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Hi everyone,

MCM Outdoor Show is now on Facebook, please:

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And check us out.

Our YouTube channel is growing each day so be sure to keep up to date with our latest videos, just search for "MCM Outdoor Show" and look for our logo.

We're heading out again in a few days so there will be another video up very soon!

We had a dabble at Bushcraft type camping last week, the video is live on our YouTube channel so be sure to check it out.

As always, thanks for reading!

See you on the hills.

Haystacks from Buttermere

Hello again,

With legs not fully recovered from the away day, it was time for another trip to the Lake District. This time I was going with my long term best friend and walking partner, Michael (aka Walshy).

I am keen to keep the videos to our new YouTube channel updated regularly, so took along the GoPro with plenty of spare batteries.

Alarm waking me up at a relatively normal 06:20, a quick coffee and Michael had arrived. The car was loaded and we were soon heading up the now familiar M6 North towards our favourite place. I had decided to go to Buttermere as it has been some time since we last visited. Unfortunately with the A591 STILL being closed at Thirlmere, we had no option but to go the long way round and head up to Keswick remaining on the M6. This adds over half an hour however it was such a nice day with views over to the Howgill fells and beyond that we didn't mind. I hope the road gets fixed soon for the sake of the local residents and their businesses.

We arrived at Keswick and parked in the large Booths car park - I wasted £2 in the meter (my own fault for not reading the sign) for a parking ticket which wasn't required until 10:00.

We like to stop for breakfast and found a lovely cafe open on Main Street called "Laura in the Lakes". The food looked amazing and the place was already very busy with fellow walkers and mountain bikers.

I had a full english whilst Michael played it safe and went with marmalade on toast. Breakfast was quickly finished and we were back on the road heading through Borrowdale towards Buttermere. The road took us over the Honister Pass and we were soon descending into picture perfect Buttermere.

We arrived at Syke Farm camp site and picked a nice spot to pitch next to the stream. The tent we were using was the Vango Equinox 250, an old version over 10 years old and still going strong.

Our pitch

We got the air mattresses and sleeping bags in and were soon walking to the lake shore of Buttermere.

Buttermere

Our route followed the east shore of Buttermere and then up to Scarth Gap, a col along the High Stile ridge.

Scarth Gap selfie

The wind was beginning to pick up which didn't help Michael as he had forgotten his gloves. After an interesting scramble up the final section of Haystacks, we arrived at the summit cairn. Being Good Friday, I was quite surprised that the mountain was so quiet. We dropped down to Innominate Tarn and ate our lunch.

As is customary, we had each brought a bottle of real ale to be enjoyed on the summit. I chose a Hawkshead Brewery "Red" whilst Michael had a "Summer Lightning". We drank our beer whilst watching over Innominate Tarn which is of course Wainwright's final resting place.

It was too cold to stay for long, so we followed the path and began our descent along the flanks of Fleetwith Pike.

As we reached valley level once more, the wind was now gusting very strongly; easily 40/50 mph. Our concerns turned from cold hands to whether our tent would still be standing. A nice little surprise was a small ice cream kiosk which was selling Lakeland Ice Cream near the south shore of the lake. We couldn't pass by without buying one each.

We followed the same path back to the camp site and were relieved to see the Equinox 250 had held its ground. We had intended to grab a post walk pint at the Bridge however time was pressing on and we needed the light for our barbecue.

Our trusty Weber "Smokey Joe" was lit and soon we were full with Aberdeen Angus beef burgers and nice pork sausages. We had a few small beers and retired to the porch of the tent to share a bottle of red wine. The wind was still picking up so we fastened all the TBS (tension band system) cords within the tent. These provide increased lateral rigidity in the event of strong winds in which tunnel tents can sometimes suffer.

As it began to get dark, a man arrived with three young children who were absolutely terrified. They began to set up the tent in the dark and strong winds, refusing any assistance. The tent they were using was really tall so they struggled in the cold and dark for a good hour before finally getting it pegged down. Probably not the best experience for the kids but character building nonetheless.

