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Thursday 22nd August - Moorland Walk over Harden Moor - Take 2

25/8/2019

And here is a late entry "walk-talk" from Lesley about her Thursday walk

"What can one say! Every once in a while a day comes along that is a surprise to all! This was one of them and not a welcome one.
Lesley's walk of 7 miles took a group of 14 adventurous ladies up onto Snailsden Edge on what was forecast to be a 'dull' day!
It was only the spirit of these lovely ladies that made what could have been a disaster into some sort of success. The wind and the rain crept into every nook and cranny of personal clothing and meant the abandoning of the intended route.
Few photos were possible during the walk but here are the happy, innocent ladies unaware of what was to come followed by the result of the tempest that ensued!!
Some lucky ladies who had managed to keep some of their clothing dry, found their way down to the new premises of the Oil Can Cafe. Sadly some ladies were far too wet to even think of going. Hopefully we will see some photos."

Thursday 22nd August - Moorland walk over Harden Moor

23/8/2019

It was Lesley's turn to lead this 7 mile walk on Harden Moor through Hade Edge.

Based on the first photo it was obviously dry to start with, but the rest of the collection show a soggier picture; bad timing because a heatwave is forecast for the next few days. It's a great shame too, because the views look brilliant (well, you have to use a bit of imagination here to see through the mist and drizzle)

Apparently some of the slightly drier walkers treated themselves to refreshments at the Oil Can Cafe after the walk. They're not in this shot though so it could be WWWN Fake News!

Sunday 18th August - Mytholmroyd, Stoodley Pike, Cragg Vale

18/8/2019

Chris W sent some photos of the 9 miles walk Jayne led today around Mytholmroyd. You were lucky with the weather Chris! "Lovely views on Jayne's walk. The weather was kind to us thankfully"

Then Jayne sent me her walk-talk so I've added that here.

"Hooray it stayed dry for my walk up on the heather clad moors above Mytholmroyd walking 9 miles to Stoodley Pike.
It was very blustery but the views were fabulous. I dropped in some snippets of information about the history of the Pike the Cragg Vale Coiners and Hoo Hole where John Wesley preached in 1770. I admit some of their eyes did glaze over but they are used to me by now! Thanks for coming ladies.

Jayne also sent me two more photos which I've put at the end of Chris's 5. Do not adjust your specs. For artistic value Jayne's are intentionally wobbly ...

Jayne, coyly hugging a stone pillar

And now for Jayne's offerings. She has captured the mood don't you think?

Sunday 4th August - Roseberry Topping

6/8/2019

Thank you to Mae for her photo from the walk Chrissie led on Sunday to Roseberry Topping. It's taken at Captain Cooks Monument on the way up there.

It sounds like they all had a wonderful feast at the top as in celebration of Yorkshire Day there was coffee, tea and delicious cakes of all description 😋🧁😋🍰😋🍩😋🍪😋

Who could ask for anything more!

Ticks, Lymes disease and a whole lot more ...

4/8/2019

I have no idea why this article landed on my feed but I came across this on Twitter. It was written by Peter Burnside, posted by The BMC (British Mountaineering Council) and I was fascinated to read it.

There's a link to a YouTube clip too, which is 6 minutes long but I think it's absolutely worth viewing; it's offers SO much information!

Ticks are clearly on the rise in the UK, and I appreciate that many of you will already know all about ticks, but some of you may not, so I thought I'd share the article with you here.

Ticks and Lyme disease: what to do about tick bites

Nasty critters that latch onto you, nobody likes coming home to find a tick with its head buried in your skin. So with cases of Lyme disease increasing in Europe, make sure you know what to do to prevent tick bites and how to safely remove ticks that are already attached.

What are ticks?

Ticks are small arachnids that live by feeding on the blood of animals, particularly mammals, and can range in size from smaller than a poppy seed up to that of a pea, depending on the stage in its lifecycle and/or how engorged it is on blood. While a tick bite is itself generally harmless, they unfortunately are capable of transmitting diseases to humans, some of which can be extremely debilitating and life-threatening.

What diseases can ticks carry?

Three of the diseases that can be caught from a tick bite in Britain are:

Lyme borreliosis
More commonly known as Lyme disease, this disorder is caused by the bacteria called Borrelia Burgdorferi (Bb), and is carried by many infected ticks in popular UK and European walking and climbing areas. Fortunately not all ticks carry it and simply being bitten by a tick does not instantly mean you’ll contract Lyme disease – swift and proper removal is key to minimising risk of infection. The classic symptom of Lyme disease is a bull’s eye rash (erythema migrans) and shows up as a red ring of inflammation that gradually spreads out across the skin, often with a fading centre. It can appear from two to 40 days after infection; if you develop one be sure to photograph it to show your doctor. Not all infected people develop the rash, so be vigilant for other early symptoms that may develop, such as: feelings of tiredness, flu-like symptoms like chills, fever, headache, muscle and/or joint pain, swollen lymph glands, or blurred vision. Later stage symptoms include: arthritis in large joints, nerve problems such as numbness, facial palsy, meningitis with fever, stiff neck, and severe headache, memory problems and sometimes irregularities of the heart rhythm.

Babesiosis
Caused by the Babesia parasite, a protozoan organism similar to the malaria parasite, this organism attacks red blood cells and requires laboratory identification to diagnose infection. The most common symptoms are fever and anaemia, also tiredness, loss of appetite, and generally feeling unwell. Symptoms usually develop one to four weeks after a tick bite.

