Friday 9 August 2013

Serpent Slayer Takes To The Hills


"A man without virtue cannot long abide in adversity, nor can he long  abide in happiness; but the virtuous man is at rest in virtue and the  wise man covets it"- Confucius
 
 
I enjoy a challenge. I may be reluctant to separate myself from my
modern day luxuries sometimes (though I am less attached than most) but
I do not cope well with inactivity, I worked for a few weeks in an
office and found myself going stir crazy. I managed to vastly improve
my press ups and sit ups, from my lunch hours at least.

My good friend 'Kenobi', who I have mentioned before in this post on my blog
took me for a hike in the Peak District. Now, if I am a fan of
challenges, this man is something else. This same man took me up the
cliff face of Bleaklow in the winter, just to see if I would overcome
it.

I had been phoned a couple of nights earlier to talk about my
willingness to go on another hike. I have been on half a dozen with
Kenobi so far and most of them have been relatively gentle strolls up
hill around the Peak District, Black Hill being a favourite. I expected
something like that, in fact I assumed Black Hill would be our port of
call, neither of us has been uphill since before the recent heatwave
after all.

We parked up somewhere near a farm, leaving behind our water bottles
and common sense. Immediately we were confronted with a field full of
cattle, bulls and calves included. Normally cows are no trouble but
being with a man who tends to raise their ire and with the Bulls being
keen to show off, there was a bit of a show down. The stronger males
managed to encircle us, their wide and long horns giving us cause to
look for the fastest way out.

We moved slowly out of their way, being careful not to get in between
them and their young. Kenobi made me well aware of the possibility of a
herd of them charging and goring us on their massive horns. We thought
we were in the clear, that is until after a few minutes we were
confronted by a young bull on it's own, it stared us in the face. We
pressed on regardless and it ran, I commented that it was a 'big
jessy'. When we were a few yards past him he began to call out for help
from the herd. For a half second I thought we had had it but when only
a small calf came to greet him, I realised that he must be considered a
bit of a wuss by his family and friends also. perhaps the small calf
was his enthusiastic younger brother eager to show his big bro that he
was brave, even if everyone else wasn't.

As we approached the foot of the hill I was already twigged onto the
idea that this was not going to be the pleasant hill walk I had
expected, we reached a crossroad in the path. One way led sharply
uphill along a path and was apparently very popular with hikers., the
other towards a narrow, rocky canyon stream that led gently uphill for
a few miles that few people have ventured up in centuries. So naturally
as this was for our own leisure we went up the canyon.

I was told that Grendel had lived here before making the journey to
Denmark where he terrorised the people of King Hrodgar and was
eventually slain by the Geatish hero Beowulf. Little circular holes
marked the rocks up the canyon, suggesting he had thrown stones with
great impact down here. Perhaps they had been thrown at those hoping to
sneak up the mountain and surprise him by avoiding the easy route up.

Now, don't be fooled by the gentler incline, this was no gentle stroll.
Throughout the entire length of the stream, there are few parts that
offer a solid surface for more than a yard or two and in order to climb
it we had to hop from rock to rock, ensure that every rock was firm and
avoid the ones covered in water. The stream was very strong for the
first mile or so and as you might expect, very often there was no clear
way across the rocks. In fact the entire trip up the canyon forces you
to think about every movement you make, grip the wrong rock or misjudge
a leap and you could well be crushed on the rocks below, or worse
trapped in a chasm, emergency help unable to reach you as you slowly
die over a week or two.

Throughout the entire route identical helicopters flew in no pattern at
all in the air, carrying strange cauldron like objects we first assumed
to be cement mixers through the air. We saw them all the way through
the hike, every few minutes in different directions.

