A local winter stroll around Devisdale Common and Dunham Massey in sub-zero temperatures and a thin covering of snow.
The trees had retained a pleasing amount of colour into early winter and the local views were enhanced by the snow, here are a few pictures.
Another local walk earlier in the week in similar frigid temperatures had been unpleasantly revealing: following the DVT and pulmonary problem that hospitalized me a few years back, the consultant recommended not to do strenuous activity in winter conditions as we have in the past: deep breathing very cold air is asking for trouble and it really hit me on that walk. I fear our hard winter backpacking will now be consigned to memories.
The Arenigs are my favourite area for wild camping. Unfortunately, after recovering from my bowel cancer operation in 2016 I managed only one backpacking trip up Moel Siabod. My right knee has developed a problem, making it almost impossible to walk up and down steep gradients. I can cycle because it isn’t weight-bearing. I have been trying to put off an operation which may fix the problem, but it means about three weeks on crutches and no guarantee of a good outcome. However, I need to bite the bullet and get on with it in the Spring.
Hello again Ian.
Yes indeed, the Arenigs are excellent, wild Wales for lovers of solitude.
Time is catching up with us both it seems, though your difficulties are far greater. Knee problems can sometimes be notoriously intractable and hard to fix, that operation presents a difficult choice. The mention of cycling just reminded me of a few articles I’ve read about bikepacking – maybe some possibilities there.
GeoffC