Ehrlichiosis
A bacterial disease that infects and kills white blood cells, diagnosis of the disease can be tricky and usually is based on symptoms coupled with evidence of tick exposure. Symptoms can develop anywhere between four days to 16 days after a bite and the most common are fever, headache, tiredness, muscle aches, nausea, vomiting, and some will develop a rash.
Another disease carried by ticks in Europe is Tick Borne Encephalitis (TBE) – a serious viral disease that can affect the central nervous system/brain. Ticks carrying the disease are often found in rural or forested areas in parts of Europe from late spring until early autumn. Early symptoms include flu-like illness and fever from six to 14 days after being bitten. Later symptoms will follow after a period of no symptoms, and may manifest as neck stiffness, severe headaches, photophobia, and signs of meningitis such as delirium or paralysis.

How to prevent tick bites

Prevention is always better than cure, so be sure to take steps to keep ticks at bay rather than having to remove a tick later. Tips to avoid tick bites are:

Walk in the middle of paths and avoid unnecessarily walking through bushy vegetation or long grass.
Avoid damp/boggy areas and especially refrain from lying down or resting in such areas. Ticks require humid conditions to survive during their off-host periods.
Cover up your limbs – trousers, socks, long sleeves. Light coloured material also helps spot ticks that are on you.
Use insect repellent. DEET products are the most effective but also the most toxic. Apply the repellent to your clothing instead of your skin to reduce side effects.
Check yourself, your buddy, and your pets every few hours. Remember, depending on the season, some ticks are no bigger than a pinhead. Brush your clothes and your pets off before returning home.

How to remove a tick safely

Don’t stress the tick is the key thing to do when trying to remove one as a stressed tick often regurgitates into your bloodstream which increases the chance of infection. So never use fire, never try to freeze the tick off, don’t try to suffocate it with ointment or oil, and be careful if trying to remove a tick with tweezers – squeezing its body instead of its mouthparts can cause regurgitation or even leave the tick’s head embedded in your skin.

The longer a tick is left to feed the higher the chances of infection, so swift and proper removal is very important. So, what should you do?

Tick removal tools
The best and easiest way is to use a specialised tick removal tool. There are many different types available online; some use a v-slot style of removal, while others are tweezer tools with fine needles to grab the head of the tick. If the tool uses a twisting type of removal, be sure to only twist in one direction. Read the instructions on how to properly use the tool you end up choosing.

Tweezer removal
If trying to remove a tick with a pair of tweezers, try to find some that have a narrow point rather than the broad tipped tweezers for plucking eyebrows as these can often grab more than just the head of the tick. Grasp the tick as close to the skin as possible and pull upwards steadily until the tick is removed.

Be sure not to twist or jerk the tick, as its mouthparts may be left embedded in your skin. Don’t squeeze or grasp the body of the tick as this can cause it to regurgitate into your bloodstream or onto your skin. After successfully removing a tick, wash the area with warm soapy water and antiseptic, and be sure to wash your hands after as well. Check your body thoroughly for other ticks and be vigilant for any symptoms of infection.

If you're interested in seeing this article on the BMC website itself, click on this link (opens a new page)

www.thebmc.co.uk/ticks-lyme-disease-what-to-do-about-tick-bites

And finally, there was a leaflet you can download about ticks so I've included it here.

tick_leaflet_08__final.pdf
File Size:	2523 kb
File Type:	pdf

Download File

I hope you found this interesting reading and are now more informed about ticks.

Thursday 1st August - Aberford, Lotherton Hall & Garforth

4/8/2019

Caroline S led 17 ladies on her two walk around Aberford, Lotherton Hall & Garforth; one of four miles and one of nine. Elaine Bsent this walk-talk to me, with supporting photos, Thanks for these shots Elaine - despite the grey skies you all make for colourful photos!

"1st August is Yorkshire Day and Caroline very kindly baked some Parkin & some rhubarb buns. They were delicious & we enjoyed them before setting out on our 9 mile trek!! We should have known it was a sweetener!! The weather was very kind & we enjoyed the walk past Lotherton Hall & on to Garforth. Again we had to find a shady lunch stop. The large greenhouse tunnels nearby puzzled the group however Jan managed to force some information from a Polish worker cutting the grass. He solved the puzzle explaining they were for growing strawberries. Mystery solved!!

We returned to Aberford down a lovely path through woods. Very tired but having enjoyed a wonderful day. Thank you Caroline for leading 2 consecutive beautiful walks."

Caroline with the group and their Yorkshire Day treats

I think the idea of this shot below is to show how to stay cool on a warm day. If it's not, I haven't a clue what's going on!

Elaine says if you look carefully the girls have windmills coming out if their heads - as if that explains things!

Thursday 25th July - Farnley Tyas and Thurstonland - The Hottest Day of the Year!

4/8/2019

Elaine B sent me this walk-talk.
"On the hottest day of the year 14 members completed a wonderful walk around Farnley Tyas! Caroline led us on a 6 mile walk through wonderful countryside & managed to find us a nice lunch stop in the shade. A lovely refreshing drink was enjoyed in the pub at the end. A great day enjoyed by all."

Memories for Pat Clay

3/8/2019

Pat H asked me to share this lovely photo of the Memory Frame she's kindly taking when she next visits Pat Clay.

Thursday 22nd August - Moorland Walk over Harden Moor - Take 2

Thursday 22nd August - Moorland walk over Harden Moor

Sunday 18th August - Mytholmroyd, Stoodley Pike, Cragg Vale

Sunday 4th August - Roseberry Topping

Ticks, Lymes disease and a whole lot more ...

Thursday 1st August - Aberford, Lotherton Hall & Garforth

Thursday 25th July - Farnley Tyas and Thurstonland - The Hottest Day of the Year!

Memories for Pat Clay

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