Telford 2013

11 November 2013

Well, if you know me you know I like to build model airplanes. The plastic kind with glue and paint and decals. Not everyone knows I'm a member of the International Plastic Modeler's Society, USA Chapter. IPMS begin in 1963 (yes, 50 years ago) here in the UK as the British Plastic Modeler's Society; quickly morphing into the IPMS, UK Chapter when the rest of the world wanted to participate.

Scale Model World is the UK's annual convention for IPMS UK. And it's a very big deal here. Unlike the US where the annual convention moves around to each region (it's a big country), IPMS UK always has their convention in Telford. So desire meets opportunity as I'm here and can attend not just Telford, but the 50th anniversary.

And it was a biggie. There were a few big announcements, for us modelers. New kits, new tools, new decals, and the usual booths full of low price kits. I broke my piggy bank and left with a big bag of stuff! I was on my feet all day for two days, met some nice folks and got to talk aircraft models. Yes, I can think of better things to do, but Suzanne is in the US...

The highlight was getting to sit in a Spitfire, second time for me but these guys are pros at getting the right photos. Basically for a fiver you provide the camera and they'll take as many photos as they can. And they know the right ones..."okay, look this way, smile, now point here, et cetera".

The really big announcement was Airfix (a big name in plastic models since the '50's) showing their June 2014 new kit: For the D-Day anniversary next year they'll be selling a large scale Typhoon, basically an iconic British fighter-bomber that supported the D-Day landings and the UK army's advance into Germany. Not something for me (subject yes, size no). It's a big model that won't fit into my display cabinet but the detail is amazing. It's almost worth buying just for the engine -- it's a model in it's own right.

Lots of fun, and I'm looking forward to next year.

Until next time...

Blue Tits

My back yard always has something interesting going on. One group of visitors that I enjoy are Bue Tits. They are an interesting bird that doesn't like to sit still. So I have to sit patiently with my camera focused and ready on a location I have confidence they alight on.

Blue Tits will stay year round in Britain. But I've found they seem to move in a mini-flock. They'll feed for a few days, generally in the morning (they can be noisy at 4am in the Summer when the sun is up early here) and then again just before sunset. During the day they might come by, but they don't seem to be consistent. Then they'll go off somewhere for a few days; then come back again. Flighty...

I have two of these feeders. I fill them with what are called "fat balls" that are basically lard mixed with seed and some other goodies. Suet is probably the closest thing, but these are not just a bunch of grease with a few seeds in it, like suet can be. When I dropped one recently it landed with a loud thud, no crumbs came off!

I've had as many as 8 on the feader at once and when there are that many feeding, the balls disapear quickly! I watched a stack of 4 disappear in about an hour one day. But I don't mind feeding them, they are pretty to watch.

Until next time...

Work, work, work

I can't believe it's been a month since my last post!

As the title says, I've been a bit busy with work. Last weekend I actually went back to the US, only to find myself busy with work via my mobile and email. It all started with an email saying I had to set up a major briefing to stakeholders this week, and the materials all had to be in last week! Yikes!

What's keeping me from the fells, and generally enjoying myself about Cumbria is preparations for a major review. Everything is due in just 3 weeks and due to some snags with people the Team is scrambling to get all the supporting documents aligned and ready.

Yadda, yadda, yadda, right?

So I am taking a bit of time off, doing some modeling, went to a model show down in Birmingham and a bit of local walking. I've got a short route from the cottage that I can either make 30 minutes or a full hour. It could be extended to 4 hours if I went the full trail, but right now an hour is about what I can afford.

My apple tree is still laden, but there seems to be as many rotten apples on the ground as great apples in the tree. I've picked at least a bushel and taken them to work, plus I eat 2-3 each day. I've got 3 bags in the garage from today and need to get more bags and a ladder so I get the ones up high. Vera, the landlady, even came buy and picked a bunch.

I've got some more posts to make, the adventure hasn't slowed down!

Until next time...

The Back Yard

27 August 2013

Sometimes you don't have to far to see some great things. Recently I was out back, checking my apples, when I realized there was a lot going on out in a very small garden (which is what the Brits call their small areas about the house). Some folks plant grass, others plant flowers and shrubs. My little cottage in the village has a bit of everything because one of the previous expats who lived here liked to garden. 