Several times I had to wade through the shallower parts of the stream,
ensuring that my boots were sodden and travel on all but the firmest
and dryest of rocks retained some risk. Whereas my trip up the
cliffside of Bleaklow some months prior required me to overcome my own
fear of death and take a leap of faith, the trip up the canyon was more
of a slog. Plenty of times the risk of death was present, only a couple
of times did I think about it, once when I was required to climb with
only my hands, gripping the roots of heather to give me the opportunity
to search for firm footing and another time across a gap over a large
hole in the rocks that would have been inescapable had I fell in.

Quite often, Kenobi was well ahead, knowing the route from experience
and I expect wanting to leave me alone to work things out for myself. I
had toyed with the possibility of him deliberately ensuring I would be
stuck there, but I always made it through eventually. The times alone
gave me pause to think of men such as Beowulf, who must have done such
things also, the idea of my imitating the acts of such heroes gave me
strength and made me think how much harder this would be in mail and
carrying a weapon while maintaining speed and stealth.

We stopped a mile or so in, took off our boots and socks and took it in
turns to have a foot bath in the space below a small boulder, that
acted as a little footspar. The fresh running water was soothing but
more than thirty seconds of the ice cold water was a little hard to
bear.

As we sat for a few minutes drying off, we heard hissing behind us. I
was reminded of my moniker and we found funny the idea of me fending
off and slaying a serpent in the hills. Unfortunately it was not to be
(and I wasn't going to deliberately find one to kill it in its own
environment) so I apologise for the absence of that anecdote.

By this time I was very dehydrated and being not very cautious
sometimes I deliberately jumped a cross small wet rocks to reach a
little waterfall that sent three separate flows of water over a flat
upright rock, making it look like a garden water feature.

The water tasted cleaner than any water I have ever drunk, putting to
rest the ridiculous notion that nature is dirty or dangerous. Some
people would like to make us think that humans cannot survive without
large amounts of machinery and the work of giant utility companies, or
god forbid live in the wilderness, it is all nonsense. It took two
hours to climb up the canyon, if that puts the whole thing into
perspective.

Eventually we reached a strange fence, presumably to prevent people
walking in the moor ahead to fall the several miles down the rocky
stream we had just climbed up. With that we preceded up the hill using
the fence and large amounts of heather to help From then on we were on
a solid path, much easier but not very interesting. We saw a few other
hikers, most likely carrying bottles of water. If it wasn't for Kenobi
I may have knocked one out with a boulder in case he had one I was that
parched.

We were met by an arrangement of large boulders a few hundred yards
before the summit, they had a significance that was lost on us. Kenobi
tried to surprise me by hiding behind rocks, but I saw him dive down in
the first place!

We left rocks at the summit, which wasn't greatly hard to reach once
out of the canyon, just a walk uphill. I left the name of one of my
heroes at the top and a symbol he was known for (the hammer in
flight...) also.

The walk back was uneventful but long. I was dehydrated and my socks
were still wet. It seemed to go on forever, walking down the hillside.
While the climb up the canyon had been much tougher, it was hard and
did not allow you to become bored or carefree. The walk down was dull
and tiring but easy.

The cows were waiting at the bottom, I made sure to tell them that I
never ate beef and that Kenobi loved it (though Kenobi eats little
meat, obvious through the way he struggled over some of the taller
rocks in the canyon) we got through them but were eye-balled by the
larger males all the way.

Waiting for me in the car was the nicest apple I have ever eaten, a
deliberate ploy of Kenobi and the only thing that kept me going while
thirsty, hungry and tired the whole way back. I cannot describe how
long the way back seemed to take, I would guess at three hours. It was
dull and I was glad to get back. We popped to a nice English chippy on
the way back and both went to our homes to relax for the rest of the
evening. It is the day after now and as I run every other day, I was
due a run today. As I spent the last two rest days cycling, then
climbing a mountain the hard way, I decided to give it a miss until
tomorrow. Thanks for reading.

SS




45 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sounds like you had a nice day. thanks for sharing.

Traditional Britain said...

