Mam Tor

Unfinished business for the work crowd after we didn't get to Mam Tor. We had a great day climbing Mam Tor from the Edale railway station and the along the ridge. We were in clouds for some of the time with a ferocious wind blowing at times. However when we dropped down a little the weather cleared and it was just a great walk with great company and another few thousand pounds raised for cancer research.

Ska Fell Pike from Langdale

I had been meaning to do this walk for ages and was really looking forward and wasn't disappointed. It started with the climb up Rossett Gyll and that felt harder this time. I thought i was a bit fitter but it just goes on for ages and when you think you are there it bends around another corner. I thought that once up alongside Great Gable it was going to be plain sailing but no, it was rock hopping most of the way with some big downhills and ups and the last push was harder than i wanted it. However once again it felt like being on top of the world when i was there and some good weather and views too. A good look at Ska Fell started to get me prepared for my Lake District 3000 challenge in July.

Kinder Scout on Crutches

Beers and walking were in order today as we headed to the Peak District for a few days. The weather was good for today but it is looking poor for tomorrow, never mind just one day will be great - it’s not always great walking with a hangover and aching legs anyway.

Today was Kinder Scout - Again! However you can’t ever get fed up of it. Mike had turned his ankle over at the weekend and was still in quite a bit of pain but with crutches from Dave there was no stopping him. It wasn’t as fast as we were used to but that suited me as i could relax into the walk and keep my eyes and ears our for Ravens, Grouse, Skylarks and woodpeckers - Nice. We parked in Edale and walked into the village and across the hills to Jacobs ladder. My fitbit walking had been paying off and it seemed a lot easier this time and more enjoyable. The sun was out but as we needed the top the cloud came in and wind got up. However it was only temporary and brighter up again.

I have never walked along the ridge before and i was surprised how tricky it was, hopping across deep peat and picking the right path. Mike was doing amazing and just kept up a steady pace, hobbling along. The route off was a bit tricky but with the pub beckoning it was not too bad.

Allan Craggs

A quick visit today to the Lansdale valley as i tried to squeeze a walk in before any serious weather hit. When i started the walk with snow on the tops, i wasn't so sure.

The walk down Mickledore was great but a harder push up Rossett Pike than i remember. It was freezing cold and where streams of water had run down the path it had froze into black ice so you had to pick your way carefully. As i got over Rossett Pike and Esk Hause opened up infant of me it looked great with a carpet of white.

The ground wasn't as bad here as you were walking on an inch of soft snow but just had to avoid the ice. As i arrived at Esk Hause you had a great view and the enormous opportunity for walking. I chose Allen Craggs and was planning to carry on to Glenmara.

As i arrived at the top the path on was indistinct and thought i had done enough for the day so headed home and time for a great photo of angle tarn and .

Kinder Scout

With a combination of a team building exercise and raising money for charity we decided to climb Kinder Scout.

The weather kept fine although it was a little blustery. It was a great walk to the top in no time at all and everyone had a confidence. We headed over to the downfall and amazing to see the wind blowing the waterfall back up the gully. The walk back across the top was much more eventful and as we had plenty of rain recently it was very boggy and plenty of stories about jumping, falling in, trapped boots and wet feet kept ads very entertained.

In the end a hard 5 hour walk was topped off with a few beers and some good food in the pub in Edale before everyone headed home.

Crinkle Crags

After yesterday, a shorter walk was in order as Mike and Dave were fine going up but coming down steep sides was quite painful. Not holding back too much we decided to do Crinkle Crags but start on Hardknot pass.

Starting higher up felt like cheating but as we rolled out of the van with aching limbs it still felt daunting. Walking up to Pike o blisco felt fine and we continues to Great knott in good spirits. It was not as much of a ridge walk as i had thought but when we reached the first Crinkle all that changed as we realised the prominence of the ridge in the valley. The views were astounding.

You had quite a unique 360 degree view of the lakes from here and we soon decided that to appreciate this we needed to spend a bit more time up here. lets start with lunch!

After a gaining confidence we found some spectacular places to take photo's and Tala expresses himself with amazement!

Unfortunately my fear of hieghts kicked in a few times and i didn't venture any nearer the edge than i needed too. However i did surprise myself and the others when i waked up to the highest crinkle and to get through the crack you need to do a bit of climbing up the bad step. As i walked up to it i had thought there was a way round but then a realisation that it was up and over. So without thinking too much i just started climbing and was over it and a rock kipping exercise onto the top.

As the top opened upa bit we spent the next 40 minutes exploring on the top and a luxury lie down down to drink in the atmosphere and scenery. Brilliant! The next morning i thought i would have another walk in the valley to get the legs moving again and take a few shots of the scenery to remind me what a fantastic few days we had.

Langdale Pikes and Bow Fell

This was the second walking trip this year and once again had the most fantastic weather making the walking much safer and the views more spectacular. We decided to start off on the Langdale horseshoe and see where it took us. Walking up the Dungeon Ghyll to Harrison Stickle started to remind me how much fitter i could be. I had forgot how dramatic it was and was a great start to a brilliant day.

As we reached the top the peaks have a great prominence in the valley and then opens out towards High Raise. We progressed downwards now before a rise again to Rossett Pike.

We were around 4/5 hours in now but still had some walking in us and were keen to complete the day with Bow Fell. I saw a path from the tarn and we set off but as we got ccloser the path was not well formed and with the others in front we were on the way to Esk Hause before we knew it. It was a good climb up and i was starting feeling it now but after a Red Bull (no vodka this time) i seemed to have a second wind and the climb to the top of Esk pike didn't seem too bad.

As i arrived on the summit my confidence grew massively as i saw a straight forward walk to the top of Bow fell. A quick photo of Andy and Tala and i was off strifding up to Bow Fell. The top of which was awesome with brilliant views all around that will inspire many more walks in the future.

It was just down now which for me i felt good about but it was exceptionally steep and a lot longer than i expected, whew i was pleased i had not come up this way. Dave struggled with a tendon in his leg which made things harder and a long route down the band. However after 9 hours we were all shattered but safely in the Old Dungeon Ghyll with a pint.