The Lake Landers

A walk around Loweswater

2015-04-23T17:19:00.001+01:00

On Monday we drove the short distance to park at Fangs Brow, I dont think we have ever driven past this spot and never seen a car parked there.

We followed the path towards the bottom of Burnback Fell.

Looking back at the car.

Our first view of Loweswater.

A couple of panoramic views.

The tarn below Black Crag

A couple of views of Mellbrek, it doesn't look as imposing as it does from the Kirkstile inn.

Looking down into the valley where we would be walking shortly.

The dogs having a well earned cooling off.

Thankfully they havnt invented smello vision!!

We are getting to be dry stone walling Geeks. This rebuild was just brilliant and they still had about 100 metres to go.

It must have taken an age just to dismantle it, they even sorted the stones as they went along. OCD me thinks!!

Walking towards the lake now, the path we came on is just above the tree level.

New info boards.

Any chance they get they are in the water.

There has been a lot of felling here and they are leaving these beautiful Oak trees

Past the lake now.

There are so many lambs about now.

If you look carefully you can see bonnie Scotland in the distance. We hope to get over this year to climb some fells.

A 2.5 hour walk and they we were both nicely tired.

Dizzy’s First Wainwright: Crag Fell

2015-02-27T15:07:00.001+00:00

Yesterday we wanted to collect some more kindling & decided to combine that with a walk. We felt it appropriate that Dizzy’s first Wainwright should be the same one as Crag’s & conveniently we could walk it from where we collected the kindling!
Crag was just over 3 weeks older than Dizzy is now when he climbed his first Wainwright, here he is & any fears about her grown size may be unnecessary as you can see he is definitely bigger than she is at the moment. (Both her parents were his size so she shouldn’t grow any bigger)

On the work party two weeks ago we put three smaller fence posts in to stop whoever it is taking stone from the quarry here as it is both illegal & making the quarry rather unstable. Today one has been ripped out & the other two have been loosened, back to the drawing board on that one.

We start with a steep ascent of the forest

Looking back, the picture doesn’t really show how steep it actually was

The first views of Ennerdale Water

To the bottom right is the new course of Ben Gill that was dug last year, it’s only however when we have had a lot of rain that any water flows through it as it seems to prefer its old course

The winding path to the left was another volunteer job last year to enable a short wheelchair accessible route to be taken at the lake

Looking down on The Mill & where the River Ehen has flooded, we were doing the footbridge survey there a couple of weeks ago, you wouldn’t get across today

The first view of Crag Fell & yes there is a little bit of snow up there

Revelin Crag

Now to cross Ben Gill

When we walked it on Crags first fell walk Bess & Katie both enjoyed playing in the pools, there is far too much water coming over it today for that

Dizzy has to be lifted over as she still doesn’t like going into water of any depth

Now to that “little” bit of snow

Dizzy certainly enjoys playing in it

Crag has kept hold of this stick for much of the walk & in fact kept it until we reached Ben Gill on our return

Looking down on Ennerdale Water again

Our first view of the summit cairn, not far to go now

The wind really picks up the higher we get, we would have loved to know the wind chill as it was baltic.
So just the one picture, Dizzy on Crag Fell (523m), 213 to go! (she will unfortunately not finish them with us as a few of the fells we did last year we vowed we would not be returning to!)

On the way up she needed a lot of encouragement to cross this beck, none was needed on the way back

The day was always forecast to get better, we unfortunately set off a little too early as it was blue skies when we returned to the bottom

A very nice fell walk, Dizzy took it all in her stride & would have carried on for a few more yesterday but we don’t want to over do it with her, she has shown she is very much at home fell walking with us.

A Patrol Around Mellbreak

2015-02-20T19:04:00.001+00:00

Today we did a patrol which we have done a couple of times before, it is a walk around Mellbreak.
Mellbreak as we start, we think this is one of those “perfect” shaped mountains

We start by walking up a walled track

Before the path opens up into pretty desolate moorland

The Mosedale Holly Tree stands alone

A panorama

Come on humans we know the way (Dizzy has never walked this but has worked out that gates are for going through)

Crummock Water comes into view, we will walk most of the southern shore to get back

Crag’s waiting for a stick as Andy & Dizzy go ahead

Fleetwith Pike which is at the end of Buttermere

Loads of frogspawn in the pools here

We look back & see a storm brewing, it’s one of those that just appear in the mountains, the wind was from the west so this should have passed over us, however we remained dry whilst those to the east of us got wet

It disappears as quickly as it formed

“Bat Ears” & Crag with his tongue stuck out

Looking back at Rannerdale Knotts & the bad weather behind us.

A Beautiful Weekend of Weather

2015-02-18T16:51:00.001+00:00

Last weekend I think we had the best weather in the UK, we had two days of wall to wall sunshine so we made the most of it with a couple of walks.
On Saturday we headed over to Loweswater, the route we walked is one of the patrol walks we have done a few times in the past, but today we were just going for a walk.
We set off on the track for an extended loop around one side of the lake

We last walked this in July last year & this fingerpost was broken & lying on the ground, it’s satisfying that the jobs we report do get done.

As we climb up Loweswater comes into view

Crag as always never misses an opportunity for a splash in a beck

Whiteside & Grasmoor (where we would walk on Sunday)

A panorama of the view

Dizzy & Crag

Down by the lakeshore & there is not a breath of wind

Sunday & we do one of the patrols we have, this is Whiteside from a bit closer

And Grasmoor

Lovely to see all the snowdrops out

Ouch, you wouldn’t have wanted to be around when this came down

Loweswater Fell which surprisingly is not a Wainwright

Now a few other random photos, Crag looking a little disgruntled that Dizzy has decided to lie on the mat whilst he is looking out the window

The floor was being cleaned so the bed was on the settee, she will sleep anywhere

Two sleeping doggies in the evening

It’s been a long day (note his tongue!)

Sticking out the front this time

Taking up much of the settee (you can see how much she has grown)

She could sleep on a washing line

Lastly we tried her in the boot with Crag when we returned from Ennerdale yesterday, she has stopped slobbering when she sits in the front, guess she will have to get used to travelling in the back.

A Patrol Around Sale Fell

2015-02-06T18:22:00.001+00:00

Today we did our first patrol of the year. We parked up at Peel Wyke (the Forestry Commission depot) to discover the section through Wythop Woods was closed so we moved the car to just beyond Routenbeck as we could do about 3/4 of the patrol & then cut back to the car.
The first section is a gentle climb with some patchy snow near the path

Dizzy turns to camouflage herself

Crag is definitely grinning, this is going to be a good walk in the snow

The path is pretty clear, Bassenthwaite Lake in the distance

Crag rolling around in the snow

Binsey has a dusting of snow on it

A panorama of the view

Ling Fell, we are on the south west side of Sale Fell & the snow has disappeared

As we get further around we are back in more of an alpine surrounding

In black & white

A video of the dogs playing in the snow

Crag trying to sledge down

The clouds are just catching Skiddaw

Ok so who is enjoying this game most?

