I’d been eyeing up the top (exciting) parts of this gill for ages during my ascents and descents from various parts of the Newlands Round. Last year I finally got around to having an explore – I’d waited for a dry spell but it didn’t help with some of the waterfalls!
On many walks last summer, I was doing an exploration of Hope Beck and the round of hills above centring around Hopegill Head. There was one completely awful route where I tried to follow a rake onto the ridge before Ladyside Pike which was visible from across the valley but, once underfoot, ended up disappearing into thick heather in which I had to flog my way steeply uphill. The routes I took up the gill, however, were good… Read the rest of this entry »
Sat 22 Aug & Sun 20 Sep 20
I’ve always subscribed to the view that the Northern Fells (‘back o’ Skidda’) are completely safe and non-scary and with no drama or excitement whatsoever. So, with perfect confidence, I set off to tackle one of the gills which looked interesting – it had a spectacular waterfall near the start but I was sure I could get up it… Read the rest of this entry »
Wed 9 September 2020
Another gill I’d been eyeing up for quite some time – Brandy Gill which rises from Carrock Mines and goes between Carrock Fell & High Pike. This is how NOT to do it! Read the rest of this entry »
Over the winter…
Sometime over the winter (possibly January), I agreed to meet up with my friend and fellow blogger Simon for a walk in the Howgills. I was fairly insistent that I particularly wanted to go up a mountain I’d been eyeing from the M6 each time I’d driven past as it had inviting-looking ridges up the front. The map said it was called Fell Head… Read the rest of this entry »
Mon 15 July 2019
My last walk to Wandhope was up the unremittingly steep Third Gill Ridge. While I was slogging my way up it, I was pretty fascinated by the gill down on my left – Third Gill itself. It looked really interesting and, lately, I’ve been very interested in exploring gills. Despite being my only day off of the week and feeling pretty tired (I’m currently working full and part-time), I decided the weather was too good and I must give it a go – I could always struggle slowly up it… Read the rest of this entry »
Sat 22 June 2019
After having an interview for my new job in Keswick in the afternoon, I planned to go down Newlands – I’d been on the fells a few weeks before and I’d seen a gill… Read the rest of this entry »
The Adventures of a Mountain Coward 