Whit Fell in Mist

Julian ran it on the Friday and said it was nice, with lovely views and mostly dry, although it’s known to be swampy. What a difference the next day when I turned up, it had rained all night and it was still raining when I parked up and ate some food.

I started at Black Beck which was moving rapidly, across Thwaites Fell towards Plough Fell but I decided to stay along the wall and crags as it was quite steep and slow going. I wanted to go round Whitfell and climb it from the other side after I’d attempted Stainton Pike. What loomed in front of me next was a raging river, Julian jumped over it the day before, but I was a bit scared of falling in as it would have dragged me down I’m sure.

I was getting hungry and didn’t want to sit in the rain and wind to eat so I found a perfect spot by a crag, room for one lucky me. If the rain wasn’t bad enough I had the mist too which unlike Julian on his run there were no lovely views to be seen, just whiteness all around. I plodded on - I like the rain honest, and it’s behind me! I could see the outline of Whitfell, within a few steps it had disappeared. I arrived at the tarn below Stainton Pike I then turned round to head back. OMG the wind and rain that had been behind me hit me in the face. Compass, mist, map and rain on I go to Whitfell, did I really bypass it to now go against the elements, eh yes.

I took my last picture here as I moved the weather got very heavy, wind, mist and rain. On to find Burn Moor just a little raise, not much of a fell nearly missed it well I did I run back to it just so I could set the compass, what with it being misty and me on my own. Buck Barrow suddenly loomed up in front of me; this is quite a rocky fell, which normally I would just skip over it but being safety conscious I tip toed over it, to know where you are despite the very poor visibility is an amazing feeling. With about a mile to go I set off and soon enough I thought I could see the white car, so I started to run towards it, but it was a SHEEP! I didn’t see the real car until I was nearly on top of it. I was drenched but I had a great adventure.

Rottnan Canoe Tour

Kath and I got back this week from a fantastic canoe tour down the Rottnan River in Sweden with six young people including my three daughters. The journey took four days to complete at a leisurely pace and we spent three nights wild camping in the forests beside the lakes and river.

The adventure was booked through Nature Travels in the UK and I can warmly recommend them and the tours that they organise. Take a look at the pictures on our web album and a video taken by Kath in the front of the boat getting a little bit too excited at the fact that the river was moving, slightly!

Day out from Buttermere

Collecting a client from the fabulous Gilpin Lodge Hotel last week the lady on reception happened to mention that how beautiful it is around Buttermere. We didn't go there that day because of the travel time and so many other good things to do but I thought I would treat myself to a mountain day when I got the chance.

I started up Sour Milk Gill to Red Pike, walked over High Stile, High Crag and Haystacks and finished with Fleetwith Pike - capturing this view on the way down towards Buttermere. There are a few more pictures on our Web Album. The walk was just short of 10 miles and had 3,700' of ascent.

Seasonal Colours

Walking in the hills with some lovely young people from Saudi Arabia recently they remarked on the greenness of the Lake District countryside and wondered why the picture on the front page of our website didn't show that colour. That got me thinking about how things change over the seasons and I went back with my camera to the place the original photo had been taken.

These two pictures of the same view, near the road from Water Yeat to Torver, were taken in July 2011 and January 2011. Do you prefer the vibrant green of July or the white frost and brown bracken of January?

The mountain in the centre is Coniston Old Man and to the left, peeping over the trees, is Dow Crag.

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Sca Fell Pike

One more for this Bank Holiday Weekend - the highest plank in England. This picture was taken out on a recce of the Bob Graham route with Kevin Smith, an old friend and member of Darwen Dashers Running Club. We intended to have a proper look at Broad Stand but the weather has been a bit wet recently and the rocks were very slimy. We decided to give it a miss for today, knowing what has happened to many others before us - this story is a little unusual though, and not just because both men seem to have survived! Good luck Kevin for your attempt in two weeks time.

[PS. He did it! Well done Kevin]

Grizedale Forest Sculpture

Once you've started, it can be very hard to stop - this time on a sculpture in Grizedale Forest, half way round one of the mountain bike trails.

Oh yes and then there was this bloke - is that the wind in his shirt?