Posts

Posted on

hiking the Bermuda Railway Trail

trip report by site editor Rick McCharles

The Bermuda Railway was a 21.7-mile (34.9 km) common carrier line that operated in Bermuda for a brief period (October 31, 1931 – May 1, 1948). …

Construction and maintenance proved to be exceedingly costly, as the Bermuda Railway was built along a coastal route to minimize the amount of land acquisition needed for the right-of-way.

In so doing, however, extensive trestles and bridgework were necessary. More than 10 percent of the line was elevated on 33 separate structures of timber or steel construction spanning the ocean. …

Click for LARGER version.

In 1984, 18 miles (29 km) of the defunct rail line’s right-of-way were dedicated as the Bermuda Railway Trail for hiking and, on some paved portions, biking. The Bermuda Tourism Department publishes a pamphlet describing the Trail’s highlights …

I enjoyed the sections close to the water …

… and the sections cut into limestone.

On the other hand, there are many places where you must detour to regain the trail. Coney Island, for example.

And there are many sections where you must walk busy roadways to regain the trail.

All in all, pretty as it is, I’d prefer to mountain bike the Bermuda Railway Trail rather than walk / run it.

You can rent a bike in Bermuda.

Posted on

Pete Brook on the PCT

I liked Carrot Quinn’s PCT book for her honesty. And I like this interview.

Pete Brook is an independent writer who covered his Pacific Crest Trail thru-hike for Outside Magazine last summer.

 

Along the way, Pete documented his experience through a handful of articles, and more closely through his social media. Pete’s honest take on the hike ran counter to the overly romantic versions of outdoor pursuits that have emerged in recent years. …

 

The Clyme

Posted on

Trump donates to National Park Service

This is a surprise.

Trump donating first-quarter salary to National Park Service

The press secretary hands over a $78,333 check to the interior secretary and the superintendent of Harpers Ferry National Historical Park.

Much appreciated. But here’s the down side for hikers:

The Center for Western Priorities, a conservation policy organization, quickly criticized the donation as a “publicity stunt” in light of budget cuts the president has proposed for the Department of the Interior.

“You can’t propose $1.6 billion in cuts to our public lands, then pretend a $78,000 donation makes it better,” said Greg Zimmerman, the center’s deputy director. “The White House needs to protect America’s parks and public lands, not pay lip service to them.”

Posted on

solo female hikers

Hayley Littleton:

… I found the solitary joys of camping and being alone on the trail. Driving up the dark switchbacks in the night, I’d climb into my sleeping bag in the back of my car and wake up to the first rays of sunlight jutting out over the peaks. Shuffling into my boots and slinging a pack across my back, I ventured out in the crisp, quiet stillness. …

THE BENEFITS OF HIKING ALONE

related – In Praise of Walks and Wilderness