2013-07-13 52 -0

Sat 13 Jul 2013 in 52,-0: 52.6464569, -0.6879201 geohashing.info google osm bing/os kml crox

Location

The bird watching / nature reserve at Rutland Water, near Egleton village.

Plans

I *think* there is public access, or rather access on payment of an admission charge, and I *think* the hashpoint is reachable, at least on foot, if not bicycle.

All being well, I will cycle over from Leicester, aiming to arrive around 2pm.

I'll cycle over from Leicester, and pay my admission, and see how close I can get.

Expedition

As it's already 12.10 and I haven't left yet, I expect 2pm might be a little optimistic... ;)

Finally left around 12.45, and it was probably an error to use this ride to settle in my new pedals / road shoes. They were good, but I needed to ride a little cautiously to begin with, and in the end, it was really a bit too hot for the amount of climbing required. Took about three hours to reach the bird watching centre, where the poor bloke behind the counter tried his best to accommodate my weird request. I bought a permit even though closing time was rapidly approaching, and then rode / walked to the furthest bird watching hide, which turned out to be about 50 metres from the hash point. There was a field, and a gate, but just no way to reach it. And it had been made pretty clear that the field in question was off-limits. There's a clue in the title 'nature reserve' apparently. Who knew?

After some aimless wandering about, and providing a fleshy feast for an array of avaricious insects ("what do they eat when they can't get hobbit?"), I decided discretion was the better part of something or other, and rode to Oakham station and got the train back to Leicester.

Tracklog

http://app.strava.com/activities/66806675

After a train ride from Oakham to Leicester, the last bit was easy... http://app.strava.com/activities/66821532

Photos

• 

  In there somewhere, where the birds are protected, was the hash point. @52.6460,-.6879

• 

  From the other side, still no way to reach it. @52.6461,-.6888

• 

  Admit one. But I'm still Mother Nature's bitch. @52.5802,-1.1022

Achievements

I think this is an unusual event - a double Yerevan. There should be a ribbon for that.

Is it true that Nickholden earned the No Trespassing? In principle, yes. But the locked gate preventing access couldn't actually be reached either (2013-07-13 52 -0).

Is it true that Nickholden earned the Mother Nature's Bitch? In principle, yes. But it was Mother Nature's servants that stopped him reaching the hashpoint, she didn't show up herself (2013-07-13 52 -0).

According to the rules of the Admit One achievement, expeditions which ultimately fail still qualify, which is just as well, otherwise, we'd have a triple Yerevan on our hands.

Nickholden earned the Admit One Achievement

by paying £4.30 GBP to access the (52, -0) geohash at Rutland Water Birdwatching Centre on 2013-07-13.