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

Helvellyn - White Stones route

I thought it was time the cobwebs were blown from this blog and my walking boots ! I've had a busy time over the past year or so and had little chance to update with some of the walks that I've enjoyed.

At this time of year, I like to use my Vango Equinox 350 due the increased room & porch space, however the pole set was damaged beyond repair during pitching at Rydal Hall at the Grasmere Guzzler 2013 beer festival. Yes it really has been a while since I've managed to find the time to write here. During the above incident, we were left with zero site options at Rydal Hall and forced to attempt to pitch the tent in a very exposed spot. The wind was very bad (more wind theme to follow later on) which resulted in a powerful gust taking the tent into the air with me holding onto it (no exaggeration) - the landing was far from perfect and resulted in a near 90 degree bend in one of the main poles - £250 tent ruined. I need to buy a new pole set online.

Back to the main subject - I had decided to visit a new camp site in my quest to experience the many which the Lake District has to offer. A quick check of the map narrowed our requirements to be a good base for the ascent of Helvellyn from Thirlmere side.

Thirlspot Farm looked to be the obvious choice. I had seen this site on many occasions whilst driving to Keswick and the location seemed perfect. I rang the site office to book, however no answer and message left - no return call from them meant some uncertainty on arrival day. Due to the newer Equinox being out of action, the tent of choice reverted to...... the old Equinox 250 made by Vango. This is a spacious tunnel tent, with the patented TBS (tension band system) offering increased rigidity in the event of bad weather. The forecast was very good.

As Michael and I headed up the M6, the weather became increasingly grey and cloudy - the trees were being swayed by an unexpected and strong wind. The foreceast was painfully incorrect which is nothing new in the UK. As we headed up the A591 into Windermere, low level clouds scudded across the foot hills with ferocious speed in an ominous indication of what was to come. We arrived at Ambleside with time to spare so decided to get some breakfast at the Apple Pie bakery. The place was packed with the usual array of 'tourists', myself included - however the usual 'new shiny gear never been on a mountain' crowd were also present in their droves. Breakfast comprised of a good old sausage butty and a cup of filter coffee. This was finished in no time at all and I decided to purchase a practical vanilla slice to squash into my daysack for a summit treat.

Back to the car and we continued along the A591 past Grasmere and were soon at our campsite, Thirlspot Farm.

Thirlspot Farm, nestled directly off the A591 

We followed directions for new arrivals to attend at the site reception, a quick stroll around to the rear of the farm yard revealed a door with prices displayed on it. The door was ajar and naturally, assuming it to be the office, Michael began to walk in before being confronted by an angry looking male proprietor who literally barged him back outside...... Off to a good start then. No hello, welcome or the usual niceties one expects from camp site owners, just the price of £15 barked at us and cash hurriedly taken and door closed. Maybe he was having a bad day or maybe he was in the process of cutting up a body and didn't want us to see. All I can say is, first impressions count.

Toilet block was very basic but clean and contained all that was required. Hot taps worked and showers functioned okay. Anybody who enjoys the more 'luxurious' camp sites would not feel at home here, basic is the word but that does not bother us. We're here to walk, drink beer and eat food, not review the facilities.

The pitching area was a lengthy strip of grass to which cars could also park. There were few other people around and the wind was really picking up. We used the car as a makeshift windbreak and soon the tent was pitched and guyed out securely.

Vango Equinox 250 - 14 years old !

Apart from a few small spots of mildew on the flysheet, the tent is still in perfect condition. We used the TBS or Tension Band System to add some lateral rigidity in the wind. Tunnel tents such as this can sometimes suffer in the wind and the TBS counteracts this well.

Once the tent was pitched and sleep mats inflated and positioned, it was time to set off to ascend Helvellyn. We have climbed this epic mountain on many occasions, however it has always been from the more traditional Ullswater side and Striding Edge. Having done some research in Wainwrights guides, the White Stones route appeared to be of interest, promising to provide fine views across Thirlmere and out towards Keswick, Skiddaw & Blencathra.

Wainwright stated that the White Stones route was little used now and this too provided appeal in what we thought would be a 'quieter' way up. The route ascended immediately from Thirlspot Farm, rising steeply up Brown How. I've let my fitness slip over the last few months so the narrowly spaced contour lines provided a much needed shock to the system. The path was not visible, grass having covered the trail well over the years. I picked out the way from the OS map and using my Satmap GPS system. The terrain was grassy and very damp underfoot. The wind became increasingly stronger as we ascended and then began a southern traverse along 'White Stones' towards the giant marker that was Browncove Crags.