Tory MP makes grovelling apology for unwittingly associating with racist Tory Fringe group called Traditional Britain. How an earth anyone could vote for that bunch of limp wristed cosmopolitan luvvies is beyond me. Party membership is at an all time low, and when in power they seem more concerned with getting two husbands down the aisle in holy matrimony than tackling the slow death via mass immigration catastrophe that afflicts the country.

Plan ahead said...

Why didn't you take a rucksack with food and water, spare socks, waterproofs etc.

Anonymous said...

What happened to that phobia of short hair? I thought ss prefered masculine plats to womanly short back and sides.

Uber Dhimmi Supreme said...

This will make you puke.

SerpentSlayer said...

Plan ahead, the reason I didn't was a lack of common sense. Probably a good idea for the next one.

free spirit said...

Rucksacks and excessive luggage are a hindrance when on a major trek.

peak district snake search said...

http://m.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-derbyshire-13121446?sa=X&ei=R5EFUrGLMO6y0AXs8IDYDA&ved=0CAwQqwQ

it very well could have been a snake you heard up there.

Call to Prayer Over Bradford said...

Link above - English hills, English homes, but no Jerusalem or Lark Ascending.

Nevermind, as the saying goes just lie back and think of England....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_JCvL1jVeM

Plan ahead said...

@ Free spirit, no they aren't. I'm a very experienced hiker and wouldn't undertake any walk in excess of four miles, or any walk at all in a remote area, without a small rucksack, 1.5 litres of water, sandwiches, chocolate bar, compass, map, spare socks, a woolly hat and/or bush hat, and a small can of energy drink in case you get very tired. The whole lot weighs very little.

Anonymous said...

Police forces across the country are investigating 169 officers and support staff in relation to sex-related offences, it has been revealed.

The investigations include allegations of rape, sexual assault and voyeurism at forces across the country, according to reports.

RW will be puzzled compared with his slang term used for a non Brit.
How many will serve time ??

Sacred Blue said...

SS, are you still joining la legion etrangere?

SerpentSlayer said...

Attempting to at least. Knowing my luck the Russians will have let go a division of Spetznaz or something the week before and I'll be at selection with them.

I surpass their minimum fitness requirements at least: http://www.legion-recrute.com/en/tests_sportifs.php

E15 1AZ said...

Srratford in east London has had £9 billion (that's nine thousand milion pounds) spent on its regeneration.
The result? According to the latest official figures it is the worst crime hotspot by postcode in the entire UK.

Labour sold our Harriers and scrapped our aircraft carriers said...

Defending Gilbraltar would be hard. We do have an aircraft carrier - HMS Ocean – although she doesn't have fast jets. Her Apache helicopters would help to a degree, but as you say the Harriers would have been absolutely ideal, or the new F35Bs we're just beginning to trial. Spain is in range of the RAF, so they could do a lot of damage, and a few Type 45 destroyers and Astute-class SSNs would chop up their navy pretty quickly.

Going to war is a terrible prospect, but is not unthinkable if the politicians fail – and given our appalling politicians (Spain and UK) this is possible. The fact that they get away with illegal border charges shows up the EU and its much hyped (and expensive) institutions as a fraud, once again...

Anonymous said...

Could someone give me one good reason for defending a piece of rock near Spain when the battle to save traditional indigenous Britain is as good as lost?

If the UK government want any more cannon fodder for pointless wars in the name of a country which they consider belongs to anyone who can step foot here, then they can go press ganging in our many enriched regions whose inhabitats are just as British as the rest of us.

Bradford might be one good starting point, I'm sure they'll find an abundance of hardcore British patriotism there. My only advice to anyone daft enough to consider joining the British army is go get your bloody head checked first.

Labour 'used migrants to keep wages low' said...

British workers suffer one of biggest falls in real wages in Europe while Germany and France saw increases in wages after inflation.

British workers have suffered one of the biggest falls in real wages in Europe - with only the Netherlands and crisis-hit Greece performing worse.

While competitors Germany and France saw increases in wages after inflation.

