Christmas in Minehead (23rd-27th December 2015)

As usual, we spent Christmas in Minehead.

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Christmas decorations on Minehead High Street

Alex and Caroline’s wedding (28th-29th November 2015)

Alex and Caroline were married in St Vincent’s Church, Burton-by-Lincoln, followed by a reception at Lincoln’s County Assembly Rooms. The following morning, a few of us went for a short stroll around the city.

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Pre-wedding preparations at the Lincoln County Assembly Rooms

Alex P’s stag weekend (13th-15th November 2015

As Alex P had asked me to be his Best Man, it was incumbent on me to organise a Stag Do. We spent the weekend in the Yorkshire Dales, where we went caving near Ribblehead and for a walk above Littondale.

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Gordon, Simon, Simon, Tom, Dave, Alex, Tom and James at the summit of Horse Head

Minehead (6th-8th November 2015)

I visited my parents for a long weekend in Minehead. The weather was rather grey, but we did short-ish walks on Exmoor every day nevertheless.

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Dad and Mum at the summit of Winsford Hill, with Dunkery Beacon in sunshine in the background

Ruth’s housewarming weekend (30th October – 1st November 2015)

A big group of Duffers convened in Natland for Ruth’s housewarming weekend. We walked on Middleton Fell (Yorkshire Dales) on Saturday and Bowfell (Lake District) on Sunday.

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Jo, Dave, Caroline and Alex heading along the ridge to Calf Top

Ullapool and Pitlochry (19th-24th October 2015)

I spent a week in the Highlands: a few days near Ullapool with Michael followed by a couple of solo days based in Pitlochry. As well as revisiting eight Munros, I ticked off seven new Corbetts, taking my total to 102.

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Heading along the ridge towards Sgurr Mor

Wet Sleddale (17th October 2015)

Staying at Ruth’s house ahead of the following day’s CompassSport Cup orienteering competition, she and I met up with a few other Old Duffers who were in the area for a walk around Wet Sleddale: an unusual approach to these fells, but it satisfied our various bagging needs for Wainwrights, Outlying Fells and Deweys!

https://photos.app.goo.gl/qbm2U8HzXnZkgJV68

Joe, Andrena, Ruth, Dave and Jo at the summit of Tarn Crag

Visiting Alex and Ausma in Müllheim (7th-11th October 2015)

I visited Alex and Ausma for a long weekend in Müllheim, enjoying several short-ish walks in the nearby Black Forest (with spectacular autumn colours), and a day trip to Switzerland with Alex for a big mountain walk (above an awesome cloud inversion!)

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A stroll on Bagot’s Park (3rd October 2015)

I went for a short afternoon walk up the nearby Tump of Bagot’s Park.

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Tump-bagging around Matlock (26th September 2015)

I enjoyed a sunny walk circumnavigating Matlock, ticking off five more Derbyshire Tumps along the way!

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Backpacking in Southern Snowdonia (18th-20th September 2015)

Alex P and I spent three days backpacking in southern Snowdonia, tackling a strenuous 75km route from Harlech to Llanuwchllyn via the Rhinogs, Cadair Idris and the Arans. Hard work, but well worth the effort!

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Looking back to Rhinog Fach from the ridge above Llyn Hywel

Parents’ visit (11th-13th September 2015)

Mum and Dad visited for the weekend. We enjoyed walks in improving weather in Dove Dale and fine sunshine in Edale.

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Dad enjoying the late-summer colours in Grindsbrook Clough

Lake District (4th-6th September 2015)

I spent the weekend orienteering in the Lake District, training with DVO on Eycott Hill on Saturday and taking part in a Border Liners event on Fauld’s Brow on Sunday. No photos of either, but I did take a few to record my opportunistic ascents of a HuMP and a Marilyn!

https://photos.app.goo.gl/Td6eou9FgD7zSqCk6

Tump-bagging in Derbyshire (28th-30th August 2015)

Unusually spending a Bank Holiday weekend at home, I decided to focus my walks on ticking off some obscure local Tumps (P30s). I’ve now visited 108 out of 127 in Derbyshire.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/cAoFoy8HKLHKtjoh8

Natland (21st-23rd August 2015)

I spent a weekend in Natland, visiting Ruth in her new house for the first time. We walked on Aye Gill Pike on Saturday and around Longsleddale and Kentmere on Sunday.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/KRs1nZfB7h6TUQRZ9

A walk by the Thames (15th August 2015)

Gordon and Marianne hosted a Duffers’ weekend at their house in Culham. On the Saturday, we walked along the Thames Path into Oxford, and then went punting on the Cherwell.

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Marianne and Gordon punting us back downstream

Amiens (1st August 2015)

On the way home from the Alps we spent a few hours exploring Amiens, with its impressive cathedral and unusual ‘Hortillonages’ (island gardens).

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Inside Amiens Cathedral, the largest in France (by volume!)

Chamonix valley (26th July – 1st August 2015)

For the second half of the holiday we moved the other side of Mont Blanc, to Argentière in the Chamonix valley. The weather was a little cooler than it had been in Italy but we still had several sunny days’ for more super walking through awesome scenery!

https://photos.app.goo.gl/LAwCc84h4y5hScQr6

P30-bagging around Carsington Water (5th July 2015)

Today’s walk from Kirk Ireton took in a few P30s that I hadn’t previously visited near Carsington Water, circumnavigating the lake at a distance.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/xe6WxjA5mzLZtzch7

The Roaches and Merryton Low (27th June 2015)

Today’s local walk was in the Staffordshire Peak. Starting near Upper Hulme, I followed the Roaches ridge to Danebridge, continued up the Dane Valley to Flash, then looped back to the east via Merryton Low.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/uHbQtaf99YfsH14b6