This is my apple tree. No idea what kind but they are just starting to ripen. I pick one each day and cut it up as a dessert. 

A close up of the apples, tart like a Macintosh. And crisp.

Next are a couple of hydrangeas. Big bushes but you are seeing the only flowers! Since everything was pruned back when I got here, I suspect I have blooms only because the pruner forgot some stems. I seem to remember that you only get blooms on last year's growth, or some such.

On my butterfly bush is some sort of bug...not a butterfly or moth but interesting to look at. She has a long proboscis and is just eating as much nectar as she can. Have at it!

I have no idea what this one is, but the flower is pretty. It grows wild near the hedgerows.

This seems to be another hydrangea, or at least related. The leaves are similar as is the flower. But it looks a bit sick.

Until next time...

Kirk Fell

10 August 2013

Kirk means church in old Scottish. And like a church steeple, Kirk Fell is a steep one! It doesn't look it in this first photo, but once get started you know it is.

The weather promised no rain (they got that wrong) so I went up past Wastwater to Wasdale Head at the foot of both Scafell Pike and Kirk Fell. There are three paths up, the one up the middle is the hard path--my guidebook says only do that if one is up for a real challenge. To the left is a difficult path, doable but steep and long. To the right is the easy route to the top...

So up I go to the right (betcha thought I was going up the middle, huh?) as my time and distance calculator says that would be about 4 hours and a good bit of exercise. I was a bit off in a couple of ways.

It started raining, lightly as I got out if the car, but I decided to trudge on because the rain was light and the sky appeared to be clearing from the west. By the time I got on the trail, about a mile later, it quit and other than an overcast remained dry until I got to the top.

So I stopped and turned around. This is the view to the west, towards the Irish Sea. That fell to the right is Yew Barrow, behind it out of site is Buck Barrow. The lake is Wastwater and the dale this side of it is called Wasdale Head. To the left is Illgill Head and behind it is Whin Rigg. The closest slope to my far left is the base of Scafell, via Lingmell.

Initially the climb was very easy, another half mile up and it was just a steady go of it. But then it got steep, and rocky. Unlike the other fells where I typically go up about 25-30 meters then take a short break, I was only able to go 10 meters before breaking, sometimes less. For some time the rocks were positioned like stairs, but very steep stairs.

My legs were a burning!

Eventually the trail got flat-ish (okay, not so much as flat as just less steep) but the path had turned to scree (loose rocks) so was actually tougher to walk on. Lots of slipping and stumbling as I worked my way up.

The view was pretty good...over towards Ling Mell, to the south, I could just make out 2 walkers...here's a close up, and then another to show the entire route.

When I got to the "top" it turned out to be flat, and I had no idea which of the rises was the tallest point, so I just wandered around looking for nice picture opportunities. After about an hour I could tell the weather was getting ready to turn. It was sprinkling a bit, off and on, and getting very windy and cold. So I decided to be safe and head down.

The walk down was just as tough as the walk up!  At about 2/3 rds the way down my leg muscles began to fail. If you've ever experienced muscle failure (weight lifting, exercising too hard for too long, you know who you are!) you know it can be a bear to do ANYTHING that requires those muscles.

With each following step, if my knee bent my leg would collapse. I'd take 2-3 steps, then break for a rest and hope I could take those steep steps down (where I HAD to bend my knees!). Obviously I made it, but it was a tough one.

I was good on Sunday, getting some rest and doing my usual chores...but on Monday my legs hurt so much every little movement was like knives stabbing into my thighs. Motrin was my friend but was only mildly helpful. By Thursday the pain was just soreness and by the weekend I was ready to go again!

Kirk Fell, 802 meters, 5.4 miles, 5.5 hours.

Until next time...

The Little Things...

Saturday, 3 August 2013

After 2 weeks in the US, visiting Suzanne and getting some work done (yes, it was a working vacation) I arrived at Manchester International Airport. I had to grab a taxi to get to the office, having arrived at noon and my car was in the parking lot there. After haggling a bit over the price of a taxi I decided to pay with my debit card. Here in the Eurozone it's strictly chip and PIN, no signatures please, they are easily faked.