On White Stones route, Browncove Crags rising into low cloud base

As we neared Browncove, it was easy to make out the 'zig-zag' path from The Swirls. This is a popular route up Helvellyn with the exertion of the rapid ascent off set by the layout of the path. It was clear however that many people were turning back approximately 3/4 of the way up the Crags. Unbeknown to us at the time, this was due to the wind which we would soon be experiencing for ourselves.

Looking towards Keswick. The massif of Skiddaw & Blencathra in the distance. The distinctive lines of Sharp Edge can also be seen.

A rather grey view out to Thirlmere

We soon joined the path which led directly up Browncove Crags. All seemed well until the point at which we had seen other people turn around. The wind hit us like a brick wall. It had been windy from the start, however the speed at this level was simply unbelievable. I would estimate a constant 50 mph plus with gusts up to 70 mph easily. On many occasions I was blown off balance onto my hands and knees. From a safety perspective, I was quite happy that our route was well away from any exposed edges or drops so in that respect, I made the decision to continue on. The wind chill was now quite severe and causing a constant drain on our will to continue upwards. Clothing was wrapped tight and any loose straps biting as a stinging reminder to fasten everything down. Michael had forgotten to pack his gloves, a ridiculous error on his part leading to a hands in pockets ascent for him.

The rest of the ascent was frankly horrendous but very good fun. The path rose steadily into higher wind speed bands and wound up to the barren summit plateau of Helvellyn. A few foolhardy individuals dared to edge closer to the sheer cliff face, which literally made me flinch to watch them. I could hear the phone call to Mountain Rescue....... Below is one of the videos which I managed to take on the way up; in no way does it come close to accurately portraying the strength of the wind - sorry about the mic noise !

At the summit shelter, we had the ridiculous idea of trying to cook a hot meal on our Jetboil stoves. Due to the wind, I could not get mine to stay lit - the flame simply could not cope. Spirits dampened, I suddenly remembered about my vanilla slice from the bakery - everything seemed okay for a few minutes despite various odd glances from other walkers at the squashed cake I was trying to eat in the 70 mph wind. It was simply too cold to stay at the summit for longer than a few minutes, the views weren't great due to the cloud.

As such, we headed back down the way we had came. The wind was becoming stronger and I decided on a slight detour to The Swirls to lose height as quickly as possible. On our way down, we passed many people ascending in jeans & t-shirts and trainers, no gloves, no coats, no hats, no rucksacks and clearly no idea of how the conditions up there could place them in a very dangerous situation very quickly. Many of whom passed us we watched turn around as they entered the strong wind bands on Browncove Crags. I'm certainly nobody to judge what other people can and cannot do, however it seemed outright madness to ascend in casual summer clothes and my thoughts were with those who would inevitably be summoned to rescue these people.

Once we reached the shelter of The Swirls, it began to rain heavily. The British summer showing what it can do again. I had bought some meat for a BBQ from a local farm shop and this weather was putting our tea plans in serious jeopardy. 

We arrived back at the tent and sheltered in the cavernous awning of the Equinox 250. It was freezing cold and wet - the Jetboil came to the rescue and soon produced steaming hot mugs of coffee & hot chocolate to lift the spirits. 

In a touch of luck, the heavens cleared and the grey cloud and rain lifted. The wind had also died down however not  before claiming a victim at our campsite:

Destroyed by the strong winds from earlier

Knowing the occupants were away, we tried to help them out by resurrecting the tent from the fabric dead, however the main pole had snapped so all we could do was tip out some of the rain water which had flooded the inside. 

It was approaching 18:00 by this time and not knowing how long the rain would stay off, it was time to light the BBQ - the Weber Smokey Joe:

Weber, Smokey Joe

This great little portable barbecue has served us well for over 5 years and was picked up for a respectable £40 on Amazon ! I've seen the same model for sale now for £79.99 so we picked up a bargain. Soon enough, the coals were white and getting to work cooking the sausages and burgers from a local farm shop. Ice cold beers were also deployed:

Me & one of many beers 

After tea, we headed next door (literally) to the King's Head inn. Unfortunately, the atmosphere of the place wasn't to my taste. It was certainly not a typical 'Lake District' pub - more of a modern bar style take with prices to match - £3.80 for a pint of Jennings Sneck Lifter !!

