What to wear, what not to wear (when out walking)

The clothes you wear for shopping or an hour’s ramble along the gravel pathways of a country park are unsuitable for, say, a seven mile hike up into the fells, where you might encounter extreme weather, where your body will be working harder, producing heat and perspiration. For this kind of walking activity, you need specialist clothing and equipment to keep you dry, warm and cool.

It is worth investing in the right kit

Let’s start with what not to wear

Avoid anything with cotton, especially tee-shirts and jeans. A small percentage of cotton mixed with man-made fibres may be acceptable. Man-made fibres are the ideal. Cotton will not keep you warm, and if it gets wet, either through rain or sweat, it acts like a sponge and retains moisture. This will feel very uncomfortable and will spoil your walking experience. For this reason, never wear jeans, which also have the wrong cut, and are for day to day wear, not serious walking! Specialised walking trousers are made from a quick drying material to protect you in a shower. For summer I wear trousers with zip-off legs, that quickly convert to shorts and vice versa in changing temperatures.

Don’t wear trainers. They’re not up to the job. There’s no ankle support, and you will feel rough stony ground through the soles. Don’t make the mistake I made on my first walk, when I wore a pair of industrial boots. They looked like leather walking boots, but had steel toe caps that dug into my toes on a steep descent.

Don’t wear a padded coat. They are a fashion statement and might be okay for a stroll along the canal, but restrict movement, and if you get hot on a fell walk, you can’t remove it because you will then be cold! They are also bulky and difficult to stow away.

Padded coats lack versatility

You need to ‘Layer-Up’

The idea is to wear several thin layers of clothing (depending on the time of year) capped with a waterproof shell. As you warm up or cool down, you can remove or add a layer to keep the ideal temperature. In winter I wear a thin base layer, a shirt, fleece and cagoule. I might also don lined trousers and a waterproof fleece-lined hat. In sunny weather I wear a hat with a broad rim to protect my head, face and neck. You could be exposed to the sun for several hours.

All the clothing you wear should be breathable. Look at the label. This is so when you perspire, the moisture can make its way through the layering and out into the air ('wicking'), keeping you dry. Nothing is 100% breathable, but it will make a big difference.

These boots are made for walking

Boots must be waterproof and breathable. Inevitably you will have to wade through water on some walks. You don’t want cold wet feet either through water ingress or a build-up of sweat. You can get leather or fabric boots. I prefer leather because they are easier to clean. Don’t purchase online, you really do need to try them on! I’ve found that if they don’t feel right in the shop, don’t buy. You might be told ‘they will wear in’, or ‘the leather will soften’. Maybe, but why take the risk? I’ve never had blisters, and neither should you.

Boots are unlike any other footwear. You should wear two pairs of walking socks, a thin base layer and a thicker pair. Marino wool will keep your feet warm in winter, and cool in summer. This adds to comfort on long strenuous treks. Bring socks with you to the store. Ask the assistant to measure your feet. Most outdoor retailers offer this service. When I finally had this done, I discovered I had been wearing boots that were too small! As you walk your feet heat-up and swell.

Cagoules, Waterproof Over-Trousers, Gaiters & Fleeces

Cagoules must be waterproof, breathable and wind proof. So should over-trousers. Don’t buy cheap - they will make your legs sweat. Most have zips up the legs to make it easier to put on quickly when the heavens open.

I often wear them in cooler weather with standard walking trousers because they stop the wind and take the mud. Otherwise gaiters should be worn which protects the lower part of your legs from mud splatters.

Fleeces come as thin micro-fleeces, and thicker winter weight ones. They are breathable and some are water-repellent and windproof for wearing without a cagoule in mildly bad weather.

Rucksacks & Walking Poles

Note the netting that gives airflow 

Your rucksack should have a waterproof cover. It should also have an air gap so you don’t get a sweaty back. Size is measured in litres. For day walking you need between 25 - 35 litre volume. There should also be side pockets for drinking bottles and straps to hold walking poles. If you’re drinking from a bladder, there needs to be a pocket inside to hold it in position. Your rucksack should have waist straps and chest straps to take some of the weight off your shoulders.

You need collapsible walking poles so they can be strapped to your rucksack when not in use. Make sure they are spring loaded which cushions the effect on your wrists. You can use two or just one. I use my pole all the time. It helps your balance on uneven ground, and acts as a brake when doing a steep descent. The main benefit though is that poles reduce the stress on your knee joints.

