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
Starling Dodd	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
Meal Fell	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

Continuing Cold

We are supposed to be coming towards the end of a 10 day block away from the Centre but it hasn't worked out as planned. Last weekend Kay & I had planned a pre-Christmas "retreat" with the monks in north Northumberland but as the weather in that part of the North East was even more extreme than our own it just was never going to happen. So we headed home to Darlington only to be called back to Cumberland Infirmary for Kay to receive some unwelcome news from her consultant - this illness has been a hard road & it looks like those members of the medical profession will once again become a significant focus in our lives - they have, though, been magnificent throughout this terrible episode. We are heading off to London for the weekend to see the eldest two & our Grandchildren.

The weather has to be mentioned. At Blaithwaite we have had several inches of powder snow lying for 2 weeks now - we've certainly not seen this in our 5-6 years at the Centre. On Tuesday night the temperature recorded on the car in the courtyard was minus 14 degrees C, it was still minus 12 at 10 am the following morning. Its always a difficult balance in weather like this - I love the conditions it produces in the fells but the quieter Centre buildings & their surroundings become very difficult to manage, so am glad of the present temporary thaw - just a bit of respite before the weather can be enjoyed again!

Ironically, for me, time off work quite often means a bit less activity & the last few days have just seen continuing effort on the fell running front (ascent training) - summarised below. Caving has remained on the back burner so I've posted a few photos below from earlier in the year just to prove we do do some underground stuff! No walking since Steel Fell & Ullscarf.

Running

Keswick - Skiddaw Memorial via Latrigg
On my own; snow & ice; clear blue skies

Darlington - urban!
On my own; deep snow; minus 2 degrees
First urban run for over 2 months. I'd vowed never to run on tarmac again but a covering of 9-12 inches of snow made running around town quite possible & even enjoyable with this new perspective. Did about 4-5 miles with some contrived hill work in West Park

Keswick - Jenkin Hill via Latrigg
On my own; snow & ice; zero degrees (it feels quite balmy)
The fells were in fantastic condition - you'll have to take my word for it because I forgot the camera! Was really pleased with this run: Spooney Green Lane; over the A66; up the first ascent on the Latrigg path accompanied by a red squirrel who I am sure was running with me! Gradient levelled out; past the plantation & up to the Skiddaw car park. Passing the memorial the gradient steepened significantly - the main climb up to my planned end point on Jenkin Hill is quite steep & continuous but well satisfied to have done it with no walking & no stops in 50 minutes. Will post details when I've looked at the GPS data.

Caving Photos

SRT rescue practise with Kev Marsh in Sell Gill Holes, Yorkshire Dales

Advent: Snow & A Minor Milestone

Advent is my favourite season of the year - an opportunity to spend some time in "preparation" the Centre is a bit more quiet, at least from the perspective that we are closed for three weeks in order to undertake planned maintenence, so there is a little more opportunity to get out and about. For me, at least, the time spent out & about is the real quality thinking and reflection time.
We'd already had a bit of snow but on Friday night we had an unexpected downpour which left a few inches even at the Centre giving the place a real picture post card look & producing excellent conditions in the fells.
Also I passed a, very minor, milestone on Saturday by climbing Lonscale Fell - the last one in Wainwright's brown book (book five). I started "bagging" the local Northern Fells just before we moved to Cumbria about six years ago, its never been a quest with any urgency & many of them I've visited numerous times but nevertheless I've really fell in love with this less frequented part of the Lake District and its good to have got round all of the significant high points.
We've not got underground for a few weeks - quite rare really, however, the winter conditions have provided a great environment for running and a rare opportunity for ice axe & crampon stuff in the fells its been a good time.............................


23/11/10 Sail; Eel Craggs (Crag Hill) & Outerside - run

With: On my own


Weather: Dry; Frosty; Clear Blue Sky


Got up early this morning to go out for run, this is unusual for me as I've always found morning execise difficult. Had to scrape ice off car before setting off on short drive to the Newlands Valley. When I arrived at Stair the first strands of light were appearing & it was off once again up the mine track alongside Stoneycroft Ghyll. Ignoring the slash of a path up on to the ridge around Scar Crags I continued up past what I think is the old Cobalt mine, enjoying views down into Coledale, before making Sail pass. The way on was up the new path - hope this isn't a vision of the Lake District future (although it has to be said the erosion was severe on the old one) on to Sail, actually quite an enjoyable section up this path before a superb ridge run (interupted by a little scrambling) on to the most amazing snow dusted summit of Eel Craggs. Stopped to take a few photos before running back off, munching breakfast, the same way I came up. Continued to retrace my steps until a shortish distance after the mine where I struck off over part frozen open fell to gain the lower slopes of Outerside. A quick run up to and along the summit ridge before "bushwhacking" back down to the Stoneycroft mine track & back to the car.


Great way to spend the first part of the morning!


8 miles / 3,000' ascent / 2hrs 20min

Shadows & footprints close to the summit of Eel Craggs 

 Vision of the future?