Expensive beer

The staff were pleasant and although we didn't eat a proper meal here, the place was very busy. The place just had no character or atmosphere, which is disappointing as the exterior is befitting of a classic Lakeland pub. After sampling some Cocker Hoop and Lefty Blonde, we were both hungry so ordered a cheese board. 

Cheese board

This was advertised as local cheese, however contained Brie, Red Leicester and Blue......... it also came with 4 crackers hence the extra plate which cost £1. However all this was irrelevant once we had ordered a few glasses of a lovely Rioja to wash the cheese down with. 

It was soon time to head back to the tents and get to sleep. The road noise from the A591 which was literally adjacent to the camp site had now died down, with very few cars still on the road. The pleasant sounds of a nearby stream provided a restful backdrop of which to fall asleep to. 

The next morning and hangover free, the tent was taken down and packed away. A quick trip to Ambleside so Michael could purchase some gloves turned into an absolute nightmare due to the total lack of parking spaces - we entered the road rage circuit of hell at the local pay & display and spent 20 minutes circling the car park like a pack of wolves around prey. Soon, a space presented itself and to glaring looks of disapproval and hatred from other drivers in the same situation, smugly purchased a ticket and headed off to spend some money in the extortionate outdoor shops which have permanent limited time only sales on. Gloves purchased by Michael, I came away with a portable gas stove and cartridge for £12.50 which was actually a genuine bargain. I also bought two 'Light my Fire' clip lock tubs which can't actually fit anything at all into them and are therefore useless  but they looked good. 

Ambleside was too busy so we headed up The Struggle and had lunch at the Kirkstone Pass Inn - my favourite pub in the Lakes. The usual Tirril's 'Old Faithful' was on tap and the soup of the day was 'Brocolli' - and "just Brocolli" when we enquired further. 

Lunch at the Kirkstone Pass Inn

It was then time to head home. Another great trip to the Lakes. It's 23:30 as I'm sat writing this and I'm up for work in a few hours. There will be a good few more walks / climbs and ramblings on about pubs and food over the next few months. I've made a mental pact to keep this blog up to date so as always, thanks for taking the time to read it. I'll finish with a few more pictures of the trip. 

Don't ask...... Michael thinks he's Gandalf on the Old Toby

King's Head - nice on the outside - zero character inside sadly

Thirlmere

A strange pair.......

More walks coming soon.

The Lake District ....

Why do I love the English Lake District ?

Why do you love the Lake District ? It's a question that many of you will never have pondered. Why would you.  You just do. 

Why do you enjoy beer or wine ? You just do.

Many of us have hectic, stressful jobs with little respite in the way of relaxation and time out to just be ourselves. Work, sleep, work, sleep. A monotonous ticking of life.  I for one claim that particular card. I live in a small market town in Lancashire with my wife and son. I'm lucky enough to be 'rural' (ish) so to speak, but always crave a break in the real 'outdoors'. 

I started 'climbing' from a young age. I was introduced to it by a family friend. Snowdonia was our destination during the early days, with climbs in Cwm Idwal and Chasm Face engraved in my memory. Chasm Face in particular - the Cat Walk, serving as a blunt reminder that one slip means it's all over.

I was a spritely young sixth former during the early days. Lots of spare time and with part time jobs, no rent and no mortgage meant lots of spare cash to spend on walking equipment and tents. 

A trip to Betws-Y-Coed really set in motion what was to become (I hope) a lifelong love of the outdoors. Half term, a cheap train ticket and backpacks full, we arrived in North Wales with no idea where we were going to stay. Michael (best friend), Martin and I eventually stumbled across Hendre Farm. It was a small, low key field with a dated but clean toilet and shower block. Disposable barbecues along with underage purchased vodka and lilt; we had a great time the night before 'the climb'. 

The next day, we boarded the Snowdon Ranger bus and headed to Pen-Y-Pass. I'd climbed Snowdon via the Miners Track on a few occasions. Once at the summit, we asked fellow climbers to suggest a route down that was slightly more interesting. Young, naive and unaware as to the direction we had been pointed, we edged ever closer towards Crib Goch. I can remember the whole traverse vividly. A kind walker who was crossing in the opposite direction even took our photograph on the 'Pinnacles' and kept his promise to send it on. Adrenaline pumping, massive drops either side, it was a truly terrifying and unexpected experience. We all made it down unscathed and headed back to our basecamp. This experience will never be forgotten. The story (and our survival) was discussed and exaggerated over beer and wine in the village that night and a collective love of the outdoors began. 

I spent many years after that climbing and scrambling in Snowdonia. My parents owned a chalet in Conwy just within the National Park which proved to be a useful base indeed. 

