Hidden Gully (II)

Date:

17.02.2010

Characteristic:

Alpine trip

Alternated leads with Suzana while Rocio soloed up with us. Nice route, but the snow wasn't particularly neve-like, especially after the second pitch so it felt more like a steep walk rather than a proper climb. Still, we had some practice in moving together on a short rope on the descent off Stuc a'Choire Dhuibh Bhig with fantastic views into the wilderness north of the Liathach massif - the first day of the week (possibly) we'd had any decent views at all.

East Buttress (IV)

Date:

15.02.2010

We started the day with an hour's drive from Lochcarron into Torridon, parking up at the foot of the valley between Beinn Eighe's western end and Liathach's eastern end. It was about 8am when we got out to begin the long walk in to the coire on the northern side of Coinneach Mor; in fact it was altogether dismal to start off with, rain being chucked down like you wouldn't believe. Nevertheless, after much dithering around we eventually set out in the soaking wet conditions anyway and about 3 hours later we were finally round and into the coire, looking in awe up at the Triple Buttresses. We were going to climb the grade IV route up the East Buttress, which was at that moment looking decidely thin and uninviting for me as someone who has a fear of mixed routes. It turned out to be quite a long >>>

Goat Track Gully (II)

Date:

14.02.2010

High Spy

Date:

05.01.2010

I met a nice lady called Jackie in the Keswick youth hostel, and as we were both staying alone we ended up deciding to do a walk together. Some new snow had fallen overnight, which meant our route over Cat Bells and High Spy, was much harder work than expected! The northwestern side of the Catbells ridge was especially covered in deep snow and quite a lot of effort to wade through. But the weather was pretty OK, some dramatic clouds here and there but nothing threatening. I had to drive back home later that evening so I decided only to go to the top of High Spy before descending back down to Rosthwaite and walking back to Keswick.

Great Gable

Date:

04.01.2010

After a night spent in the Keswick youth hostel, we (myself and my friend Sue) headed down south a little to hike up Great Gable. We parked up in Seatoller and followed the road towards Seathwaite over the somewhat icy tracks. The lower level paths were also icy in the valley, and it was a bit tricky to start off with, but higher up it was more snow-covered terrain and quite OK to walk without the crampons. We didn't see many other people on the walk. And we didn't get much in the way of summit views because it had clouded over shortly before we got to the summit. Nevertheless, it was good to be out again after the previous day's hike at least in some nice hard snow too.

Helvellyn winter

Date:

03.01.2010

I met with my friend Sue Jeffrey for a winter hike shortly after the New Year. The weather forecast was for great walking conditions, crisp sunny weather with snow underfoot so it was looking like a good day ahead. Our plan was to leave one car in Ambleside and another close to the start of our route from Swirls car park beside Thirlmere. That way we wouldn't need to worry about catching a bus back and we wouldn't have to trudge back along the A591 either. Many people had already started out on a hike on this day too. It was superb. The snow was hard, and it wasn't too cold. This was possibly the first time I'd seen a proper winter in the Lakes. We stopped only for a short time at the summit of Helvellyn before pushing on towards Nethermost and Dollywaggon Pike. Somehow we managed to go a little >>>

Derwentwater to Langdale

Date:

13.12.2009

After what had been a weekend of crisp and gorgeous weather, today was by comparison a bit disappointing and overcast. Nevertheless it meant that it was also a bit milder too and it wasn't raining at least! So from Derwentwater youth hostel I took the track up to Watendlath via Ashness Bridge, passing a couple of farms and bored-looking cows and sheep along the way, and when I got to Watendlath it was quite deserted. I guess that's winter in the Lakes. No tourists to demand tea shops should be open! Anyway, from there it was up onto High Tove, to gain the ridge above Watendlath, and a somewhat but not very boggy trudge across Long Moss and by the edge of Blea Tarn to access Standing Crag and Ullscarf. This is probably my least favourite fell; its a very tedious trudge up a very tedious and >>>

Coledale round

Date:

12.12.2009

A great day out with some friends I went to the Himalaya with from the previous November in 2008, Ian and Lorraine Brookes. Sue Jeffrey, whom I'd met at the Adventure Peaks meet 2 weeks previously also joined from Dumfries for the day. I walked into Keswick to meet Sue, from the youth hostel at Derwentwater (Barrow House Bay) which is now no longer a YHA hostel sadly. Anyway, me and Sue met up at Booth's supermarket and then headed out to Braithwaite at the high car park just outside of the village. Ian and Lorraine joined us there, and we were soon out and up on Grisedale Pike, enjoying the crisp and clear conditions with a touch of frost underfoot. Great views down over Keswick and out east toward Blencathra and Skiddaw, and the Helvellyn Ridge......It was sunny for pretty much the whole >>>

Langdale to Derwentwater

Date:

11.12.2009

Stony Cove Pike

Date:

28.11.2009

After a long-ish drive up to Windermere from Leicester the previous evening, we woke up to a fresh covering of snow all over the fells. Exciting for everyone who was coming for the Adventure Peaks Christmas party, (even though it was admittedly still a bit early for Christmas celebrations) we drove up to the car parking place at the top of Kirkstone Pass, opposite the inn and began the walk at about 10am. At first the weather was dry but quite misty so there was not much to see apart from a lot of whiteness, and it remained like that all the way over Pike How to Stony Cove Pike. No views, chilly and a bit boring. Once we'd descended down Threshthwaite mouth into Pasture Beck it was just a bit drizzly but warmer and we were down at Hartsop in the early afternoon and walked back along the road >>>