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

First Lake District Film - Jack's Rake

Hello all.

Exciting times for Lake District Scrambling...... We now have our own YouTube channel; MCM Outdoor Show.

I've invested in a new GoPro Hero 4 Silver and a few bits and pieces to go with it. There is a link to the right to our channel.

Please take a moment to check us out and if you like what you see, subscribe.

I've just added some old clips and also tried out the mount for my mountain bike with some associated local footage. I've also experimted with editing via iMovie and the freeware GoPro suite. It's more convenient to use iMovie as the camera sends the clips via WiFi or Bluetooth to my iPad, the only downside is that movies are limited to 15 minutes (not necessarily a bad thing if you don't like what you see).

I've got Adobe Premiere Pro CS3 to try also.

Anyhow, we're off to the Lakes in a few weeks time to film an ascent of Pavey Ark via Jack's Rake. While we're there, we'll get some other footage in, camp site reviews, tents and the customary visits to the pubs - Old Dungeon Ghyll here we come.

Stay tuned, please check out our channel and subscribe. We will keep it updated regularly and we hope you take something from it.

Thanks for reading.

The MCM Outdoor team.

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. 

Grasmere & Helm Crag

It was the big 30 for me a few months back. One of my presents was a night at the Moss Grove Organic hotel in Grasmere (recommended). I'd always fancied Helm Crag since watching 'Wainwrights Walks' so Adele and I set off for a leisurely stroll up.

Moss Grove Organic, Grasmere

After checking in, we had a walk around Grasmere before heading up to Helm Crag.

Me on road to Helm Crag from Grasmere village

Spring Lamb

I'd never done this walk before and used the Motion X GPS app on my iPhone to get an idea of the routes up. The app works well as long as you have access to 3G or wifi to download the map tiles prior to the walk.

Adele after the first steep ascent

The path was very obvious although steep and awkward in many places. Today was dry however in ice or snow, the route we had chosen up would become a nightmare without proper crampons.

Grasmere can be seen in the background. We were stood on the southern slopes of Helm Crag.

Not 100% certain but think the above picture is the 'lion' as it appears from the main road miles below. There is a smaller rock referred to as the 'lamb' hence the nickname for Helm Crag, the Lion & The Lamb

Me looking across to the Eastern Fells

Del and I on the summit

Great views toward Rydal

Travellers Rest Inn

Looking back down to the Travellers Rest. This is on my list of places to stay, maybe a contender for the Grasmere Guzzlers in September !

The majority of the lower paths were as above. Tricky & laborious to descend and probably a nightmare when wet.

All in all this was a quick and pleasant walk. Easily attainable and not technical in the slightest. It probably took about an hour and a half to get up and down which meant we had plenty of time to head to Tweedies Bar for a few hours to cool off !

Buttermere & Haystacks, March 2012

I've been busy for a few weeks so unable to post a new blog until now. Having visited Buttermere for the first time last year, I vowed to come back and climb Haystacks. Last March we stayed at Syke Farm camp site, the location was excellent so I decided that this would be our base again.

The weather was great and the tent was soon pitched next to the small stream.

Vango Equinox 350

Time to fill up the bladder

Bags were soon packed and it was off to fill up the water bladders prior to the start of the walk. I had chosen a simple route up to Haystacks which would take us along the shore of Buttermere and up to Scarth Gap.

The Fish Hotel

We passed the 'Fish' and approached Buttermere. It was lamb season !

Views across Buttermere toward Fleetwith Pike

The weather was beginning to turn as we followed the lake side path toward Haystacks.

Looking back in the direction of Crummock Water

The path up to Scarth Gap. The flanks of Haystacks on the left

The temperature had now dropped and it began to sleet, this was classic changeable Lakeland weather.

Cold & increasingly wet

View from Haystacks summit

Having completed the interesting scramble to the summit of Haystacks, it was off to Innominate Tarn for lunch.

Innominate Tarn

It was very busy on top despite the above picture so we had a look around to find a quiet spot to eat lunch.

A fitting beverage for the location

We found a great spot with views over Ennerdale to Pillar. Now, where is my pipe .......

A quick bowl of cherry & vanilla

Time to head back down

We stayed and admired the views for an hour before starting our descent back into Buttermere.

Wild camp spot

On our way down, we spotted this wild camp. I got a bit jealous at this point but thoughts of a few pints in the Fish & Bridge soon solved that.

The atmospheric Buttermere Pines

A light dusting of icy hail had settled on Fleetwith Pike

The weather was now in complete contrast to the start of our walk. It had been raining solidly for a few hours and I was hoping for some sun to dry off our gear.

Tunnel through the rock along the path back to Buttermere

Strange mists in the tunnel........ Spooky

The Bridge Hotel

Walk done it was time to dry off in the pub. We paid a visit to the walkers bar of the Bridge Hotel. A nice place with good food, beer and a relaxed friendly atmosphere.

After an initial few pints, a quick change of clothes back at the tents and we returned for a proper drinking session.

The Fish Hotel

High Stile Ridge from the Bridge Hotel beer garden

This was a good trip. The weather was not the best but added to what was an atmospheric walk up to Haystacks.

Admiring the view from the 'Bridge'

We stayed at the Bridge for something to eat and filled up on real ales of which there are a decent selection.

I'm heading to Grasmere with Adele at the weekend. We will be climbing Helm Crag so that will be my next post. Thanks for reading.