New path off Sail

View back down the ridge towards Causey Pike













27/11/10 Lonscale Fell

With: Graham

Weather: Clear blue sky (except on summit!!); a covering of fresh powdery snow

Met Graham just off the A591, thankfully I was driving the Centre's Subaru Forester, the point at which I waited for Graham was effectively the "roadhead" for anyhting other than 4 wheel drive vehicles & there was some entertainment in watching the skidding & fruitless revs as many attempted unsuccessfully to get up to the car park behind Lattrig that is for so many the start of the motorway up Skiddaw. We were the only vehicle that made it!!
We made off up the main footpath to the point just before Jenkin Hill where it splits, letf to Lower man, right to Lonscale Fell. We followed the fence line just above Whit Beck until we met a perpendicular fence, through the gate, sharp right and we were on the summit in no time. Typically the bright blue sky was temporarily interupted whilst we took photos of quite a wintery scene before heading back down over open fell. Our line was south & west until we met Whit Beck again which we decided to drop into & climb out of in order to give the ice axes & winter gear a brief outing - the best part of the day. Re-gaining the main Skiddaw motorway the benefit of our early start was enjoyed as the hordes began to ascend. By the time we got back to the car park one other landrover had made it. The walk took us just an hour & a half but we hadn't really imagined the terrifying drive back down the road from the car park that we had smugly negfotiated in ascent earlier that morning, it was quite tense!

A wintery Lonscale Fell

















29/11/10 Steel Fell & Ullscarf

With: Paul Rose; Greg Paterson; Alan-R; Graham; R&R

Weather: Clear blue skies for most of day; minimum of several inches of powdery snow lying on hard frozen ground

This was a cracking day out. Parked near the stile on the A591 below Steel Fell and headed straight up the steep slope - axe essential, crampons very useful! Reached Dead Crag - is this the summit of Steel Fell (?) to excellent views in all directions: Morecambe Bay; Windermere; Coniston Fells; just about everything really. Dropped down into Wyth Burn for lunch before another steep ascent, Greenhow Craggs (from memory? don't have map handy at moment) which ultimately led to the main path along the fence line leading to Ullscarf summit. Clouded over a bit at this point to spoil the previously unmatchable views. Descent was via a series of ghylls; the beacon & a very steep section down to the farm at the south end of Thirlmere. A short walk along the bridleway parallel to the A591 saw us back to the vehicles in the dark - all good!!
Distance about 6 miles; out from about 10:00 till 4:30

 Graham on Steel Fell

 Me on Ullscarf
 












Paul Rose in ascent!














Team In2venture

A Week of Two Halves

I guess this week was always going to be a week of two halves. Our days off in the second half of the week were heavily "booked out" so any activity was set for the earlier part of the week. It started off well with a Causey Pike circuit and a night run up Dale Beck / Roughton Gill. Both were quite short outings with the plan being to step up the distance for the first time for several weeks on Wednesday. Unfortunately the longer outing didn't happen due to a dose of food poisoning! Still recovered now and looking forward to a busy week.

13/11/10 Causey Pike - Run

With: On my own

Weather: Fine clear day with good vis; brisk breeze on summit; patches of snow persisting on higher peaks

Set off from layby at Stoneycroft (same place we park when ghyll scrambling) & ran up track towards Oughterside. Nice steady run. Continued past several sets of waterfalls that I'd not seen before, the ghyll was in spate & looked impressive. Continued up wet path to intersect summit ridge before rocky scramble over & around some small pinnacles to make the summit.

Took camera, so a few views from Causey summit:

Grisedale Pike

Snow on Helvellyn Range

Way down















Relatively short run: approx 4.5 miles; 2,000' of ascent; 80 mins - really enjoyed it!

16/11/10 Dale Beck & Roughton Gill - Night Run

With: On my own

Weather: Cool, dry, clear evening

The relatively short distance from Fell Side up to Roughton Gill along the mine track has been a long time favourite that I repeat often. It offers all kinds of options: just about any point of the Gill is reachable; you can carry on up to the Knott quite easily; head off up Brae Fell; explore any of the numerous Dale Beck tributaries; or just simply run up and back the same way. The list of variants is almost endless. However, I have been looking for an off-road night run for this winter and I'd never done this in the dark before. So I set off from Fell Side just before dark, it was quite a clear evening - easy pace up the track; round the "hairpin" bend; past the ruins & over Hay Gill. A little further on & crossed Dale Beck before continuing on the west side of the valley to the foot of the waterfalls. Gained height as the light quickly faded but my eyes had become accustomed to the dark so didn't need headtorch yet. I crossed Roughton Gill close to the "Coffin Level" mine (wet feet as level was quite high) and scrambled up the far bank before dropping back down to the brick mine building & heading off back towards Fell Side in blackness. Stopped at Hay Gill to take some more photos before returning to civilisation!
This worked well as a night run - so I'll return.