It was a lovely walk, with the weather set to be fine for the next few days hopefully we can get out again & play in more of the white stuff.
Lastly a clip from a few weeks ago, Dizzy playing with a Strongbow can

A Snowy Walk Up Dent & a few other pictures

2015-01-28T16:50:00.001+00:00

To say that Dizzy has settled in is an understatement & she loves sitting with us on the setee

Even Crag has started sleeping on the furniture

Last Thursday there was some snow on Dent so we set off to try to find some, Dizzy hiding behind some grass waiting to pounce on Crag as he passed

We don’t have to climb too high before we find some of the white stuff

Crag was very happy to have found some & Dizzy just took it in her stride

Crag soon remembered how he loved to roll about in it

The path was very distinct as it was where most of the snow was

Soon we are at the summit cairn, Crag looks like he is smiling!

We don’t stay very long as it is cold

The sun hides behind some cloud and is also reflected in the sea

A panorama of the fells

We dropped down into Nannycatch as we had some footbridges to survey, Dizzy’s first narrow plank bridge

Still not interested in water, she looks down on Crag in the beck

A short clip of them running about at Cogra Moss on Sunday

The Last Couple Of Weeks

2015-01-21T17:57:00.001+00:00

Just a few pictures & short clips from the past couple of weeks.

Crag is far more accepting of Dizzy now, they are often seen asleep close to each other

But sometimes a rest on her own in some ridiculous positions is needed

Watching the TV is still popular

Together again

And on her own on the sofa

On Sunday she was allowed out for her first walk so we took them both to Ennerdale. At first it was a disaster as she refused to walk just stubbornly sitting & not wanting to get moving. Karen carried her & tried on several occasions to get her going but no “I am not going to walk on the lead”. We walked to where there was a bit of a beach & Crag could play in The Lake, Karen put her down & this time she decided to go for a bit of a wander. The following are a few short clips from the walk (we weren’t brave enough to let her off the lead as she isn’t great on recall if she is distracted by something else)

She met loads of people & dogs all of which she greeted as if they were long lost friends & more importantly this walk resulted in a few hours of sleep

We walked her on Monday from home & she wasn’t too worried about vehicles passing & all the other noises she came across

On Tuesday we went back to Ennerdale & it was much quieter so we braved her off the lead for short periods & yes she didn’t run away, much to the fact she was following Crag around & calling him back meant we could catch her

Dizzy

2015-01-05T12:44:00.001+00:00

Last week we got a new addition to our family an 8 week & 2 day old border collie which we have called Dizzy. She came from a farm in Distington which is about 8 miles from here & both parents are working dogs on the farm. She was born on Halloween (enough said) as her enthusiasm for life & mischief makes us wonder if she is possessed.

Her face is a tale of two halves, her left side is very similar to Crag

However her right side makes her look more like a Staffy

A couple of clips of Crag & Dizzy, he was not very enthusiastic about her arrival

She has quickly found the toy box & loves playing with all of them

It is full on or full off with her

To get an idea of her size against the sky remote

She loves being on the settee with us

We have no problem getting her to eat

And she enjoys a game of tug toy

And when dinner is gone she starts on Crags bone

Before getting comfy on Karens foot

This is a game that has to be stopped, she is obsessed with footwear, we can’t leave a slipper / trainer etc on the floor as it disappears to her bed

The next evening getting comfy on Karens leg

Chewing the bone on her bed

Every toy she plays with eventually gets carried to the bed so once she has everything on it we then move all the toys back into the dining room & it starts all over again.

We daren't leave her at home at the moment as we really don’t know to what we would return, not only does every toy need to be chewed, cables, curtains, cushions etc. are also fair game.
We went out for a pint on New Years Day, here she is getting used to the pub

I think she is relaxed here

Crag keeping an eye on her

Even when she is asleep Crag is still watching

Finally she is quite interested in the TV, here we are watching a wildlife programme & Dizzy is really interested at what is on the screen

Because of her vaccinations it is 2 – 3 weeks before we can take her out for a walk so think of us & the mayhem that will continue for at least that time. She really seems to have a great nature to her and to think it was only a very short time ago she had lived her whole life in a barn, we think she has settled in very well.
Welcome to your new home Dizzy

Helvellyn, White Side & Raise

2014-10-30T15:28:00.001+00:00

Yesterday was the best day weather-wise we have seen in the past few weeks so we decided to make the most of it. We only have one job for The Park at the moment a patrol, now patrols normally take us about 2 hours to complete & are generally reasonably low level, the one we had was neither.
Helvellyn is a reasonably difficult mountain from the Ullswater side as you encounter either Striding or Swirral Edge shortly before the summit, both of which require some scrambling, however from the Thirlmere side it is a doddle, a path resembling a staircase takes you from the car park to the summit & this was the route on the patrol.
We start to gain some height, looking down on Thirlmere (the sun is so low that there are a lot of the photographer’s shadow in the pictures)

And again from a bit higher, as you would expect on a day like today & a half term there were a lot of people out

A panorama

Skiddaw & Blencathra in the hazy distance

This section was the only tricky bit, but that has been sorted since the last time we walked this route

There is no breeze up here at the moment

Leaving the “staircase” it’s a relatively flat walk to the summit

Two walkers on the horizon on the route we will exit by

Catstye Cam & Swirral Edge

Someone is camping on the summit plateau, wonderful view to wake up to

Looking down Swirral Edge

Red Tarn with Ullswater in the distance. Helvellyn (950m) the 3rd highest summit in England

We then set off down to continue the patrol

Looking back at Helvellyns summit, it’s a busy place

Catstye Cam

The paths are like motorways up here, you can’t miss them

The route next takes us to White Side (863m), there isn’t any furniture to check up here

And then onto Raise (883m)

The cairn at the summit, looking back towards Helvellyn

We then drop down to a crossing known as Sticks Pass

And then turn to head back towards Thirlmere

A very well maintained sheepfold

Once at the bottom we head along a route back to the car park. The waterfalls on Fisherplace Gill.

It took 5.5 hours to complete & was good exercise even if there wasn’t a lot to report back to The Park

A Day on The Oxford Canal

2014-10-08T17:48:00.001+01:00

Last week we were back in Oxfordshire visiting family & friends, coinciding with a return visit to The UK by Adrian & David. Last Friday we had a day on Oxford Canal hiring one of the day boats.

Once we departed we set about breakfast - bacon rolls for all

We hired the boat from Lower Heyford (http://www.oxfordshire-narrowboats.co.uk) & travelled north up the canal

For the first section Andy walked Crag along the tow path

Karen now takes over walking Crag, whilst Ian steers the boat

Adrian & David take control at the first lock (Allen’s Lock)

Crag is very happy as he makes acquaintance with Jess a 3 year old collie

After much flirting from both parties it’s time to move on

A short video clip

Andy takes control

David & Adrian enjoy a cuppa

Ian is the main helmsman

David has a go

Followed by Adrian

We stop for a short break & Karen returns to the boat

Crag finds a stick!

Somerton Lock cottage

Ian expertly steers the boat into Somerton Deep Lock, this is the deepest lock of the day at 12ft (it is the deepest lock on the canal & the 15th deepest in the country)

The lock takes quite a while to fill

And we are out the other side

We turn the boat around & moor up for lunch before retracing our route back

This time we have a 12ft drop down at Somerton

Cuppas have been replaced with alcohol now

Dad & Lad steer us back

Some of the trees are starting to turn autumnal

Ooops we decide to investigate the river bank!