You don’t have to pay the earth, although boots with vibram soles and clothing incorporating Gore-Tex, or similar waterproof membranes, are a definite advantage. There’s nothing wrong with budget brands like Peter Storm, and Mountain Warehouse - read the reviews of any item you’re interested in.

One last bit of advice - buy a foam sit mat. They cost very little, weigh nothing, and will keep your bum warm and dry on damp ground, while eating your sandwiches!

Happy (and comfortable) walking…

Read my 5 Star novel: 

Stench of Evil - a supernatural thriller https://goo.gl/VQOVuS

The sequel: The Devil in Them  https://goo.gl/aS1cjZ

How To Plan A Walk & Carry Out A Recce

Organising a group walk takes more thought and planning than setting off by yourself with a route into the blue yonder. It doesn't matter as much if you're on your own and can't find somewhere to park, or get lost en route. You can't afford for that to happen if you're leading a group, as there's safety issues to consider, never mind the embarrassment of retracing your steps because you've gone the wrong way! You might still make mistakes, but it's less likely if you follow this advice.

The Fundamentals

Uphill climbs slows the pace

What grade of walk are you aiming for; easy, moderate or strenuous? Each category is dependent on miles walked, time taken, and feet climbed. Your chosen category may depend on time of year, as shorter daylight hours dictates less miles, and winter time means that hill and mountain walks may be treacherous with ice or snow, and shouldn't be attempted without crampons. 

On average we walk 2.5 miles an hour, but a walk with climbing will take longer because of the slower pace. A walking club may have parameters to suit different abilities, for instance a moderate walk might be around 9 miles and up to 1500' of total climbing. So work out the parameters for your target group and you're ready to start. All that's missing is the walk!

How To Find A Walk

An oven-ready walk is the easier way of doing it, especially if you're inexperienced and need to build up confidence. Someone else has done the work for you. They're providing a description, an outline map and walk instructions. What could go wrong? Well, the instructions might be unclear, or the map might contain inaccuracies, and since it was published a path might have been diverted or a landmark changed. But on the whole it is the easier option.

I've amassed hundreds of walks from magazines, books and websites. Doctors' waiting rooms are a good source and second hand book shops. Look out for 1001 Walks in Britain, published by the AA. Another route is to pick the area where you want to walk, and Search, for instance, 'Walks in Lancashire', or more specifically, 'Walks around Clitheroe'. The result will throw up various websites, where you can download ready-made walks and print them for nothing. 

Some sites though do charge a fee. I like Walking Britain: https://www.walkingbritain.co.uk/ because the walks are free and uploaded by experienced walkers with full instructions and maps. There's also Country Walking Magazine:

https://www.greatmagazines.co.uk/country-walking-magazine that includes 27 route cards in each issue. I've picked up old copies from second hand book shops, and no doubt someone will be selling a job lot on eBay.

Creating Your Own Walk

Of course you can study an ordnance survey map and create your own walk. This is more work because there’s no written instructions, and you don't know how practical it is until you've tried it, but more satisfying when it is a success!

I've designed dozens of walks in this way. You have to be able to read a map, for instance understand that where the contour lines are closer, the climb or descent will be steeper. The geography of your walk will be one of the factors that determines how long it will take, as will the speed of those walking with you. The bigger the group, the longer it will take to climb stiles, and your average 2.5 miles an hour will be slower, especially when you factor in climbs and stops; usually a morning and afternoon break of around ten to fifteen minutes each, and lunch of half an hour or so, dependant on the weather. All this will become clearer on your recce.

Try to factor in interesting features on your route

When planning a walk from scratch, make it interesting. There's nothing wrong in walking over open moorland for miles, or a succession of fields, but that will be more of a workout to get your 10,000 steps than a memorable ramble. Vary the route if possible; open fields, woodland, a river or canal and a good climb to get views. Try and include interesting features, such as an attractive village, views of a stately home, a water mill, battle field, monument etc. And try and get some information. It all adds to the fun and satisfaction of being out in the open air. It brings the walk alive!

A pub stop afterwards helps you unwind

Two other things to consider is car parking and travelling time to the start of your walk. Availability of loos too in a perfect world! 

