Better Than Forecast

Sour Milk Gill

The weather this week has been better than forecast and the schools have been able to enjoy the benefit.

One of the schools, from Sheffield, visits us every other year & we had an excellent days' climbing at Headend on Tuesday, it was warm & sunny with spectacular views into the North Lakes and across the Solway. There was quite a long change over between the two afternoon groups which left me on my own up there for three quarters of an hour, I fell asleep in the sun, burnt my face & woke myself up snoring!

Easedale Tarn, Blea Rigg & Silver How

On my own

Weather: cool, dry & sunny, light winds

About 7 miles

I broadly followed one of Andrew Leaney's routes starting & finishing in Grassmere.I probably walked a bit further as I extended the section between Blea Rigg & Silver How by navigating between a selection of the many small tarns & numerous contour features that characterise the area. Once again it was good to just keep that little bit off the beaten track- I could on occasion see the masses but to all intents & purposes I was able to walk in solitude for the bulk of the day (not that I am anti-social!)

Taken from www.leaney.org

Silver How & Windermere

Weekend Off

Kay & I have just grabbed a couple of days off - thanks to Paul & Joy for looking after the Centre! We spend most of our time away from Blaithwaite in our adopted home - the North East.

Another Wet Day In The Wilderness

With: On my own

Weather: Initially warm & sunny; followed by cool weather in heavy showers

Harrison Stickle

I've  always been intrigued by the concept of wilderness & over the years have spent quite a lot of time seeking out the wilder areas of the UK and overseas. The solitude and alternative perspective that this aspect of creation presents has a strong draw. In the Lake District I always felt that the area was too small & over-visited to really give the sense of a wild place, however, recent outings have to a degree proved my premise to be incorrect. It is in fact possible to be quite close to the visitor "honey pots" but slightly off the beaten track find yourself in a genuinely wild and sparsely visited area - my last post is a case in point, to ascend Blencathra from the North West via Mungrisdale Common is likely to be a lonely journey until meeting the hoardes on the summit ridge. Similalry, yesterday I departed from the tourist path to the East of Stickle Ghyll & quickly left behind the Gorge Walking groups; "Wainwright baggers" and families heading for a picnic at the Tarn - finding myself in a wilder seldom visited area. It was ideal for the navigation practise that I was looking for (although this is now getting a bit tedious) with an endless choice of small ring contours; tarns like puddles & the odd sheepfold to move around. There isn't really a "summit prize" in the area but the upside of this is that I didn't see a soul from leaving the tourist path to rejoining it. The eight legs of nav went well with no problems in what is very complicated ground.

Stickle Ghyll - once again with plenty of water!

Centre Life

The big news this week is that Kay got some very welcome news from her oncologist - current treatment is working  well and her illness is under control - we are very thankful!

The busy time at the Centre continues with two schools in again this week; a full weekend with churches & church youth groups followed by two schools again next week. Unfortunately the weather for the schools has been awful - we could do with this very unsettled few weeks to come to an end & enjoy some more stable, drier conditions.

The updated Centre web site was launched this week, Kay did all of the work & I think you'll find its an improvement (www.blaithwaite.co.uk)

Back on the Bike

In the last few hours the Centre has emptied down to just a solitary camper, we've had an incredibly busy 10 day period - its encouraging to see Churches using the place in such numbers & its been great to catch up with many friends from Ansdell & the North East.

My knee seems to be improving & I've given the bike  a go twice this weekend, each time just a six mile trip around the local lanes. After the heat of Friday the weekend saw cooler North Easterly winds which brought dry & quiet weather. The visibility was good and I was able to enjoy good views of Skiddaw to the south & Criffel (across the Solway) to the North West. It was a relief to complete the two rides with no negative reaction from the knee hopefully on the way back now!!

Busy Bank Holiday - Again!

Still Plenty of Campers

The Centre has been very busy these last few days, despite the poor weather over the Bank Holiday itself our camp site has been the fullest I have known it over the Whit period; its still over half full now & thankfully the wind has dropped; the sun is out & everything is drying out fast. The buildings were full over the weekend; have been full all week & are due to be full this weekend so all told a good time at Blaithwaite!

Rampgill Mine - Nenthead

Two groups in Rampgill on Tuesday of this week, the first just as far as Whiskey Bottle Corner & the second to the Engine Shaft. Already looking forward to some more exploration of the further reaches of these systems this autumn / winter and maybe even some cross over trips

Orienteering - Mungrisdale Common

6 miles; on my own

Weather: mild; light winds; overcast with Mungrisdale Common just about free from cloud

Mungrisdale Common is not my favourite place in the Lakes but thought its featurelss mass might prove a good place to practise navigation. I walked in up the Cumbrian Way from the Blencathra Centre and then took in several tortuous legs of navigation in the area: Roughton Gill; Sinnen Gill & beyond. I just moved by dead reckoning between contour features; sheepfolds; bields; "The Cloven Stone" and whatever else I could find - a good 3 hour session

Cloven Stone

Knee Update

The right knee seems very slowly to be settling down. The general soreness has gone & the stabbing pain on impact is only starting well into the afternoon now, as opposed to all day. So optimistic about running again in July