Karen wasn’t driving then honestly

The lengthening shadows reflect in the canal

Ian taking photos whilst David steered

Thanks Anne & Ian for thinking up such a thoroughly good way for us all to spend the day.

We Did It

2014-09-14T16:10:00.001+01:00

This week we achieved something that has been over 8 years in the making (8 years, 1 month & 22 days to be precise), we completed The Wainwright Fells.
We camped at Chapel House Farm campsite, a new one to us, but perfectly located as we could walk the last two direct from the campsite. The campsite is also on the coast to coast route so a lot of people just stop the one night there.
Our tent’s up, tea’s made (beer’s cooling) & the sun is shining, can you ask for anything more?

Due in part to the lack of rain the valley is very hazy

The next morning dawns bright, looking across to our last fell, it is the tree lined lower one just right of centre, however we are heading in the opposite direction today.

We are walking into the sun for most of the ascent

Looking back down the valley as we start to climb

Zooming in on the campsite.

Our first sight of the summit, we will climb to the right & head along the ridgeline to it

Combe Gill is pretty dry, I imagine it is pretty spectacular after a lot of rain.

We start the climb up to the ridge, the summit still looks a long way away

Looking back down the valley, we are about the same height as tomorrows fell (in the middle) & we have only been walking for about an hour

Looking across the valley to Rosthwaite Fell, we will descend on that side.

Zooming in on the tent, there were 25 tents & 2 camper vans overnight, it looks like many have left now.

Across the valley to Fleetwith Pike & Dale Head. Fleetwith Pike is at the south-east end of Buttermere, you realise when you are in a central location like this how small The Lake District is, it’s just the fact that the roads connecting the valleys travel many many more miles than you would as the crow flies.

Looking down on Seatoller

Finally the summit seems to be getting a bit closer

Karen’s been taking the photos so the boys have got ahead so they stop & wait for her to catch up & for a little rest.

The unmistakable shape of Great Gable in the distance

Fleetwith Pike & Honister Slate Mine

The last bit to the summit

And we are presented with this wall of rock to climb up

So we walk around & find this easier route up

We reach the summit & Crag decides it’s time for a nap

The views should be spectacular up here, however it’s so hazy

We chat to a couple on the top & they take our summit photo, Glaramara (783m) our 213th Wainwright

We retrace our steps off the summit & then head for Rosthwaite Fell

We don’t intend to go to the summit, we did that back in August 2007 (the 9th, Bess’s birthday to be precise). The lower summit is called Bessyboot & we had some pictures taken then we wanted to try to replicate, however when we got there we just couldn’t find the exact locations.

It’s steep with no real paths to follow

Bessyboot & Tarn at Leaves

After a short break at the tarn we head back down, looking across at where we climbed up earlier

Two rock climbers, a rare sight in The Lakes

Soon we are almost back down to the valley floor

And guess what, Crag has found a stick

Two rams eye us with suspicion

The next morning again dawns bright & we set off for our last Wainwright. This is how close we were to it from the campsite.

A gentle walk across some fields as we get closer

A shallow & still River Derwent

Until Crag causes some ripples

As it would be such a quick walk, we decide we will walk around the fell before starting our ascent

It’s a very well used path, we pass loads of people as we work our way around the fell

The lower post shows Rosthwaite is 1 3/4 miles away & we started from the other side of there so we have added a few extra miles to the day.

Looking at the summit from the other side, it’s quite different, covered in tress rather than the rock you could see from the south

Extensive slate quarrying has gone on it the past here

We reach the western path that will take us to the top

The flat valley belies what the fell now has in store for us

We then come across this plaque to Sir William Hamer who gave the land surrounding the summit to the nation & a seat commemorating his wife.

It’s a steep rock path & we are soon quite a height from the footpath

We come out of the trees & see the rocky summit is in fact a huge slag pile from the slate quarry

A path has been grooved through the slate

Which zig zags it’s way up

Hazy again today

We come to area where many people have stood up large pieces of slate in a kind of memorial

We have reached the summit & Derwent Water is just visible in the distance, like yesterday the views should be amazing here, instead we can’t see very far at all.

We have taken some bubbly up to celebrate. Castle Crag (290m), the final Wainwright for us. It is the lowest Wainwright, but certainly not the easiest

The summit cairn, looking south, the visible path below is part of the Allerdale Ramble route

Another plaque here to commemorate the men of Borrowdale who died in the First World War

Looking down on the slates

Karen’s desperate to get a signal on her phone so she can email everyone, however it wasn’t happening & the email didn’t get sent

Derwent Water

Castle Crag is dwarfed by it’s neighbours, this is Grange Fell

We realised we hadn’t got Crag in the first summit picture, so here’s another

Bubbly finished & lunch eaten, we then descend on the eastern side of the fell to the valley floor, stepping stones across the River Derwent

The afternoon clouded over, back at the tent & the sun is trying to get through

We just missed the best of these pictures as the sun set

So there we are 214 fells climbed, every one from all 7 of the pictorial guides

The list that has come on every camping trip with us & duly filled in after each fell

For the stattos some of our progress over the years.
1st Fell - Scafell Pike (the highest) 20th July 2006
214th Fell – Castle Crag (the lowest) 11th September 2014.
The busiest month – May 2008 – 18 fells
The quietest year – 2012 only 1 new fell
Total fells including duplicates 294

We are chuffed to bits with our achievement, so what next?
Well Crag has done exactly half at 107 so we need to finish off the other 107 (Bess managed 175)

Thank you for the card, Joyce & Ian, Les & Bernie

Completion of The Far Eastern Fells

2014-09-06T15:56:00.001+01:00

This week saw us complete the last 7 of The Far Eastern Fells over 3 days, that in itself was quite an accomplishment as they are the furthest from us & some of them oh so remote & it puts us to within 2 of the finale.
We had planned to camp at Bowness-on-Windermere but the site was full so we headed back to a site we have used almost every year at Glenridding – Gillside.
Crag is very chilled out watching the world go by at the tent entrance, note the crossed legs. We had a short walk to the shores of Ullswater on Monday.

On Tuesday we travelled over the Kirkstone Pass to Troutbeck where we started our walk, the goal today is to complete the 3 fells to the right of the picture (by the way we calculated the distance our bus ride two weeks ago was which was 2.1miles so Stagecoach charged us £1.31 a mile on that route)

We started by walking through Limefitt Park & up onto the fell above it

There is quite a walk in but these fells are not near a road so this is necessary

Soon we are quite high above the park, with the hamlet of Troutbeck below

The first section is a good path marked on the map as Garburn Road or Garburn Pass

We reach the col where the pass starts to descend to Kentmere & this is the point we turn left & start heading for the first fell

Again a good track, its been a good walk with flat sections between the climbs, a chance to stretch your legs out

We have now lost sight of the summits

Looking back & some of Windermere has come into view

No time for sentiment but we are looking across at Wansfell which is also known as The Hundreds which was our 100th fell which we climbed with Andy Talbot back in October 2007 (the 10th of to be precise!)