Ask permission if you want to use a pub car park, and it will probably be on the proviso that you call in for refreshments. Please don't park in front of people's houses, or inconsiderately. How far is your group prepared to drive, and how does that impact on the time it takes to complete the walk and have a drink afterwards? Group walking is a social activity, and at the end of day a pub visit allows ramblers to relax and unwind before the drive home. 

The Tools Of The Trade

All you needed at one time was a map and compass, but things have changed with the availability and affordability of satellite navigation devices. We have downloaded the OS app to our phones and iPads, (https://shop.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/apps/os-maps/) and what a clever piece of software it is!

You can track your walk live or plot in advance

For around £30 a year you have access to all OS maps. You can use it to follow a route, track your walk so you've a record, or plot it and follow it on the day. The map can be expanded for extra clarity. It shows you where you are on the map. You can keep your routes private, or public. By clicking on 'Routes', other people's walks will appear in your chosen area. In 'Filters', if you set the Rating to 4.5, it will filter out the rubbish. Download the walk, so even if you've no phone signal, you will view it with GPS. If you want a hard copy, screen shot it on your tablet and print. It conveniently fits on a sheet of A4. You can expand it first to fit the screen.

Drawbacks? You're limited to battery capacity, unless you carry a spare power pack. We haven't found this a problem, because we tend to use it as back-up, or confirmation on a long walk. That's why we print or use paper maps, and consult the app if we're not sure. Recently we were out for five hours, tracking our route, and using the phone to record instructions, plus photographs, on one battery charge. You can follow the red arrow on the green dashes across a field. In fact it's the app which has confirmed what we've long suspected, that the physical path isn't always where the map says it is!

A good piece of equipment if you've not gone down the app route is a pair of binoculars. These are handy for finding that stile hiding in the hedge across the large field. That, along with a compass should keep you on the right path. It's also worth carrying a pair of wire cutters to remove barbed wire strung across a public right of way, or rescue sheep tangled up, as I have done on more than one occasion.

The Recce

Consulting the map on your recce slows you down

You've got your route and parking worked out, so it's time for the recce. I would never lead a walk without having done one. If it's a new walk which I have created, I often use the voice recorder on my phone to record instructions, which I will later write up.

So off you go. This should be done with at least two people, as two heads are better than one, and for safety. Remember that you could have a large group behind you on the day. So look out for hazards that might have to be avoided. If a path is obstructed, you are allowed to trespass in order to get around it. Keep a watch on the time, and keep a lookout for a suitable place to stop for lunch, preferably not with sheep or cattle, and ideally somewhere by a feature like a river or with a view.

Look out for hazards!

The recce may take longer than the walk on the day, as you will be stopping to consult a map, or your phone, taking the wrong path on occasions, all of which adds up. Your general pace might be slower too. On a full day's walking it could make the difference of an hour.

Before The Walk

Details of your walk are already in the programme; departure time, date, location, your name and contact method, Moderate, Easy, Strenuous. At the top should be the title, the date, and the time you will start, how many miles and total feet of climbing - easy with the OS app which gives you this information. Next a brief description - no more than a paragraph - of the walk highlights and general geography. Do not include a blow by blow account!

Next some travelling instructions to drive to the start, including post code and What3words. It might also be worth putting in OS map coordinates as some people still don't have satnavs or smart phones.

Tell people they must contact you if going straight there, and say you look forward to meeting them, and joining them afterwards for a drink in the 'Red Lion'.

Remind them that if the weather is bad on the lead-up to the walk, the onus is on them to check if it is still going ahead.

Your Job As Leader

Always have a back-marker so no one gets lost

The clue's in the title. You are in charge. You are also responsible for the well-being of the group. You should lead from the front, not halfway back, and it isn't your job to open a gate, then stand there smiling at people as they file past. And you should have a back marker, someone who is prepared to be at the rear to make sure no one gets lost, and to let you know if there is a problem. Preferably someone who did the recce with you, if not, you should supply them with a map of the route. 

Always be mindful of the people behind, so you don't get too strung out. It's a good idea to stop occasionally to allow everyone to catch up.

A word about striders. These are people who want to stride off ahead either because they are impatient or want to show off their super fitness. Make it clear you will not let this happen. This is a group activity, and you are the leader, you know the route, and you set the pace to suit the group. Striders become the de facto leaders, and unconsciously, the group will try to speed up to try and close the gap.

On The Day

Some of the group may leave from a central point and car share, others will travel straight from home to the start. Those doing the latter will have contacted you, so you will know if everyone has arrived. If someone is unavoidably delayed, or aren't coming, they should text you. If there's no phone signal, you should wait a few minutes, but no more.

