Heathrow Hikers - Outdoor Group for West London

From the Editor
Report - Weekend in Bruges
Update - Heathrow Hikers' Bear
Report - Long Weekend in Glencoe
Report - Isle of Wight Weekend
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October was a month packed with variety. Some of our number managed to get away to Scotland for a long weekend where fantastic walking and amazing views were on offer. It was also the month that saw the group hop on a ferry to visit the Isle of Wight for the first time. Ferries were a common sight during the month, the group also using one to nip over the channel for a weekend in Bruges.

These trips proved very popular and you can be sure that there will be more trips to Scotland and European city breaks in 2007, perhaps to places like Lille and Paris.

As always if you have ideas for trips or want to contribute to the group in any way, PLEASE get in touch.

I'd never really considered Belgium as a country I'd want to visit. Then after buying the MPV earlier in the year, I began to think about cheap trips on ferries for up to 8 people. When looking for a destination close to Calais, Bruges seemed an obvious choice, especially since I'd already visited Lille myself some years previously.

The more I researched Bruges, the more I began to look forward to the trip and it seemed everyone I spoke to who had been there loved the place.

The weekend did not start in the smoothest way possible. Not long after starting, a rear tyre blew! With help from Andrew we managed to get the spare on and headed to a local tyre centre. With the tyre replaced we continued to Dover, already sure that we would miss our ferry.

When we arrived at Dover we were allowed to board a later ferry at no extra charge. The crossing time was only 90 minutes but due to France being an hour ahead it was already very late when we left Calais, headed for Bruges.

Our accommodation for the weekend was the Bauhaus hostel, part of the St. Christopher Inn's group. When we arrived in the early hours there were plenty of young people still drinking in the bar. We all decided to call it a night and get some sleep.

The hostel provided a free basic breakfast, Corrin and Helen took advantage of this before leaving to try and join a cycle tour of the city. Sherrie and Drew explored the city on foot whilst Sian, Andrew, Jen and myself found a café to have a late breakfast and a beer (those Trappist monks really know how to brew beer).

Once our hunger was satisfied we started to explore the city, starting with Burg and Markt Squares. Having seen the centre of town on foot we then decided to take a canal boat tour that was conducted in three languages. Once our canal tour was over Jen and I decided to return to the hostel for an hour while Andrew and Sian explored further on foot.

Belfry - Photo by Gary Box

After a brief rest Jen and I headed to the outer ring road of the city to photograph some windmills before returning to the Markt Square for more photo opportunities. In the evening Corrin and Helen met up with friends who had come over on the Eurostar while the rest of us found a very nice Italian restaurant.

Bruges Windmill - Photo by Gary Box

Once the last course was consumed and the bill paid we all thought it would be a good idea to visit a bar that claims to offer 400 Belgium beers! Needless to say we did not have the time or money to try all 400 but we made a good attempt at sampling a variety. Jen liked the fruit beers, I liked Westmalle Triple and Drew seemed to like all the ones with odd names like Sexy Lager, Judas, Satan and Lucifer! We finally convinced one another we should return to the hostel but agreed we would happily return to Bruges again.

Satan takes a hold on Drew - Photo by Andrew Campbell-Curtis

On Sunday morning there was the chance to do some last minute shopping, many of us making purchases of beer and beer glasses to take home. Rather than head straight back to Calais we decided to visit Tyne Cot Cemetery. There are almost 12,000 First World War Commonwealth servicemen buried or commemorated in the cemetery. Seeing row upon row of headstones to fallen young men really brings home the sacrifice made by our ancestors. Indeed Sian later realised that one of her ancestors is actually mentioned on one of the walls.

With the clock ticking by we left the cemetery for Calais and our return ferry to England. We had enjoyed Bruges and fully intend to visit it again.

Article submitted by Gary Box

Unfortunately it seemed as though many in the Geocaching community hibernate in the winter as our bear did not move during the month of October. We hope to have more news soon.

Article submitted by Gary Box

We arrive at the cottage, via Glasgow airport, at two in the morning. The place is freezing and very bare – things are looking slightly suspect.

Thursday 12th October

Early the next morning a jog actually seems like an attractive proposition just to warm up. Rachel B, Con and I head off for a run into Glencoe village. The scenery which we missed in the dark last night is revealed and it's pretty awesome.

After finding breakfast at a local café, John arrives after his epic drive up from London in the mini around lunchtime with enough food to feed the 5,000, it seems.

When everything is unpacked we head off for a walk up the nearest hill to the cottage which as you can see below affords fantastic views across Glencoe village and Loch Leven .

Loch Leven and Glencoe - Photo by Rachel White

With the sun fading we get back down to the cottage. With the help of logs and peat burning in the fireplace and nice hot meal suddenly the cottage feels like a nice cosy place to be.