View down Dale Beck - just going dark

Moon over Iron Cra

A Good Week

Despite the efforts of continuing very mixed weather its been a good week. Above & below ground activity has happened with just a planned open canoe trip on the upper South Tyne being cancelled due to the weather.

10/11/10 Seathwaite Wad Mines

With: Alan-R; Graham; Kevin & Paul Rose

Weather: Bright starry night with snow on the surrounding Borrowdale summits

 We parked up at Seathwaite, walked through the farm & over the bridge before the brutal ascent up to the top mine entrance. I've not measured it but guess it must be 1,000-1,500' of near vertical ascent up very vague paths. Carrying rope; metalwork etc. for the trip it takes the the thick end of an hour to get up there.

Once at the top entrance the first two pitches had been left well rigged on eco bolts & with 10mm static rope, we all abseiled down before following the lower passage to the "Grand Pipe" at this point Graham traversed aound the hole out to daylight and left us for the remainder of the trip. I rigged the pitch for a pull through and the rest of us continued down (about 30m?). We needed to explore before pulling through & committing ourselves, after a while confident we had found the "window" we did proceed and found the head of a shorter 10-15m pitch the eco bolts had by now given way to more dubious anchors & the rest of the mine was full of "tat" we pulled through on the short pitch & then again on a much longer (30-35m) very wet pitch (it was rigged with a deviation but it didn't help much). The final pitch was rigged and being careful to avoid a shower of rocks on to the abseilers we all dropped down, under the squeeze and out along a wet level into the starry night.

Excellent evening!!

09/11/10 Ullock Pike - Run

With: On my own

Weather: Strong north easterly; squally wintery showers; snow lying above about 450m (knee deep in drifts)

Set off from the layby on the Orthwaite Road directly on to the fell & took route up from the Southerndale side. After the gate on the main track quickly gained height on to the ridge where the weather conditions became very interesting, a few meters towards Southerndale and the wind blasting out of the valley would literally knock me over; few meters towards Bassenthwaite Lake side and it was almost a flat calm! Continued up over the rockier final parts of the ascent through deepening snow - had to put on all the spare gear I was carrying for the full winter conditions before quickly reaching the Ullock Pike summit, Skiddaw was clagged in & the scene into Southerndale was very wintery. Tried to take some pictures but camera on my phone has packed in. Ran down to complete in about 1:45.

Will post distances / heights when I've measured them (& try to post a map if I can master the technology??)

No photos - camera broke!

Other Stuff

Spent two days fell walking (Northern Fells) with the school staying at the Centre for the week, Fist day we did Longlands & Lowthwaite in very windy, overcast conditions but at least it stayed dry. Second day we took two groups (a.m & pm) up Binsey in the most appalling conditions got soaked on each occassion!
A one hour session on the static bike rounded off a good week!

Coming Out of Rehab?

We've had very unsettled weather to the west of the pennines this week with some significant rainfall which washed out mid week caving plans. With Kay still on Grandparent duty down south & a busy Centre through half term week opportunities to do very much other than work have been few & far between.

However, encouragingly I was able to get out and run off road twice, so coming out of rehab?

27th October: Binsey

On my own; evening run in blustery overcast conditions.

Binsey, the northern outpost of the Lake District is only a few minutes away in the car & has been a regular short run venue in recent years. I parked in the layby off the A591 which is almost opposite the main track up the hill. The route was straight up the track; round the top of the disused quarry; dart under west craggs & on to the summit. The summit didn't offer any spectacular views, if anything the visibility north towards the Solway was better than a very "clagged in" Lake District to the south. I re-traced my steps back down covering the distance of just a little over 2 miles with 1,000' of ascent in a time close to my normal times on this route.

No reaction to the first ascent since the OCR nearly a monthe ago - very pleased with the come back!

Me on Binsey Summit

Binsey Summit Furniture With Skiddaw in Background

02 November:  Charlton Gill

On my own; foul conditions - torrential rain; 40mph winds; low visibility

Charlton Gill is a secluded part of the northern fells separating Brae Fell from Longlands & Lowthwaite Fells - if I'm totally honest I didn't set off to just run up the gill, I'd planned to take in Great Sca Fell & Lowthwaite / Longlands but after making progress that wasn't much above walking pace along the track from Greenhead & fording the knee deep gill I was already having doubts about getting high today. The route up the valley was very wet underfoot & although a little more sheltered the visibility deteriorated progressively as height increased. Despite full body covering the downpour had me soaked to the skin by the time I was ascending Great Sca Fell & I decdided that discretion was the better part of valour so turned round and headed back down.

I haven't measured the route but would estimate around a 4 mile run

So no great distances covered in the first week back in the fells but no adverse reaction, overall very pleased with progress. Hopefully better routes to cover in coming weeks.

Other Stuff 

 2 x 1 hour sessions on the bike
I'd have posted some photos but my phone got soaked in my pocket running up Charlton Gill - I did say it was wet!!