About Me
HMS Trincomalee a permanent fixture in Hartlepool Harbour, is now a museum.
This is a little bit of information about me
I was born in Hartlepool in 1966: I was brought up by my father in Walsall from the age of around 5 years of age.
After leaving The Joseph Leckie School at the age of 16, I joined a timber merchant in Walsall, called E Fletcher Timber Ltd, on a YTS or YOP (youth training scheme or youth opportunity program). Whichever one it was called, it was a job in difficult times, albeit only £25 a week. After a year I was taken on permanently, I was trained to use a 4 sided molding machine. I worked there for 4 years. I loved working there, but I had decided to join the Army.
This photo was taken at Mini Hollywood in the province of Almeria Spain of me and two of my daughters, Paige & Kirsty.
So in July 1986 I caught a train to Aldershot, the home of the British Army. I had chosen to join The Royal Corps of Transport (RCT). After my basic training, I was sent to Leconfield to start my driver training. I had never driven in my life until this point in my life. I learnt to drive on the double L plate, which means I didn't learn in a car, I learnt in a truck! Once I passed my driving test (1st time I might add), I returned to Aldershot for about a week until my posting came through. Join the army they said, see the world they said, my 1st posting was Tidworth in Wiltshire. I was only there for just over a year when I was told I had a new posting, great I thought, where to now? Germany, Canada? Nope back to sunny Aldershot! I came out of the army having completed 3 years service, in that time I did get to see a few foreign countries, like Germany, Denmark and Cyprus. I was in Cyprus for the last 6 months of my service, as part of the UN (United Nations) peace keeping force. I would say I loved every minute of my time out there: I was driving cars, mini buses and 56 seater coaches. While on leave out there me and 3 mates went on a cruise to Egypt, we saw the Pyramids at Giza, and went to the Museum in Cairo.
This photo is of the Snowdon massif from Moel Siabod and was taken in 2005.
Once out of the army, I got a driving job for a general haulage company in the Midlands, until I found a job closer to home, driving for a tile retailer in Bilston, called Russell Tiles. Joining this company would have a profound effect on my life.
There was another driver there, called Colin, who became a great friend very quickly. Colin would tell me of his walking/climbing adventures in Wales and Scotland, I liked the thought of doing something like this, so when he invited me to join him on a trip to North Wales, I jumped at the chance. So after a quick shopping trip to buy some basic equipment (boots, cheap waterproof jacket and trousers) on the Saturday, we headed to North Wales on the Sunday. I know what you may be thinking, surely I would have done this sort of thing in the army, yes I did, but this was and is different! In the army more often than not you are following a set route with no time to enjoy the area you are walking through, but what I was about to undergo was in essence the freedom to do what we wanted when we wanted.
Colin had chosen the perfect mountain to be my introduction to the great outdoors. The mountain is called Tryfan, it is not a big mountain in the grander scheme of things, but climbing/scrambling via the North Ridge is something to get the pulse racing! Tryfan was to become my favourite mountain. But after this trip, I was hooked!
Just a small point of note, I had climbed Snowdon at the age of 8 with my 2 aunts and my uncle, but at that time in my life, yes I enjoyed it, but I didn’t appreciate what I was doing and what was around me.
The Royal Corps of Transport badge surrounded by the corps battle honours
I moved away from the Midlands to Andover in Hampshire in 1991. My 1st job in Andover was as a fruit and veg delivery driver, doing this job gave me a lot of knowledge of the area.
I eventually joined a company called Croydex, it was while working here that I made some great friends, it was also while working here, that I got married in 1992. Two of the friends I made there was Andy & Ray. The culture at that time for most of the warehouse staff and also shop floor staff was to work hard and party hard.
My walking/climbing was down to a minimum at this point in my life. I would arrange to go to Wales or Scotland with Colin maybe once a year. Another friend from Croydex, Pendra showed interest in walking and climbing, so we did a few local walks and also went to North Wales the once. He also joined Colin and me on a trip to the Isle of Skye.