Sunset in Glencoe - Photo by Rachel White

Friday 13th October

We gladly welcome a local from Glencoe who has seen the trip on the internet to join us for a climb up Buachaille Etive Mor, not far from Glencoe. It's a tricky scramble on the way up and I find it pretty hairy in places as recent rain has left the rocks and moss very slippery. The view from the top is phenomenal.

Rachel B, John, Vicky, Rachel W, Con, Tom & Sue - Photo submitted by Rachel White

Saturday 14th October

I give my aching knees a break and take a walk around the Glencoe valley while the others explore the Lost Valley . This was apparently, either where the Macdonalds hid their cattle to stop them being rustled by their neighbours or where they hid the cattle they had rustled from their neighbours.

The Lost Valley, Glencoe - Photo by Con O'Neill

After an extremely hot! - but very tasty chilli prepared by Rachel B, we troop off to the apparently renowned Clachaig Inn just down the lane from the cottage. For such a remote location the place is heaving, and there's a very lively band on. It's amazing where all the people appear from!

Sunday 15th October

Bill offers to lead us girls for a day, walking part of the The Ring of Steall. This allows Tom and Con opt for some slightly more adventurous scrambling. The drive up the east coast past Fort William to the start of the walk is lovely, as the sun burns off the morning mist - I can't believe the weather is so amazing in October!

On the way up the gloriously sunny valley, Bill entertains us with tails of Hogmanay and life in the Highlands. Once we reached the summit we were even lucky enough to spot a Broken Spectre.

Broken Spectre - Photo by Rachel White

Con and Tom go scrambling - Photo by Tom Kiely

Monday 16th October

After a leisurely drive back to Glasgow we say goodbye to Scotland . It's been an amazing few days, I know I'll be back soon. To think I feared being stuck indoors playing trivial pursuit for five days, daring to go to Scotland in October!

Article submitted by Rachel White

After a fairly uneventful ferry crossing, we found our hostel on the western side of the Isle of Wight at Totland Bay . Unfortunately, we arrived too late to order breakfast, which smelled absolutely wonderful the next morning… everyone promptly put in their order for Sunday.

On Saturday morning, we drove to Carisbrooke Castle , where our 14 mile walk along Tennyson's Trail was to start, and set off. It was quite pleasant for the first few miles, then after a while the wind hit us!! It got stronger as we neared the coast… near gale-forced. After a few more miles of walking at an angle into the wind (and wishing we'd done the trail backwards to have the wind behind us) we spotted a lovely pub in Freshwater Bay . We all gladly piled in and enjoyed a drink… tea and coffee for most of us.

Freshwater Bay - Photo by Gary Box

We set out again along the coastline, heading gradually uphill with Tennyson's Monument in sight in the distance. We had a quick look at the monument… a huge granite cross erected in memory of Lord Alfred Tennyson, a well-known English poet of the 1800's.

We continued our battle against the wind towards The Needles. A storm swept towards us, and some of us started walking backwards uphill to avoid having rain driven into our faces. Just as well, because there was the most vivid, full rainbow arcing from a hill into an adjoining valley behind us... absolutely stunning.

Eventually, we made it to The Needles on the South-West corner of the island. These pillars of chalk jut out of the water on the south-western corner of the island. They took their name from a needle-shaped pillar that was dubbed Lot 's Wife, which unfortunately collapsed into the sea during a storm in 1764. From there, we made our way the last couple of miles back to the hostel.

The Needles - Photo by Gary Box

That night we had dinner at a lovely local pub that had delicious food. I wish I could remember the name of it!

Sunday morning was horribly drizzly and miserable, so after our wonderful cooked breakfast, we decided a bit of sight-seeing was preferable to a walk. We returned to Carisbrooke Castle and had a bit of a look around. Parts of this heritage-listed castle were built well over 1000 years ago and Charles I was imprisoned here for 14 months prior to his execution in 1649.

Carisbrooke Castle - Photo by Gary Box

We continued from there to Godshill, an extremely pretty village, where a few of us took some photos. It was decided that a pub-lunch was in order so we headed to the East side of the island in search of ‘Sunday Roast' signs. We weren't disappointed, and had a long, leisurely lunch before heading for the ferry. Though we decided to cut the weekend a bit short and catch an earlier return ferry, we all felt that we'd had a fun (if windy!) weekend away on this lovely island.

Cottages in Godshill - Photo by Gary Box

Article submitted by Jen Harris

If you have any articles or images you wish to contribute to the next issue of Compass please email them to Gary.

Please try and submit articles as early as possible but not later than the 3rd week of the month if you wish it to appear in the subsequent issue.

Thanks.