Ben Nevis 13/05/2016

Getting ready

The big one. Something I have always fancied doing , so we (myself , Jake and Rowan) had two days of work (1 for me I don't work Fridays) and we drove up to Fort William on the Thursday to spend the night at a hostel.

We skipped breakfast at the hostel , thinking we could get something more substantial at McDonalds or Morrisons, but it seems the Scots don't like to open early (it was about 7.30). A short drive out of town to the Glen Nevis visitor centre took us to the start of the walk. The route we took was the popular Mountain Track / Pony Route / Tourist Route. I can understand why they don't call it the tourist route anymore - for most the way the path is well defined, but not near the summit where there are steep drops from the plateau and frequent hill fog.

For most of the walk jake and myself were trailing Rowan who didn't have any problems with the effort required. With a few stops for a breather we made good time and it wasn't until we got to the top of the zig zags , and there was a thick layer of snow for the rest of the route. After a few hundred yards more we were walking in thick hill mist - we had reached a cairn and could not see the next cairn. We were there a while - didn't see anyone following us up , and thought maybe we should turn around ....... I checked my garmin and we were not far from the foot of Mcleans Steep which is the last bit of uphill to get on the plateau proper. While we were deliberating a guided group of about 25 people arrived , and we mad the sensible decision to tag along after them for the final summit push (I know I have been reading too many Everest books!!) I am confident I could have got us there but it felt safer following someone who does this several times per week.

Red Burn - just before the start of the zig zags

The view on the way up

on the zig zags

It was a great feeling to get to the summit - there was plenty of folk there and more arrived as we were taking pics

The remains of the old weather observatory

Two handsome chaps

What a poser

Same way back down. Apart from a trip where Jake hurt his ankle , an uneventful descent.

A magic mountain day out on Britain's highest - about 8 miles - Map - Harvey Superwalker

Loadpot Hill 6th May 2016

The next chapter of my Lake District adventure covering the Fells in the North Eastern corner of the national park.

A little hazy at times , but otherwise perfect walking weather.

I drove up the A1 and left the car at Wetherby were I met with Richard who drove the rest of the way to the Church at Howtown.

North end of the route

South end of the route

The church at Howtown is a wonderful, beautiful and peaceful spot. We walked back along the single track road for a short distance and then picked up the path to the steamer landing stage. From there we picked up the gradually rising path along the flank of Barton Fell. With Barton Park to the left the path takes a hairpin turn to get onto the ridge up to Arthurs Pike. The advice in the guides (Wainwright and Mark Richards) is to avoid this ridge in the mist and I can understand why. It is more like gently rolling moorland than a ridge with the path indistinct at times. It would be easy to get lost in mist. Not today as the conditions were perfect.

Start of the walk

Soon we arrived at Arthurs Pike via whinny Crag (the view from here across Ullswater was stunning).

View from Whinny Crag

Arthurs Pike

From there it was a south west route across grassy paths (indistinct in places) to Bonscale Pike, again with great views across Ullswater, From here the path crosses Barton Fell South and then South East to the High Street ridge where the trig point at the summit of Loadpot Hill is easily located.

Loadpot Hill Summit

I predict a diet

Wether hill is a further 3/4 mile south with a dip around Howe Grain / White Bog.

Wether Hill- not much of a summit cairn

Steel Knotts

Steel Knotts Summit

The last part of the walk drops down from the High Street ridge in a North Westerley direction towards the lower ridge of Steel Knotts. From a distance this looked like quite a proposition but once at the foot of the ridge the climb to the top was quite straightforward. Great views all around from the summit.

From there the path drops down to the road a short distance south of the starting point.

We stopped at a pub in Pooley Bridge for a meal before the drive back....fish and chips  for me , pie and chips for Richard ...lovely

An excellent day out. The combination of hard work (jelly legs at times), fantastic views, and good company is (in my view) unbeatable.

Around 12 Miles. 2600 feet of ascent. OS OL 5

Three Shires Head, Shutlingsloe 22nd April 2016

A great use of my Friday off. A beautiful walk through the border area of Cheshire, Staffordshire, and Derbyshire.

The start point is the Cat and Fiddle pub on the A537 just outside of Buxton.

The route follows the well defined path across Danebower Hollow to the A54. From the road the path drops down passed some old dis-used mine workings, and then skirts the side of Cut thorn hill to arrive at the beautiful Three Shires Head waterfalls.

from the Waterfalls the path heads in a North Westerly direction towards Wildboarclough with the distinctive outline of Shutlingsloe (next target) on the horizon. To the south the ridge of the Roaches can be seen. 

Shutlingsloe

This guy adopted me for part of the route

In Wildboarclough there is a short stretch along the road past the church. Such a quiet place - I didn't see any (moving) cars. At the church I made friends with a stray dog who followed me all the way up the hill to the farm(Shutlingsloe farm) at the foot of Shutlingsloe. At this point I had to shoo him away as there were sheep and lambs in the fields I had to cross. 

Although Shutlingsloe is a modest height the climb to the top is quite a slog. From the summit are superb views all around across Cheshire, Derbyshire and Staffordshire. Jodrell Bank telescope can be seen from here. 

The last leg of the route was a drop back down to Wildboarclough and then back along the moors to meet the path back to the Cat and Fiddle. 

A brilliant walk which I will definitely do again.

OS OL24 White Peak . About 8.5 miles