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.

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