As I hiked Runyon Canyon Park and the Hollywood Hills, I felt overdressed and under-muscled. I was wearing t-shirt and shorts. But this was too much. Many men were bare-chested with well-developed muscles. Some women wore low-cut, and lively, tops. The area is popular with people in the film industry and, if you’re eagle-eyed, you’ll … Continue reading / view photos Bare chests and lively tops
Category: Hiking
Angel Island
One of the day trips you can do from San Francisco is to Angel Island, a thirty minute boat ride that passes Alcatraz (the inescapable prison, now closed). Once there, I walked up Mount Livermore – a pleasant two hour circular climb, ascending about 240m. From the top, you get good views of the San … Continue reading / view photos Angel Island
Beautiful Yosemite
Yosemite is one of America’s best kept secrets. It is a beautiful national park – unspoilt and not commercialised. There are many hikes people can do – easy and hard. After our Half Dome marathon, we had a recovery day, seeing Yosemite’s many faces without much exertion. We were in a minibus. Anyone can drive … Continue reading / view photos Beautiful Yosemite
Hiking to Half Dome
One of the famous peaks in Yosemite is Half Dome. The name will be obvious when you see a photo of it. The hike to the top requires using cables. To avoid a traffic jam, any one hiking to the top requires a permit. The handing out of permits is a lottery: there is no … Continue reading / view photos Hiking to Half Dome
Zion National Park – Angels Landing
Angels Landing is a 450m rock formation. Several people have died trying to get to the top. At its worst, there are steep drops either side of you as you ascend or descend its spine. There are now chains to help you go up. Before getting to that stage you ascend 21 switchbacks, which have … Continue reading / view photos Zion National Park – Angels Landing
Lydney Harbour
In the late 1980s/early 1990s, a new DJ was broadcasting on GLR, the BBC radio station for London. Unusually for the time, the station gave DJs a free hand. They could talk about anything and play whatever music they wanted. There was no playlist. Some of the DJs who started on the station included Chris … Continue reading / view photos Lydney Harbour
Wye Valley walk: Coleford/ Lower Redbrook
The Wye Valley always seems to be deserted when I walk there. Today we did see a small group – the sort of people I associate with the long-established Ramblers group: hardy, well-equipped, appropriately addressed, senior and led by a cheerful, never-say-die leader! We walked this section of the beautiful Wye Valley starting at the … Continue reading / view photos Wye Valley walk: Coleford/ Lower Redbrook
Forest of Dean walk
It’s been a long time since I’ve been to the Forest of Dean. It’s lovely to return and stay with my long-time friend, Dave. This was a short but thoroughly enjoyable walk in the Forest. It has changed in the past few years. The boars are more plentiful and digging up the paths. Despite that, … Continue reading / view photos Forest of Dean walk
Aston Rowant hike
Not so much a hike as a Bank Holiday Monday stroll. But a very pleasant one, made all the better because of the beautiful woods and bluebells. I found the walk on the Chilterns website. The walk is known as the Aston Rowant Discovery Trail. Full details of my route are mapped here. View photos Aston Rowant hike
Cotswolds – fields of gold
What a treat to spend Easter Sunday hiking in the deserted eastern part of the Cotswolds. The golden yellow of the rapeseed fields was harmoniously complemented by the cloudless blue sky. It was a fairly gentle walk full of features associated with the Cotswolds and the English countryside: luscious green rolling hills, streams, farms, plenty … Continue reading / view photos Cotswolds – fields of gold