The Coniston Range in a Proper Winter (Jan 2009)

January 2009 in the Lakes was good practice for a forthcoming trip to Scotland in February – the place was wick wi’ deep snow and pretty hard and icy. That was South Lakes anyway – I could see Skiddaw and the Dodds Ridge just past Helvellyn and they didn’t have any! Glad I took my ice axe and crampons…

White Connies

Yewbarrow – the Mighty or Terrible

Yewbarrow has to be the most challenging mountain in Lakeland and, depending on your level of confidence, or even how you’re feeling that day, can be either mighty or terrible – I’ve had one day of each! For a little ‘un (just over 2000 feet) it’s a toughie!

The Mighty Yewbarrow! (taken from Illgill Head on a different day)

Hellgill,Climbers Traverse,Wavering on the Crinkly Bad Step

(pics taken on other days) July 2010 – midge season in Scotland!

At last Richard and I could have a relaxing break in the Lakes after all the monthly Munroing we’d been doing – some of which I’d found a bit tense!

We started the week at Broughton-in-Furness before moving on to Wasdale. Most of the walking was so relaxing there was nothing particular to write about (I’m definitely not complaining about that!) so I’m going to just write about the one day of any significance, which was the day we headed for Bowfell from Langdale.

Dunnerdale Fells – and how to Make a Drama of Them!

Nov 2010

Richard and I have just had a week’s walking back in our beloved Lake District, starting off at Broughton-in-the-Furnace (as we call it, although it was anything but warm!) The night we arrived I said that, as there was no snow, I wanted to do the Dunnerdale Fells of Stickle Pike, Tarn Hill and Great Stickle as they look gorgeous in autumnal colours and I wanted some nice pics. I was pretty miffed to wake up and find it had been snowing!

Steel Edge, Wetherlam

There is one route onto Wetherlam which Wainwright, to much comment in the various walking forums and magazines, doesn’t appear to have done! This is Steel Edge…

Steel Edge can be found if you go up Tilberthwaite Gill and Wetherlam comes into view – Wetherlam Edge is the right-hand edge and Steel Edge is the ridge going up to the left of the coombe. A great round is to go up Steel Edge and descend Wetherlam Edge – a short and fairly scrambly route. Richard and I decided to do this route one visit to South Lakeland.

Hell Gully! Dow Crag

Another archival report from my ex-forum…

 

Being a follower of Wainwright and his fantastic guides, I used to think that pretty much if he said something was fine, it was fine for me too… Now I’m much more careful and selective!

I was just watching some poor guy being helped up this route in total terror yesterday so I thought it might be a good one to write up, although I don’t have many photos and certainly none on the route!

Piers Gill Route

After looking at Piers Gill from many angles and on many walks, I finally decided it was time to give it a go. This is the gill that a guy spent about a month in the bed of the gill with a broken leg, virtually no water (it was a dry summer like wot we used to get)and a bar of chocolate after he fell into it (think he fell around 100ft or so). Probably not a happy chappie by the time they got him out! It does have a bit of a reputation but is a most dramatic piece of scenery!

Tales From the Nuthouse

My original, first post ever (from my old forum) – just to show what I can be like on non-cowardly days!  And my Mum is just as daft!:-)

I originally wrote this for our University Walking club mag but it got banned as advertising bad practice! The title also got banned as being politically incorrect/offensive – it was meant to be funny! I’ll submit it ‘as is’… some of the photos were taken with an old ’70s Kodak Instamatic so not best quality…

Tales From The Nuthouse…