2023 in Pictures and Stats

January

January was there for me to learn about Lena.  I was quite quick to learn that she likes to sniff the breeze and we've been out in no stiffer winds this year than in January above Stanage.  The flap-o-meter reading was high.

 

February

While there were many special moments in Whtitby in February, our visit to RSPB Bempton was mind-blowing - mentally and physically.

 

March

There were a few walks in March that were pretty special, in that TSK managed to come along, or Lena and I were out nice and late to catch the moon, or  just those special, crispy icy days.  Then there was also a trip to Wombwell to the pedal car races, where me and Lena sneaked off with the camera and, until today, I did not know I got this shot.

 

April

 

April was so FULL but our trip to Aberdeen has to take the top spot.  Such wonderful sunshine and great to catch up with friends I haven't seen in years.

 

However, this is my cheat month since there were also some excellent camping trips in April. 

May

All right!  All right! When you've got an incredibly photogenic dog, it's really difficult to chose highlights of each month.  Our camp out for a summer fell race was ideal - secluded, pitched in daylight, undisturbed.  Evesham had more sunshine and smiles than I could shake a stick at.  I can't choose!

 

June

June rolled by in a series of toasting summer days.  Glyn and Marie came to visit which gave us the brilliant opportunity for a lift out to the peak and a dog-walk home.

 July

July had us in Surrey for a visit and no trip to Surrey is complete without some serious forestry.

 

August

August had a lot of good sunshine days and it was difficult to pick one but this day Lena had a photogenic moment and I sat in a deck chair and sketched a landscape for a few hours while she had a nap so it went down as one of the best long days in a while.

 

September

Everyone's seen my Glen Affric 3-day hike photos but I'm not sure I shared the sunset - from my bivi spot high up on the mountain.  We went on to spend the best high-level day known to man (zero human interaction) and the hike out wasn't bad either.  I realised I'd rather spend a few nice days in the Yorkshire Dales than ever again, repeat the 3 Peaks bike race without any cycling in my legs. 

October

I really enjoyed Autumn flourishing in the Peak. Reservoir pics come as standard but you can't beat climbers on sun-baked rock in bracken.

 

November

November saw the arrival of the scooter but, more photogenic than that, a long, drawn out snap of hoary frost that's not been repeated in December.  For 10 straight days, everything sparkled.

December 

In December, I celebrated a major birthday with the shortest of trips to the Lakes.  Driving half way across the country for one big walk and a couple of nights sleep has been something that's been missing from my life for a while.  Let's call it environmental consciousness.

 

One week later and we've done more hikes from the back-door than is possible to enjoy.  I admit, I tuned some of them out in favour of spending time with my favourite family people... but when we've got outside the edges of the valley, we've mourned for the loss of green, embraced the brown and looked forward to the renewal of the seasons next year...

then we slipped away to the coast to wash the sea into our hair again.

What's in the bag for next year?

 

On the final day of 2023, I packed my old 3-4 season tent, big sleeping bag and a day's worth of food and headed out for a final lap of the valley "fully loaded" to see if it's still do-able and to start my weight training programme for next year one day early.  I'm not big on gyms any more so this way seemed more productive.

I over-packed tent weight and under-packed on food / fuel for a full 24 hours out so I will at least know what the weight feels like - even though we won't be committing to a night out because the dog hates fireworks.  So tonight we'll be sleeping under a slate roof.  

 

Why the backpack? Well this year, I'm aiming to tally up a bunch more Munros, having realised I covered a lot of the hard ones during my twenteens and am now at an age where I relish the more "boring" ones - starting with those that have a big walk-in - while I still can.

Carrying the pack reminded me that I need to strengthen my big muscles some more but also how important my little core muscles are too, to the balance of Trep.  So if I can sneak myself away to the yoga mat a few more times a week, that's also on the cards.  I've had enough of being unfit and "a bit shit" this year so my resolution for '24 is to get back to fitness with purpose and start getting myself "out there" again, back to my happy place (mountains), without the encumbrance of any race performances.

And I'm really rather looking forward to it.  I hope you're looking forward to 2024 too.

In stats (walking this year)

January - 274 km

February - 237 km

March - 298 km

April - 271 km
May - 270 km

June - 164 km
July - 270 km

August - 218 km

September - 264 km

October - 261 km

November - 168 km + scooter - 129 km = 297 km

December - 212 km + scooter - 128 km = 340 km

Into my 50's

I made no secret of turning 50.  I'm pretty proud to have got this far, to be honest, and I'm no longer upset about what the ageing process has done to me.  I remain secretly suspicious I'm just slowly dying of something noxious but aren't we all just slowly dying?  So might as well have fun while that's going on.

Usually I hate Christmases at home.  After the initial pizazz of my birthday, I have to race around sorting presents and buying food.  It's a week where I can't spend any money because everything is over-priced. 

I tried to make this year different, be organised in time for my birthday but I failed (as usual) and ended up close to breaking point this week.  In parallel, I've been reaching out to my adventurous side, to try and achieve more, get back closer to nature... and I've failed.  I'm more tired.  I'm running out of steam climbing up the hill at the side of the valley on easy walks and am snapping at colleagues because they're just asking too much of me at year-end.  Today I just sat in the cemetery and stared at the trees while my heart rate settled to something normal and I stopped shaking.  Ageing process? Sick? Not enough breakfast?

I wanted to get out for a solstice bivi but I just couldn't bring myself to set out in the howling wind so I didn't - that's fine though, I will try and do something before the end of the year.

I found myself learning new things about the oceans and waters in 2023, despite now spending that much time in them. I need to rectify that and get myself in there again. Not in a competitive way, just in an enjoyable way.

The scooter has brought me great joy this year - the opportunity to try a new skill.  The scooting bit is easy but learning how far I can go, the best techniques, how to carry my stuff, what affects progress - for better or worse.  It's simple and, unlike my initial urge to attempt something water-bourne, doesn't require too much new kit.

Getting Lena was the best thing I did with 2023 (ok, she joined us in December 2022) and might be the key reason for my lethargy, but I don't, for one moment, regret my decision to get a dog.  For all that she has sapped me of my usual sporting "performance" (tongue in cheek), she's kept me active beyond my wildest plans.

I'm determined not to let the new year suck me into work the way 2023 has.  I've new staff starting next year allowing me to gradually extract myself from the malestrom and instead seek out calmer waters (possibly literally) of lake and oceanside.

In between that we have a new house to buy.  I've been on the fence about this for the longest time (probably years) but have accepted the need to stay "in" the rat race a little longer to find ourselves somewhere that feels more grown-up than student-hovel, more spacious than falling-over-eachother, more like a home than a tenancy, possibly more country-cottage than city-slicker.  All part of getting back to nature, I'd love to get streetlights out of my bedroom window.  

Winds or seas of change.  Only time will tell this year.  I hope it doesn't pass as quickly as 2023.