Hooray for an outdoors focused weekly blog episode! It feels like most of my January musings have been very, well, indoors so far this year. Not entirely, but mostly. Which is fine, and certainly real life, but Splodz Blogz is meant to be an outdoors focused blog, and that is what I want to be writing about most of the time.
This weekend I finally popped my 2024 hiking cherry, by getting out to climb Pen Y Fal – known as Sugar Loaf – just over the border into Wales. I would have done it earlier in the year, but we had two (or was it three) named storms which lead to me to make sensible decisions about not going up a conical-shaped stand-alone hill with no shelter. We also had our guided stargazing experience cancelled a couple of weeks ago thanks to poor weather, which is now rebooked for next month.
That’s not to say I haven’t been walking, because I have. I spent the first sunrise of the New Year on Cleeve Hill, spent a morning exploring Gloucester looking for the real Scrooge, and have done a bunch of really lovely lunchtime walks this month. But this, I would say, was my first hike of the year. Eight-miles of purposeful, boots-on, hill-climbing hiking. What a lovely way to spend my Saturday morning.
My Week
Before I get to that… This week has felt incredibly busy and even stressful, which is not the way I like life to be. Who does?! But sometimes that’s just the way things fall.
This meant it was a real effort to keep my at-home to do list in check, with chores piling up (only adding to the bother), and making it a struggle to find the motivation to cook proper food. I also did not get enough sleep. Hopefully things will be much calmer over the coming week, and I’ll be able to report that I’ve caught my tail in my next weekly blog episode.
It hasn’t all been like that, though. I’ve been able to fit in some time with friends, some time with my husband, and some time on my own. All of which are hugely important to living a happy life.
Catching Up
I went out for dinner with a couple of good friends, which was a lot of fun. We ate good food, and whiled the evening away with chatter about anything and everything. There is something very therapeutic about socialising with those you used to work with; there is a real connection you don’t get in other scenarios.
My tired brain could probably have done without being the last person in the pub on a Thursday night, but sometimes it’s exactly the antidote you need, and I’m glad I took that opportunity.
On Sunday afternoon my husband and I spent a couple of hours up on Cleeve Hill playing around with our new camera. New-to-us, anyway. We recently sold our old DLSR and bought a slightly newer model, and want to make sure we know how to use it before we head to Madeira on holiday in a few weeks.
Photography is such an amazing hobby to have, a combination of an excuse to get geeky with technology, and to get creative with composition. I don’t claim to be any good, but it’s not about that, it’s about having enough skill and confidence to capture memories to look back on later in life. And taking photos is an excellent excuse to spend some time outside, but more on my One Hour Outside February Photo Challenge a bit later in this weekly blog episode.
Big Views from Pen Y Fal (Sugar Loaf)
I put Pen Y Fal (Sugar Loaf) on my to-hike list after hiking Blorenge and Ysgyryd Fawr (Skirrid) during a really fun weekend in Abergavenny courtesy of Visit Monmouthshire’s Over the Bridge to Wales campaign back in 2020.
Considered the hattrick of hills to climb from Abergavenny, these three stand-alone hills form the the western boundary of Bannau Brycheiniog (the Brecon Beacons), in the Black Mountains area of this National Park. I’ve even heard the three being called the Abergavenny Three Peaks… now that would be a fun day out for someone with good legs and lungs.
It’s taken far too long (over three years since I summited the other two…), but this weekend I finally ticked this easy-to-identify hill off my list. I say hill rather than mountain because that’s technically true – at 596m high, Sugar Loaf falls shy of full mountain status by just 4-metres. Which is kind of a shame really, but we must draw the line somewhere!
While Sugar Loaf isn’t a difficult or technical hill to climb, the 360º views from atop this conical-shaped Welsh hill are stunning. And the fact I can just about make it out from my very local Cleeve Hill on a good day was also another reason to want to climb this one – would I be able to see all the way back home?!
My Route up Sugar Loaf
I chose to walk up Sugar Loaf from the centre of Abergavenny, because then I could park up and use the (free) facilities before I got going, and had plenty of bakery options for when I returned. My more-or-less there-and-back route had me follow the Cambrian Way in the most part – I plotted it in OS Maps in case you want to see.
I walked a little under 8-miles in total, which sits in the sweet spot for hiking, in my opinion. Eight miles is long enough to feel like you’ve been out for a decent bimble, but short enough to be back in civilisation in time for a late lunch.
Given the geography of this particular hill, once on the outskirts of Abergavenny, my hike consisted of 3.5 miles of uphill walking, followed by 3.5 miles of downhill. There was very little undulation to speak of, just up, and then down.
Thankfully, while it was unquestionably uphill, the first three miles of the ascent were reasonably gentle. It’s only the last half mile or so that gets the blood really pumping, when you climb up the last lump of hill to the summit. And as I chose to go in a straight line, I also got in a teeny bit of scrambling too, which is always fun.
