Brussels Christmas Markets

Few weeks ago we were in Brussels for a long weekend with couple of friends. This was mainly to go around the Christmas Markets and little sight seeing. We landed at the airport in the snow and then about half hour for the bus to take us to Brussels and book into the hotel.

The markets is spread around the city little  bit like Manchester. The same set of the little huts down the streets.  The first thing I noticed that the was hardly anyone on them for a Friday afternoon where Manchester would be rammed. The mulled wine was cheaper then Manchester at 2 euros and you did not need to pay a cup deposit.

Our first call was the Grand Place and the moden tree. Abies Electronicus Xmas tree.  In a nut shell a scaffolden tree.covered in white sheets. But at night it was a light show and music.

Leading of the Grand Place takes you though other markets and onto Saint Niclight. Church with a light show being beamed onto at night. From here you head to a Turkish Market where there is a Bamboo sticks structure and again it turns into a light show at night. Then from here you can walk to the final 2km market with its ice rink and large Big wheel at the end.  Plenty of stalls selling gifts and food. One thing I noticed was not many selling sausage that you get in Manchester.  Food was mainly the potatoes with bacon, chilli or pasta dish. No dutch pancakes or sweet food I could see.

Plenty of chocolate shops on every street and gifts of the Manneken Pis. We also visited some nice Belgium bars selling some nice beers.

We also came across the Terracotta Army expo that was on and we had a looked round there on the last day.  Which was amazing to see in a small way.

We did the bus tour around the city and we also took a train to the city of Antwerp.  Another city full of old buildings with gold leaf on them. A very long road from the station to the old part lined with moden shops. Again Christmas markets were on and they had a big wheel which we could view the city. But again not as busy as Manchester and this was on a Saturday. The hot was 3 euros but you got a bigger cup. As we walked back at night we came across some festival that was starting.

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Manchester Markets and John Rylands

With a infection in my foot and out of action for big walks and runs, but needed something to keep the foot moving. We took a visit to Manchester around the markets and to the John Rylands Libary on Deansgate. many times we have walked past it onto the outdoor shops. So today had a quick look round and was impressed with the building. Built in the 1890s, The John Rylands Library is widely regarded as one of the most beautiful libraries in the world; both the building and its collections are of outstanding international significance.

Main Hall in John Rylands

Later on we went around the Christmas markets which are over 8 sites in Manchester. Due to the tablets I could not have any mulled wine. It was the normal stalls that you see each year from food to gifts. Exchange squre was the new area for stalls since the wheel has gone. This was mainly for people who wanted a  stand for few days. Helen had her seafood from the spainish stand on Albert Sq.

Albert Sq

Albert Sq

One of the stalls that I always go back to each year when Helen is not with with me is
Earth Rock and Stone by Holly and her Boyfriend who name has gone out of my head.

They make hand made  Silver Jewellery.  Everything they make is pure silver as that is what they like using. The stones they use they go all the way to India each year to buy. So they are seeing what they buy. They go to the people who cut and polish the stones and gems. Plus they get a chance to walk and backpack in the area. Amazing couple to talk to about their trips.
Everything I have bought from them over the years for Helen has not broken or bent. Where other things I have bought from else where has broken a link or snap.
 It will be too late to find them on the markets now but they do other markets as well though the year. I will find the web site they use to put up here.

Review of a Berghaus Freeflow 20 rucksack

This is a review of a Berghaus rucksack, which we were kindly sent by Berghaus.

 

I currently use an Osprey atmos 35 as my main day sack, so found the Berghaus Freeflow 20 quite small in comparison. Due to Colin currently recovering from an ankle infection, we took the rucksack out on a short day walk round Dunham Massey, where the size was adequate to carry both our lunches (not sure how that happened, something about me having the new rucksack so I’d have to carry everything!), a spare hat and my Paramo jacket, but there wasn’t much space left over. Had we been out for our usual full Sunday walk e.g. on Kinder, I might have struggled with the size, particularly in winter when carrying extra spare clothes etc. However, during the summer when using lightweight waterproofs etc. this size would be fine.

 

Likes        

-       The back of the rucksack is curved, giving a clear gap between the rucksack and your back. While I didn’t feel much benefit from this in the cold last weekend, this will be really useful come the summer. In the last few day sacks I’ve bought, I’ve deliberately chosen models that have similar back systems.