I stick my card in and tap out the PIN. "Sorry, wrong PIN." Huh?! Oh yeah, that was my US debit card PIN. So I try the right number. "Sorry, wrong PIN." Okay, now I'm flummoxed. I have a mnemonic to ensure I remember all my PINs (don't we have too many numbers and passwords to remember!?).

Think about it, Tim...ah, now I remember! "Sorry, wrong PIN."

Well, if that's not it, then it MUST be XXXX. "Sorry, your PIN is blocked."

What does THAT mean?! The man behind the counter says I've entered the wrong PIN 3 times, so it's now locked out. I have to contact my bank to get it corrected.

(mild panic...keep it straight...)









I have just enough cash to pay for my taxi. And possibly buy lunch.

As a bit of background, this local UK bank is the same bank that told me to fill out some forms and bring them to the nearest branch so that I could open an account. When I arrived at the bank they then told me I had to make an appointment...to drop of my form...really?! I asked if they knew how silly that sounded...and I kid you not: The person looked directly at me and calmly said that was what I had to do; could I please step up to the appointments window.

So I was NOT, and I mean very NOT looking forward to trying to sort this out.

So I call the bank. The help desk lady admonishes me for dialing the wrong number. ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME!! I CALLED THE NUMBER ON YOUR WEB SITE, THAT SAID TO CALL THIS NUMBER IF MY PIN WAS LOCKED!

"We're sorry sir, I'll help you, but next time you must call this number: 1234 123 123456"

(heavy sigh on my part) Whatever.

"We'll send you your PIN. Your card will be unlocked by the time you receive it."

And how long will that take?

"About 2-3 days."

(heavy sigh on my part) Okay.

So, I'm off to an ATM that will dispense cash using my US card. You know, need to convert the $ to ￡ which means I'll get a ridiculous rate, plus have to pay bank fees. Oh well, when you're down you get kicked.

So my PIN finally shows up and just to be sure I call the bank (yes, I called the "right" number this time, smartypants) and ask if there is ANYTHING they have to do before I go down and use my debit card. (oh, a real "doh" moment: my PIN was off by 2 numbers being transposed).

"No sir, after a set period of time it automatically unlocks itself. You can now use it."

So there is nothing more needed? I can use it anywhere with my valid PIN?

"Yes, sir. But sir, as a reminder, you can go to any [bank name here] ATM and unlock your PIN yourself. If you know your PIN of course."

Okay, thank you.

So, on the way home I stop by a store and get a few groceries. Out comes my debit card, and with a smile I stick in the machine. I go to enter my PIN, and the clerk stops me.

"Sorry sir, your PIN is locked out."













(Okay, I am trying very hard to hold it together here.)










(I take a deep breath.) Okay, can you accept a US card, swipe and sign?

"I think so...let me see." (Lots of drama over whether my signature is mine, does it match the card, my driver's license...) "Sir, do you have your passport with you?"

After holding up the check out line a bit longer I'm all sorted at the store. I have food for a few days and just enough cash to last me to the weekend. That's just in case I have more "issues" with my debit card.

I get home and put away my food, have dinner and call Suzanne. Afterwards I head to the "local branch" over in Seascale, just 3 miles away. I park, walk across the street and look for the ATM...nothing outside...maybe just inside the door...door is locked. WHAT?! A bank branch with NO ATM?!

GRRRRRR!

So I decide at the moment to drive up to Whitehaven, 13 miles up the A595, where there is a large branch office, and I KNOW I've seen an ATM there.

I pop my card in...enter the PIN...eureka! It works. I get ￡100 in cash, just for insurance.

By this time it's been almost two weeks since I got back from the US. Hassle, hassle, blah, blah. But the next day I am planning to go to Dundee for a show and I want to use my cash to buy models (maybe) so my debit card will be buying gas. And I know for sure I'll need to fill up en route.

So the next morning (Saturday, 3 August) I stop for gas and present my debit card.

"Sorry sir, your PIN is locked."

(I take a very deep breath, count to 10...) Here's the cash.

