Tuesday 21 December 2010

Shortest Day

21/12/10 Dodd, High Seat & High Tove - Run


High Seat Summit


With: On my own

Weather: Clear blue sky; freezing cold; lying snow; no wind


I like to commemorate significant days in the year, we used to always celebrate the shortest day with friends in Darlington, today I went for a run.
Minus 11 degC, I left the car at Strutta Wood and began to ascend at a steady pace alongside Ashness Gill & warmed up quickly. My route was slightly off piste through the crags to the summit of Dodd, the views all the way were spectacular. The going on the summit plateau was poor over frozen tussocks of grass, however, as this is new territory I was grateful for the frost as I suspect the area is really just a very wet bog under normal conditions.
I made a couple of nav errors today, recovered ok each time but in general my nav when running is not as good as when walking - think I look at the map a bit less & haven't put the work in to sort out timings / pacings when running. Things were made worse today by the fact that I have knackered my compass - all the markings have been rubbed off the base plate by repeated use underground. My head wasn't working well today either - Kay's new treatment starts tomorrow & its very much on my mind.
Anyway, after a section of running that was quite reminiscent of bushwhacking in the northern fells I reached the summit of High Seat. It was well worth the effort as I was rewarded with excellent views in all directions - awesome. Had to shed hat & gloves at this point as I was too hot!!

Blencathra

Skiddaw

North Western Fells
From High Seat I headed pretty much south to the unremarkable summit of High Tove, no immediate plans to return here! Once again I headed off piste (general westerly direction) to try to return to the valley somewhat closer to the car than going via Watendlath, it was partially successful in that the ultimate objective was achieved but my route did continue across some very poor terrain rather than what I understand is quite a good path down to Watendlath!

I finished with a pleasant and fluid section on the snow covered road, stopping to take a few more photos of Derwent Water & Bassenthwaite, all in all a good way to celebrate the shortest day.
Am hoping to sort out a few kit glitches for day running in the fells with one or two hoped for Christmas presents! Firstly, a new compass is on the way as is a 6L bumbag which will allow me to dispense with the small rucsac that I'm presently using - bliss!!

Todays statistics:

Appox 5 miles; 1600' ascent; 2 hours

Well thats me until after Christmas.
Peace & joy to all at this special time, will be back in the New Year with any outings I manage over the festive season.


Sunday 19 December 2010

Its Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

Despite us being on December shut down the Centre has been very busy this last few days, the snow & frost have returned bringing that tension between "not to be missed" conditions outside and difficult to manage buildings. So its been quality over quantity on the activity front but before that a quick round-up of the other news.

Highlights
- great weekend in London last week with eldest daughters and grandchildren, made even better by bringing two of them back with us
- just been to carol service at St Mary's in Wigton and also to Bethlehem Experience in Carlisle, both good and bringing Christmas into focus

Lowlights
- Kay's unwelcome diagnosis confirmed, initial treatment later this week. A  most unwanted development

19/12/10 Green Gable via Gillercomb - Run

With: on my own

Weather: Blue sky; no wind; -7 degC at Seathwaite; powder snow covering hard frozen ground


Quite a desolate scene, completely alone on summit plateau














Way off - Gillercomb & Base Brown












Set off from Seathwaite, minus 7 degC at 10:30am; through the rather smelly farm (quite impessed to see quite a few folk camping!) crossed the beck & then a tricky slippy ascent alongside Sour Milk Ghyll. Through the fence & on into a very impressive looking Gillercomb. The ascent was a joy, uneventful, incredible scenery and fairly quick. The summit was all mine, completely deserted, not even a footprint in the snow. Took a few photos, had a drink & a quick faff with kit. I was a bit pushed for time so came back the same way, it was treacherous! I use a pair of Inov-8 Mudroc 290 fell shoes, they've always stood me in good stead but today I was delighted with them & managed to get back down without injury!!

Five miles; 2,250' ascent; time just over 2.5 hours but irrelevant really due to treacherous nature of descent.


14/12/10 Seathwaite Wad Mine

With: Alan-R; Graham; R&R; Clare

Weather: Quiet; still day; fells covered in patchy snow

Rhodders & Clare ft Alan's arm at Goatons Level

We've spent quite a bit of time this winter up at Seathwaite Wad Mine in Borrowdale & I guess we'll be up there at least on a couple more occasions as we are trying to add this venue to next season's list of Centre activities. It will hopefully offer some opportunities for quite adventurous days for visiting groups - on a number of levels: the walk in & out perhaps via Sour Milk Gill will be quite challenging & enjoyable for some; in the mine there are possibilities for a "novice" level 1 trip entering at Farey's Level & ascending a couple of short climbs / exploring the passages before leaving, alternatively the mine can be accessed at Goatons Level and a Level 2 vertical trip with two abseils plus the stuff mentioned above can be undertaken. It was the latter of these we checked out on this occassion as well as some further exploration of the sub levels around Goaton's. Another good trip, this will make a nice addition to the Centre's repetoire of activities.


Wainwrights
Wainwright fever has gripped the Centre of late (well maybe not quite fever but it has become a recent talking point) so I have published mine & Kay's current lists to date - will be back to update.