Wine exhausted, we walked over to the Fish Hotel for a few pints. I tried some "King Star" lager from Wychwood which was a first for me. A lovely beer which was similar to a pilsner in my view. After our pints were finished, we headed over to the Bridge Inn and I had a "Whistling Pig Pilsner" by Tractor Shed brewery which was very nice.

As usual, Michael was on the verge of falling asleep so we walked back to the tent and turned in for the night. My sleep can only be described as awful. The wind made it impossible to fall asleep and when I finally did, I was woken by the sound of our neighbours in the tall tent having an emergency peg hammering session at 3am........ We awoke to the sound of heavy rain on the flysheet. I unzipped the door to a scene of devastation; our neighbours tent was completely collapsed at one end. The fly material on our tent had leaked and our gear and clothing was soaking. We had brought some bacon to cook however spirits dampened, decided to pack up and head for home.

We popped into Syke Farm cafe for a lovely home cooked "Silver" english breakfast with a home made potato cake - the staff were great and we received £1 off for staying at their camp site.

Another brilliant trip with lots of good memories.

I have uploaded a full HD video of this one, so please check it out on our YouTube channel, the "MCM Outdoor Show" - the link is below, see you on the next trip.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qw6R2eqzG74

Pavey Ark via North Rake

Pavey Ark via North Rake - work away day, 21st March 2016

Hello all.

Stress levels are rising in work and as a manager, my job is to help alleviate some of that ! I was tasked with organising an 'away day' and being a fan of the great outdoors, the Lake District was the natural choice.

Many of the staff within our department have never been walking in the mountains before, so I made sure everyone knew which kit was required. I chose Pavey Ark because the route of Stickly Ghyll is relatively easy and well maintained and Stickle Tarn would be useful as a stop off location for those that did not wish to climb to the summit.

I hired some minibuses and we set off early, arriving in Great Langdale at around 10:30. A quick kit check and some photos and we set off up the path which follows Stickle Ghyll.

The Team

Some of the group were a little surprised at the gradient, however everyone pulled together and kept each other going. Great teamwork.

We took regular breaks to take on water and allow the less fit (including me) to catch their breath. 

Soon, we reached the plateau of Stickle Tarn. We had lunch and took the opportunity to take in the excellent views and amazing scenery.

After explaining what the rest of the route would entail, I was pleased that everybody made the decision to continue to the top. 

The route up North Rake is not technically difficult, but is fairly steep and an unrelenting slog to the summit. We soon reached some snow which managed to distract some people into throwing snowballs down at the rest of our group.

Team 3 (the best)

After another final push, we reached the summit of Pavey Ark and were rewarded with great views across to the West Coast.

Selfie

The temperature was really starting to drop and this was being made worse by the wind which had picked up quite a bit.

I led the group back down the North Rake and we were soon back in the relative warmth alongside Stickle Ghyll. 

The minibuses were very quiet on the way back......... Lots of people nodding off. A great day out which I hope was enjoyed by all who took part. Everyone did really well and this was a great team building exercise. I think I've made a few 'Lake District' fell walking converts now too.

Don't forget, we've been on YouTube for a few months now so please check out or channel and subscribe !

See you on the next trip.

CHECK OUT OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCYJfXnGA5l9KtKxG7kXv1Q

Langdale Winter Warmer

Langdale Winter Warmer, 16th January 2016

Hello all,

It was time to head out and blow off the post Christmas cobwebs. Michael and I had been planning on visiting Wasdale, however the weather had taken a turn for the worse with heavy snow forecast and we were concerned that the roads would be impassable.

I was in work the night before, so the alarm clock signalled a dreary start which was soon rectified with a strong cup of coffee. I had chosen the Mountain Hardwear Trango 2 tent, which I knew would shrug off anything that a British Winter could throw at it. Our backup plan was to travel to Great Langdale and camp at the National Trust site.

