The year sadly is ending on one or two familiar themes: unfortunately Kay finds herself back in the hospice having been quite unwell over Christmas. Thanks again to everybody out there for your thoughts, prayers & support. Secondly, I know we always complain about the weather, but the seemingly endless rain is causing real hardship up & down the country. Its certainly reached the point where complaining about a cancelled day in the fells or underground could be seen by some as missing the point a little.
As such I think a traditional "looking back at the good bits" post is in order, in all likelihood it will be shortly followed by a looking forward to 2013 post!
January
January was one of only two months of the year that I hit my unwritten objective of 8 posts per month!The month saw a bit of gill scrambling with visits to: Cat Gill (for the first time) & Sour Milk Gill, Borrowdale:
February
There was a bit of snow in February, the highlight probably being a Seathwaite Round taking in: Seathwaite Fell; Allen Crags & Glaramara. The first photo is looking back towards Derwent Water from Seathwaite Fell. The second is a view of Lonscale Fell from Blencathra on the day I lost my phone!
Earlier in the month Kay & I visited the Wasdale Head Inn for a couple of nights with my parents. It was an excellent visit and the cold clear weather produced conditions for some of the better photos of the year:
March
The weather was surreal!!
April
April was a really enjoyable month on the activity & leisure front: a visit to Pembrokshire with our daughters; a very enjoyable day helping my good friend Rob Bianchi by taking a group of seven guys with a combined total age well in excess of 400 (two were over 80) up Great Calva; and finally my second most favourite day of the year out in the fells when I was able to get out on my own and just wander around in the Esk Pike / Bowfell area. No prizes for matching the photos below with the relevant April event!
May
We bought a new house this month!
Also summer returned, albeit very briefly, which allowed a couple of evenings of Gill Scrambling (Stannah Gill & Ruddy Gill). However, highlights must go to an afternoon on Derwent Water with John Pear & George's first abseil!
June
George & his cousin Evelyn went boating!
And of course - Jubilee fever came to Blaithwaite!
July
There was lots going on in July not all great, however, for me the highlight was my favourite two days in the fells of the year - Scafell Pike with an over-nighter at Round How. I know I'm breaking cover early but I am really hoping for much more of this in 2013.
August
We moved off the Centre at Blaithwaite & into our new house. In many ways the end of a chapter that was demanding; challenging in all sorts of ways but deeply rewarding.
The blog got its present new look!
Ventures into the fells took in Nethermost Pike via its East Ridge & a day in the High Street area, not to mention Gaping Gill via the winch:
September
Really enjoyed Co Antrim with Kay:
October
Another good month on the outdoor front: a return to regular caving; George's first Wainwright and a day scrambling with Glyn Mitchell:
November
The snow returned early and we enjoyed a scramble up to the snow line via Nitting Haws followed by High Spy using an off-piste route
December
Spectacular day on Blencathra; good group day in Bull Pot; Aquamole & a very enjoyable evening with Ferg in Marble Steps:
Once again - thanks for reading.
This really is the last post for 2012, God willing I'll be back early January with a few thoughts for 2013.
No comments:
Post a Comment