news from the Fells

[hob...@techno-fandom.org]

I took a nice 5-mile loop in the Middlesex Fells today, and found a couple
of notable things. First, the Bear Hill tower at the north end is closed off,
with a fence around it, implying "construction", perhaps to structurally
improve the tower? I can't find any news or info about it online. Second,
the North Reservoir has been mostly drained for some dam refurbishment at
the north end where the Winchester water-supply works are. It's interesting
to walk around on what would have been under water, but when I tried to cross
in a shortcut where the incoming stream was a narrow trickle through the mud,
that turned out to be a non-starter. Pic attached of how deep I sank in with
one step, in very deceptively cracked ground that looked like it should have
been more solid, and I was still 15 feet or so from the middle. Immediate
retreat! I bore the resulting "mud boots" on my feet and legs until reaching
the middle reservoir, where I could dip in and wash them off.

Somewhere along Skyline Trail someone asked me "are you barefoot?" ... snappy
answer: "no, I actually have invisible shoes" but failed to have the presence
of mind to add "and I grew them myself".

_H*