I arrived at Michael's house and was soon expressing my disbelief as an Everest expedition-like array of bags and boxes was loaded into my brand new car. Michael, as always was erring on the side of caution should we have to face an end of world scenario. Our journey up the M6 was quick and painless, with the car temperature gauge hovering around zero - a good sign.

As we approached Morecambe, we were greeted with an almost Alpine array of peaks on the horizon, covered in snow. After a minor road rage incident whereby another driver decided to gesticulate to me because his vehicle was slower than mine, we were parking up in Ambleside. We paid a visit to the Apple Pie bakery which, rather disappointingly didn't open until 09:00. This delayed our start so we walked around and looked in the closed shop windows at the extravagantly priced outdoor clothing and equipment.

I paid for an English breakfast which aren't the best in this particular establishment. Michael played it safe and had toast with jam. I wanted to purchase a Cornish Pasty for my lunch, however they were not ready, not exactly the best business sense here then. This cafe although clean and pleasant enough, probably thrives on its location alone.

We were soon back on the road and driving up the valley of Great Langdale. The scenery was absolutely stunning; trees seemed to be in high definition and the majestic peaks were covered in a fresh white blanket of snow. We arrived at our campsite, paid our fees and set up the tent.

Soon, we were walking along the Cumbria Way, past the Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel and loosely following Mickleden Beck towards our target, Rossett Pike. I cannot emphasise enough how spectacular the scenery was. We were so lucky to have picked such a great day to enjoy full Winter conditions such as this.

Looking towards Bowfell, walking the Cumbria Way

The weather started out fine and sunny, however a band of snow moved in from the west and soon, the spectacular views were replaced by near whiteout conditions. We stopped about 3/4 of the way up Rossett Pike and ate our lunch. The temperature at this point was -7.4 which was perfect to enjoy a bottle of Wold Top 'Anglers Reward'.

Ski goggles had been donned by this point as the glare was starting to bring on a headache. We decided to retreat back down the valley to the Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel.

Post walk pint at the 'ODG'

The pub was very busy but the fire was roaring. Walkers jealously guarded their seats and positions by the fire as damp clothing dried out. It was almost like a sauna inside. After a couple of pints, we walked back to the tent to find it completely buried in the snow. We cleared some off to relieve some of the weight and then, to many strange looks, fired up the barbecue. This is the first time we have cooked on a barbecue in the snow which was falling heavily. We cooked by the light of our head torches, sausages and burgers. Michael had purchased some Birch logs and after we had eaten, these were soon ablaze and providing some much needed warmth.

The New Dungeon Ghyll was calling and after a bracing walk in the ever increasing snow, we were soon inside eating sticky toffee pudding and drinking a nice bottle of Merlot. We met some fellow walkers and 'YouTubers' - Julie Liddle and Graham of Wild Camp UK - two really nice people who share in our love of the great outdoors (see links to their channels below). It was soon time to head back to the tents with a whiskey inside us for the road.

By the time we arrived back, the tent was literally covered in a thick blanket of snow. A second clearing of snow was required, followed by a frantic scrabble to get into our sleeping bags. Once again, my sleep was in fits and starts. This has been the case for a few years now due to severe lower back pain whenever I sleep in a tent / on an air mattress. If anyone can suggest a cure for this, I would be eternally grateful.

We were awoken by the morning light and the muffled sounds of other campers. The scene outside the tent was amazing, a fresh Winter wonderland. We broke camp and fired up the stoves. The MSR Reactor performed well, although the Campingaz stove was woeful meaning our bacon was wasted - not however for a cheeky Robin who paid a visit and filled himself up.

Tent and equipment packed away, we stopped at Brambles Cafe in Chapel Stile. This place is a hidden gem and we had never been before. The cafe is upstairs and has wonderful views across the surrounding fells. We both ordered a full English breakfast which was very reasonable and much nicer than that of the Apple Pie bakery. We will be back and would recommend it to anyone.

