Navigation Training Course (Day 2)
January 26th, 2012
Today Clare returned for day two of her navigation, aiming to get her Silver NNAS. We were also joined by one of our new instructors Alex Wride today.
The morning started clear, and we made our way towards Lingmoor Fell. Through multiple nav legs we made our way up the tracks and onto the fellside. Not before long it started to rain/ hail/ snow, we really were getting a mixture of it all! Clare continued to navigate well despite these conditions, however our stomachs put a stop to the play as we stopped for some lunch in one of the many old miners shelters. The temperature felt like it had really dropped, so we pressed on with some navigation, now working on the 1:50k maps. After a few legs using this map, we reverted back to the 1:25k map for the last few legs.
Wansfell from Ambleside
January 23rd, 2012
Starting from our shop in Ambleside, we made our way towards Stock Ghyll Force. The waterfalls were spectacular and a great we to start the walk! We were now faced with a steep climb (the only one of the day) to the first summit of Wansfell. We made our way up slowly and the views/ weather just got better and better. The sun was hitting the snow capped tops of the Coniston Fells, The Langdales, Bowfell and the Crinkles. We got to the first summit and we were rewarded, as an amazing view of Windermere was revealed. This view is truley breathtaking as you get the view that very few lakeland fells can provide, the entire length of Windermere.
We then walked along the ridge to the true summit before turning to the East to start our descent to Troutbeck. We met Nanny Lane, a good track and this led us into Troutbeck. We stopped for a bite to eat in Troutbeck, and then started to make our way back to Ambleside. We joined Robin Track, a great track that leads back to Ambleside, with great views of Windermere throughout. This is a fab walk for anyone wanting to have an easy introduction into fellwalking, or to get great views without the height!
The Langdale Pikes
January 22nd, 2012
The Langdale Pikes is a real gem of a walk, and even more so on a windy day! Due to the close proximity of the four summits it means there is only limited time spend on high exposed ground.
We started from outside the New Dungeon Ghyll Hotel and joined the very good track that runs up the side of Stickle Ghyll. Just as we had set off it had begun to rain, but after a few minutes this had eased, and due to the climb we were all already stripping off layers! Soon enough we were up at the impressive Stickle tarn, with the even more impressive cliff face of Pavey Ark ahead of us. Our route today did not take us up the classic scramble of Jacks Rake, so we followe the path around the flank of the cliff and climbed up the good gully path. Just as we emerged at the top of the path we were hit with a hail storm, and the previously bagged layers were quickly put back on! We bagged Pavey Ark, and after a few minutes of admiring the fantastic view we pressed on towards Harrissons Stickle. The summit of Harrisons Stickle was extremely windy so again we didn’t linger for long. We crossed the short plateau that lies between Harrisons Stickle and Pike O Stickle and were ready to take on our third summit of the day. Pike O stickle has a path that leads to the summit, but it is best enjoyed when scrambled, so we all picked a line of our own and made our way to its rounded summit. From this summit we made our way to Loft Crag, where we sheltered for a spot of lunch. The descend brought us out of the wind, and after about an hour we were back outside the hotel.
Threading the Needle, Sphinx Ridge and Pinnacle Ridge
January 18th, 2012
With my friend up, a few days off and the nice break in the weather continuing, we thought today would be a great day for some scrambling! We set off from Seathwaite and made our way up to Styhead Pass. We took the start of the climbers path that traverses across the amazing Southern face of Great Gable. We made our way across the boulders following the track towards the Napes. Soon enough we were staring up at Napes Needle, but we stopped here for a spot of lunch and admired the clear views over Wastwater and over to the Scafells. ‘Threading the Needle’ is to scramble around the back of the Needle, which is easier said than done, but still great fun all the same! The right hand side is a steep chimney which tests your climbing ability, but with a bit of shimmying and twisting we were standing behind the Needle. To complete the thread we had to down climb the left hand side, which is a steep polished section, and after a few careful foot placements we had done it. This was a great start to the scrambling, and now we were to follow the Climbers Traverse to the start of Sphinx Ridge. The Sphinx Ridge has the aptly named Sphinx Rock at its base, so the start of the ridge is easy to find. The ridge starts up a gully but soon enough you emerge onto the crest of the ridge for some fantastic scrambling. At the top of the scramble all the Napes Ridges merge into one grassy bank, which gives it a great Alpine Feel (but no snow! 
) In front of us we now have the Westmorland Crag, which holds Pinnacle Ridge. A very short descent down some scree leads to the base of this Ridge. The scramble starts with some steps and then goes past the pinnacles. It finishes with easy rocks which turn into a path that then leads to the summit. We enjoyed the view from the summit and then descended over Green Gable and round Base Brown back to Seathwaite.
