Contouring

An intriguing fact emerged from idly checking the altitude here in Lower Down: we're actually a hundred feet higher in elevation than we are at home in Rachub, in the mountains of Eryri, which is a kind of surprising fact at first glance, given where we live - clue: mountainous, vs the hills of this part of Shropshire. But thinking about it, and referencing last nights post about The Long Mynd, I suppose it's not such a shock after all. I think the cognitive disjunct lies in the fact that we never walk up the hill from the nearest hamlet - Brockton - to here, whereas we've made the quite similar - in altitude gain - ascent from Bethesda to Rachub many times over the last quarter of a century and more.

The big difference is that the pull up from Brockton up to here is a direct, relentless, and calf-straining catenary of a road, getting gradually steeper as you approach the lane that guides you here. From Bethesda up to our place, however, the walk can be made on a series of short, steep ascents punctuated by plateau'd sections that at least give sporadic respite on the flatter bits; ready for the very steep pull up the High Street, finishing with the final challenge of the section between Tan-Y-Bwlch and Y Ffridd, which invariably raises the heart rate a good bit above base. The peaks around Shropshire may not be quite as lofty as back home, but it sure is bloody hilly around here, nevertheless...