Curved Back

 

-       There was nice padding on the shoulder straps, but with meshed areas in them, which again should help to keep me cool during the summer.

-       There was ample padding in the waist band
 

-       It’s a nice light sack

-       There are 2 external open mesh pockets, for bottles etc. The opening for these is on the side, rather than the more usual top opening, which I found made it easier to get water bottles out while wearing the rucksack.

-       Internal pocket to take a water reservoir, and hole to put drinking tube through

Dislikes

-       I prefer a larger day sack, but think this will be much better as a summer sack

-       While the side opening of the external side pockets made them easier to access, I did find that when I put my flask in one of these pockets I could then feel this against my back when I was walking. However, I didn’t have this problem with my water bottle.

 

Flask Too Big

-       The only zipped pocket was a large pocket across the front of the rucksack, accessed by a vertical zip. However once I’d put my Paramo etc. inside the main rucksack, I found this zipped pocked awkward to access and I couldn’t fit much in it. I would have preferred a smaller zipped pocket somewhere for keeping money, keys etc. in

Summary

This is a good lightweight basic rucksack. I think for me it is more of a summer rucksack and I look forward to trying it out in warmer weather when I think its curved back system and meshed padded straps will really come in useful. 

         

Berghaus Freeflow 20 Rucksack

We been sent a Berghaus Freeflow 20 rucksack to test out and do a review and blog about it. This we will do over the coming weeks and there will be two reports. One from me and one from Helen. So you will get  a male and a female report. Helen will review the rucksack first as I am out of action due to a infection in my ankle.

Skye Trail Map

As the most hits on here is for the Syke Trail each week.  Anyone thinking of doing this route will now find that Harveys maps have just released a new map for the Skye Trail. I not seen the map, but from other maps I have used of theirs. It will be good map to have.

Details HERE

Rab

A recent trip  down the M1 motorway took me on a detour to the Rab shop. Where I picked up some reduced gear.
First Item was the  Vapour-rise Lite Alpine Jacket.

Two pairs of Outdoor Design Gloves and Mitts

One Aeon Tee  and One long Sleeve

Will report back on how they get on. Looking forward at using the vapour rise as I have one from a few years back and I also have the Shadow Hoodie which I like for winter.

Goathland Walk

Our walk on the Sunday  took us to Goathland, which is a small village and much of the land around is owned by the Duchy of Lancaster. The village is also famous for the filming of Heartbeat tv series based in the 60s. Lot of the buildings were used in the series.
 

The walk was about 7 miles and not led by me. It took us though woods and across the moors before returning through a wooded area to Mallyan spout waterfall

Staithes to Whitby

Our walk on Saturday took us by bus to go north to Staithes and walk back along the coast to Whitby. The route was easy to follow, just one path and head south. Staithes in time was a fishing village, but in time is more tourism village now.  It has a shelter harbour with two breakwaters’ and the Roxby beck stream running though it. Couple of cafes and a pub on the seafront and i would think most of the houses would be second homes with just a few villages left.

From Staithes we headed up hill along very muddy paths which slowed us down and the first few miles took a lot longer.  The wind was still strong from the North but it made good waves on the sea.

We reached Runswick Bay another tourist trap in the summer. Cafes and pretty painted boats on the side. Good sandy beach which the path went along. Not sure if you get through on high tide.  Here the sea was foaming as it rushed in and the large waves crashed in.  

Further along we turned to head up Hob Hole and here the path was a small river. First time we seen water rushing down there.  But that’s the summer we had. 

The next place we came to was Sandsend which was about 3km from Whitby. Here the sea was crashing over the sea wall into the road. The place is a mix of gift shops and cafes. Soon we were back at Whitby threading are way though the back streets to head back up the other side to the Abbey

 

Whitby Run

We just had a weekend in Whitby North Yorkshire and we stayed at the YHA at the Abbey.  Once we booked in we went for a run and as we got outside it started raining.  Plus it was windy. The route in the picture from the smartphone did not pick the gps until well in the run. In the end we did about 4km as the wind on the front was gale force and the rain turned to sleet, but we did enjoy the quick run or slow when in the head wind. It was nice running the back street and alley ways that we found behind the main seafront shops. We were running past these small houses that must have been just two rooms in all and in the old days could have been fisherman’s houses.