This was a fantastic day of scrambling, and one of the many routes we will be offering in 2012 on our scrambling days.
Helvellyn from Wythburn
January 15th, 2012
Another fantastic day forecast and blimey did it produce one! I met Claire and Gina at Wythburn and we got moving straiught away before our toes fully froze! The start of the climb was steep, but it warmed us up and gave us good height gain early on to gain some spectacular views, especially as much of the ground was white with frost. We climbed around Comb Crags and started to feel the wind, which started to cool us down a little. The views continued to get better and better as we made our way to Helvellyn. On our way to Helvellyn we got amazing views of Striding Edge, and before summiting we went to the exit ramp of the edge to have a look directly down onto it. We had a spot of lunch on the summit but didnt stop long as it was quite chilly. This was when the felltop conditions man appeared on the summit and Gina went to ask him what the temperature was. He told us it was -3.6 degrees C, but -12 with Windchill! and it did feel it!
We walked the short distance southwards to the summit of Nethermost Pike, and then round over High Crag to Dollywagon Pike, where we were rewarded with amazing views down the Grisedale Valley. It was here we saw the interesting flying saucer like clouds (see picture). We descended down to Reggle Knott over the frozen boggy ground, where again we had great views, this time of the full length of Thirlmere. We walked back to Wythburn along the flat track in the forest. A fantastic day to be in the fells!
Silver How Navigation Training
January 14th, 2012
A great day above Elterwater today with a Navigation Training Course.
We set off from Elterwater at 10am and climbed above High Close, following the ridge west climbing eventually by Meg’s Gill to the summit of Silver How. After a short lunch stop on the summit of Silver How we continued west running several navigation exercises as far as Swinescar Pike before descending by Thrang Crag to Chapel Stile and following the river back to Elterwater.
Scafell Pike
January 14th, 2012
Another clear crisp winter day on the cards, and what a great place to be going, the summit of Scafell Pike!
We set off from Seathwaite towards Stockley Bridge and we were all very excited about what the day was going to hold, the weather was just fantastic! We reached Stockley Bridge and climbed up past Taylor Force Gill. We were encountering large bits of ice on the path, so we were wondering what we would encounter higher up. We got to Styhead Pass and admired the surrounding mountains before making our way onto the Corridor Route. We made great progress up the path, stopping to admire the view doen the Wasdale Valley, as well as the stunning face of Great Gable. Soon enough we were at Lingmell Col and on the final ascent. On the way up we went to the impressive viewpoint that looks down to Wastwater below. We reached the summit, which was actually quite busy. There was a bit of a wind so we gained some shelter beside the large summit cairn and quickly gobbled down some sarnies. We didn’t stop long as it was so cold so we made our way off the summit towards Broad Crag Col. We continued to enjoy the amazing views along the tops of Broad Crag and Ill Crag before dropping down via Calf Cove to the top of Grains Gill. The path down Grains Gill had a lot of ice on it so we took our time, but we made it back to Seathwaite with big smiles on our faces from such a great day out!
Steel Fell to Helm Crag
January 13th, 2012
A wonderful day above Grasmere today from Steel Fell to Helm Crag.
We set of from Grasmere at 10am and followed the lane to Helmside from where we climbed the southern shoulder of Steel Fell.
The views from Steel Fell were amazing today, a perfect view north over Thirlmere to Skiddaw matched the magnificent views south over Grasmere to Morecambe Bay and Yorkshire.
From Steel Fell we followed the ridge west crossing the boggy ground near Griffin Tarn before climbing to the summit of Calf Crag, stopping for lunch by the summit cairn to admire the view over Far Easdale.
After lunch we followed the ridge, descending to Gibson Knott and Helm Crag and after a short scramble on the Howitzer we descended the steep path into Easdale and followed the lane back to Grasmere.
Scafell Pike from Seathwaite
January 7th, 2012
I met the group at Seathwaite Farm, and just as we set off we were caught in a rain storm. Fortunately for us it didn’t last long at all! We made our way to the Stockley Bridge and then climbed above Taylorgill Force to Styhead Tarn. From Styhead pass we joined thr Corridor Route and started to make our way upo the hillside. The cloud was blowing across the tops and occasionally allowing us a few minutes to look up at the summit of Scafell Pike. As we got to Lingmell Col we were in the mist, and had moved into a strong South Westerly wind. We trudged up the steep ascent and summited Scafell Pike, before making quick progress into shelter and out of the strong wind.
With the temperature easily down to about -5 in the wind we didnt stop for long. Our usual route over towards Great End still had large amounts of snow on the northern slopes, and this coupled with the strong winds that we would be exposed to over the tops, we decided to descend via the Corridor Route.
We made good progress off the hill and made our way back to Seathwaite Farm.