I worked at Croydex for almost 5 years, when I needed a change, I then had a string of jobs, from an office supplies delivery driver to a wood machinist for a company called Ducal, which made expensive furniture, I did like this job, but after only 18 months in the job, the whole workforce was made redundant. I found another job working in a warehouse.
A well deserved pint at The Red Lion Hotel Burnsall,
half way round my walk from Grassington in 2010
In 1997, I was blessed with my 1st daughter Kirsty. Then in 2000 my 2nd daughter, Paige was born.
It was around this time that Andy & Ray seemed to get the walking bug, as they had started to do regular local walks. I joined them from time to time, which I was glad of, as I noticed my fitness had dropped quite a bit.
Then in 2004, they rented a cottage for 2 weeks on the outskirts of Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch or Llanfair PG as it is known. I couldn’t go for the full 2 weeks, so I went up for a long weekend. This was to be the start of some great adventures with Andy & Ray. In 2005 the three of us spent 2 glorious weeks at the cottage.
I was soon blessed with 2 more daughters, Rianna in 2005 and Lisa in 2007.
I eventually found a job I loved, working for a paper mill, which produced bank note paper. I started to work my way up in the company, when my world fell apart in 2008. My wife of 16 years decided she wanted a divorce.
I needed a clean break, so had decided to move away from Andover. My original plan was to return to the Midlands, but my new start was to be in Leeds, I had a family friend that lived in Leeds, who had helped me through the breakup of my marriage. We got close and we eventually tied the knot in August 2011.
Me aged 20 in September 1986 at Buller Barracks.
My passing out parade.
Susie is my new wife. I also now had 2 stepchildren, Ben & Aimee.
When I first arrived in Leeds (December 2008) I found it hard to find a job, I was out of work for around 3 months, by the time I finally got a job, I was at a real low point in my life. I had never been out of work for more than 1 month, and that was when I left school.
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I then got the phone call I had been waiting for, a job offer. The job, because of my love of the great outdoors, seemed the perfect job for me, working in the warehouse of the outdoor retail store Go Outdoors which was opening in Pudsey, Leeds. The staff discount was brilliant, the pay wasn't! It was minimum wage, but it was a job! I was there for around a year until I found a job which paid more money.
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This job was still working in a warehouse, but for a textile manufacturer called A.W. Hainsworth & Sons. The company manufacture cloth for Military Uniforms such as the dress uniform worn by Prince William for his marriage to Kate Middleton in 2011. They also manufacture snooker & pool table cloth, it wasn't until working for A.W. Hainsworth that I realised you could get pool table cloth in so many different colours.
I was only there for 3 weeks, as I was offered another job with a much bigger pay rate, but this turned out to be a big mistake. I must have made an impression on the management at A.W. Hainsworth, because when I contacted them to say the other job had not worked out, they offered me my job back, and I have been there ever since, 10 years this year (2020).
While working for the paper mill in Hampshire, I was working at the end of a machine which was slow to say the least, so while waiting I did this doodle which I am proud of.
Living in Leeds, I have some great walking more or less on my doorstep, the Peak District, the Yorkshire Dales, the North York Moors and the Lake District a little further afield. I have since living in Leeds done a number of walks which are mentioned on the appropriate page.
I have been on walks with a number of groups, since living in Leeds, but at the moment not sure if I have found the right one for me.
Although I like the company of others, I also like my own company, I think this is why I like walking most of the time, being by myself, with my headphones on listening to my music in my own little world, and forgetting whatever problems I may have at the time. Walking with groups, I can't do this, but I still enjoy the walk. As I am a very amateur photographer, I like to take my time and take photos, so when I am with a group, I am forever playing catch up!
Since being allowed to by my father, I would be out exploring more than being stuck indoors (which a lot of kids today seem to enjoy). Even if it was just down the local park or in a small wooded area near the M6 motorway, me and my mates found loads to do. Making go-carts and racing them down the steepest road we could find. My go-cart would be of the standard design (larger wheels on the rear axel and small pram wheels on the front axel, the only difference from the standard design on mine was instead of large pram wheels, I used the large plastic wheels you would get on the back of a ride on tractor (this made for great drifting round corners).