Briefly address the party before you go

Booted up and ready, now briefly address the group. Introduce any first time walkers, repeat a few details about the walk, then go. If you have to cross roads or walk down one, wait until everyone is there, then explain what is happening, reminding them to walk single file on the right, unless there's a righthand bend. They should follow your lead.

You decide when it's time for a stop, and how long it will be. Give a two minute warning before leaving at the end of short stops, and five minutes for lunch. Don't just pick up your backpack and go!

If You Have To Cancel

It's been planned, you've recced it, enjoy it!

It happens. On one occasion, even though the weather had been wet for a few days, it forecast a dry night prior to that day's walk. Unexpectedly a storm dumped a huge amount of rain overnight, and some of the route was under water. The BBC were warning people not to travel. Make sure your method of contact is available to update individuals.

Having given you the benefit of my experience, it's now down to you. Best of luck with your group walk!

Read my 5 Star novel: Stench of Evil - a supernatural thriller https://goo.gl/VQOVuS

The sequel: The Devil in Them  https://goo.gl/aS1cjZ

Taking the Bull by the Horns

 A few months ago, I was faced with entering a field where there was a snorting, bellowing bull, just yards away. What to do, take a chance, or turn back? I hate turning back on a walk.

The start of my walk that day...

I've been walking for over twenty years in the British countryside and abroad, so I'm used to passing through fields of cows and bulls, most of the time with no problems. Usually they ignore you, or they begrudgingly move out of the way. 

The advice is, don't get between a cow and her calve, or a bull and his harem. If you feel threatened, don't run, as it will make matters worse. Face the beasts and wave your arms around until they back off! If you have a dog, keep it on a lead, or if cattle go for it, let it off the lead so it can escape. Personally, I would never enter a field of cattle with a dog.

In the last couple of years I've noticed that cattle have been taking more of an interest in us. They sometimes come over and crowd around, and follow us to the stile. This can be intimidating because they are big heavy animals, and you can't know what's going on in their heads. Likely it's often curiosity, or they think you've come to feed them or take them for milking. Bullocks nearly always display this behavior, but I'm sure they are just curious little boys. Farmers have taken more to corralling cattle into small areas using temporary single wire fences, letting them chew the grass, before moving them to the next patch. So they probably think we've come to move the fence to greener pastures, hence the unwanted attention. I've found that where they have a full field to spread out, they're not interested in us.

Sadly, in recent years, there have been several deaths of dog walkers, trampled when they've tried to 'protect' their pets. To a cow with a calve, a dog is a wolf and a threat to her young. It seems that even if the dog has escaped, the owner may still get attacked, possibly because they are the one who has introduced the wolf into the herd's territory, and are therefore also seen as a threat.

That was all at the back of my mind, that day, when I set off on a short walk from my home. All went well until I came to a stile with a sign on it, warning of a bull in the field. I heard it before I saw it; a big black beast just yards away, against a dividing hedge, snorting and bellowing.

There were cows further up the field. But the bull wanted to get into the next field to be with the cows there, hence all the noise. To cross the field, I would have to walk between the bull and the cows. I was also on my own, so who would call the air ambulance if it all went wrong? Likely the bull would ignore me, as its attention was clearly elsewhere, but was it worth the risk? I decided it wasn't, and reluctantly turned back.

But it didn't end there. Couldn't end there. I had to report it for investigation. My understanding was that a bull older than ten months shouldn't be in a field where there was a public right of way. This animal looked much older.

I went on the Cheshire East Council website, and filed a report. This was Friday afternoon, and I was very impressed when I got an email response Monday morning. The Public Rights of Way Manager asked for photographs, a grid reference, and a footpath number and Route Code which I found on their Interactive Map. I also included a screen-shot of the OS map, where I had highlighted the field. I was then informed that a member of their team would go and investigate.

The officer subsequently informed me that he went into the field where the bull was with a herd of cows and calves. He said 'the bull did not show any interest in me, and was very docile'. I replied I didn't doubt it, but on the day it was very agitated, as it was obviously on heat! I then asked him if it should be there, as it looked older than ten months. He replied that as the bull was 'a recognized beef breed', Aberdeen Angus in this case, it was permitted to be in a field with public access, along with dairy cows.