Latest UK figures from the House of Commons Library compares with an impressive 13.2 per cent wages rise in Bulgaria.

The new wages and salaries analysis since autumn 2010, showed Greece faring worst with an 11.3 per cent fall.

Professor John Van Reenen, director of the Centre for Economic Performance at the London School of Economics, has described the fall in real wages in the UK as “stunning”

He insisted the fall is “something that did not happen in previous postwar recessions in Britain”.

Falling wages have been linked to the UK’s ‘flexible’ labour market and poor growth in the economy.

traitors justice said...

Flexible labour market = immigrant cheap labour.

Good advice from anon@17.37, I agree but because of Labour's betrayal many working class youngsters now have no employment opportunities other than the military.

SerpentSlayer said...

In defence of those lads that join the army, of course many join through misplaced patriotism but I imagine many do so because they feel the need to fight and to be warriors of some description.
We live in a sterile world where men are disenfranchised from their natural roles as protectors and are kept sat around in their houses watching a little box which tells them how stupid and useless they are.
Work as a paid mercenary, for whatever state they choose, does at least offer outdoor activity, cameraderie, a predominantly male environment and the opportunity to fight for a living.
At most the men who are willing to fight for whatever cause they are asked are only as bad as those who escape reality through watching football or moving to more rural areas.
I could not serve the false queen but I would be happy to serve an equally foreign power (such as France) if that allowed me the chance to be something better than a serf in a country stripped of it's pride and any hope of a better future.

Anonymous said...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/10236067/MPs-could-be-allowed-to-submit-receipt-free-expenses-claims.html

An open door for the robbery of your money.

Anonymous said...

"many do so because they feel the need to fight and to be warriors of some description."

Take up boxing, martial arts, fencing, jousting etc. Be your own master rather than someone else's, who spends his life taking orders to fight an enemy he personally has no quarrel with. As Nietzsche said....

"He who cannot command himself shall obey. And many a one CAN command himself, but still sorely lacketh self-obedience!"

Alf Garnett said...

only a idiot fights when hes not being attacked

Anonymous said...

This is how justice is perverted in the UK,and the guilty who run your lives get away with everything while you cop out for the slightest thing especially in Tameside.
Revealed: Armed PC who had sex with married woman while on duty KEPT his job because he could still reach gun in holster round his ankles.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2390211/Armed-PC-sex-married-woman-duty-kept-job-reach-gun-holster-round-ankles.html

Agatha Runcible said...

Is Serpent Slayer so camera shy because he fears he might end up in strangeways sharing a bowl of porridge with his old mate Roy West? Perhaps we should also put that other right-wing loony, Liam Billington, in the same cell to keep both of them company.

"Can facts be racist" - Dawkins tweet sparks outrage said...

Quote:



Here is the sequence of events. 1. Richard Dawkins tweets that all the world’s Muslims have fewer Nobel Prizes than Trinity College Cambridge. 2. Cue a twitter onslaught – accusing Professor Dawkins of racism. 3. Richard Dawkins writes that a fact can’t be racist.

It seems to me pretty silly to call Dawkins a racist, for some of the reasons he spells out here.

But I want to focus on his claim that a fact can’t be racist. That seems to me a bit silly too. You don’t have to be a post-Derridean, neo-Lacanian, Baudriallardian-wannabe to recognize that the meaning of ‘facts’ can only be drawn from their use and context.

Take a simple example. Imagine there was an imaginary newspaper, let’s call it the Mail Daily, which only cited certain facts about immigration – let’s say negative facts. True facts. Facts which might have to do with crime, for example, or housing shortages, or the abuse of the welfare system. Imagine that the Mail Daily never gave any positive facts about immigration – never emphasized any of the enormous benefits that immigration brings.

Would it be fair to accuse the Mail Daily of being racist in its coverage of immigration? That’s a rhetorical question.

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/aug/08/richard-dawkins-tweets-islam-muslim-nobel

The Guardian says facts can be racist.

give no quarter said...

