Blog :: Geograph Britain and Ireland

Blog Entries by Geograph Users

2018 summary

30 days ago

2018 was the busiest photographic year of my life. A new car actually compatible with motorways Photo (it's only a 1200 but size isn't everything) started me off breaking new records from the beginning of the year onwards. First my north record in Lincolnshire Photo , followed by my map distance record a month later in Exeter Photo . As I am in London Photo trying to beat that again north or west would require a lot further, towards the Lake District, as SW-NE...

counties devon yorkshire harrogate motorways

A small circuit into Cwm Rheidol from Pontarfynach/Devil's Bridge

4 months ago

A quick evening wander into the Rheidol gorge, starting from the centre of Pontarfynach/Devil's Bridge, where there is usually ample parking space by the side of the main road. After following the road in the direction of Aberystwyth up to the edge of the village, we took a gate to follow the path over grassland Photo to the edge of the gorge, just above the Vale of Rheidol trackbed. The path then follows along the edge of the wooded slope and alternates between grassland...

geo-trip walk wales ceredigion cwm rheidol

Scottish Hill Track 303 part 1 Glen Torridon to Coire Mhic Fhearchair

4 months ago

Scotways Hill Track 303 takes the popular walk from Glen Torridon between Beinn Eighe and Liathach as far as a col and then heads up behind Beinn Eighe before crossing trackless country to join a path along Glen Grudie that reaches Loch Maree at Bridge of Grudie. The 14 km walk is described in detail in the Scotways book, Scottish Hill Tracks. The first half of the walk is on excellent paths and a small spur takes you into Coire Mhic Fhearchair. Many take this route there and back to...

geo-trip walk

A Geograph-ers' walk from Heath into Wakefield

6 months ago

Having had a walk around the Yorkshire Sculpture Park in the morning after the 2018 Geograph AGM in Wakefield, we relocated to have lunch at the Kings Arms Photo beer garden in Heath, followed by a short walk back into Wakefield. After leaving the magnificent Heath Common Photo, effectively a super-size village green, we whacked our way along overgrown paths through woodland and towards the River Calder Photo. Following the riverside path past Fall Ings Lock...

geo-trip walk england yorkshire wakefield heath geograph meet

A Geograph-ers' walk in the sculpture park

6 months ago

On the day after the 2018 Geograph AGM in Wakefield, a few of us met up to visit the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, located in the grounds of the former Bretton Hall Photo Estate. Besides many modern outdoor sculptures Photo Photo Photo, there are exhibitions by contemporary artists Photo Photo and also an underground gallery Photo for indoor exhibits. The park is located on a hillside Photo, partly wooded and partly grassy, and...

geo-trip walk england yorkshire yorkshire sculpture park geograph meet

Scottish Hill Track 329, Strathrory to Dalnaclach circular walk

6 months ago

Each year a walks programme is organised for members of Scotways - the Scottish Rights of Way and Access Society. Besides being a social activity and led by a local member, the opportunity is taken to check up on the signage and the state of a Hill Track and exploring whether any maintenance is required. Scottish Hill Track 320 is a 7 km linear link from Strathrory to Dalnaclach. The opportunity was taken to create a circular walk starting from the Forestry Commission’s Aldie Burn car...

geo-trip walk

Scotways Hill Track 315, Dingwall to Strathpeffer and Garve

7 months ago

Scottish Hill Track 315 is 20 km long and connects Dingwall and Garve, which are just one station apart on the Highland Line from Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh. The route can be broken into two, a Dingwall to Strathpeffer section and then Strathpeffer to Garve. In fact I had walked much of route 315 when on shorter circular walks, but had always thought the route as a simple linear walk would be rewarding. Studying the summer rail timetable it became evident that trains were better...

geo-trip walk

Beinn Eighe Reserve Mountain Trail

7 months ago

The Beinn Eighe Reserve provides two trails. A short woodland trail and a far longer mountain trail. The woodland trail is around 7 km and can take four hours because of the steep terrain. According to others: The Mountain Trail is a fabulous trail to explore the hills of Beinn Eighe. This loop trail takes you up through ancient woodland, rugged grasslands and heath, to the beautiful heights of the mountain terraces. This is a memorable walk, with breathtaking views over the surrounding...