Did I over-react? I'll never know. But at least I did the right thing, and got it investigated. If someone had been attacked, and I hadn't taken action, I couldn't have forgiven myself...

Read my 5 Star novel: Stench of Evil - a supernatural thriller https://goo.gl/VQOVuS

The sequel: The Devil in Them  https://goo.gl/aS1cjZ

Peter's Perfect Piccies...

Some tips for recording your country walks on camera...

Why Are You Uploading Your Photos To Facebook?

Juxtaposition makes it more interesting 

The answer to this question sounds obvious, and it is, and that answer should have a bearing on what you do with your photos before uploading – but often it doesn’t!

The answer is because you want your friends to get a flavour of your walking experience, to find enjoyment in them, entertainment and information. You want them to be interested enough to look at them all, and not stop after the first two or three. You want your friends to 'Like' your images, and comment favourably.

So, how is it then, that these objectives can be thwarted, even before your images appear on Facebook?

The Worst Thing You Can Do

The worst thing you can do is upload all the raw images from your camera without any thought. I can guarantee even your most loyal followers will be bored after a cursory look, and will give up after the first few. Not that they would ever tell you!

Many of your photos will likely be repetitive, poorly composed, badly lit and lacking in information.

This has little to do with whether you are a good photographer or not, because these faults can usually be corrected or improved after you’ve clicked the shutter.

If A Job's Worth Doing...

An uncropped picture - all that tarmac adds nothing!

Don’t be repetitive. Don’t be repetitive. Don’t upload three or four images that basically are of the same scene. One will do!

Be frugal with the number of images you upload. Less is more...

Be brutal! If your pictures look boring to you – they’ll look boring to everyone else.

The first thing I do after a walk is sit down with a drink and run through all the images. I then delete a third to a half of them. Then I go into Edit on my phone, and in a few seconds enhance the lighting and colour. Often this is not required if it’s been a bright sunny day.

The tool I use the most is cropping. You can transform a picture using this. By bringing the edges of your picture in, you can improve the composition, and draw the eye towards the focus. If you have to over-crop, the image might pixelate when it’s enlarged. The same can happen if you zoom in too much, if it’s a digital zoom.

The cropped version

After I’ve done that, more deletions might follow, and then from the remainder, I select those I want to upload onto Facebook. It is at this stage, before I 'Post', that I add captions.

It is frustrating when viewing interesting pictures, and wondering; ‘Where exactly is this? Who are they? What is this? What are they doing? What’s happening here?

I don’t put captions on every image. Often a descriptive caption isn’t required. Instead, sometimes I remember something amusing connected with the scene, or a titbit of additional information. I’m a story teller, so I organise my pictures to tell a story – the story of my walk.

A Few Tips For Taking Snaps

There are few things more difficult than taking photographs with a group on the move! The times I’ve stopped to take a few snaps of a landscape, only to turn around and see the group half a mile ahead, disappearing over the horizon! So you have to be quick.

Imagine how it would look framed, for composition

It’s okay to take a shot of the rear of a line of walkers, but also try to take one from the front so their faces are visible.

Basic, but don’t point into the sun.

When taking a scenic shot, imagine you are framing it to hang on your wall.

Including people in your shot gives it context and scale.

Don’t upload an image that’s unflattering to someone, because you’ve caught them in that fraction of a second. I’ve taken a few like that, and if I'd published them, I would have lost a few friends!

Look for unusual things to photograph, and sometimes use different angles, to avoid being ‘samey’. Again, you have to think on the hoof, as you don’t have the luxury of spending too much time thinking about it.

Take a lot of photos – and delete a lot...

So, take aim, have fun, and Keep on Walking...

Read my 5 Star novel: Stench of Evil - a paranormal thriller https://goo.gl/VQOVuS

and the sequel: The Devil in Them  https://goo.gl/aS1cjZ

I was robbed! Victim of a bizarre scam...

We were spending a few days in Granada after a week walking in the Alpujarras. One of the highlights of visiting the city is the Alhambra, a thirteenth century fortress built by the Moors. We purchased tickets online and set off on foot from the hotel.

The lovely city of Granada

Part of the route took us up a very steep flight of steps on the Cuesta Del Realejo. My wife and friends were ahead, as I had stopped to take photographs. Suddenly I felt something strike my hat and trickle down my back. I looked around and there was a Spanish looking man and woman nearby. The man pointed up at the sky and said; "Bird!" He looked me over and tut tutted, then added. "Come with me - I will get you cleaned up!"

