Exmoor – the Severe climber

Exmoor Cold and Pretty

February 15, 2016February 15, 2016the Severe climber

I paid the price for going, but going was worth it.

For days in advance of the trip to Exmoor I had been hoping that the rotten cold I had for two weeks would go away. When it didn’t, I decided to go anyway. I wanted to see Exmoor again and not miss one of my limited opportunities to do walking that was more adventurous than a London pavement. But I paid the price in aches, snot and coughing. The grottiness was worth it though for the pretty walking through wooded combes, along rocky headlands and over freezing moor.

Gnarled and bent trees in Worthy Wood near Porlock.

Walking through Worthy Wood.

Porlock Quay

An old groyne on Bossington Beach.

Walking towards Bossington Hill along Bossington Beach.

Dead trees sticking out of the march behind Bossington Beach.

The old coast guard lookout at Hurlstone Point on Bossington Hill.

Bossington Beach seen from Hurlstone Point.

Little Rowbarrow (on the left) with Dunkery Beacon in the distance.

Marcus playing his ukulele on top of Dunkery Beacon.

My Climbing 2014 in Pictures

December 30, 2014August 22, 2016the Severe climber

Me making the first few moves on the Slab 2 problem on Blister Slab.

The Roaches.

Me climbing Classic Arete on The Big Block.

Me climbing the boulder problem Goat’s Gruff on the base of The Roaches’ Upper Tier.

Valerie and Leo on the beach at Bude.

Hound Tor.

Me bouldering on Top Hat boulder at Hound Tor.

Me climbing Groove on the Perched Block at Hound Tor.

Flowering heather on the edge of the Burbage Valley

Me climbing The Crook on The Lamb boulder at Burbage South Valley.

Valerie and Leo below the Leaning Block at Higgar Tor.

Me standing on limestone pavement.

Limestone pavement above Thwaite Scars near Clapham in the Yorkshire Dales.

Pen-y-ghent in the Yorkshire Dales.

Leo, Valerie and Me on the descent from Snowdon.

Leo and Valerie on Mynydd Mawr.

Me walking up Mynydd Mawr in Snowdonia.

Me, Valerie and Leo on the summit of Craig Wen.

Leo asleep as Valerie and I walk across country to get down from Craig Wen.

Me climbing yellow problem number 5 at Le Cul de Chien.

Me climbing problem number 2 at Le Cul de Chien, Fontainebleau.

Valerie climbing at Mont Aigu, Fontainebleau.

Valerie climbing problem number 1 at Rocher des Potets.

Valerie climbing The Final Boulder at Fairlop Waters Boulder Park

Me climbing on The Prominent Prow boulder at Fairlop Waters Boulder Park.

Valerie climbing on The Arches boulder at Fairlop Waters Boulder Park in London.

Me standing on an outcome of Castle Rock.

The South West Coast

Me standing by the trig point on Kinder Low.

The waterfall at Kinder Downfall being blown upstream by the wind.

Climbing on Bamford Edge on a wet day in the Peak District.

Me by Aira Force waterfall in the Lake District.

There and Back Again – Countisbury to Heddon’s Mouth and back

March 16, 2014March 22, 2014the Severe climber

After probably the wettest winter on record in the UK I thought I might have another walk sealed in my waterproofs as gusts of wind made me zig-zag like a drunkard as I walked over the hills. Instead, the sun shone on my visit to Exmoor and I wore a T-shirt most of the time. I walked along stunning coastline and through beautiful woods of ghostly trees yet to come into bud.

The following photos give a flavour of this great weekend. They are of my walk last Saturday along the South West Coastal path between Countisbury and Heddon’s Mouth and back again via a slightly different, often higher, route.