In all it took me 3.5 hours, including a decent length stop just off the summit to drink my tea and eat my snacks, and lots of stops to take photos.
Not Actually Made of Sugar
Sugar Loaf is often mistaken for an extinct volcano. I can see why – it looks just like a volcano, right?! There’s no truth in that; the hill is formed from red sandstone, as are the rest of the Black Mountains, with a bit of quartz conglomerate right at the summit. Yep, really should have studied geography!
The original Welsh name, Mynydd Pen-y-fâl in full, translates into English as ‘mountain of the head/top of the peak/summit’. The colloquial English name Sugar Loaf was given simply because it looks like a sugarloaf – and is one of a large number of hills in the UK and beyond with the same name for the same reason. I mean, say what you see!
There was a real mix of scenery along the way. After leaving the concrete and traffic of Abergavenny, the Cambrian Way heads up along country lanes, on an easy-to-follow footpath through woodland, and then throws you out above the treeline into rugged and wild heathland.
The woodland in the middle third of the hike was particularly spectacular. Oh how I love woodland walking! Given it’s the middle of winter here still, the trees were bare, showing off their green mossy trunks and branches. My photos do not do it justice at all, it felt like I was wandering along the edge of the protection of a fairy’s hideaway.
Far Reaching Views – But Not Quite to Home
Once out in the open, the views got really big really quickly. And given the shape of the hill, you could see all around. There was still a mile or so to walk at this point, but the views just kept better. Even though I couldn’t quite see all the way back to my home on the edge of the Cotswolds, thanks to the cloud that morning, the vista was enormous.
On a good day, the view from the summit covers the Black Mountains to the north, the Cotswolds to the east, Pen y Fan and Corn Du in the Brecon Beacons to the west, and the Bristol Channel to the south. The other two of Abergavenny’s three peaks – Skirrid and Blorenge – are easily visible. On a really (really) clear day, it is apparently possible to see as far as Shropshire to the north and Somerset to the south – maybe I’ll have to do this hike again in better weather?
The landscape on the hill itself is pretty special, too. The hill is crossed by a number of streams, making it boggy in places, but providing somewhere for thick grasses to grow. Fern, heather and bilberry grow in patches, and wild horses graze, which just adds to the ruggedness of the area if you ask me. Getting to wander through places like this is exactly the reason I like to hike – feeling like I am part of the view rather than simply looking at it through a window.
Sugar Loaf was the perfect start to my 2024 hiking adventures. It was absolutely worth all my unfit puffing and panting towards the summit. I got so much satisfaction in those 8-miles, and am already plotting my next excursion.
Trying Out the Cat S75 Phone
I’ve never really considered myself as having the need for an emergency satellite communication device. A lot of people I know have the little Garmin inReach, or a Zoleo Global, and have that attached to them when they go out adventuring. I guess I’ve just never really taken myself so far into the wilderness that I’ve felt it necessary.
But now I’ve given one a go, I can see how they are a useful security blanket when hiking alone. I was offered the opportunity to try out the Caterpillar CAT S75 Rugged Smartphone courtesy of Ordnance Survey, and wanted to share a few words about the device here.
It was the satellite communications capabilities of the CAT S75 that appealed to me. It’s an Android phone with Bullitt Satellite Connect built in. One device, with two SIM cards – one for normal mobile signal and data, and one for satellite communication. And the satellite bit works internationally. Very handy.
The fact I can check in with a friend however bad the phone signal might be, and can set up (private) live tracking so someone at home can always see where I am, is just brilliant – real peace of mind for me and my family. And that SOS button means I’ve got an emergency locator beacon available should I need it.
A Rugged Phone
It’s a pretty rugged phone, designed to keep out sand, dust and dirt, and to work in extremes of temperature and humidity (could have done with it in Iceland and Morocco!). The manufacturers have drop-tested it onto steel from 1.8m – so it should survive anything I can do to it. It’s also waterproof down to 5-metres.
The Bullitt Satellite Connect system was a bit of a faff to set up. It wasn’t at all intuitive, and I really had to work through the instructions step-by-step to get it working as I wanted. My advice? If you get one of these phones, make sure you allow yourself some proper time to set it up and test it at home, well before you plan to go out into the wilds. Thankfully, now it’s set up, it’s easy peasy! ]
I’ve had fun trying this out, and especially on my Pen Y Fal hike at the weekend. When you open the app, it helps you make sure you’re pointing it in the right direction to get a good satellite connection. With that, I can send (and receive) messages, send a super quick check-in with my exact location, start live tracking visible to pre-determined people, and – should the need arise – contact an international SOS service.
I am sold on the usefulness of a satellite communication device. It is so good to be able to set up live tracking so someone at home can check where I am. A sensible addition to my kit.