I followed him into a nearby bar. There was only one thing on my mind - I was covered in bird crap and I had to get rid of it! The bar was fairly busy, and he led me to the back where there was a toilet cubicle and wash basin. He produced a pack of tissues and told me to remove the small backpack I was carrying. It was splattered with a thick darkish liquid, as was my hat and shorts. As I washed the hat in the sink, he wiped off the worst of it from my shorts. I was very grateful to him, and muttered "Mucho gracias," as he left me to finish.

We decided to visit the Alhambra...

Outside there was no sign of the helpful Spaniard nor the woman. My wife and friends were at the top of the steps waiting. They were aware something had gone on, but weren't sure where I was. I explained what had happened and we continued to the Alhambra.

We looked around the gardens, then decided to eat lunch before tackling the palace buildings. The tapas was excellent, and when we received the bill, I took out my wallet to pay. I opened it and it was empty. I stared in disbelief. My credit cards and driving licence was there, but almost four hundred euros in notes were missing! The penny dropped. I hadn't been hit with bird muck, but some concoction that had been thrown over me, the Spaniard wasn't a Good Samaritan, but a thief, and I had fallen victim to a bizarre scam! I'd said earlier that there was so much crap on me that the bird must have had diarrhea! The wallet had been in my shorts...

The Cuesta Del Realejo - where the scam took place...

On the way back we called in at the bar and spoke to the owners. By their reaction I'm sure they were not involved in the crime - but it was worth warning them in case the thief tried using their premises again.

I called in the police station near our hotel, and was told to visit an office in the Tourist Information building the following morning to report the crime. We didn't hold out much hope. I imagined we'd see a civilian, and it would be a tick-box exercise, and we'd leave with a crime number to give our insurance company. It was nothing like that.

We were greeted by a very polite police officer who took details, then asked for a statement. This was all recorded on his computer. He apologised several times for the experience I had gone through, and told me my story was not unique, although it was two months since they had received a similar report. Finally, he enquired if I would return to the police station and look at some mug shots. I agreed and he made a phone call to set up the interview.

The scene of the crime...

At the police station we were sent upstairs to an office where I was greeted by two detectives; a

male and female. I was shown images of convicted criminals and none matched the description. And then there he was, staring from the screen, black hair and beard, small mouth and shifty eyes.  Now I had a name for him: 'Bartoli'.

They had CCTV footage of him. He was wearing a hat to hide his face, but it was his build, his height, his gait - just as I had described him. I was only a year out in his age too! They printed out Bartoli's mug shots and asked me to sign my name across them.

The detectives thanked me and said they would try and trace the scammer and make an arrest. The Spanish Embassy would make contact if they needed anything else.

So, how did I feel? Foolish, certainly, but I have to admit a small part of me was intrigued by the weirdness of it. To think up such a scam! "I have a great idea," you can imagine Bartoli telling a criminal associate, " I'm going to create some fake bird shit, throw it over a tourist, offer to clean them up, and in the process steal their money..." And the psychology involved. The revulsion of being covered in bird crap overrode all sense of caution and suspicion. I had to get cleaned, and this kind passerby was going to assist me...

The fact he appeared to be with a woman added to my acquiescence. If he'd been alone or with another man I may have thought twice. Ironically, I'm not sure now that he was with a woman. Certainly there was a woman near him, but she could have been someone just walking up the Cuesta Del Realejo, and I falsely connected the two. According to the police officer, Bartoli worked alone...

They say that getting covered with bird poo is lucky. Unfortunately it wasn't the real stuff!

Read my 5 Star novel: Stench of Evil - a paranormal thriller https://goo.gl/VQOVuS

and the sequel: The Devil in Them  https://goo.gl/aS1cjZ

Shangaied in China - did Judith Chalmers and I witness the end of Communism?

We met Judith Chalmers at dinner

Four internal flights, one over-night train journey, a four day cruise on the Yangtze River and hundreds of miles by coach saw us travelling across a good chunk of China in a month long tour. We travelled from Beijing in the north, to Dali near the Tibetan border in the south west, and Shanghai in the east. We experienced the sights, smells and sounds, and met and talked to a number of Chinese along the way - oh, and then there was UK travel icon, Judith Chalmers...

