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Help!
My father passed away suddenly 3 weeks ago and after having spent every waking hour sorting out all sorts of bits and pieces I need some thinking time.
I am after somewhere nice and remote to do some hillwalking and get some fresh air within two or three hours (drive) of southwest London.
Since I know Pen y Fan well, that is my fall-back option but if there are any particularly splendid spots in the Peaks or elsewhere that might make a change, I'd be interested and grateful to know. It's a bit of altitude I'm after really, as I seldom get up into the mountains, and the wilder the better.
Any thoughts?
Thanks
Richard
We walked along the Seven Sisters from Beachy Head towards Seaford. Good for blowing the cobwebs out.
Sorry to hear about your Dad.
South Downs Way
Ticks the boxes
Really sorry to hear about your Dad.
Still in Pen-Y-Fan direction, but what about the Black Mountains? Some really wild country N of Crickhowell as far as Hay and much quieter than other bits of the Beacons. Can be reached in 3 hours from London too.
Failing that, it doesn't have the altitude, but here on Dartmoor we have a huge part of the map with nothing much on it, and some of the scenery is stunning. Again, once you get away from the roads you barely see a soul.
Dorset, inland? You could walk taking in the three highest 'peaks'.
Elan Valley, mid-Wales?
Sorry for your loss.
How about the ridgeway, starting at Ivinghoe beacon in buckinghamshire and ending around 70 miles further west at the Avebury complex? Nice mixture of terrain and the oldest pathway in western Europe. Might be a good way to connect/make peace with your ancestors?
Sorry to hear of your loss and hope you're feeling much better soon.
Some of these ideas might give your spirits a lift: Snowdonia is certainly a good place to head for. Southern Snowdonia around the Cader Idris is my one of favourite places. You'll certainly get plenty of height there - particularly up the Minffordd Path. Lots of friendly walkers on the way up. Everyone always says hello. Great bunch of people round there. The Coed-y-Brenin is also equally good for walking as it is for mountain-biking. See trails map here:
There's some fantastic views of the Rhinogs from this place I've stayed many times over the past 5 years: www.glyn-yr-aur.com Really nice owners too. Biking trails are quieter and really scenic near this cottage. Plenty of space to be alone with your thoughts. Just follow tracks and trails from the door. Wonderful waterfalls nearby. Helped boost my spirits in recent times.
If you really want a challenge, trying walking the Roman Steps through the Rhinogs to its central nature reserve. You definitely need good walking shoes for that. Some people go along a not very well defined ridge from Foel Yspri, near Barmouth/Dolgellau to the Rhinogs. It's definitely for people who know what they're doing. But if it's remote and unspoilt you want - you couldn't get more remote than that.
My personal favourite is the Kerry Ridgeway on the Welsh borders. It's often very quiet there. You're 1000 ft above sea level at all times. But it's relatively flat. But off that there are plenty of bridleways and footpaths for walkers, and lots of more interesting terrain - and bikers could use most if not all of it. Hardly ever see any bikers there though, except on easy bits of Kerry.
Walked Cilfaesty and Kerry Hill recently. Excellent views from Cilfaesty. But it's relatively mild compared to the Cader or Snowdon. But you're under an hour's drive from the Cader if you stay near Kerry. Upper Castlewright Cottage is pretty good accommodation. Link here: http://www.uppercastlewrightcottage.co.uk/ Remote and quiet. Fab views of Long Mountain, Long Mynd and Corndon Hill.
And the busier Shropshire Hills are nearby too. Mynd close, Stiperstones definitely an experience. Love Roundton Hill, Corndon Hill and the Lawley. Want to also head to Wroxeter (no hills there though) to see the new Romanesque visitors centre. It was on a Channel 4 show, Rome wasn't built in a day, recently.
The OS getamap service is great for plotting your own routes. You can set up a free account here: http://www.getamap.ordnancesurveyleisure.co.uk/ If you don't got to any of them this time, it's certainly worth visiting them some other time. All the best.
Thank you all very much for the thoughtful responses.
I clearly have some homework to do! I am intending to do it as a daytrip, so the ideal is a circular walk or straight "up and down". I shall have a look at some of these later.
One other one I have always fancied walking was Kinder Scout, and the famous trespass walk there was very shortly after my father was born so that might be nice to do. Anyone familiar with that?
Thanks again
Richard
Yep, SDW if you want something panoramic (and with the occasional sea view).
North Downs/Surrey Hills if you're more into trees/forests etc.
Yep, SDW, perhaps train to Eastbourne then walk as far as you can towards Brighton, then pick up a train back to London. You could bail out at Alfriston, Firle, Southease, Lewes, Seaford...