 

Autumn Park run

The alarm  went off.  We miss the last four Saturdays. It was parkrun time and they only downside was I was full of cold. So Helen was doing the running and I was taking photos. I could have ran but I guess I would have not felt any better.

So a lovely day again to run around Heaton park in full colour of golden autumn leaves. Helen set off and I wander taking photos. Always surprise me that 10 mins before the start there just a few runners and then 5 mins later there well over 250 runners just appear.

Helen arrives in at 32.35 and she thought she did a lot worst then that. She was happy at the time  and I was happy later  in Sainsbury Cafe having my bacon bap

Port de Soller Runs

One of the things we took besides our walking gear, was our running shoes. So we not  up at the big distances with running compare to the walking we do, but it would be nice to run in the warm weather. The plan was to do about 3 or 4 runs but in the end we only did 2. We nearly did 3 but after the gorge walk we missed the ferry by 5 mins and we had to sit in a bar for 3 hours until the next one. Plus time we got back to hotel we had to pack as we were leaving the next day and we had very wet walking boots to dry out for the plane the next day.

Both runs was along the bay of the town. The second one we  just ran down different streets to have a look around the town and up roads to see what was up there. Good way to see the town. There is a lot of people use the bay to run, as we could watch them pass our hotel.

Second Run. Green Start should have been where red mark is. Gps did not pick up

Torrent De Pareis Gorge Walk

Torrent De Pareis Gorge Walk

We booked a guided walk to do the gorge for 49 euros and we were glad we did as the guide was good. He knew the best route down and which side of the arrows to follow and get down. We should have been on this walk on the Monday but it was cancelled due to the rain. We were told by the guide that some did the walk any way and they had to swim out at the end due to the flooding.

The Torrent de Pareis is Europe’s second largest gorge and is Mallorca most challenging and popular walk. We met at the outdoor shop in Port De Soller and met our guide Justin for the day. His instructions through the day were excellent and he made you at ease on the hard bits. The group was made up of Germans and Swedes. The Swedish lads were a little late at arriving which made us late to start. This had a knock on effect at the end when we missed the ferry.

Footwear we had boots on, where some had trainers or trail shoes. Justin said boots were better if you had weak ankles, as your foot will get stuck in between the rocks on the way down.

The first 1 ½ hour of the walk leads you down from the road following a good path that zig zags down into the gorge bottom. On route we are shown a building in the distance and explained it was a police station years back. This was due to the smuggling route that the gorge was used for, for drugs and cigs. Lot of money was made and the main leader now owns one of the main banks on the island.  Plus he now owns all the land around the gorge plus a lot around the island.  Even the old police station he owns now.

Once in the gorge bottom the next few hours to the sea got a little tougher. The ground you walking on is the river bed so you are stepping over boulders or climbing over them. Taking big strides or getting your ankle stuck between the rocks. Sliding down steep rock using your boots as a brake and using a rope to get down. Going through holes in the rock and dropping down. Stepping into waist high water and wading through.  This is a good work out walk where you will know you have done a good walk by the end. The rocks and boulders are all worn smooth as glass from water running down the gorge and the many people who’ve done the route, making problems out of parts that would otherwise be quite simple.  

Once at the end you will meet the sea and you will see more people as you near the end.  You follow the path though some tunnels to another small beach area. This is where you pick the ferry back to Port De Soller. There is a bus you can catch back up to the road but there is only one in the afternoon at about 2.30pm. Miss it and it’s a long walk back up the road. Having just missed one ferry, we had an hour and a half to wait for the next one, so enjoyed a few beers in one of the places there, then took our boots off and sat in the sun to try and dry off a bit.

It’s a cracking walk to do and we were glad that we booked a guide to do it. Follow the links for more photos and check the videos out on this blog site. Details of who we used can be found at the end of this blog.

 We did the walk with this comapany www.tramuntanatours.com/

Our guide was Justin who does the gorge walk for the above company also has his own company.
www.rockandride-mallorca.com  




 



We took some videos as we came though the rocks with the camera. Not the best but gives you idea what it is like.





Torrent de Pareis Gorge Walk from colin on Vimeo.