It was only a few years ago that Katie Melua sang 'there are nine million bicycles in Beijing', but most of them are gone now, replaced by motorcycles and ten million cars, contributing to the debilitating veil of pollution that hangs over the city. The thing that impressed me the most wasn't The Great Wall, or the Terracotta Warriors (impressive though they are) but the economical, social and political speed of change that threatens to render any comments and observations as out-of-date as soon as they are recorded.



Street outside our hotel in Beijing

We arrived in Beijing and were taken on a sight-seeing tour of Tienanmen Square and the Forbidden City. This was the only time I felt we were deliberately fed Government propaganda. Our local guide sought to white-wash the Tienanmen Square Massacre where hundreds if not thousands of protesting students were killed by the army in 1989. He suggested the number of deaths was much smaller, and that no one actually saw who carried out the attacks. Was it white-wash or in denial through national shame? Another guide told us that since the massacre, the police and the army are no longer armed on the streets of Beijing, to help prevent a similar atrocity, suggesting that the eight different factions that make up the Communist Party aren't always in tune.

Our Beijing guide was also supportive of the unelected regime that rules China. He likened it to a board of directors running a powerful company. "Directors aren't elected," he told me smugly, "they are appointed."
"Yes," I countered, "and the share-holders here can't call for the directors to stand down when they've made a mistake!"
Other Chinese people we spoke to made it very clear: China is no longer a communist country, it's a capitalist dictatorship.

We were photographed here days before the bomb went off

A photograph was taken of our group across from the entrance to the Forbidden City in front of Chairman Mao's portrait. Days later at this same spot, a Muslim family of suicide bombers from the western region of Xinjiang detonated a bomb in their car, killing two tourists and injuring around forty more. More bombs followed in other parts of China. Apparently the Muslims are complaining of suppression - as are the Tibetans. The view from the West is that the main Chinese Han population don't like their ethnic minorities. But our local guide in the ancient town of Dali told us how they and other minorities were not limited by the single child policy, and that girls could marry at thirteen, and boys at fifteen - an ancient tradition, although it would be a criminal offence in the West! She felt they were being treated fairly by the majority Han.

FREEDOM OF SPEECH - WELL, SORT OF

The new China - a demonstration takes place as we passed

Despite the control freakery of the Chinese dictatorship, things have loosened up quite a bit over the last few years. Another of our guides described how, just six years ago, a Communist Party official would sit at the back of the coach, making notes of what he told tourists. "Even three years ago," he explained, If some of the things I've said today had been reported to the authorities, I would have been replaced with a new guide. Now, no one cares. You can say what you like, criticise the government, officials, even the President, Xi Jinping - as long as you don't start a revolution!"

Face Book is blocked in China, as are other parts of the world wide web - including this blog site! This doesn't stop many citizens from finding a way around it. Everyone we met revered the BBC. The authorities have created their own social networking site, and as one guide gleefully told us, it has been used to great effect to nail corrupt officials and get them behind bars.

Young people are keen to emulate the West - not always following the best traditions. Reading some preparatory literature before we left for China, we were told that shorts must be below the knee, and dresses down to the ankles. Imagine our surprise then on going out into the streets of Beijing, Xian, Shanghai and other major cities, to see young women wearing very short skirts and tall stiletto heels. It was almost like Liverpool on a Saturday night! That's how quickly social change is happening in China.

Despite a degree of freedom of speech on the streets and online - the media is still in the grip of the State. Chinese Communist Television (CCTV) seemed obsessed with two topics. One was endless war dramas that seemed to depict fighting between the Chinese and the Japanese (still enemy number one) - these inevitably involved someone strapped to a table being tortured - and the other were cloned versions of The X Factor, The Voice and China's Got Talent! No one on these shows - including the judges, was over thirty. Carl Marx said that religion was the opiate of the people, but I think the Chinese authorities have hit on a new opiate - The X Factor.

THE YOUNG ONES

I've never seen so many iPads on the street! There is a huge cultural gap between the under thirty-fives and their parents. The younger generation, many of whom are university educated - almost despise their uneducated parents. They have little in common with them. East has met West, and the youngsters like it, but their parents don't understand it. Generally, the younger generation are polite, while the older ones spit on the streets and push past to get ahead in the queue. There is no word in Mandarin for 'please'.

Our national guide apologised for the behaviour of the older Chinese. "It's not in our culture to consider other people, to give way to others like you do from the West. We are different because we've had lessons in manners, and how to behave towards others."

