WALKS

Photo: Great Gable looms in the distance from above Wastwater Screes.

New Years day 2013:  The usual NYD pilgrimage up Ingleborough. Not an ideal day with summit mist, showers and high winds ... blowing 30+ on the summit plateau (photo).

23/3/2013:  High winds and heavy snow meant Ingleborough would be an interesting challenge on my own doorstep. The Hawes road was drifted in and impassable, so had to walk up from Ingleton whcih meant going into the teeth of the wind and plumes of spindrift.  Made it as far as the final step where the wind speed was often near 70 - 80 mph and conditions often white-out. Goggles were essential, but they iced up so quickly it was only by occasionally raising them any route could be vaugely seen. The final step was blown rock and ice leading to hugh cornices. Couldn't say what wind speed would have been on top plateau but estimate 80 - 90mph. Decided to retreat, but the easy return with the wind on back means I'm less than happy i didn't push it to the top. Today Ingleborough had shades of Everest!.

Youtube link.   

My usual video camera lens iced up into wind almost instantly so the bits above are with my Samsung.

Smugmug link

31/8/2013: Horton in R/Foxup/Plover/ Pen y ghent/Horton - With the August weather continuing to be non pg conducive I've begun my series of Autumn/Winter walks early.  Perhaps because Pen y ghent is forbidden to us by the the 'landed gentry' brigade, I don't often get to walk it as often as Ingleborough and Whernside. I decided, as it was a nice looking day, although very windy; to take in the full ridge by heading from Horton over towards Foxup, then cutting up the north side of Plover Hill. A very enjoyable walk that was dry underfoot throughout with extensive views in all directions along the top ridge (which does go on a bit). Scouted a few approaches and take off's for future reference and may give it a covert fly this Autumn, the aim being to try both east and west faces.

29/9/2013: Sedbergh/Winder/Arant Haw/Red Gill Head.  Great looking day spoiled by the strong winds. Easy walking on good dry paths throughout. Having flown a lot of this route the Friday before from Yarlside I thought I'd scout it from ground level. Met a few lone walkers and some large groups - with company I'd have left a car at Cautley to avoid returning via the same route.

Semer Water 24/12/2014:  Ian was of a mind to do a walk, despite the wind and showers! So ..... we went to Semer to find the lake overflowing onto the road and very limited parking at 20mm above lake level! A stiff 30 minutes pull saw us up onto the tops and we headed towards Wether Fell in the teeth of a biting gale until we met the Roman Road. With showers now more frequent as they passed down Wensledale we set off back, and on meeting the tarred road passed easily over the col with the wind now on our backs to the long, steep drop down to the lake.

Useful exercise, a test for my ankle and the bonus was the car hadn't yet floated away.

25/12/2014  Ingleborough summit walk:  I could happily have lazed around and done nothing,  but Alexa insisted and she's not to be argued with.

So it was that on Christmas Day, Matt, Ian, Alexa and I set off up Ingleborough in pleasant sunshine, a light wind and with orographic clinging persistently to the summit. We made good time and from the Hill Inn made the top in about 1hr and 10 minutes. After opening a shared bottle of beer in celebration (we forgot the mince pies and a candle ...... and of course oddly a photograph!) we set off back. This could have been straightforward, but my shortcut went along the summit ridge towards Park Fell in thick mist. I know it very well, but the others were a tad apprehensive, "Is this really  short-cut dad?" Anyhow, we cut along and then down to the pavings and back to the car. 

I usually save Ingleborough for New Years day .... it just came early. I'll do another one NYD instead.

14/2/2015  Skiddaw via Ullock Pike

Nice, but breezy day. I got a delayed start and only got started about 12.30pm. Ullock is one of my favourite ridges - can't say the same about the pull up the final scree to the summit. Got overtaken by a lycra clad female on the last section. Great views along the summit ridge as the wind tore in from the east. Descended via the graasy shoulder of Broad End and into Barkbethdale. Chanced on a friend for a chat and coffee. Enjoyable bit of winter exercise.

20/6/2015  The Yorkshire Three Peaks

Aside from all the walking I do within my flying, which is often arduous enough, I hadn't done any long, proper walks for some time - so this was a bit of a test of mind and body. The weather didn't help being mostly misty and with occasional rain - in fact most of Whernside was undertaken in rain. I latched onto daughter, Alexa and a group of her Leeds based friends; they had had it planned for some time for this date - until Thursday I had thought it was the 27th  ....duh!!

Just a few notes

Horton to PyG - left Horton at 7:45am. A fairly straightforward, steady climb onto PyG, but of course when you're fresh it should be no problem if the rest is to go OK.

PyG to Ribblehead - to be honest long and fairly boring and little to see in the mist other than a few sheep and disinterested cows. Most interesting being the crossing of the Ribble and Ingham Lodge (grade 2 listed from 1687) .... amazing place and in need of serious renovation.

Ribblehead to Whernside - another very long section but a steady, gradual ascent without a lot to see. Had I gone off track via my own, more direct route it would have saved a lot of time. I won't be doing  Whernside by that approach again. The descent is a bit of a pig being steep and coming down was always harder, slower and more tiring than going up. My trekking pole was invaluable for easing the knees and safe passage. The CRO team plus police, helicopter etc were out in strength to rescue an injured fell runner I found out later .... think he'd fallen running down the steep part.

Hill Inn to Ingleborough - I thought this would be tough! I know the approach intimately having done it many times. But this time I expected to be in a tired state. Actually, it was very straightforward - maybe I was going through a good patch but I reached the top with barely a stop and took the steep step in a single blast. Probably took only a  little longer than a normal ascent - pleasantly surprised.

Ingleborough to Horton - I can't say I ever use this approach which was probably a blessing. God! But it seemed to go on - quite gradual, but slow on the legs and knees which were starting to feel it. Finally, the mist rose and some sun spread across the base of PyG - to also reveal the long gash of Sulber Nick. Another bit of a trek but at least the end was in sight - well over the edge of the final fields. Then back to the cafe starting point and very satisfied that whilst a bit stiff legged I'd had no dramas - the legs held up, ankles fine  and I never felt near being out of breath.

Met up with the others later and had a few pints in the pub by the bridge.

Time: 10hrs 15 mins. Reasonable for an old(ish) guy!

27/6/2015  Scafell.

Lex and I took the long drive around (via Wrynose and Hardknott) to Wasdale. A rather breezy day but fairly warm, although cloud swirled and lingered around the high tops all day. Lex hadn't ever climbed Scafell so I thought it would be good to do it with her. After the previous week this walk seemed like child's play, even the long steep pull up Lingmell and onto the Corridor route. Being a decent day and a weekend the summit was busy and unfortunately the cloud level denied us the views.

29/12/2015

Walked up Reston with Lex and inspected walls and noted the new springs after the rains. 

1/1/2016 New Years Day

Colder than most of December with a raw east wind.Lex and I (and lots of others) walked along the edge of Underbarrow Scar. There was still plenty of water visible in the Lyth valley - with the pumps switching off it's easy to see the sea reclaiming it. Returned via the Kendal side of the scar. Lovely views with snow on the highest fells.

6/9/2017  Buckden Pike

Despite feeling under the weather and having had only half a cuppa and an unfinished slice of toast I opted to do Buckden Pike with Lex. 

It's a bit of a featureless flog really with the Polish Memorial being the highlight. It was nice to see flowers still nestling around the foot and it being maintained in good condition.  Rather than return we continued on down to Starbotton. It threatened rain throughout - but stayed dry thanfully; very windy along the top.