Luckily, I had enough cash for what I wanted to buy at the model show. And on the way I saw a branch office, that was actually OPEN! I checked the Saturday hours...open until 2pm. I'll give it another try to get it unlocked at the ATM and if it doesn't work this time, they'll get a load of crap from me FACE-TO-FACE!

I pop in my debit card...enter my PIN...and lo! A menu choice to "unlock my PIN" pops up! A quick press...it says everything is grand!

By this time, I certainly know the probability of it actually working. But at lease I know I can talk to a human at the branch.

I head to lunch and note how much cash I have, just in case. More than enough for lunch at a typical pub.

I present my debit card...enter my PIN...and...it... WORKS!

If it wasn't so tragically funny, it could make me cry.

Oh by the way, Suzanne is very happy to have me work from home.

Until next time...

Not quite there...

Saturday, 27 July 2013

The weekend looked bleak, except for Saturday morning. So I decided to make it a relatively short walk around the fell called Haystacks. According to my guidebook it's an easy climb of less than a mile distance and then a bit of flat walking around with lots of good color this time of year. Sounds like a winner!

Haystacks is located just north of me, next village up the A595, then take the road to Ennerdale Water via Cold Fell. Park at the designated spot and then walk up the road a short distance, that's the base and start up one of 3 trails.

Way too easy...and of course I gooned it.

The parking area was well place, right on the north side of Ennerdale Water. According to the map the gravel road goes past two hostels then the trail starts up Haystacks. Distances were obviously a bit off, as I was to find.

The above is looking south towards Crag Fell, which I'd climbed earlier in the year.


Some of the gravel road was via the woods, actually a very pretty walk.


There was a river flowing into Ennerdale, the walk basically followed it up towards the base of Haystacks.

The water was crystal clear.



I've no idea what this flower is. But it's pretty and they are all over the place. I didn't see any today, but sometimes on drives (without my camera of course) I'll see a small field of them. A pink/purple carpet on a green base.


Ultimately I never made it to Haystacks. After 2 hours of walking and at about 2.5 miles up the gravel road I finally made the hostels. Which by my map (if to scale) meant I had at least another 2.5 miles to get to the base. If I was to walk Haystacks today it would be 13-15 miles of walking! Nope, I'm not feelin' it.

So I headed back down the road to the car. Good thing, by the time I got back to the house just 30 minutes away, it started raining. And it rained hard until Monday afternoon.

Until next time...

Dundee, Scotland

3 August 2013

So what makes Dundee so special? Well, to folks from Dundee I'm sure there's much, but to me there was a plastic model show there on Saturday. Since it is one of the very few over here that are within my 4 hour driving radius, I just had to go...

The UK is actually the birthplace of the International Plastic Modeler's Society, founded 50 years ago in 1963. I am of course a member of the US branch so I could, if I wanted to, enter in the local competitions here. But anyone who knows me knows I only compete against myself; I'd never want to risk putting my efforts up against some truly fantastic work. Some models range from the "perfect miniatures" to beautiful examples of art. I just have fun.

Dundee is north of Edinburgh, not only across the Firth of Forth, but on the north side of the Firth of Tay. Quickest route was actually to take the motorway north to Glasgow then take another motorway east to Dundee. If a motorway was direct to Edinburgh it might have been quicker, but would have required crossing two major bridges. Weather reported very high winds and traffic was reporting slow and go, so I'm glad I wasn't tempted to go via Edinburgh.

I guess the train was an option...but we all know how my luck is with trains to Scotland!

Generally a pretty drive through the countryside. Very windy as I walked about Dundee. I had lunch at a pancake house. Now, it is NOT IHOP nor is any pancake house an American would recognize. The menu was traditional British fare with a Scottish twist (haggis instead of blood pudding for breakfast). I had fish and chips with a banana milkshake. The fish was breaded (tempura in England) and the milkshake was just banana flavored milk.

They did have pancakes on the menu. Strictly deserts with ice cream and sauces -- the descriptions reminded me of crepes. The "American" was a stack of 3 with butter and maple FLAVORED syrup. More choices were savory pancakes. Imagine Indian curried chicken in a pancake...not my cup of tea.