Fix the Fells have done a grand job on this path, its so much easier where the path has been maintained

The summit cairn comes into view

Yoke (706m)

Zooming in on our next summit with its impressive cairns

The summit photo

Kentmere Reservoir, we were on the fells behind it a few weeks ago

An easy ridge walk from Yoke

With a little climb to our highest point of the day

One of the three impressive cairns on the summit

Ill Bell (757m), Crag is trying to catch some of the flying insects which we soon realise are flying ants that will be a part of most of the rest of the walk across the summits

A reasonably steep drop off, part of High Street in the background

The views are amazing up here

Looking back at Ill Bell

And looking down on what will be our fourth fell of the day

We reach our third summit of the day

Part of High Street, Mardale Ill Bell & Harter Fell which are the continuation of the Kentmere Round or Horseshoe

Froswick (720m) & we are still being besieged by flying ants so decide lunch will have to be further down the fell

We drop off to the col where we turn left & head back into the Troutbeck valley

A grassy path to follow down

Troutbeck Tongue which is to be our fourth, lying below us

Looking back at where we had walked, its a 64m climb from the north side to the next summit

Too many ants to put the camera down so just Karen at the summit of Troutbeck Tongue (364m)

However as we have had our small climb up, the valley has dropped below & we have 144m of descent back to the valley floor in a much shorter distance

Looking across at Yoke

Ahh at last the flat valley floor walk back to the car

Meanwhile back at the tent………. Please let me sleep, job done day 1.

On the second day we headed to the tiny hamlet of Sadgill at the end of Longsleddale valley. We chose the most direct route which was about 26miles yet it took us one & a half hours to get there. We have decided to call it a once in a lifetime experience as it is so remote we have no intention of returning. The roads were so narrow that 3rd gear became an aspiration, white lines were irrelevant as the only two vehicles that could have passed were bikes & passing places were an obvious afterthought. Never again. Karens left knee had had a full clutch workout by the time we arrived & it was a wonder we made it up any fells at all.
Ok rant out the way, but the fells weren’t worth the effort to get here either, thanks Wainwright for including these.
Sadgill comprises of a bridge & a couple of farms

There are no footpaths marked on the map for the ascent so we had to pick our way up

Looking back down on Sadgill, the track on the ground had led us up though these ferns

And then follows the course of a stream, you can see the car & bridge below

It’s grassy nothingness

One of many stone posts in the area, Wainwright remarks they were erected in connection with the construction of the Haweswater Aqueduct

The second summit in the distance also with an aqueduct post on it

And across the barren moorland to our first summit, to keep our height we approach it on a dog-leg rather than head direct to it.

There really isn’t a lot to see up here

A lone sheep probably looking for greener grass!

Finally the summit, Grey Crag (638m), the ordnance survey mark it as Sleddale Fell

The summit photo

Nothing to report in-between so here we are at the final fell of the day

Tarn Crag (664m) & a wonky stone

Branstree & Selside Pike (Bess’s last 2 Wainwrights in December 2011)

It’s a far gentler, all be it longer descent back to the car

Goat Scar, an impressive rock outcrop, wouldn’t want to be at the bottom when those boulders move

Waterfalls on the River Sprint (see even the water is keen to get out of here!)

It’s a wide track that leads us back out of the valley

I can hear water & now see it, why can’t I get in?

Well if I can’t play in the river, can I play with a stick? He is unbelievable how much energy he has

Looking back up the valley for the last time

Back at the tent, day 2 job done.

On Thursday we pack up the tent & Karen convinces Andy there is a stand alone fell that we have to complete to finish The Far Eastern fells.
We drive up yet more narrow windy roads to Dale Head in Martindale Common.
The fell is inside a deer park & in Wainwrights day was totally out of bounds to the public “ ‘Keep Out’ notices, barricaded gates, and miles of barb wire must convey the impression to even the dullest-witted walker that there is no welcome here ” So we ask why did he include it? Like the previous days walk there are no official rights of way marked on the map so you have to make your own route.
Anyway suddenly about 100 deer appear & pass below us

Like yesterday it’s make your own route time

Looking back down

Towards the remote end of Martindale valley

It’s just a relentless, endless grass bank

The Nab (576m) We are sure it’s much higher than that, it certainly felt it.

No summit photo as we are again besieged by flying ants.

The most direct route would have been up the front of the fell, but that involved crossing some land that wasn’t open access, but having found the way up soul destroying we didn’t want to go back that way & decided to take the direct way back & hope we weren't stopped from walking across the non-open access land.

The Bungalow a former hunting lodge, now a holiday let

After a gentle start this fell bit us again with this really steep grassy bank. Andy braved walking down it, Karen decided she was going down slowly on her backside

OK it has got a little less steep a photo can be taken

We make it off in one piece

To grassy fields at the bottom, we know we are OK until the wall in the distance & then we need to get across to the track to walk back to the car.

We have made it to the track

The Nab from the road, a really tough little fell that we have absolutely no intention of ever climbing again

So here we are 212 out of 214 fells climbed & just one camping trip away from finishing them all. This week has been a tough three days but worth it to be where we are now.

Completion of The Eastern Fells

2014-08-26T16:36:00.001+01:00

Today we completed the final fell in Wainwright’s Eastern Fells book.
We parked at Dunmail Raise which gave us the advantage of being at 226m to start off with.
The first part of the walk was parallel with the A591 along a grassy path

Looking up at the fell, rather than go directly at it the route we have chosen follows Raise Beck

The path keeps drifting in and out of the sunshine

We need to climb up to the skyline before turning right for the final 160m of height

Looking back the road seems a long way down now

Crag is very happy we are following a beck and he climbs up via the beck for much of the walk

And waits for stones to be thrown whenever there is a pool of water

The path flattens out & we know we will be turning right shortly

To our left is Dollywagon Pike

And this is what we have left to climb

Grisedale Tarn comes into view, we have walked to it before but then headed for Ullswater

We are nearly at the top now, looking back

A panorama from the summit, the tarn is Grasmere, to the eagle eye Windermere & Coniston are also visible (it’s a bit hazy in the photograph)

And looking north-east, Ullswater is just visible. You can also see Helvellyn & Fairfield from here

Seat Sandal (736m)

It was just a there & back walk today so we retrace our steps back

It got really windy whist we were on the summit & you can just see the waves it is making on Grisdale Tarn

A very nice 3 hour walk & we are into single figures now for our Wainwright’s

A Return Trip to Brothers Water

2014-08-23T13:52:00.001+01:00

This week we managed to get away again, going back to the first camp site we had visited this year near Brothers Water.
The weather wasn’t perfect but Wednesday was due to be dry with some sunshine but Tuesday night was forecast to be very cold.
Andy is enjoying himself, really….

Wednesday dawned fine & the sun soon lifted the dew from the grass (it was the coldest night we had ever spent in a tent), two of the fells we could see from the site were due to be numbers 2 & 4 today. Note how steep the fell to the left is from here.

We had planned this trip for the school holidays as there is a bus that runs throughout the holidays along the road outside the campsite from Penrith to Windermere. We could take this bus from the site to The Kirkstone Inn & then walk back to the camp site. The big advantage this had was the inn was 265m higher up the pass than the site was.
The bus was due at 10:09 so at 20 past when it hadn’t arrived we were beginning to worry it wasn’t coming, but eventually it did arrive. It was only one stop on the bus so we were rather surprised how expensive it was at £2.75 each, however when we realised that was just over 1p per metre climbed it seemed incredibly good value!