Following the passing of 'test' climbs up and into Chasm Face (I'm not a fan of bridging anymore), we climbed the Five Sisters of Kintail and were lucky enough to climb in the Knoydart, arriving by boat across a calm and tranquil Winter Loch. I've walked and climbed and mapped the Cantabrian Mountains of Spain and explored and mapped the mountains of Northern Cyprus. 

I can't even remember the first time I climbed or even visited the English Lake District. I remember vaguely happening upon the Kirkstone Pass Inn during a winter drive from Penrith. The snow was nearly at blizzard conditions, with the dim, orange lights of the Inn becoming more and more visible as I neared the summit of the pass. I never expected anything to be open at this time of the year let alone at the top of a mountain pass. Once inside, the smell of the coal fire, small windows and oak beams with blizzard raging outside and host of real ales on tap made me feel like I was 'somewhere else'. I felt like I had been transported to the 'Misty Mountains' of Tolkien, never mind being just two miles from Ambleside. 

The Kirkstone Pass Inn served as a catalyst toward my enjoyment of the Lake District. As time passed I could afford to spend more money on equipment and clothing. This meant that I could camp during increasingly worse weather. Wasdale in January is a truly harsh environment. Yet add a decent tent, awe inspiring snow covered mountains on all sides, and a trip to the atmospheric Wasdale Head Inn and it becomes and adventure to which we can all relate to from the books of our youth. 

The Lakes has something to offer everyone. Scorching summer days spent on terraces in the sun, paddling in crystal clear waters surrounded by whispering oaks & firs, crisp autumn walks or full on, ice filled expeditions into cold mountain valleys with a warming fire and ales to look forward to. Wandering woodland mountain bike trails, winding shopping streets and secret corners. Raging waterfalls and lonely, silent wind swept summit plateaus, there is simply so much to see and do. I know that when I see the familiar turn off on the M6, a weight is lifted and I feel 'at home'. My wedding day was during December in the Lakes. 

I have no idea why I have written this. I was simply looking at pictures of walks on days gone by and thought I'd at least try and put into words what I love about the English Lake District. The fact is, I can't. All I know is that in the short time I am graced with being able to enjoy life on this planet, I will. 

October Camp 2012 ! Sykeside & Red Screes

It's been a while since my last blog. I've sold my house, bought a new house and basically been very busy indeed. A tradition has developed whereby each October, we visit Sykeside campsite in Brotherswater. The main reason for this is probably the Hobgoblin ale on tap !

Matthew setting up his tarp

Sykeside is a very conveniently placed campsite nestled at the northern foot of the Kirkstone Pass. In summer it can be very busy, but at this time of year (my favourite), you can usually expect the place to yourself bar a few solo campers. I was camping with my cousin Matthew. We arrived early and paid our fees at the inn. I'd brought along my old Mountain Hardwear Trango 2 tent. I've had this for a good few years now and I must say, it has stood up to some horrendous conditions with winds in excess of 80mph in some cases. The tent is very strong and capable of providing safe shelter on the high camps of Everest, never mind the English Lake District. Another plus of this tent is that it is very warm. It is easy to pitch although inner first.

Having pitched the tent I made a quick drive into Glenridding for some breakfast. I also popped into a small shop which had a good selection of local beers and ales, I picked a very apt "Spooky Ale" for the post walk beverage!

I had decided on Red Screes for our walk. The route is easy and is completed in no time. Our objectives on this trip were beer drinking and relaxing rather than an epic walk so this one fitted the bill perfectly.

We started off from the car park opposite the Kirkstone Pass Inn which happens to be my favourite pub in England!

Kirkstone Pass Inn

The path up Red Screes is well defined and easy to follow. Visibility was good lower down however the summit was shrouded in thick grey cloud. The temperature was noticeably colder at the summit of the pass.

Looking back toward the Inn

Height is gained quickly and we were soon leaving the Inn far behind.

Matthew with Windermere in background

Approaching the summit

There are no photos from the summit as the visibility dropped. On a clear day the views from the top are stunning in all directions. We found a spot out of the wind and ate lunch before a quick descent back to the welcoming fires of the Kirkstone Pass Inn.

Mountain Hardwear Trango 2

After warming up by the fire with a pint of Tirrils finest, we headed back to the camp site to find we had been joined by a D of E group. Having had the whole site to pitch on, they decided to........ yes; pitch next door.

Tent !

After the very nice bottle of Spooky Ale, it was time to try a few tarp setups.......