geo-trip walk

The circuit of Loch Affric

7 months ago

The walk around Loch Affric passes through Scots Pine woodland and open moorland with fine views of the neighbouring mountains and Loch Affric. Glen Affric is considered one of Scotland's finest glens and in reaching the River Affric car park at the end of the public road to start the walk you will have passed through delightful woodland and loch scenery. The circuit of Loch Affric is around 18 km and taken leisurely in good weather could take 7 hours. According to Wikipedia Loch...

geo-trip walk

Long distance mission

7 months ago

2018 was planned to make my longest journeys and make inroads into the compass extremes and new myriads. It began with a January foray into Lincolnshire Photo , all fine besides it being dark on the return, but still gained a good range of spots in SK Photo and TF Photo myriads. Exeter Photo followed, longer and further and dark when I got there as it was also raining since Wiltshire Photo which wrecked many of the photos with water damage on and around...

Boardwalk circuit in Cors Caron

8 months ago

A short lunch-time walk to stretch the legs on a crisp Photo winter day. Totally flat, the walk begins at a layby near Maes-llyn farm on the road from Pontrhydfendigaid to Tregaron, where there is a gate leading onto the former railway trackbed (now cycle path) Photo through the raised bog of Cors Caron. After heading south for a kilometre or so, the continuation of the track is gated off Photo (with the cycle path returning to the road) and the boardwalk circuit...

geo-trip walk wales ceredigion cors caron

From Buckingham Palace to St Paul's Cathedral

8 months ago

This sightseeing geotrip combines a walk through parts of Westminster followed by a boat trip down the Thames and finishing with a climb up to the viewing gallery on the outside of the dome of St Paul's Cathedral. Starting from Green Park tube station, we walked towards Buckingham Palace Photo and mingled among the other tourists Photo on the Victoria Monument Photo outside the palace to watch the Changing of the Guard ceremony Photo. Once the sound of the...

geo-trip boat trip walk sightseeing england london

Riverside path with obstacles

8 months ago

A quick evening stroll from the National Resources Wales car park at Gelli Ddu/Black Covert near Trawsgoed. This is just a flat walk through mixed woodland Photo by the side of the Afon Ystwyth Photo. On this occasion, the path was blocked in several places Photo because windblown trees were scattered throughout the forest. This necessitated a few detours to the edge of the woodlands, with views across farmland in the Ystwyth valley Photo. You can see...

geo-trip walk wales ceredigion afon ystwyth

Scottish Hill Track 230 The General Wade Military Road over Slochd

8 months ago

Slochd Military Road Start location: Raigbeg (NH 811 291)  End location: Layby on A95 near Carrbridge turn off, (NH 913 187)   Path distance: 19.7 km The Old Military Road between Dunkeld and Inverness was built between 1728 and 1730 under the auspices of General Wade. Much of it now lies under the A9, but a few sections* such as the stretch over the Slochd take a different alignment and can still be followed. The Slochd Mor is a narrow pass, hence this strategic gap...

geo-trip walk

Half the Alltfedw circuit

8 months ago

National Resources Wales provide a car park by the Afon Ystwyth near Trawsgoed with two waymarked paths. One of them leads onto Alltfedw, a low ridge to the east of Llanilar and ending fairly abruptly at Trawsgoed. It is mostly covered in forest (Coed Alltfedw). Unfortunately, there had been significant storm damage recently Photo Photo, which hasn't been cleared yet. However, the lower part is accessible with care, while I had to turn round near the summit because the...

geo-trip walk wales ceredigion trawsgoed afon ystwyth

A walk on the site of the Battle of Worcester

8 months ago

The Battle of Worcester Worcester played an important role in the English Civil War for it was here that the first and last fighting of the war took place. The first battle was at Edgehill in Warwickshire on 23 October 1642, however, exactly one month early on 23 September the first action of the war took place at Powick Bridge just two miles from the city of Worcester. This was a skirmish rather than a battle, when the Royalist cavalry under Prince Rupert pushed back the Parliamentary...

geo-trip walk

'Weeping Window' at Hereford Cathedral

8 months ago

The 'Weeping Window' sculpture at Hereford Cathedral was made by two people, Paul Cummins (artist) and Tom Piper (designer). This sculpture has been seen in many places before, such as Caernarfon Castle, etc. Recently, during the early days of March 2018, the Weeping Window sculpture was being set up at this cathedral, and it wasn't until March 14th 2018 the Weeping Window fully opened to the public. Since then the city has been having a huge number of visitors, as they were going to visit...

