1000 Mile challenge 2019

Starts tomorrow. I'll use the step counter that Ben gave me last year to measure progress. Barring injuries, this should be easily achievable as it coincides with my retirement. I'll just keep updating this post through the year until I get to the 1000 mile mark.


Week              Miles             Running Total

Week 1           54.60              54.60
Week 2           47.62              102.23
Week 3           47.47              149.69
Week 4           51.41              201.10
Week 5           52.30              253.40
Week 6           49.92              303.32
Week 7           53.15             356.47
Week 8           50.28             406.75
Week 9           51.05             457.80
Week 10         53.15             510.95
Week 11          51.92            562.86
Week 12          52.94            615.81
Week 13          54.32            670.13
Week 14           49.10           719.23
Week 15           57.39           776.62
Week 16           45.01           821.64
Week 17           42.15           863.78

Catchup - bits and pieces

Carding Mill Valley  Sept

Lovely wander around this National Trust Valley. No photographs unfortunately. Will definitely visit again.


Crich 24/09/2018

Higger Tor  - Stanage Edge 8/10/2018

I parked at Burbage Brook bridge and from there walked up to Higger Tor. From the top I descended to road, and picked up the path diagonally across to the foot of Stanage Edge and then up to the edge somewhere nefore Robin Hood's cave. I had planned to drop down to Redmires and then across and back via Houndkirk Road, but I couldn't figure out which path it was that took me across White Stones. I have done it the opposite way a few years ago. I'll figure it out next time.

Several circuits of Shipley Park

First trips to the Lakes in Thunderbird 2 Sept 2018

Two day trip to the promised land in Thunderbird 2 (Nissan Elgrand 8 seat MPV). with mixed results it has to be said !! It doesn't always work out - The plan was (weather permitting) :-

Sunday 2/9 - Mellbreak in the morning. Whiteside in the afternoon
Monday 3/9 - Rannerdale Knotts and Whiteless Pike in the morning and then meet up with Richard                           at Honnister Slate Mine and do Kirk Fell.

Got to the Loweswater NT car park mid morning on Sunday after a long drive - long enough to Keswick but then the drive down to Borrowdale - Honnister and Buttermere is a trek in itself. Meg was bouncing of the walls by the time we got there.

I had decided to do Mellbreak via a (supposedly) well documented sheep trod around the flank of the fell which then climbs up to the ridge

Well, it didn't happen - I found the sheep trod and followed a good path around the fell across some scree slope but eventually it petered out. I was starting to get a blister on one foot from the odd angle of walking and the going started to get difficult as I headed where the path might have been. In the end I decided to drop down to the Mosedale Beck as there looked to be a good path there. If I had started climbing up the side of the fell to the ridge I didn't know if I would hit (unseen from where I was) crags and therefore decided the best course of action was down.

Climb Ahead

Mellbreak - a similar shape to Yewbarrow

The descent was quite tricky - no path crossing bracken and rocky outcrops !!

Path back to Loweswater

The walk back along the bottom of the valley was very enjoyable. Very disappointed , I arrived back at the van and sat with Meg where I had some lunch. From there I drove back to the the Buttermere Road and parked at the small car park at Lanthwaite. The weather was getting worse - drizzle and mist... I could see Whin Ben and Whiteside in front of me saying "come on if you fancy it !!"  but I was feeling a little negative after the morning's disappointment ....I was actually thinking about packing up and heading home. Finally, a bit of common sense landed and we set of for Whiteside via Whin Ben.

It was a tough climb (probably because I was full of bread). At one point just below the summit of Whin Ben I had stopped taking some deep breaths ...looked up and Meg was  at the top with a couple on the way down looking a bit concerned !!

I didn't take my Lumix on this trek so had to do with some phone pics on a very windy summit.

Whiteside Summit 

Windswept Meg at the top of Whiteside

Back down to the Van - absolutely knackered !!

Mellbreak teasing me from the back of Thunderbird 2

Sleeping arrangements

We had a good nights sleep here - it is a very quiet road. Mountains all around and as the sun was going down the views were beautiful and crystal clear. Unfortunately as I woke up - clag everywhere . So, no rush I had a leisurely  breakfast (bacon buttie and tea) and then I phoned Richard and re-arranged the day (no point going up Kirk Fell in the mist). Meet at Keswick for a walk up Latrigg.

The trip to Keswick was an adventure in itself a drive over the Newlands Pass in the mist. T2 did a great job - I didn't need the 4WD at any point. 

Parked up at Keswick  Long stay Lakeside Car Park to meet Richard, and then we set off up to Latrigg in the clag

Dr Fulcher at the top of Latrigg

Well , I didn't achieve what I had set out to do , but a trip to the Lakes is never wasted. I knocked of Whiteside, checked out  the approach to Mellbreak , tested out T2, met with Richard, and had a lovely walk up Latrigg (wainwright second time).

OS OL4. ..Not sure of the mileage.

Eagle Crag, Sergeants Crag, Ullscarf 4th August 2018

I didn't take Meg on this adventure as we were still in the grips of the heat wave. I parked at the school car park on n the edge of Stonethwaite village.

I headed up the valley on the wrong side of Greenup Gill, although it was a useful diversion as it allowed me to check out the camp site. By the time I arrived at the join of Langstarth Beck and Greenup Gill I could see I needed to be on the opposite bank. I guess I could have taken my boots off an waded across, but I chose to head back into Stonethwaite and cross the footbridge there (adding about a mile and half).