Unfortunately, our trip had come to an end and soon we were travelling back down the M6, heading for home.

It was a shame we didn't make it to Wasdale, however it was the right decision as we would have no doubt been trapped by the snow. We are planning on heading up to climb Scafell in March, so please stay tuned. Thank you for reading and see the links below - please view our video which we hope does some justice to the amazing scenery. Please subscribe to our YouTube channel - we appreciate all views and respond to all comments.

See you on the next trip

Below is the link to our video "Langdale Winter Warmer" - take a look !

https://youtu.be/TCBgSgvQAtw

Trango 2 by Mountain Hardwear

Julie Liddle: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0nibgKgk_P_avxW877k_0g

Wild Camp UK: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGo517LsDw2_Fm6EroF_Gpw

Oktobercamp 2015

Hello everyone,

Our blog has sadly been neglected of late, this is mainly due to the purchase of the GoPro Hero 4 Silver. We have started a YouTube channel, the "MCM Outdoor Show" and most of our 'adventures' now take the form of videos.

Our annual 'Oktobercamp' had arrived again and on 29th October, Matthew and I set off for the beautiful Lake District. Our destination is set in stone, Brotherswater and Sykeside Caravan & Camping Park at the foot of the Kirkstone Pass.

Initially, the weather was awful with heavy rain persisting throughout the morning. I had brought the Vango Tempest 200 which has served me well over the years. Matthew had brought along a Vango Soul 300 and once set up, looked like a veritable hotel in comparison to my tent. Matthew had also brought along a small camp bed which made for a great nights sleep.

We sat and drank some Wychwood 'Pumpking' seasonal beer, discussed life and reviewed some camping equipment which we had recently purchased.

The scenery was as always, amazing with deep autumnal hues providing an optical banquet of colour. The weather started to improve and we set up our hammocks in a small copse on the higher ground of the camp site. After lazing around for an hour or so, I drove up to the summit of the Kirkstone Pass and we paid a visit to my favourite Lake District pub, the Kirkstone Pass Inn.

Unfortunately, Matthew was overcome by a sudden bout of illness and vomiting and our drinking session was cut short.

Back at base, Matthew retreated to his tent to recover while I took in the views and relaxed. After a couple of hours, Matthew made a good recovery and we headed to the Sykeside Inn for a customary pint of Hobgoblin; the beer had sold out ! After choosing and drinking our alternatives, we made our way back to the tents and heated up a chilli and some rice, saving ourselves the cost of a pub meal. This was washed down with a nice bottle of red wine whilst we exchanged tales of work woes and life.

It was soon time to retire. I decided to heat up a final meal, a Wayfarers 'Beans & Sausages' which was quick and convenient.

I had a reasonable nights sleep, however woke on a few occasions due to my usual sore lower back.

The next morning, the rain had returned and after a quick breakfast under the tarp, we said our goodbyes and set off for home.

This was another great 'Oktobercamp', a tradition which we will continue as long as we are able.

Here is the link to the video, please take a look and if you like our channel subscribe - it means a lot to us.

https://youtu.be/TCBgSgvQAtw

Jack's Rake - 12th September 2015

I've been writing this blog for a few years now. Thank you to those that take the time to read the posts. I felt it was time to embrace some new technology and therefore invested in a GoPro Hero 4 Silver.

I'd spent quite a bit of time researching the various options and decided the Black Edition was too much for my needs, the battery life seemed poor also.

Purchase complete, it was time to get out and test the new kit - we decided on a scramble up Jack's Rake on Pavey Ark.

We've done this route twice before, however this time was the most testing. We set off early on the Saturday morning, it was Michael's time to drive. First stop was the Apple Pie bakery in Ambleside. We got there early and I ordered a full English breakfast; the right start to the day.