In less than 10 minutes after a slow bus journey up the pass we are at The Kirkstone Inn.

Where there is a rather understated sign telling us our first fell is only 3/4 mile away (so 15 – 20 mins then)?

Only 3/4 mile up this then

It is a good path & before too long the inn is fading into the distance

The path weaves its way up the fell

The pass continues on with “The Struggle” joining it to the right from Ambleside

The next bus is on time!

It only takes us 50 minutes & we have reached the summit

The trig point of Red Screes (776m) the highest point we will be at today

The first of many wonky summit photos today!

Our next fell is below us & on the right hand side of this picture

It really is downhill all the way, Brothers Water in the distance

Perhaps there is about a 10m climb at the end.

It feels a real cheat that within 15 minutes we have reached our second summit of the day & for the superstitious we were only on 13 Wainwrights to go for that length of time. However if we had walked this from the camp site we would have known we had done a fell as it is a steep drop down to the north.

Looking back up at Red Screes

Stunning views up here

Middle Dodd (654m)

Next we attempt to contour our way to the third fell

Some black clouds start to gather, but thankfully we don’t see any rain

We make our way to Scandale Pass where we start our next climb

Wainwright describes this fell as “the sentinel of Scandale Pass.. taking it’s duty of guarding the Pass very seriously & proudly. It has the appearance, in fact of a crouching watchdog” It is certainly quite stark against the boggy moorland around it.

After a gradual climb the summit push is quite steep.

Perfect for a lunch stop, that is Lake Windermere in the distance

Looking across the valley, Red Screes to the right & Middle Dodd to the left, you can see how little effort was required between the two.

Little Hart Crag (637m), each summit gets lower today

Looking towards our final fell with Brothers Water in the distance

A pathetic cairn marks the summit

Zooming in on the camp site, our tent & car are below the tree that is left of centre. The site was far busier when we left this morning, it seems a lot of people have left

Zooming back out

High Hartsop Dodd (519m), now only 10 Wainwrights to go.

We decide to take the very steep but direct route back. It is not an official right of way, but it is within Open Access land & you can see many have walked this route in the past. Andy is holding up a twig that Crag has found, he seems to know when we are heading back and always finds a stick of some description that he wants thrown!

This would have been a tough way up

A very similar view throughout the descent

We got rather wet taking the tent down on Thursday, but had a lovely couple of days & a great walk on Wednesday.

Camping in Langdale & our 200th Wainwright

2014-07-12T12:45:00.001+01:00

This week we were away again, this time to one of our favourite campsites in Great Langdale.

The tent is pitched with more stunning scenery around us

Continuing our blogs of lorries in strange places, Argos came and made a delivery?

Looking up at the fell we plan to climb the next day, we can make a circular walk of it by approaching it to the right, climbing it from the other side & coming down this side

The campsite is to the left of road, a panorama of the view

The next morning we start our walk into Oxendale, towards Stool End Farm, our fell is the one to the left

Off the road now & onto a track

The bridge is hardly needed to cross Oxendale Beck it is so dry

Looking up at Crinkle Crags

Now we start our ascent

We are soon high above the beck

Looking across the valley to The Langdale Pikes

Fix the Fells have been busy up here as it is a very well made path

Crinkle Crags & Bow Fell

Great Knott

The last push up to a short flat section

Red Tarn comes into view, it’s nice when you get a flat section to stretch your legs a bit.

We hope we can now see the summit & this is our last climb

We are right & we have made it to the top. Zooming in on the campsite you can see our tent (just left below the centre)

The summit cairn & shelter

A panorama of the view, again this is stunning 360degree views up here

Looking down on Great Langdale

Windermere in the distance

Pike of Blisco (705m)

Crinkle Crags & Bow Fell

Then we start our descent looking down on Langdale

Another well marked path, we can see it all the way back down to the road

And we are nearly off

Lots of rabbits running free on the site, Crag wasn’t quite sure what to make of them

There’s hardly a cloud in the sky except for these two strange ones

We have now walked all the Langdale fells, so to get us another new one we stopped near Grasmere on the way home. It wasn’t a particularly high one, but it was going to be a steep 400m height gain to the summit.

Grasmere lake begins to come into view behind us

The path is very good, although the ferns are trying to encroach onto it

We come out of the trees, looking down on Grasmere

At last the summit slabs come into view

A bit of a scramble to the summit

The fell in the distance is Pike of Blisco which we were up the day before

Stone Arthur (505m) our 200th Wainwright

For a small fell the view packs a good punch

There is no circular route so we descend back along the same path

It’s been a fab summer so far, long may this glorious weather continue….

Slight Side

2014-07-07T17:55:00.001+01:00

At the weekend Tony, Allan, Brian, Gabby & Roo were camping at Nether Wasdale & invited us to join them. The weather forecast (& indeed the weather) was awful for Friday so we decided to go over on Saturday morning.
The walk they were doing was one we had done before, but there was a fell in Eskdale we still had to climb so we headed to the campsite. Tony & crew hadn’t left when we arrived so we said our hello’s, put the small tent up & then headed off in our different directions for a days walk.
The rain the day before meant the falls on Whillan Beck were very impressive.

It was again about a 10 mile walk & we could see the fell for most of the walk in.

We head to Eel Tarn

Then past Stony Tarn with Harter Fell in the background (the other one to the one we climbed the week before)

The cloud is just catching Sca Fell, we are heading to the fell on the right

It lifts as we get a little closer

It’s one of those fells that don’t seem to get closer as we walk

The path has been quite vague for much of it

The route has been quite gentle until this point, we now have 300m of steep ascent to the summit

Looking back down the scree slope we have climbed

Lots of little tarns below us, giving an idea of how wet it had been underfoot

A bit of a scramble to the summit

Eel Tarn looks a long way away from here

The nearly summit photo, it was a bit blowy on top, Slight Side (748m)

We retrace our steps, Crag manages to find a stick in this barren landscape & wants it thrown for about the next 20 mins

A shortcut, not really too many ferns, a diversion is found

We had a couple of footbridges to survey, you are about a mile from the road here, I guess Tesco don’t make a great profit on this!

Back at the tent, just the small one this time, but a stunning location again

And we have a worn out boy

Great to catch up with Tony & his crew & a good evening was had by all.

Camping at Crook (nr Kendal)

2014-07-07T16:27:00.001+01:00

Last week we went away for the third time this year, this time to a site we have used once before in Crook, near Kendal.

We didn’t have a fell planned for the first day so had a leisurely few hours at the tent before going for a short walk that just happened to pass the pub on the way back.

Another quiet campsite meant Crag could be off the lead & he wore himself out chasing after the ball again

The next day we drove to the hamlet of Kentmere where we would start our walk from. It was 10 mile circular route taking in 3 fells, there is a longer 14 mile route that is a popular horseshoe for fell runners called The Kentmere Round, but we decided just doing half the fells was fine with us.

Our first glimpse of the three fells.