Hammock 

Matthew had decided to use this setup to sleep under. Having tried out the hammock, I have to say it is much more comfortable than any air mattress I have ever used. I have a Thermarest NeoAir which is very thick, the comfort nowhere near matches this.

The whole setup is extremely light weight and packs down very small. It would be ideal for cycle touring and wild camping but of course relies on suitable anchor points for the hammock & tarp.

It was soon time to head up to the on site pub, the Brotherswater Inn for some tea. Hobgoblin was on tap and was extremely drinkable as always. If you like the bottled variety then the draught is a completely different brew altogether. They had the illuminated tap badge for Halloween. The prices seem to have gone up here, especially for the meals which are a fairly standard but decent affair.

Feeling full and ever so slightly (i.e. struggling to walk) drunk, the call of the warm goose down sleeping bag was too hard to resist. Matthew struggled into his hammock after a quick guy line check.

The D of E group were out in force and ridiculously noisy. There were about 10 lads, I would guess 17-18 years old. Just as I was about to fall asleep, one of the imbeciles decided to shout into my tent "GOODNIGHT" repeatedly in a geordie twang.............. his friend informed him that it was 'the wrong tent' to which the imbecile shouted "I KNOW MAN". Shortly after, he incurred the verbal wrath through the flysheet and immediate calm was restored.

I awoke about 8 the next morning. The D of E group were up and shouting. Matthew had survived (and very much enjoyed) the night in the hammock.

This was a good trip, not about the walk, but just enjoying being out in the fresh Autumnal air and enjoying some nice beers in some nice Lake District Pubs. I'm not (much of) a grump, but the D of E group took the edge off somewhat in that their noise levels were unacceptable. I would have probably been the same when I was their age however.

I've got another walk coming up at the end of this month. I'm hoping for some snow and to bring out the down jackets. Plus I'll be trying out the new Mountain 25 Tent from North Face.

Thanks for reading.

Adventures..........

Hello again;

This blog thing is quite addictive.

I've got hundreds of photo albums featuring many of my walks stored on my PC. It would take far too long to upload them all, so this blog will feature some of my favourite walks and associated pictures. Feel free to add comment and I hope you enjoy the views.

Brotherswater, October 2010

Brewing up in the North Face Mountain 25 (US Version)

Most of our walks from this area start from Sykeside camp site. It can be very busy in the Summer, but at this time of year you generally have it to yourself. The views are excellent over to Dovedale and you are surrounded by high peaks on all sides. Drainage is okay but the ground is quite rocky as far as inserting tent pegs goes. I once had a Vango tent destroyed by high winds here as the site is very exposed. Either take a tent that is up to the task or choose some natural shelter to pitch against.

This particular walk was up to Dove Crag with a visit to Priests Hole cave. My walking partner was my cousin Matthew. 

We headed up to the Kirkstone Pass Inn for a quick pint. This is one of my favourite Lake District Pubs featuring slate floors, low beamed ceilings and real fires. It's location perched atop the highest point of the Kirkstone Pass is unsurpassed. The pub is ideally placed for a post walk pint if one should venture up and down Red Screes. Quite a few good ales on tap here, usually a selection from the Tirril Brewery. There is usually a jar of pickled eggs at the bar too however I've not braved one so far. 

Enjoying a pint in the Kirkstone Pass Inn

Following on from this, we headed back down to Sykeside and paid a visit to the Brotherswater Inn. There was a distinct Hobgoblin 'Halloween' theme throughout. This by the way is a lovely ale on draught. Noticeably different from the bottled variety. 

Hobgoblin. A seasonal October draught

The evening quickly faded into a Hobgoblin induced blur and soon, we awoke ready for the walk into Dovedale.

Matthew and Dove Crag behind

The weather was okay, at least it wasn't raining. 

The picture above looks towards Dove Crag. Priests Hole perches mid way up this outcrop although is hard to distinguish in this photograph.

Looking back down Dovedale

We soon arrived at Priests Hole.

Lunch with a view

The plan was to summit and head over to Red Screes. 

By now, the wind had picked up significantly and temperatures plummeted. We walked up the west slopes of Red Screes and saw the welcoming Kirkstone Pass Inn from the summit.

We made our way down the Kilnshaw Chimney, by now tired and cold. Back to ground level, we popped into the Inn for a customary pint.

We warmed up by the fire and enjoyed a pint of 'Red Screes' which was very fitting. Unfortunately, the only way back to the tents was to walk ! Gravity was on our side though. 

Another good trip completed.