hereford sculpture cathedral

A walk on the Brockhampton Estate

9 months ago

(Approx. 5 miles) The National Trust owned Brockhampton Estate includes 1700 acres of mixed woodland and open parkland, working farms, orchards and a picturesque medieval timber-framed moated manor house. There are a number of waymarked suggested walks around the estate ranging from 1½ miles to 3¾. This walk embraces parts of three waymarked routes, the Carriage Ride, Parkland Walk and Orchard Walk, thus as the different titles suggest the walk offers variety. The walk passes through a...

geo-trip walk

Waterfalls of the Afon Mellte and Afon Hepste

11 months ago

This Geotrip is a figure-of-eight walk from Gwaun Hepste car park a little south of Ystradfellte. There is a small parking charge payable at a machine. The walk begins by leaving the car park towards the south on a wide forestry road. After about a kilometre, a signposted track Photo branches off towards the right to begin descending towards the Afon Mellte. Soon after, the first and tallest of the waterfalls, Sgŵd Clun-gwyn, can be first heard Photo and then seen...

geo-trip walk wales brecon beacons powys waterfalls

Leamington town walk Geograph meet

12 months ago

This Geotrip is a record of a guided walk presented by Robin Stott to mark the 12th birthday of Geograph. The route begins and ends at the Star&Garter pub in Warwick Street. From here, the walk follows Warwick Street past the Dell Photo before turning left towards the River Leam, where the effects of recent flooding were obvious Photo. Following the river downstream past Milverton Viaduct Photo, we reach the ornamented Princes Drive road bridge. Beyond it is a weir...

geo-trip walk england warwickshire

A short walk into the depths of the Monadh Mor Bog Forest

15 months ago

Monadh Mòr makes a good destination for a walk on a sunny day, because you can enjoy the sunshine between the rather widely scattered trees. And some trees are barely alive! A walk into the untamed SSSI gives you a challenge. To penetrate as far as you can into the boggy areas but still be able to extricate yourself and your wellington boots when you go further than you really should. Indeed I am not the only Geographer who has had to retrace purely on the evidence of a GPS track showing...

geo-trip walk

Public footpath from Sydenham across Thame Park

16 months ago

Footpath, stiles and bridges in Thame Park are well maintained, giving a pleasant walk through open parkland grazed by sheep. In August 2017 a small section of the official route near Manor Farm, Sydenham, was overgrown but there was an easy bypass on tracks. Access at the Thame end is onto a busy B-road with no pavement. You can see this trip plotted on a map on the Geo-trips page Link

geo-trip walk geographing trip report

A figure of eight walk around Butterleigh

16 months ago

A sort of figure of eight walk between Bickleigh and Butterleigh, using minor roads, green lanes and footpaths. This follows the Burn valley for some of the route You can see this trip plotted on a map on the Geo-trips page Link

geo-trip walk

Beauty of Outdoor Places of London

17 months ago

Many moons ago, My Society created ScenicOrNot, an online project to rate images sourced from Geograph. Asking users to rate them for subjective beauty, collecting over 1.5 Million votes. Link

Fast forward to 2017 and 'Artificial Intelligence' systems have progressed, so much so that researchers at University of Warwick have trained a computer algorithm to do something similar...

scenicornot algorithm map london

Changing coastline. A circuit of Whiteness Head

17 months ago

My wife was committed to demonstrate spinning at the Nairn Show for four hours so I set about finding a local walk to fill the available time. Quite a low tide was scheduled for 1115 in the morning so I decided to walk the coastline of Whiteness Point. The plan was to walk outward by the sand and to return by the track that runs down the middle part of the spit. A good walk for the dog, especially with one minor detour to visit a "square" just off the direct route. The interest in the...

geo-trip walk

2018	1	1	1	1	9	1	3		2			1
2017		1	2	14	4		1	3		1
2016			1	1	1				1
2015		1	1	1	3	2	7	1		2	1	5
2014		1	1	1	4	1		5	3	1	1	2
2013	3	4	7	8	1	2	1	1		2
2012	5	12	9	10	7	8	9	4	3	3	3	2
2011	7	7	7	7	12	9	4	4	2	2	2	2
2010											4	9