Oh...here's a photo of one of ship models from the show:

And in case you're wondering...it's about 1 inch long (1/3000th scale). Turkish ship-of-the-line.

The drive back was a bit tiring; by hour 3 I was tired but glad I got back just before dinner. 8 hours on the road is a bit much sometimes, but it was worth it. I had fun.

Until next time...

Scafell Pike

23 June 2013

Each year on the Summer Solstice many a walker, hiker and climber in the UK do the "Three Peaks". That's the highest peaks in Scotland, England and Wales and the goal is to climb them all within the same 24 hours as the longest day of the year.

Now, one would think that's either some short walking or lots of walking the dark. On the longest day of the year (daylight wise), at this latitude, there is almost 20 hours of daylight if you include twilight. When you consider a strong hiker can do each peak in about 4 hours, the challenge becomes one of transportation between the peaks.

The Three Peaks are: Ben Nevis in Scotland; Snowdon in Wales and Scafell Pike in England.

Of course, Scafell Pike is in my back yard at the moment...

No, this will not be a description of my attempt at the challenge, but that unfortunately the many hikers that day leave tons of trash up on Scafell Pike and somebody needs to pick it up. The hikers don't.

I volunteered to join a small group that annually hikes up Scafell Pike on the day after the Three Peaks challenge with the objective being to make the top and then pick up trash on the return down. It's an opportunity to not only climb another mountain (it's not a fell, or hill, but real mountain) but also to meet some interesting people and give something back for all the walking I do in some very beautiful country.

Unfortunately, the forecast was for windy, cold and rain. So I left my camera at home, but I did bring my cell phone (which does of course have a camera, albeit a poor one).

The climb was fairly straightforward. We headed up the quick route, from Wasdale Head Inn we walked east over to Lingmell Gill, the path being very well worn and the stones emplaced more like stair steps, than a path. About halfway up (550m or so) we took a break at Brown Tongue to rest, get a snack and let the group get back together (okay, so I could catch up...).

I took this picture looking west towards the Irish Sea. The cloud layer is just above us, but that promontory is Buckbarrow, the lake being Wastwater. A keen eye (zoom into the picture) would show you Gosforth. To the left, the next fell is Illgill Head.

This doesn't look like much, but basically it's a picture of the top of the mountain. Scafell Pike to the left and Scafell to the right, Mickledore is a saddleback between them...of course with the cloud you can't see anything!

And shortly after we ended our break and got back on the trail up, we went into the clouds and there was nothing so see but large rocks and occasionally grass (not much up there, really). The cloud got so thick we really couldn't see more than about 20 feet in front of us.

Ultimately, the slope flattened a bit and suddenly a wind break loomed out of the fog. Basically a large stone fixture with no roof, it's a great place to get out the wind. It was very windy, easily 30 mph steady with gusts higher. We loaded up on calories again and after about 15 minutes of rest opened our trash bags and started back down to pick up the trash.

Besides the fact that trash shouldn't be there, you'd be surprised the trash we do find...we actually found a dead octopus, about a foot long! Obviously a prank. Gin bottles (that's a lot of weight to carry up, besides the foolishness of liquor), clothes enough to outfit a hiker, even the shoes! Lots of wet tissues and plastic bottles and candy wrappers. I reached the bottom with a full trash bag, as did the other 8 folks in my group. The sampling says there must be a full ton of trash on the mountain, given how much 8 people brought down.

It took longer to get down than to climb up, just do to the slow going as we picked up trash.

Scafell Pike, the highest peak in England. 977 meters, 7.1 miles, 8 hours.

Until next time...

Hardknott via Border End

16 June 2013

Since my last walk was so successful as a two-fer, I (sort of) decided to try another. Actually, my objective was to take it easy, as the weather was supposed to be wet and a bit chilly, plus I wanted to find that Roman fort Suzanne and I missed during our drive through Hardknott Pass.

Hardknott is a fell overlooking the pass by the same name, it's south of me by two valleys -- I live in the valley with Wastwater, Eskdale is the next valley and Hardknott is the valley following Eskdale. With each set of fells I've walked, I've moved south. First Buckbarrow, then Whin Rigg, Boat How, now Hardknott. (By the way, "how" is Gaelic for hill, so I'm told...)