Keeping Things Separate
I also understand how convenient it is to have that connectivity embedded within a mobile phone. But I’m not quite convinced this is the right device for me. I mean, because all this is within the phone itself, you have a massive screen and full keyboard at your disposal, which is definitely a benefit over those little devices that people hang off their backpacks.
But here’s the thing. I think I would prefer to keep the two things separate; one device as my mobile phone, and another for satellite communication, each with its own battery that doesn’t get used up by the other. I wouldn’t want my ability to send an emergency SOS message, or send my location to my husband, to be scuppered by filming too many little video clips on my hike. Yes, I carry a small battery pack, but I just think the risk of power loss is too great.
My mobile SIM has therefore gone back into my iPhone, and I’ve been carrying both devices. While the CAT S75 is a really nice looking and feeling phone, with some impressive specifications – especially how rugged it is – I am not going to pretend to be able to review the CAT S75 fully outside how it deals with satellite communications.
This is a really great product for someone who wants an all-in-one device. But it isn’t the right device for me. What this opportunity to review the CAT S75 has done, though, is made me think I should invest in one of those little satellite devices for my adventures.
Putting Salt in my Tea
In this week’s Zoe tries an at-home science experiment so you don’t have to (read about my toothpaste tablets in my last weekly blog episode), I’m trying salt in my tea.
That’s right. Salt.
I read this article on the BBC News website last week, and it had me intrigued.
There is no doubt that I am one of the people the BBC is talking about when they say: “The British claim to know a thing or two when it comes to making a good cup of tea.”. And I know I pull my weight when it comes to the estimated 100 million cups drunk every day in Britain.
Professor Francl, a US-based scientist, is now claiming that to help make the perfect cup of tea, we should be adding salt.
I say ‘now’, but this isn’t a new idea. Salt was used in tea in eighth century China. But you know, it’s not something that has become part of everyday tea making in Britain.
Professor Francl says that salt acts as a blocker to the receptor which makes tea taste bitter, especially when it has been stewed. By adding a pinch of table salt when you’ve let your tea sit for a bit too long, you can counteract the bitterness of the drink. Unlike when adding sugar (which I never do – no thanks), you cannot taste the salt itself in the tea.
Chemistry Experiment
After a few days of wondering if I should or shouldn’t, I gave it a try. I started by brewing a cuppa (English Breakfast Tea) for ages, gave it a little taste to see if it was bitter, and then added a small pinch of salt to see what impact that would have. And it did dial back the bitter taste. The chemistry works!
The cuppa I’m currently drinking as I write this weekly blog also has salt added. This time I sprinkled a pinch of salt into a normal cup of tea (not stewed). And it’s – well – fine. I can confirm I cannot taste the salt, and the tea tastes of tea. In fact, it’s a very nice cup of tea, and I am enjoying it very much.
Look, I’m not going to be adding salt to every cup of tea, it’s just not necessary. But this is a useful trick to know if I get served a tea that’s bitter thanks to being over brewed.
Professor Francl has written a whole book on tea, which includes the salt in tea hack. Steeped: The Chemistry of Tea, is published by the Royal Society of Chemistry (also available at Amazon and Waterstones).
I should add that I’ve rather enjoyed the play between the US Embassy and Cabinet Office on this topic this week – an example of when social media does what it’s meant to, be entertaining.
Ready for the One Hour Outside Photo Challenge?
As you’ll have seen in my launch post last week, I’m very excited that it’s nearly time for this year’s One Hour Outside Daily Photo Challenge.
The challenge, which I’ve been running for eight years or so, is designed to help inspire us in two ways throughout February – to take a photo every day, and to spend a little bit of time outside on a daily basis. It’s a bit of image-based mindfulness to encourage creativity, an opportunity to think about something specifically, and to pay extra attention to the world immediately around us.
Will you be joining in the challenge next month? I look forward to bringing together a lovely community of people sharing photos every day in February.
I’ve already published all the themes so you can get yourself organised if you are so way inclined. Day one asks a very simple question: Who Am I? I can’t wait to see how you respond to that one on Thursday.
I intend to share my daily photos over on Instagram and Threads – and to use my weekly blog episodes during February to share a few, too. Do check out my specific blog post with all the details, and use my hashtags #SplodzDPC and #OneHourOutside when you share your photos. See you on Thursday!
See You Next Time…
Right, that’s me done for this article, my last weekly blog episode for January 2024. I really hope you’ve enjoyed the posts I’ve written this month, and that you’ll come back on Thursday when I’ll be publishing my next one.
And please do consider taking part in my One Hour Outside Daily Photo Challenge, the more the merrier!
Buy Me a Cuppa?
If you enjoyed this weekly blog episode and fancy supporting me and my mini adventures this year, you can “buy me a coffee” for £3 (well, a cup of tea, if that’s okay?). Head over to Ko-fi to find out more. Thank you.