When I finally got a decent bicycle (much to my dads dismay) the sky's the limit as to what we could do! with new areas to explore and find adventure in.
Back then from the age of around 12, I wasn't into music, my main hobbies were as above, making go-carts, exploring generally doing what kids did in the late 70's early 80's, so long as we were back home before around 8pm, we spent most of our spare time playing out. Other hobbies included fishing, the Midlands has an amazing network of canals to go fishing, my problem was getting there with my gear, that is until one Christmas I was bought my 1st bicycle by my aunt Margaret. My father was not happy! he said "I would not look after it, and if anything went wrong with it, it was down to you (me) to fix or get it fixed". He was almost instantly proved right, like most kids that get a new bike, I was out on it on Christmas day, riding up and down the pavement in front of our house, getting used to it (I had never had a bike with more than 3 gears, this one was a 5 speed).
I was riding along the pavement, when a neighbours kid on their new bike came hurtling out of their drive, (all my other bikes I had more or less put together my self, so what would be the rear break on that bike, was in fact the front break on my new bike). I pulled on the brake lever, and promptly went straight over the handle bars! Unhurt, other than my pride, I got up, picked up my bike and went to get back on, when I noticed the back wheel was buckled! My bike spent the next 2 months behind our sofa until I managed to save up pocket money and do odd jobs for extra money to get it fixed. So in one way my father was right, but in another I proved him wrong, as I got it fixed, and I had that bike until it was stolen 9 years later, the bike had transformed from what it originally was when it arrived, from a 5 speed to a 10 speed, it had been resprayed a couple of times, and 99% of repairs I could do myself, including truing (straightening) wheels. I did many miles on that bike, it was my work horse, it took me to work and back, it also took me to many canals, lakes and rivers to go fishing. That bike was my freedom. I have never had a bike as good as that one since, and because of this my cycling days have tailed off to be none existent.
I do not just like getting out into the great outdoors, I have other interest also, such as Football, Photography, watching movies, reading books listening to music and fishing.
To find out more please go to My Other Interests page.
Why do I enjoy getting out into the great outdoors?
This is why I enjoy getting out into the country, the mountains or on the coast, I plug myself into my music, and let my thoughts run riot, in a good way, any other problems/thoughts are instantly forgotten about.
All it takes is something to grab my attention, and then my thoughts and dreams come to the fore. Because my music cuts out most noise distractions (screaming kids on the beach, a dog that will not stop barking), my mind is free to wander (sometimes it completely buggers off, never to heard from for days). If I am out with family or friends it is different, no music, but the company brings it's own thought process, and a new kind of enlightenment.
Going back quite a few years now, when I still lived in Andover, Andy & I was out on one of our favourite local walks (Vernham Dean), we were around 3 quarters of the way round the route on a glorious day, hardly a cloud in the sky, we had our usual banter on the way round, and we decided to take a breather as we entered the valley, we sat and had a drink, then we just laid back to soak up the sunshine and the glorious day. It was then that we both heard it, we couldn't work out what we could hear, but because there was silence, the only thing that broke this silence was straight above us, what we could hear was the sound of the air being forced over the wings of a glider thousand of feet above us. If Andy had not been with me, and I went home and told people what I had heard, I think they would think I had gone mad or was telling lies, but as Andy had heard the same thing, there was no doubt.
I live for days of being out in the world and hear the sound of silence, this world is now full of noise (as I sit here typing this at work, in the canteen, I listen to music to cut out the noise of a number of people chatting away, but unknowing to them, in raised voices so they can be heard over the other conversations going on). It might seem strange to people that I use noise (music) to cancel out other noise, but I find that works for me, it allows me to concentrate, without the distractions. So if you see me with my headphones in, please remember it is the international sign for I do not want to be disturbed.
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Oh! and another reason for getting out into the great outdoors.... I have heard it's meant to be good for you!