The young Chinese were on the whole courteous, allowing us out of lifts first, stepping aside etc. However, on a bus I did see one elderly Chinese gentleman offer to give up his seat to an English woman who was standing.

Education doesn't come cheap even in China - students have to pay tuition fees. They can't go on to university either unless they've attained a high grade in English. The young Chinese have also adopted a Western name along with their own. I thought this was for the tourists, but our guide said it was necessary as part of the Chinese people's integration with the West! He told me with pride that his daughter had just chosen her Western name at nursery school. Studying the history of the British democratic system and that of the USA is mandatory too - what are the Chinese authorities up to?

THE CULTURAL REVOLUTION THAT HAS BLIGHTED CHINA


The Terracotta Warriors could have been destroyed by the Red Army

There's no argument in China about the so-called 'Cultural Revolution' - everyone is in agreement that it was one of the worst things inflicted on the country. Schools were closed, opponents murdered and much of the country's cultural heritage was vandalised and destroyed by the Red Army. Yet they don't blame the architect of the communist state, Mao Tse Tung. Mao was led astray, they told us, he was ill advised and suffering from Parkinson's disease.

Apart from the human cost, the terrible legacy is that most of the Buddhist temples and pagodas that we were taken to view have been restored, or rebuilt after Mao's death in 1975. When we visited the Terracotta Warriors our guide told us they were discovered in 1974 towards the end of the Cultural Revolution. A professor who examined the initial find contacted the President directly, telling him that it was highly significant. He sent the regular army to guard the site, knowing that the Red Army would destroy it if it was left unprotected.

THE WORST THINGS AND THE BEST THINGS ABOUT CHINA

Linda and I walked a section of The Great Wall

The worst thing is the pollution. The authorities do recognise the problem, and say they are starting to tackle it. We were besieged in some provinces by it, and were never sure whether it was just autumn mist or the pollution from coal fired power stations. Also the march of urbanisation with the unbridled rise of skyscrapers, rising up overnight like fields of mushrooms. Every where we went huge cranes clad the skyline. On the five hour drive from Shanghai to Suzhou we saw no countryside, just urban sprawl linking the two places. Another thing we didn't like was the huge crowds of people everywhere. With Beijing having the same population as Australia - you can see why there is a problem.

One of the best things is that we hardly saw or heard any dogs, because they virtually don't exist in China. One reason is because they end up on the dinner table, and the other is that before you own a dog you have to apply for a licence - which costs around £30 a year, on wages much lower than in the UK.

We really did enjoy the cruise on the Yangtze River, passing through the picturesque Three Gorges, and the Terracotta Warriors were fascinating. We even managed a three kilometre walk up and down a part of the Great Wall. We loved the old part of Dali (no high rise buildings), with its wonderful streets filled with restaurants and traders. Then there was Suzhou - known as the 'Venice of the East'. We had a lovely evening wandering along the old waterfront and sitting outside a bar with a couple of pals from our group.

Shanghai shines while other cities suffer power cuts

Shanghai was all posing with its very impressive light displays (costing a £100,000 in electricity every night - in a country that routinely suffers power cuts), the old architecture of the Bund (modelled from the buildings on Liverpool's water front), and the maglev train that moves on a cushion of electromagnetism (a British invention that our Government was not interested in developing!). We reached a speed of 431 kilometres an hour, and hardly felt a thing! Similarly we went up in the world's fastest lift - 83 storeys in 12 seconds - and didn't even feel it braking...

DINNER WITH JUDITH CHALMERS



The largest LCD screen in the world (probably)

It was when we were in the city of Xian, having dinner, that we noticed Judith Chalmers on the next table. She was with a group from the same tour company, and afterwards we all went to view the fabulous lights, statues and water features in the city, along with the largest aerial LCD screen in the world, making night turn to day, with visions of birds and aeroplanes 'flying' overhead! Judith, apparently was here to write some travel features.

We went with Wendy Wu, and the tour ran like clockwork, all the guides were extremely knowledgeable, and the staff in the hotels were very professional. Not always in the breakfast room however, which seemed to have clapped-out toasters and a line of command which was hard to follow if you wanted more bread or orange juice. We weren't always enamoured with the banquets when eating out either - although we had some very good meals too.

All in all we had a fascinating time, but when you're sometimes getting up at six in the morning to catch a flight - it was more an experience than a holiday!

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