Fell Name
Height (m)
Mal
Kay
Scafell Pike
978
Y

Scafell
964


Helvellyn
950
Y
y
Skiddaw
931
Y
y
Great End
910
y

Bowfell
902
y

Great Gable
899


Pillar
892


Nethermost Pike
891
y

Catstycam
890
y

Esk Pike
885
y

Raise
883


Fairfield
873
y

Blencathra
868
Y
y
Skiddaw Little Man
865
Y
y
White Side
863


Crinkle Crags
859
Y
y
Dollywagon Pike
858
Y
y
Great Dodd
857


Grasmoor
852


Stybarrow Dodd
843


Saint Sunday Crag
841
Y
y
Scoat Fell
841


Eel Crag (Crag Hill)
839
y

High Street
828
Y
y
Red Pike (Wasdale)
826


Hart Crag
822


Steeple
819


High Stile
807


Coniston Old Man
803
Y
y
High Raise (Martindale)
802


Kirk Fell
802
Y
y
Swirl How
802


Green Gable
801
y

Lingmell
800


Haycock
797


Brim Fell
796


Dove Crag
792
Y
y
Rampsgill Head
792


Grisedale Pike
791
Y
y
Watson's Dodd
789


Allen Crags
785


Thornthwaite Crag
784


Glaramara
783


Great Carrs
780


Kidsty Pike
780


Dow Crag
778


Harter Fell (Mardale)
778


Red Screes
776


Sail
773
y

Wandope
772


Grey Friar
770


Hopegill Head
770
Y
y
Great Rigg
766


Caudale Moor
763


High Raise (Langdale)
762


Slight Side
762


Wetherlam
762
Y
y
Mardale Ill Bell
760


Ill Bell
757


Hart Side
756


Red Pike ( Buttermere)
755


Dale Head
753
Y
y
Carl Side
746
y

High Crag
744


Knott, The
739
y

Robinson
737
Y
y
Harrison Stickle
736


Seat Sandal
736


Long Side
734
y

Kentmere Pike
730


Sergeant Man
730


Hindscarth
727
Y
y
Clough Head
726


Ullscarf
726
y

Thunacar Knott
723


Froswick
720


Birkhouse Moor
718


Brandreth
715
Y
y
Lonscale Fell
715
y

Branstree
713


Knott
710


Pike O'Stickle
709


Whiteside
707


Yoke
706


Pike O' Blisco
705


Bowscale Fell
702


Cold Pike
701


Pavey Ark
700


Gray Crag
699


Grey Knotts
697
Y
y
Rest Dodd
696


Seatallan
692


Caw Fell
690


Great Calva
690
y

Bannerdale Crags
683
Y
y
Loft Crag
680


Ullock Pike
680
y

Sheffield Pike
675


Bakestall
673
y

Scar Crags
672


Loadpot Hill
671


Wether Hill
670


Tarn Crag (Longsleddale)
664


Carrock Fell
660
Y
y
Whiteless Pike
660


High Pike (Caldbeck)
658
Y
y
Place Fell
657


High Pike (Scandale)
656


Selside Pike
655


Middle Dodd
654


Harter Fell (Eskdale)
653


High Spy
653
Y
y
Great Scafell
651
y

Rossett Pike
650


Fleetwith Pike
648


Base Brown
646


Grey Crag
638


Causey Pike
637
Y
y
Little Hart Crag
637


Mungrisdale Common
633
Y
y
633


Seathwaite Fell
632
y

Yewbarrow
628


Birks
622


Hartsop Dodd
618


Great Borne
616


Heron Pike
612


Illgill Head
609


High Seat
608


Haystacks
597


Bleaberry Fell
590


Shipman Knotts
587


Brae Fell
586


Middle Fell
582


Ard Crags
581


Hartsop Above How
580


Maiden Moor
576
Y
y
Nab, The
576


Blake Fell
573


Sergeant's Crag
571


Outerside
568
y

Angletarn Pikes
567


Brock Crags
561


Knott Rigg
556


Steel Fell
553
y

Lord's Seat
552


550
y

Rosthwaite Fell
550


Tarn Crag (Easedale)
550


Hard Knott
549


Blea Rigg
541


Lank Rigg
541


Calf Crag
537


Great Mell Fell
537


Whin Rigg
535


Arthur's Pike
532
Y
y
Gavel Fell
526


Great Cockup
526
Y
y
Whinlatter
525


Bonscale Pike
524


Crag Fell
523


Souther Pike
522
Y
y
Eagle Crag
520


High Hartsop Dodd
519


Sallows
516


High Tove
515


Mell Break
512


Broom Fell
511


Beda Fell
509


Hen Comb
509


Low Pike
508


Little Mell Fell
505


Dodd
502
Y
y
Stone Arthur
500


Green Crag
489


Grike
488


Wansfell
487


Longlands fell
483
y

Sour Howes
483


Gowbarrow Fell
481


Armboth Fell
479


Burnbank Fell
475


Lingmoor Fell
469


Barf
468


Raven Crag
461


Graystones
456


Barrow
455


Catbells
451
Y
y
Binsey
447


Glenridding Dodd
442


Great Crag
440


Nab Scar
440


Arnison Crag
433


Steel Knotts
432


Low Fell
428


Buckbarrow
420


Gibson Knott
420


Fellbarrow
416


Grange Fell
410


Helm Crag
405


Silver How
394
Y
y
Hallin Fell
388
Y
y
Walla Crag
379


Ling Fell
373


Latrigg
368
Y
y
Troutbeck Tongue
364


Sale Fell
359


Rannerdale Knotts
355


High Rigg
354


Loughrigg Fell
335

y
Black Fell
323


Holme Fell
317


Castle Crag
290