The first section was quite steep up a grassy bank

Before turning to follow a wall

A wall we were to follow all the way along the ridgeline

Our first summit Shipman Knotts (587m)

Just a short drop before we start climbing the second fell. 4 fell ponies, a rare site on the fells

A well worn path leads us to fell number 2.

The trig point is the other side of the wall. There were steps to climb over but we realised that there was a wasps nest in the wall, a sight we had never seen before, deciding not to upset the wasps anymore we stepped away.

Kentmere Pike (730m) from the other side of the wall.

Again a short descent & climb up & we are at our third fell. Harter Fell (778m)

Looking back to Kentmere Pike

Haweswater comes into view

Then a steep descent to Nan Bield Pass. This fell has two quite different sides, gentle slopes on our approach & a rough & ragged descent.

Small Water

Then a short sharp steep descent back down to the valley floor

Down to far less steep path, looking back at the route we descended

Zooming in on a couple of people at the shelter at the top

We still have 6 fells in this area to climb so we are likely to have another couple of trips to this area.

Camping in the Duddon Valley

2014-07-07T14:42:00.001+01:00

Our second camping trip of the year took us to another campsite new to us near Seathwaite, Turner Hall Farm.
We pitched the tent & then drove the short distance to the bottom of The Hardknott Pass with the aim of climbing one fell & then retracing our steps.
The lambs over here look like they are wearing balaclavas!

Looking across to The Hardknott Pass

Sca Fell & Scafell Pike come into view

After a relatively flat start the climb begins, there is no visible path on the ground so it’s just a case of picking our way up through the rocks

Crag as always leads the way “come on you guys I’m up here already”

Looking back down at what we have climbed up

Yet more rocks & no sign of the summit

It’s one of those fells that you have no idea how close you are to the summit until you are a few yards from it. The fell in the background is Dow Crag which we plan to climb tomorrow.

Zooming in you can see the campsite, it was quiet but it’s only our tent you can see

Grey Friar summit (773m)

It’s just a case now of retracing our steps back to the car

In the evening, Andy eating dinner in the sunshine outside the tent

Another beautiful setting for camping

Karen sat outside

A panorama of the site

As the shadows lengthen another camper climbs up on the rock

The next day we are able to walk from the campsite, we can see the summit of the fell we are climbing from the tent & it was indeed in view for most of the walk

We set off up the Walna Scar Road which links the Duddon Valley to Coniston

It is a wide loosely surfaced track

And that is our destination just left of centre in the picture, you can see the Walna Scar Road continuing up to the right & the two lower summits we have to traverse before reaching the true summit.

The road continues on relentlessly up

Looking back down

We reach the top & we turn left to walk along the ridge to the summit

The Old Man Of Coniston & Coniston Water below

Looking along the ridgeline we have walked with Blind Tarn below

On Buck Pike, the second summit, not far now

Looking down Great Gully

And we have reached the summit slabs, Dow Crag (779m)

Grey Friar which we climbed yesterday

Looking back along the ridgeline

We make a circular walk of it by descending the north face to Seathwaite Tarn

Which we soon reach

It was a pretty rough path along the side of it but we eventually make it to the dam

We then follow the easy reservoir track back to the campsite which is visible down in the valley

Another great camping trip, and a great campsite with only a short walk to The Newfield Inn in Seathwaite which we would thoroughly recommend for food & refreshments.
Only 20 Wainwrights left!

We’re Back!

2014-07-03T17:16:00.001+01:00

After a few problems with the blog we are now back in business & have a few posts to catch up on this year.
Three weeks ago we went on our first camping trip of the year to Brothers Water (which is south of Ullswater). It wasn’t a campsite we had stayed on before but the location was ideal as we could walk straight from the campsite both days.
The site was very quiet & Crag enjoyed chasing around after a tennis ball whilst we put the tent up & was quick to take shelter in it once it was up!

No time for sleeping we have two fells to climb in the afternoon.
Looking back towards the campsite, the building you can see is The Brotherswater Inn where we would take refreshment after the walk.

The first fell was up a steep grassy bank, where there was no official right of way but a small track led us most of the way to the summit

Looking down on Brothers Water

Zooming in on the campsite, you can see how quiet it was

We reach the summit ridge & Ullswater is visible in the distance

Looking across to Caudale Moor which was to be our second summit of the day

Our first new Wainwright of 2014 Hartsop Dodd (618m)

We then follow a wall along the ridge line to our second summit

Looking back to Hartsop Dodd

More of Ullswater comes into view

A panorama from the summit

Caudale Moor summit (763m)

We then start our descent from the summit

We spot some deer in the distance

We descend to the now disused Caudale Quarry

Brothers Water again comes into view

Back at the tent & the two fells we have climbed behind it

And the fell we plan to climb the next day

The next day we walk the length of Brothers Water to start our climb

Crag finds a very muddy pool to play in

Looking down on the campsite from the other side of the valley

The two fells we climbed yesterday

The Kirkstone pass (road) climbs it’s way out of the valley

Lots of false summits on this fell

We have never seen graffiti on the fells

And we have made it to the top of Hartsop above How (570m)

We had thought about carrying on the ridgeline to a couple more fells but our legs told us we had not done two days of fell walking for a while so we decided just to descend back down the same route.
More posts to follow in the next few weeks……..

2 Nights Camping Near Ullswater

2013-07-13T14:47:00.001+01:00

As this amazing weather continues we are trying to make the most of it so on Monday we set off again with the tent to try a new campsite to us Park Foot on the eastern shores of Ullswater.

From it’s website we could see it was more of a holiday park than campsite & it’s size and amenities were far superior to any other site we have stayed on.

The site was pretty empty so we had a lot of choice about where we pitched the tent

Crag sensibly shelters in the shadow of the car. What we hadn’t considered in choosing the pitch was the fact we wouldn’t get any shade until sunset.

With the tent up we drove the short distance to Martindale Church

Where we could see the route up our fell for the afternoon

Looking back towards the church as we climb

It’s a short but steep ascent

A panorama of the view

And we have reached the top of Hallin Fell (388m) and are rewarded with some stunning views, this zooming in on a steamer on Ullswater

Looking towards Pooley Bridge & the northern end of the lake

Looking across to Arthur’s Pike which we intend to go up the next day

And to the southern end of the lake where Glenridding is

Zooming in on a boathouse

The obelisk on the summit provides some shade & a perfect lunchspot

We make a circular route of it by heading off the eastern side of the fell

This spring gives Crag a well needed drink & cool off

Back at the campsite & he has a play in Aik Beck

Before we take him for a splash in Ullswater

We join him too!

Looking towards Pooley Bridge

The next morning dawns bright & sunny as forecast. Because of the heat we had got up early & were walking by 8:30. We walked through the campsite to get onto the fells.

A well worn track leads us up the first fell

At last the summit comes into view

Arthurs Pike (530m)

Then a gradual climb up to the next fell

The summit of Bonscale Pike (542m), it’s a bit unclear which is the true summit, this is the highest point on the fell.

Looking down on Hallin Fell which we were on yesterday (it’s all a bit hazy up here)

And towards the third & highest fell of the day

It’s dry up here today but the cotton grass again suggests it gets quite boggy.

