the forestry wagon are making of this track
Entering the forest and a nice spot
Looking up at the crags where I was earlier
Then right out of the blue you get lucky, Deer It really makes my walk when you bump into these shy creatures.
Two great, I am now trying to sneak up to them
I’ve been spotted
At least I didn’t scare her off.
Simonside, lovely place to walk, lots of different paths to get around, easy or as difficult as you want to make it.
Just to bore you all senseless one photo of what the old path looked like.