This time around, the fort was easy to find. The first time we missed it because from the west it's not obvious, but from the east you can see it as you approach. The first bit of walk is up a 30% grade road (the old Roman road) and my legs felt every percent! I had to park nearly 3/4 mile away, so it was a bit of a hike.

Once at the fort it is impressive. The remaining foundation/walls are still 6 feet 6 inches high. Originally much higher, the stones were used for other purposes. In the 1960's archeologists found a corner stone of sorts that was in-scripted with when and who built the fort - during Emperor Hadrian's reign (120 AD) and by the 6th Cohort of Dalmatians (modern day Croatians).

The foundations of the Commander's house and administration buildings are still there, as is the remains of the bath house. Behind the fort, and slightly below it are a series of small pits, with some stones around them...I think they may be latrines!

From the fort I headed up Border End, the fell overlooking the fort. East of Border End is Hardknott fell, connected by a short ridge-line.

Border End is steep, and the trail is not well marked, but I studied it a bit and it was obvious I need to stay left to get to the top...I should have remembered that later on!

The views were spectacular as I made my way up the fell side. This is looking north across the river Esk.

I walked up, sort of finding my way as there was no real trail like most fells. I reached a point where I though I would have to quit, because it got so steep! Way beyond my skills...

So I took a break, had a snack and some water and took a few pictures. This first one is looking west towards Ravenglass (the Roman port) and the Irish Sea. That's the Hardknott Roman fort in the foreground.

Here's a close up of the fort ruins. In the center is the administrative building, above is the Commander's house and below is storage. The ruin to the lower left, with the circle, is the bath house.

This view is looking north towards Whin Rigg (on left) and Illgill Head (on right).

While hard to tell, the dark craggy area at right center is Buckbarrow.

This is from Hardknott, looking over to the northeast at Scafell. Just to the right (in the cloud) is Scafell Pike, the highest peak in England.

This shot is the cairn on Hardknott, with the cairn of Border End in the distance to the left and Scafell to the right.

And of course it wouldn't be right to leave out the self picture...I didn't realize there was grass in front of the lens!

Hardknott 552 meters; 4 miles, 3.5 hours.

Until next time...

Whin Rigg & Illgill Head

8 June 2013

With Suzanne back in the US I'm back to fell walking. The forecast was for sunshine and warm temperatures so I decided to try something just a bit more challenging. A two-fer!

Whin Rigg and Illgill Head both overlook Wastwater on its south side, with Whin Rigg to the west of Illgill Head and moorland connecting them. For the effort of climbing one I can easily walk to the other. While I could have walked to the trail head that would have added another 3 miles each way, and given the fell walk itself was supposed to be more than 7 miles, I didn't want to overdo it, especially if it were hot out. In the photo above I'm facing east so Illgill Head is left, and Whinn Rigg is in the center.

Initially the walk was very easy. The first mile is approaching the gill (steep gulley with a stream in it) and the trail just to its left. In this picture of Whin Rigg (on the left) the gill is the one with the trees in it in center and climbing to the right.

My path is left from here to go around the pasture.

It was an easy walk, a steady rise that was exercise, but not tiring. Hen I hit the gill.

It was a pretty steep hike up, not a climb but sometimes I thought it might be easier to be on my hands and knees! Of course, to add insult some guy came down at a run...really?

This is a view of Wastwater as I headed up.

At the top of Whin Rigg. That's Scafell off my left shoulder. Illgill Head is directly behind me.

The view back towards Whin Rigg from Illgill Head. Nothing special about the walk across the moorlands, other than it seemed every time I hit a rise, I'd see another to go before I got to Illgill Head. It was much farther away than it looked!

The cairn that marks the top. Obviously a very flat top...

This is NOT a way down! But that is looking across the valley towards Buckbarrow.

This little guy is the only color other than brown, green and gray up on the fells. The flower is about the size of your pinky finger nail.

7.7 miles, 480m (Whin Rigg) & 609m (Illgill Head), 4 hours

Until next time...