We reach the Roman Road High Street (which is a named fell in it’s own right further south of us)

The trig point on the summit comes into view

Loadpot Hill (672m)

This was the planned original finish point but we are here by 11am & feeling fine we carry on along the ridgeline

This is marked as Chy on the OS map but isn’t on the legend it does stand for Chimney & having looked on the internet an old shooting lodge called Lowther House once stood here but all that is left is this bit of chimney

We don’t lose much height between these fells

Wether Hill (670m) & we plan to descend from here to Howtown

Looking back at Loadpot Hill

We start our descent, the fell below is Steel Knotts & we realise it is a small detour to take that in on the way down

There is supposed to be a path here but none is visible so we pick our way down through the grass

We aim for a derelict building which will give us some shade for our lunch

Fusedale Beck gives us all a chance to cool off

The Nab which is the only fell in this area we have yet to climb

The summit of Steel Knotts

The Nab & the valley of Martindale

From above the summit didn’t look like much of a climb, but now we are at the last push it is a bit tougher than we thought

The last push to the summit

Looking back at what we have come across

Steel Knotts (416m)

The summit rock

You can’t see much of Ullswater from here

We start our descent, looking back at the summit

The path on the valley floor which we had originally planned to descend via

Hallin Fell

The road below which we had used yesterday with it’s steep switchbacks

More of Ullswater comes into view

Having extended our walk we decide rather than walk back from Howtown we will catch the steamer to Pooley Bridge which is a much shorter walk back, too bad we have missed this one.

We will have to wait in Howtown Hotel (in the trees below)

The back garden has very little shade except at the top of a steep bank. The last fell of the day with two pints!

Crag is exhausted!

After a delicious pint we make our way to the pier

Where our steamer approaches to take us to Pooley Bridge & we can walk back to the camp site

The next morning at the tent. Crag is so good camping he doesn’t need to be tied up he just likes to keep guard at the tent entrance.

We had a lovely time on an excellent camp site & walked 6 fells in 2 days which was beyond what we had planned (25 to go!)

Our Second Attempt At Ullscarf

2013-07-07T15:46:00.001+01:00

Last Friday we set off to attempt Ullscarf for the second time. It is the only fell to have defeated us previously, we had attempted it a week after Bess died but turned back when the weather looked like it was worsening so thought it was fitting to do it on another anniversary (our 5th wedding).

The route we had used previously was very boggy so we decided to attack it from another angle.

We parked at the car park at Dobgill Bridge & were straight onto the path (Crag was happy as it was a 100% off lead walk for him).

The first section was through the forest where there has been a lot of felling due to diseased Larch trees.

Andy looked enviously at this pile wondering if we could roll it down the hill to the car!

There are some waterfalls on Dob Gill

And we are out of the trees and at Harrop Tarn

Some dodgy boardwalk (we have reported it!)

And out onto the open fell, we are aiming for the rocks in the distance (Standing Crag).

Looking back down at the forest we had come up through

We are forced due to the boggy nature up here to walk in a right angle to Standing Crag.

This fence will take us to the summit. We had followed this man and his dog all the way from the car park but he has turned to head for Watendlath Fell

A couple of people are behind us having come up via the fence

The fence veers off to the right, but the easiest way up looks to be to the left.

Blea Tarn

Now the navigation error, we have got around Standing Crag & had planned to rejoin the fence but it was a bit higher than us & we decided to contour around – MISTAKE

We are distracted by what looks like snow (it can’t be)

The summit is on the horizon (or so we think), so we head for it (over some very undulating ground)

Crag trying to decide if it’s too deep for him (he didn’t risk it)

We reached the summit only to realise we were not on the summit of Ullscarf. This fell seems determined to beat us, but we weren’t going to let it. So with memory map switched on we marched to the correct summit of Ullscarf (726m)

And to prove it (we are at the red circle)

The mist just catching the top of Pillar

The fence that is marked on the map isn’t there but a few of the posts still remain.

A bit hazy but Bassenthwaite Lake & Derwent Water are visible (as is Windermere to the SE)

We descend via the fence line which proves a far shorter & easier route than the one we took up.

Blea Tarn again

Cottongrass only grows on very boggy ground & this whole fell range seems to be boggy.

Apart from our unintentional detour to the summit it was a there & back walk. Here we are at Harrop Tarn again.

And the last steep descent through the forest. There has been work to the path as stones have been laid but it was the first time we had come across a path that felt great going up but rather slippy & adverse cambers to come back down.

Anyway Ullscarf it may have taken us two attempts but we can mark you as done & know it is very unlikely we will walk up you again!

As for our Wainwrights that is the Central Fells done, apart from Castle Crag (which we are saving for last) we now only have Eastern, Far Eastern & Southern Fells to complete & there are 30 of those. This shows the ones we have yet to cross off.

Andy’s Big 60th Birthday Weekend

2013-07-04T16:31:00.001+01:00

I knew Karen was planning a surprise for my 60th. The only thing I was told was that I would get 1 hour to pack. I had already been banned from the spare bedroom and the fridge in the garage (the drinks fridge!!). On Friday afternoon I was given the hours notice, I was then sent to my bedroom and told not to come out for 15 minutes, I still have no clue on what is happening.
We get into the car and head south down the A595, I now guess we are staying somewhere in Cumbria and Karen tells me we are not camping. We head into Eskdale and we pass Boot and there is only 3 places left, one of those is Hollins Farm campsite, we cant be staying there as we are not camping, but we turn in! I then spot Malcolm, one of our walking group and think surely she has not planned a walking weekend, we had had a big walk in the week.

We leave the car and go towards a group of pods and I see our pod, with this great poster Karen had made up. It is at this point everyone pops out of their pods, the video below shows the complete surprise I had and my Stan Laurel impression. What on earth are Bernie, Lesley, Ian, Joyce, Dawn, Linda and Billy doing here, they DO NOT do camping. I think my head turns 360 degrees as I then see Lisa, Stuart, Andy, Cheryl, Julie, Paul, Eireann, Andy, Libby(amazing effort from those 2 as I know it is a 9 hour drive from Pembrokeshire), Malcolm, Dunny, Colin, Gabby and Brian.

It had rained a bit at home that afternoon but it was torrential in Eskdale , the roads going over were partially flooded. Some of the group stayed in tents and had great fun erecting them.

Lesley sheltering from the weather.

Here comes Stanley!

Gobsmacked.

Opening a present, thanks Kevin.

That's how it works.

We adjourn to the pub for dinner and a few drinks, Ian is peckish and had a pudding.

Quite a fashion statement from Lesley.

The banner is hung between the trees, thanks Bernie.

If anyone else mentions Harry Potter they are in trouble.

On Saturday the plan was for everyone to do their own thing. Peter had now turned up having driven up from Manchester this morning. 8 went on La'al Ratty to Ravenglass, 6 walked up Sca Fell, Karen took Crag for a walk with Lisa, Stuart & Katie, the rest of us went to the Woolpack Inn to watch the Lions rugby match, 10.45 in the pub can make it a long day.
The great white hunter makes an entrance, love the socks Bernie.

The banner picture of me I was aged somewhere between 12 and 15 but hey not changed a jot!!

Lisa and Stuart crossing the stepping stones to get to Stanley falls.

Stanley falls.

The pod area.

