Plans for 2021?

By the time you read this, England should be free from the shackles of its third Lockdown. Some restrictions will remain. But we’ll also have slightly more freedom to meet with others and explore. I feel as though planning (dare I say it) for the rest of the year may be a feasible thought.

In January, I wrote of my Intentions for 2021 and I recently made a YouTube video talking briefly of my three ideas. This will be a more refined edition of the other post and I’ve narrowed it down to three particular goals.

Click here to see my video on Plans for 2021

Visit the Lake District

This one remains at the very top of my list. It still hasn’t been done and I’m not sure whether I could forgive myself for passing on the opportunity for another twelve months.

I’m more open to the idea of travelling up there and spending a week alone than I have been. That’s not to suggest that I would turn down the chance to experience it with a small group. It’s been a challenging twelve months for everyone. We’ll each have our own hopes and plans, along with those we may wish to share with others.

I recently advised to aim for Keswick as a base for the duration of the trip. Honestly, it is the location of and locality towards the mountains I wish to aim for, that I’ll use for directions on where to stay.

I’m pencilling it in for late summer/early autumn and I’m sure I’ll write about a more finalised plan closer to the date.

Walk the Cleveland Way

When I say ‘walk’, of course, I’m talking about backpacking! I’ve not followed a National Trail since the South Downs Way in May 2019. This one, which almost circuits around the North York Moors, was always going to be the next on my hitlist.

I remember my initial plans for it last year and how I was contemplating some days in excess of twenty-miles, following and quick glance and without digging too deep to find out where other campsites may be. So, further planning will be required on that.

Under normal circumstances, I would be looking to do this trek in May or June, before the UK weather gets too hot and uncomfortable. Looking at Boris’ “Roadmap” right now, I see no guarantee that campsites may be open in time and I do fear the initial ‘rush’ of everyone and anyone being free to spread all over Britain.

Perhaps what the Post-Lockdownism has died down a bit. But then, that leaves the idea sitting close to my proposed Lake District getaway. Each trip would demand a full week off work and ideally, some respite in between.

Walk the Coleridge Way

Yes, a fifty-mile long-distance footpath that’s relatively close to home. I have plans to start walking this with my friend Anna, when we’re allowed and good. We’ll be heading west from Nether Stowey; across (around) the Quantock Hills; over the Brendon Hills (which I’ve not greatly explored) and then across Exmoor via a familiar section of the South West Coast Path.

Last time we talked about it, our plan was to try and tackle it in four days. But we won’t be backpacking or straining ourselves with loads of kit… Ideally, parking one car at each end, as public transport links in West Somerset are quite absent. Averaging 12.5 miles per day (all going well).

It’s not a trail I’d really considered doing before but I do enjoy the AONB and National Park it passes through. By the very end, we hope to have learnt the correct pronunciation of “Coh-ler-idge”… “Cole-ridge?!”

I hope you have some interesting ideas for the rest of your own year?

Thanks for reading.