SS is one of the bravest people you are ever likely to meet. He is right not to show his face on photos as the enemies of European man constantly monitor this blog. If they had his true ID they would make him unemployable and scupper his chances of joining the foreign legion. The training he gets in the legion will come in handy in the future.

On average Negroes are better sprinters said...

@ Can facts be racist, 'facts about immigration', do you mean the uncontrolled tsunami of the last fifteen years are are you talking about the benefits of controlled, selective immigration?

Sherlock Holmes and The Case of National Destruction said...

It's ethnic genocide of the indigenous British by vast importation of aliens then mass scale outbreeding/miscegenation.

Anonymous said...

There's no bravery in putting one's face on camera when holding kosher pc views. Unless those spouting have themselves risked vilification and prosecution by committing religious heresy they're in position to sneer at those of us who do so under the cloak of anonymity.

Anonymous said...

Tell us TMBC who is on your list,and what about our protection from TMBC ?????
The private details of thousands of people are on council databases, warning staff of potential conflict with customers.

Here are examples of some of the reasons why some authorities keep this data, which can include names, ages, addresses, notes on behaviour and criminal convictions:

In Calderdale, latest figures show there are 102 people on its list, between the ages of 12 and 73, for reasons including Asbos, intimidating behaviour, and threats with weapon

At Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council, more than 200 records relate to 168 individuals. The authority said that, in some exceptional circumstances, people could be entered on to its Employee Warning System without being informed; for example, for those with mental health problems that could be made worse by the notification.

In Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council, some people have been left on the Adult Social Care register of violent incidents for dozens of years - including one man who has been on it for 23 years - almost half his life - while another has been on it since the age of seven - around 16 years earlier.

Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council’s 'warning marker' list features three entries for a 'dangerous/loose pet'.

Wolverhampton City Council’s list includes three clients in their 80s, who staff are warned are 'potentially violent, verbally abusive or not to be visited alone'.

Derby City Council said there is no centralised corporate register of service users, but said some departments mark their files or systems to state a client could be potentially violent. It provided figures from Derby Homes, an arms-length management organisation with the city council, whose database included a 94-year-old.

Darlington Borough Council’s Corporate Potential Risk Indicator System (CPRIS) features more than 300 people, from a 10-year-old with 'violent or threatening associates' to a 92-year-old who poses a risk of 'verbal or written abuse of threats' to council staff.

Among the people entered on Luton Borough Council’s 'warning register' was a resident who had got involved in a spat with a pest control officer. The council said pest control staff did not enter the client’s property again, having been sworn at and verbally abused on a previous visit.

There are just over 50 people on Medway Council’s CCL, including a 22-year-old tenant with an 'aggressive son'.

Northumberland County Council’s adult services department holds a list featuring nearly 250 people, of whom five are aged over 95. The authority said hazard warnings assigned to service users or carers 'are not always attributable to aggression or abuse and could be related to other threats or dangers'.

Warrington Borough Council’s neighbourhood and community services directorate CCL contains nearly 200 files, including five children - the youngest being 14 - and three clients in their 80s for posing unspecified risks to staff or others.

In Wiltshire, the council said a decision had recently been taken to abandon its central Employment Safety Register in favour of local services keeping their own records.

Stalin & Hitler must be real chuffed at their legacy.

Anonymous said...

A waste of time... 192 hours a year
THE average Briton spends 192 hours a year just doing nothing
Daily Telegraph.

Utter bull---- they never included Tameside Councillors in the data.

SerpentSlayer said...

Keeping my face separated from the SS moniker is a wise precaution in this day and age. When mentioning a neighbour on a video can get you in the clink, somebody who tries to make people aware of the vested interests of those with power (real or imagined) is in danger of all sorts.
TMBC don't seem keen on many facts being revealed of themselves, as evidenced by their reaction to Roys 'councillors expenses' tshirts.

Anonymous said...