Crag is happy there is a stream running through the campsite.

That's why they are called squeeze stiles.

Very ladylike.

Cooking on the bbq, thanks Libby and Andy for your help, mind you it was the warmest place to be as the only rain we saw was when we were cooking. After the bbq we adjourned to the pub, again!

Dunny is a bit concerned about the scissors.

Everyone made their way home on Sunday morning and I cant thank them enough, especially Lisa and Stuart who had booked their holiday to the USA and changed it to be there.

My biggest thanks has to be to Karen, you all know how much I LOVE and ADORE her. The effort Karen put into this was amazing and keeping it secret was awesome.
On Monday I was presented in the Robbo with this wonderful cake. It is in the shape of a tent and some happy campers in the tent, thanks guys. It tastes good as well.

Yes that is a bum sticking out.

My birthday presents, boys toys, a 5ton hydraulic wood splitter and saw horse with a chain saw bracket.

On my birthday Karen and I went into Whitehaven for lunch and back to the Robbo for a couple, yes only a couple. We have had a wonderful but very full on few days.

Camping In Glenridding

2013-06-28T13:13:00.001+01:00

On Tuesday as the weather was set to be dry for a few days we packed up the camping gear & headed for one of our favourite camp sites in Glenridding by Ullswater.

The camp site was very quiet so Crag enjoyed chasing around after a ball

Crag also helping Andy blow the airbed up (note the ball left on it)

We went for a little walk to allow Crag to have a splash in Ullswater. Looking up at Arnison Crag which was to be our first fell on Wednesday

And splash he did!

Arnison Crag with Birks (our second) to the right

Wednesday dawned bright with some sun & clouds so we set off for our first fell

We followed this wall until we were just short of the summit. According to the map we are walking up Oxford Crag.

As we climb Ullswater starts to come into view

Nearly there we have left the wall just up the bank and a small scramble to the summit

The summit of Arnison Crag (433m)

Looking across to our next fell Birks

Arnison Crag summit with Ullswater in the background

It’s a day of following walls, this is the wall we will follow almost to the summit of Birks. What was a bit rough was we had a drop down before the steep climb up.

From the bottom it looks even steeper

Looking back at Arnison Crag with Place Fell behind

We slowly make progress up the bank

St. Sunday Crag our third fell starts to come into view.

It’s not much of a summit but we have made it to Birks (622m)

There is only a small drop off Birks before we start on the highest fell of the day St. Sunday Crag.

A clear but steep path takes us to the summit

We can see more of Ullswater from up here

Once on the summit Fairfield is one of many fells you can see

Bowfell (just left of centre) which we were up a few weeks ago & Scafell Pike

A short view of the panorama on the summit. It’s one of the few fells where you feel like you are in the middle of The Lakes as there are fells in all directions

Summit Video

St. Sunday Crag (841m)

We have just started our descent, we are over 800m up & not a tree in sight on the fell, but Crag has found a stick!

We retrace our steps down to the col with Birks, but rather than go over it again we take the lower path to the left.

Ullswater & Glenridding look a long way away.

And we are nearly down, looking back across at Arnison Crag

Again a really enjoyable camping trip & a fell with amazing views, let’s hope we can keep these trips up over the summer.

European Athletics Team Championships

2013-06-23T13:39:00.001+01:00

Yesterday we were treated along with our friends Joyce & Ian to the first day of The European Athletics Team Championships in Gateshead.
We left with enough time to go & visit The Angel of The North

We were in the stadium a few minutes before the action began. We thought we had good tickets & we really did. We were 4 rows up just above the long jump / triple jump pit & this close to the finish line.

Across the stadium to the other stand which overlooked the pole vault.

And to our left the finishing straight

Johnathan Edwards in the BBC mixed area

Colin Jackson in there too

Our female triple jumper Yamile Aldama who finished 4th

Across the stadium to Holly Bleasdale who failed to clear a height & got 0 points for the team.

After about an hour the events on the track started, Dai Greene who finished 2nd in the 400m hurdles.

Jessica Judd who held off the Russian to win the 800m & record the first Team GB & NI win

Laura Weightman who finished 2nd in the 3000m

Then the first Team GB gold medallist Greg Rutherford comes out to warm up for the long jump.

Eilidh Child wins the 400m hurdles

The long jumpers arrange their markers to start their run up

Greg Rutherford being introduced to the crowd. The Russian on the left ultimately won the event with Greg coming 3rd.

Greg walks on gold!

Preparing for his first jump

Then double gold medallist Mo Farah is in action in the 5000m

Mo ran with the pack until the last lap which he sprinted off & recorded a 50.89 last lap! Needless to say all the crowd were on their feet.

Mo did a lap of honour

The leaderboard before the final event which was the mens 4x100m which Team GB won to cap off an amazing afternoon of athletics. As they have to cram everything into 2 days you are really treated to an array of entertainment as there was high jump, javalin, shot & hammer along with many other track events all in 4.5 hours. We will definitely go again to another athletics meet in Gateshead.

We also now appreciate how lucky we were with the weather, this picture was taken from the BBC's coverage today!

2 Nights Camping At Langdale

2013-06-09T17:06:00.001+01:00

Last week as the weather was forecast to be so good we decided to head over to Langdale for a couple of nights camping. The first day we took it easy & just had a stroll along the valley bottom.

The sun set over The Langdale Pikes

The next morning we awoke to almost clear blue skies

We set off to climb Bowfell, which is the fell to the right

The Langdale Pikes again

Very strange two deer grazing with the sheep here

Our route takes us over this “lump” called The Band

Looking down on Langdale

Fix The Fells have been busy with the paths here

A patch of snow still exists up here

We continue on & up

Even higher up the paths are excellent

We have reached the end of The Band & turn right to climb the final 180m

The plateau is named as Three Tarns

The path seems to have disappeared & it is an unpleasant ascent over this boulder field to the summit

Looking across to Crinkle Crags

We finally can see the summit

This is marked on the map as The Great Slab

The summit is on top of these rocks

Once on the summit we get our first views of Eskdale

Sca Fell & Scafell Pike

The campsite is in amongst the trees

Morecambe Bay is hazy in the distance

Crag rests in the shade of one of the boulders

Bowfell (902m) it’s the 6th highest Lakeland Fell & the highest one we had yet to climb

The next fell is a mile away (Esk Pike)

There was only about 100m of ascent between these two

Esk Pike (885m)

It was initially a very steep descent from Esk Pike to Esk Hause

But then it levelled off and you could see many paths meeting at Esk Hause

Looking back at what we had come down

The Langdale Pikes in the distance

At Esk Hause we turned and headed back towards Langdale

Bowfell & Esk Pike

One last peak on the way down, Rossett Pike in the middle of this picture, it doesn’t look like much of a climb

Until we reach Angle Tarn where we realise the path climbs up quite steeply

Now Rossett Pike did require a little more effort

Looking back down on Angle Tarn from the summit

A bit blurred but Rossett Pike (606m)

Looking over the edge and down onto our path out

Langdale looks a long way below

Looking back up

After a steep route down we are back in the valley

It was a long (7 hour) walk but the views were excellent. Let’s hope this weather keeps up and we can get some more new fells in over the summer (35 Wainwrights to go!)