Norfolk Holiday

Went on a great holiday in Norfolk

We stayed at a lovely cottage in a converted barn with windmill at Walter Field Barn, Frettenham. We booked through English Country Cottages (http://tinyurl.com/386kz8u). Really nicely furnished and in a great location for touring the Broads. Frettenham is handily placed just outside Norwich and an easy daytrip to the north or east coast of Norfolk.

Took the kids fishing at Holly Farm Fishery at South Walsham (20 mins away) because being October we struggled to catch anything on the broads themselves. Had a great time at Holly Farm, plenty of nice carp for everyone and only £5 for me and £4 for the kids.

Note that I have the biggest one!

We also found a great pub near Frettenham - The White Horse @ Crostwick (http://www.whitehorsecrostwick.co.uk/). Great local beer and good proper pub food, about a mile from Frettenham.

Completed the Robin Hood Half

Well I completed the Robin Hood Half Marathon in 1:45:48. Which I was quite pleased with for a first effort. Paul also beat 2 hrs.

Thanks to everyone who sponsored us as we raised over £500 and with another £500 from Siemens Enterprise Communications that means more than a £1000 to cancer research. Thanks again to everyone for their support.

Here are a couple of photos of Paul and I once we had finished the race having a well deserved pint.

Sponsor Me

The Robinhood Half Marathon is coming up this Sunday (12th September) and I am running it to raise money for Cancer Research UK.

I'm actually also running it to lose weight and prove that I am not such a old fart and can beat Paul Maddison despite him being 15 years younger than me.

But anyway if you want to please feel free to sponsor me and donate to Cancer research @

http://www.runningsponsorme.org/richardabbotts

Trentham 10

I did my first running race on Sunday. The Trentham 10. A fairly hilly 10 mile race at Tittensor just south of Stoke. Very pleased with my time of 77:44

Here are some photos of me running thanks to Bryan Dale @ http://www.racephotos.org.uk/

Near the start:

4 Miles:

9 Miles:

9.5 Miles

And one at the finish of me with Patch & Julie taken by the wife:

Setting out from Near Curbar:

Walking along near one of the edges:

Trig point on Stanage Edge with Rob & Patch:

Little bit of scrambling on the way round:

Back at the Car 20 miles later with sore and smelly feet:

Peak District 2010

After a lot of tooing and frowing this years walk ended up and a much smaller affair. Just Patch, Rob and Me walking in Derbyshire around the Stanage edge area on 19th June.


This was vaguely the route we did:

We started down in Curbar and did a total of 20 Miles in just over 8 hours (couple of pub stops).

Lovely walk (bit of running down hill) super weather. Some more pictures of the day to follow.

Last leg - Over Ingleborough and back to Horton

Ingleborough looms larger (and steeper) as the clouds roll in:

Half way up the steep face of Ingleborough. Just what you want after 17 miles!


Last peak completed after 6 3/4 hrs. Just the 6 miles back to Horton left

Limestone pavement on the way down


It says just 1 1/2 miles to Horton (it lies!)

Finally back at Horton railway station

Patch, me and Rob back at Horton Cafe to clock in. Rob and Patch in 8Hrs 15 Minutes. Me in 8 and a half.

Everyone back at the hut. Micky, Dom and Anthony did it in 11hrs (I thought they were supposed to be fit Marathon runners!). Chris took the sensible valley route back from Ribblehead.

Full cooked breakfast the next morning. Lots of stiff legs

Everyone ready to leave


Thanks to all for a great weekend.

Now are we need to do is plan what to do next year!

2nd Leg - Across the moors and up Wernside

Pretty bridge breaks up the 10 miles across the moor. Patch, Rob and me starting to leave the others behind.

Ribblehead railway viaduct at base of Wernside (3 1/4 Hours gone and about 10 miles):

Still nice weather and nice views break up the long slog up Wernside:

View back to Pen-y-ghent from Wernside

2 peaks and about 14 miles down. On top of Wernside after 6 3/4 hours.

View of Ingleborough (next stop)

The 3 Peaks - 1st leg

Starting off at 7:45 Saturday 11th July 2009

(Left to Right) Micky, Dom, Anthony, Patch, Rob, Chris & My Shadow.

Weather a lot better than forecast but would it last?

Just 24 miles (40km) and 4500ft (1300m) vertical assent to go!

First View off Pen-y-ghent

We aren't the only ones stupid enough to try this (Red Cross have a big organised event)

First peak done in just 55 minutes but only about 2.5 miles completed

View across to Wernside (in distance on right) and Ingleborough (flat top on left)

Warm Up Walk

On Friday Chris, Patch Rob and me did a warm up walk around Malham

Down into Gordale Scar

Out of the Mouth of the scar

Just a little warm up of 5 miles or so

No Live Posts

Sorry I was having trouble with posting from my mobile so I didn't manage any live posts from Yorkshire.

It works fine from here but not in Yorkshire. Obviously e-mail from your mobile phone hasn't made it to deepest Yorkshire yet!

Route of the walk

Overview of the whole walk:

1st leg From Horton in Ribblesdale up Pen-y-ghent (1st peak)

Off Pen-y-ghent and accross the moor

Up to the Ribblehead Viaduct

Up to Whernside (2nd Peak)

Off Whernside and down to Chapel-le-dale

Up to Ingleborough (3rd peak)

Down off Ingleborough

Final leg back to Horton

Hopefully all in less than 12 hours and all in one piece.