Keeping my face separated from the SS moniker is a wise precaution in this day and age

With respect SS your total comment instigates fear into Tameside people,whereas fear becomes the origin of despots.
Fear is non productive in the overthrow of those intent on destroying democracy,and fear creation is why such comments give energy to those who are unfit to rule.
Plus fear never provided any benefits in wars.
Let those committed to power at all costs experience fear not those who struggle for their rights.
J.Hall

Anonymous said...

Hello Hello Hello cop this
for a glimpse of what GMP
create,which involves its supporters and friends like the Tameside Advertiser Editor herself.
If this how local press investigates Tameside News
just start employing real objective reporters.
How much does such Police twitter site get for news releases such as these ??

https://twitter.com/GMPGorton

Anonymous said...


It gets even better than this this last poster if you check out the Police twitter sites.
Why do we need the MEN,Advertiser,Reporter press,they just copy the Police reports.


http://www.gmp.police.uk/live/nhoodv3.nsf/SocialTwitterFeed/2DD85CA3C1C3D9F280257BC10028C46A
http://www.gmp.police.uk/content/division.html?ReadForm&Division=Tameside

Gotterdamerung said...

No doubt West is on Ze List! There may even be an Einzatzgruppen specially devoted to 'taking care of him' in the TMBC Gestapo.

For those interested I spoke to Roy's nice partner Pauline yesterday and she said Roy had cheered up a bit in prison and is staying strong and positive.

Anonymous said...

Apart from the interesting countryside items,it seems that no investigative exposure searches are now carried out, which leaves the immigrant and racist items the sole survivors on TC.
Where have the regulars gone and why have they gone silent in recent weeks.
Some knowledgeable,educated and informative postings appear to have seriously declined,any idea`s TC Posters, surely fear has not taken hold.

Tameside Citizen said...

Anon@21.39 I have noticed the same thing too. I think the jailing of Roy West has had the desired effect and some people have become afraid of airing their views for fear of joining him which is a shame because this gives the local Labour Mafia gangsters free reign.

Play the White man said...

@ Anonymous 21:39, By 'racist' I presume you mean anyone opposing the destruction of the British indigenous population.

Anonymous said...

"Some knowledgeable,educated and informative postings appear to have seriously declined,any idea`s TC Posters, surely fear has not taken hold."

First learn the proper usage of apostrophes before patronising others about being properly educated.

And whatever the shortcomings of this particular blog, unless you can direct us to your own superior blogging efforts you're in no position to sneer.




Anonymous said...

And whatever the shortcomings of this particular blog, unless you can direct us to your own superior blogging efforts you're in no position to sneer.

Another nil contribution of anything except snide remarks.
What do you suggest to get more posters or do you enjoy simply picking holes


Adolf Hitler said...

We need more comments on the ongoing destruction of the British indigenous population.

The Hidden Hand of Power said...

I know you say that in jest Adolf but I say this in all sincerity. When you look around at the ruins of our once great country and the situation presented before you makes you feel all lost and forlorn, do not despair, instead , put your feet up on the coffee table and pour a glass of finest bourbon and offer a toast to those great Europeans who tried to save our civilization.

Raise your glass to the men of iron who made up the ranks of the LSAH, not forgetting the patriots of the Estonian Legion and the brave French patriots of the Charlemagne Division, the Dutch of Nordland. Leone Degrelle and the Rexists, as well as all those not mentioned who volunteered to fight for European values against the combined forces of the Judeo-Masonic powers led by Britain, the USA and the USSR.

We sold our soul to the devil and lost everything. Our thanks from the Masonic forces for six years of war and loss of empire is immigration, multiculturalism and dispossession in our ancestral homeland so curse the traitors and profiteers and just think about what could have been instead of paradise lost.

THE 20TH CENTURY: TALMUDIC TRIUMPH OVER WESTERN CIVILIZATION click here said...

A good read

Adolf Hitler said...

I wasn't joking.