After breakfast, we began the drive into Great Langdale. The weather was awful, with very heavy and persistent rain. We decided to stay at the National Trust camp site. We have stayed here on many occasions. It can be very busy during the Summer months. Upon arrival we booked in and paid our fees. There was a folk festival on at the Old Dungeon Ghyll hotel so the site was busy.

Pitching in the rain was unpleasant - getting soaked before even setting off on the walk. We had taken the Vango Equinox 250, an old model which has served us well over the years. The integrated ground sheet proved useful in the wet weather. Tent pitched, it wasn't worth getting our kit inside as the weather was forecast to improve later on in the day.

We set off in the rain, camera rolling. The rivers and streams had been transformed into raging torrents due to the surface run off. Stickle Ghyll was now an impressive and powerful force, with Ghyll Scramblers having to cancel their planned activities. The cloud base was low and visibility poor. I filmed throughout the ascent and our usual path was impassable in places meaning that ad-lib scrambling was necessary to follow the route. As we reached the level of Stickle Tarn, Pavey Ark was obscured by the cloud. We were the wrong side of Stickle Ghyll due to the water level so had to traverse the Tarn in an anti-clockwise direction.

As we reached the foot of Pavey Ark, the imposing Jack's Rake could be made out; winding its way into the murk. With the rain and thick cloud, the normally agreeable scramble seemed both imposing and intimidating. I had bought a Cornish Pasty from the bakery and this was still warm, so we ate our lunch at the foot of the Rake.

We began the scramble, taking care over the wet and greasy rock. Streams of water flowed down the route and made progress genuinely treacherous in places. I felt a lot more exposed than on previous occasions. As we got higher, the wind picked up. Fuelled by adrenaline, we slowly picked our way up the face of Pavey Ark and after a good half hour of careful foot and hand placement, we were on the top.

Visibility was down to a couple of feet so we found somewhere out of the wind and cracked open a bottle of 'Old Peculiar' each. After a relaxing beer and some more filming, we began to descend via Easy Gully. As soon as we were out of 'danger' the cloud lifted and the weather improved. As we reached Stickle Tarn, the sun was shining and the stark, black face of Pavey Ark stood out against the blue sky.

An easy descent back into Great Langdale brought us back to the Stickle Barn Tavern. We had a few pints outside and it was fairly busy due to a marathon which had taken place earlier on. Beers drank, we headed back to the camp site and prepared for our tea. We had brought the Weber Smokey Joe barbecue and some burgers and sausages. With perfect timing, the heavens opened midway through cooking requiring some frantic and comedic adjustments.

Full with hot barbecued meat, we filmed an introduction to our new YouTube channel, the "MCM Outdoor Show" and then headed off to the Old Dungeon Ghyll hotel. The walkers bar was rammed as the folk festival was in full swing. A few pints downed and then a walk across the valley to the New Dungeon Ghyll. We must be getting old, as the live music here was too loud to be able to speak so we escaped back to the Stickle Barn Tavern and wasted £20 on the most appalling bottle of red wine I have ever tasted.

Wine finished, we headed back to the tent for some much needed sleep. The next morning, the weather was dry and sunny. I have recently purchased a Campingaz Bistro single burner stove, so we had brought along some bacon to fry for breakfast. This went down well with a nice coffee and soon we were packing up the tent and all of our gear.

This was another great trip to add to the list. Jack's Rake is a serious Grade 1 scramble and on this occasion, earned further respect as it took on a whole new guise in the wet. Take care when ascending, be prepared and know what it will entail.

Please take a look at our YouTube channel and stay tuned !

Thanks for reading.

Pavey Ark in the background

Jack's Rake - Full HD

Hello all, our new YouTube channel is now officially up and running; "MCM Outdoor Show".

We've just spent the weekend in Great Langdale climbing Pavey Ark via Jack's Rake.

The new GoPro Hero 4 Silver has had a full work out!

See the video here:

https://youtu.be/9k-ByuLOrlg

Please subscribe if you like it!

Full blog post to follow!

The MCM Outdoor Team