Eagle Crag

Finally I was at the foot of Eagle Crag. Before starting the climb the path skirted the base of the fell southwards through the waist high bracken, and then started climbing steeply to the hause between Bleak Howe and Eagle Crag. Through a gate and then more climbing where the path led up a gulley which was a straightforward scramble..At this point there was a vague path zig zagging up a number of terraces before a final scramble to the summit.

Eagle Crag summit

After all thta hard work it was an easy stroll across the ridge to the summit of Sergeants Crag,

Sergeants Crag

Sergeants Crag Summit

There was no path (that I could find) across to Greenup Edge, but the visibility was fine so navigation ws not an issue. As I met the Greenup Edge path I started to meet fellow walkers for the first time on the walk. Many of these wer on the Coast to Coast asking for reassurance thta they were oin the right track. It always amused me when someone asks me for directions on the hills...even funnier when I give them the correct advice !. From there it was a cas of following the line of old fence posts to the summit of Ullscarf.

Ullscarf summit

Ullscarf

Lining Crag

Eagle Crag on the way down the valley 

Can't remember where I was pointing my camera but I think this is Derwent Water

From the top of Ullscarf I retraced my steps back to the Greenup Edge path and then followed this path to the top of Lining crag before descending steeply down Greenup Gill valley.

Yet another excellent (but hot) day in the Lakes. About 9 miles OS OL4 

Eastern Lakes June 2018

Three magic days wandering the Eastern and far Eastern fells

Thursday June 21st Rest Dodd, The Nab, Brock Crags

Well I can't believe I just spent two hours creating this post and then lost everything. So this version will be somewhat shorter. 

In summary the route was :-

• Hartsop
• Hayeswater
• Rest Dodd
• The Nab
• Brock Crags
• Hartsop

Hayeswater Gill

Hayeswater

Top of Rest Dodd

Nab Summit looking to Rest Dodd

The Nab

Brock Crags Summit

Brothers Water

Footbridge over Hayeswater Gill

After returning to Hartsop I drove back to Glenridding to Gill Side campsite.


A brilliant start to the trip. About 9 miles OS OL 5

Friday June 22nd Dollywagon Pike, Seat Sandal, St Sunday Crag, Birks

The evening before we did a recce up to Lanty's tarn so the first bit of the route would be straightforward.

After a reasonable (but not brilliant nights sleep) I got up early for a brew and was joined by thousands of midges. So - motivation to get started

Meg at Lanty's Tarn

First Section of the walk

After climbing up the rise via Lanty's tarn between Glenridding and Patterdale we dropped down to the main track up the valley.

Climbing hut on the way up the valley

A little friend enjoying the view 

A nice rest in the shade of the climbers hut

We soon arrived at the cairn which marked the start of the climb up Dollywagon Pike. Steep, hard and hot - this was a brutal climb in the heat. The zig zag path reminded me of Ben Nevis.

Grisedale Tarn

Dollywagon Pike summit with Nethermost Pike and Helvellyn in the background

After a brief stop at the top to admire the magnificent views we headed straight down the side of Dollywagon Pike on a steep path and then straight up the side of Seat Sandal.

Grisdale Tarn

The track down the side of Dollywagon

The magnificent St Sunday Crag from the top of Seat Sandal

Seat Sandal summit

Section 2

From the top of Seat Sandal I retraced the path down and joined the path around the tarn. The path is a couple of hundred yards from tghe edge of the tarn before gradually dropping down to the stepping stones at the North East side of the tarn. We stopped here for a well earned rest and Meg had a nice cool dip in the tarn accompanied by another retriever. Just around the stepping stones were hundreds of tiny fish.

Zig Zag up the side of Dolly Wagon

Section 3

The next segment of the walk was straightforward navigation until we got to the top of St Sunday Crag. Straight up to Deepdale Hause and then join the ridge path to the summit with Cofa Pike behind. I was so happy to get to the third summit of the day, that I thought the last section would be a doddle - so without looking at my map I set uout for the clear path to the top of Gavel Pike thinking thta this must be Birks. It wasn't until I had dropped down to Lords Seat and the path had disappeared that I realised I had gone wrong. Once again my trusty Garmin got me out of jail, However, this (frustratingly) involved more climbing to get back to near the summit of St Sunday and then head onto the correct ridge leading to Birks. After a while we were at the modest summit of Birks.

Cofa Pike

St Sunday Crag Summit

Helvellyn Range from St Sunday Crag

Gavel Pike - Not Birks !!

Birks Summit

Grisedale Tarn from the path up to Deepdale Hause

The route down to Patterdale and then to Glenridding was steep but straightforward. 

Last Section

An epic day out. 14 Miles , 11 hours, 4 Wainwrights. OS OL5

Saturday June 23rd Beda Fell

Up early to break camp. Apart from a cup of tea I had no desire to share my breakfast with the Midges, so by just after 7 I was on my way round to the other side of Ullswater to climb Beda Fell. This fit the bill for a relatively short there and back walk so I could then get on with the long Journey back home. The other choice would have been Clough Head but that would have been another 4 miles.

I parked at St Martin's church, and followed the directions from Mark Richards book. At first I couldn't find the path that led to the start of the ridge but soon I was on the walk proper clambering over Winter Crag on the way to the summit. 

Beda Fell Ridge

Happy Meg at Beda Fell summit

This was a lovely walk and a perfect end to a magnificent 2 and half days walking., and 8 Wainwrights in the bag.

About 5 miles OS OL 5