Sunset over Grasmoor

Long Shadows in the Moonlight

Well indeed the sun had truly set by the time I got off the fell, moonlight and a decent head torch my only comfort.

Looking back to Skiddaw

Cornice

The day had started late, looking at the weather forecast the evening previously I had expected fog lower down and had delayed my journey so that I don't get to Braithwaite until around ten in the morning. I wish I had got up early, as you can see from the photographs the air was clear and very cold, the snow unconsolidated powder, knee deep in places, everywhere white and wintry. The initial pull up to the shoulder below Grisdale Pike, Sleet How, is pretty steep but the trail is well made and the sun is out, it's very warm work. Stopping frequently for photographs as the views back towards Skiddaw and Blencathra are amazing, Grisdale Pike is still not in view. Then as the ridge proper is gained the vista opens up to encompass the whole horseshoe around Coledale itself. The views stretch from the Solway all the way south to the Langale Pikes, Scafell Pikes and everything else in between. I'm reminded of similar views we had earlier in the year on the Lakeland 3000, except this time it's white not green.

Whiteside

Stopping briefly on the top of Grisdale Pike itself for another photo opportunity it's then down to the col and back up to Hopegill Head, often called Hobcarton Pike, the latter being my preference. The route has to be forged through knee deep powder snow as no one has been this way. There's a crust on the snow and it's exhausting work. Once there Hobcarton provides a welcome rest for food and drink and endless views of the mountains and snow. To the north you can see all the way to Galloway. The ridge to the west, Whiteside, looks positively Alpine.

By now the sun is well past midway in the sky and it's increasingly obvious that the likely hood of getting down before dusk at least is slim. Despite encouragement from a passing photographer extolling the virtue of Grasmoor I declined and pushed on over Sand Hill and down to the col at Coldale Hause then on up the very long slog up to Crag Hill. It doesn't get any easier.

Crag Hill

There's only time to linger briefly at the top of the ridge to take another photo or two, this is too good to miss, before pressing on down and back up to the slight top beyond Sail. Another photo stop and the last of the coffee. Now I'm alone on the hill it seems, everyone else has bailed out down Sail Pass. I push on, despite being very tired and the inevitability of darkness, to the last top on the route, Causey Pike.

Frost

Causey Pike is reached just as the sun was setting. The photo at the head of this entry was taken just before dropping steeply down towards the path and Braithwaite. Moonlight and then the new head torch, bought for the Lakeland 3000 earlier in the year, get me off safely if a little slower then anticipated. The usual. crampons off, then crampons back on, uncertainty adding to the delay.

Crag Hill to Sail

Down to the road at Newlands and there's still some way to go to get back to Braithwaite and then the car. The icy tarmac road is as lethal as any on the hill and seems to go on for ever. That which was a very pleasant summer stroll in shirt-sleeves earlier in the year is now just a grind. Then welcome lights in Braithwaite, a corner shop is still open and a welcome cup of tea is ordered. I realise I have no money to pay, having left my wallet in the car, still a mile or so away but the store owner takes pity on me and refuses payment anyway and indeed offers cake. I declined apologetically. The friendly hospitality is very much appreciated and restores my faith in humanity. (You know who you are, thank you!)

Update: loking back on the times it wasn't too bad after all, excepting of course I got back in the dark. Compared with our last outing in August which took 5 hours for exactly the same route the 7 doesn't seem so bad.

Lakeland 3000 : The Full Monte

The actuality

Keswick - Skiddaw -Keswick

Skiddaw summit

We started a little early keen to get off and the weather was just fantastic. We made very good time on this first section, 2hrs ahead of schedule which we maintained almost until the end. That buffer was to prove a real lifesaver both mentally and literally.

Skiddaw has a reputation of being a bit boring, often referred to as Skidbore by many. I can't agree, get up early and avoid the crowds and the place can be quite inspiring. The views from the top on a clear day can be fantastic. They were when we got there, brilliant blue skies and uninterrupted views of the Solway Firth and Scotland beyond to the north and similarly south to the Scafell Pikes, which is where we were headed next.

Coming down, back towards Keswick we began to meet other folk on their way up. One commented that we must have been up early, we told him why. With his well wishes still in our ears we continued down at a pace and remarked that was likely to be the only time we'd appear to be early as from now on we'd be seen to be walking into the latter part of the day.

Keswick - Seathwaite

Scafell Pike

The route through Keswick down to Seathwaite follows the Borrowdale valley through the heart of the Lakes. It's one of the most beautiful areas of the area with the road winding along the eastern edge of Derwent Water. It's just over 8 miles down to the farm at Seathwaite where we were planning to meet Tim and walking for the most part in the shade amongst the trees was pleasant enough. The traffic was not as busy as we'd expected and we only had one or two near miss incidents, with white vans mainly and where we had to walk on the road rather than the path. We got to the rendezvous point nearly three hours (2hrs 40min) ahead of schedule at 11:20.

Seathwaite - Scafell Pike

The pull up the corridor route was always going to be equally taxing as it was the last time we were here two weeks ago. It was maybe not quite as hot but very dry and we'd already done 18 miles by the time we left Tim and Jan at the farm. The path is an unremitting if steady pull all the way, about 6 miles passing Styhead Tarn about half way. You can't actually see Scafell from this route, it only come into view once you reach Lingmell Col. From the col the path ascends towards Scafell Pike before it's safe to traverse across to Mickeldore. We went too high and gained maybe 100m or so unnecessarily, expensive.

Scafell Pike & Scafell

Mickeldore and Scafell

The route between Scafell Pike and Scafell can go three ways, Broad Stand, Lord's Rake and Fox's Tarn. According to Wainright Broad Stand is impassable for walkers and while that's not true really it is a good scramble, a DIFF at least and is notorious for there are several fatal accidents on it every year. We had reconoitered the Fox's Tarn route two weeks previously so although we were ever so slightly tempted, remembering the height loss and the awful scree, to try an alternative but we stuck to the plan.

Fox's Tarn Gully

The decent on the southern side of Mickeldore is horrible lose and steep scree and more to the point it's over 200m down to the start of Fox's Tarn Gully. On the way down you know all this has to be regained on the way back to Scafell Pike. The gully to day was almost bone dry, a huge contrast even to two weeks ago and even more so when Tim and I had done it just a few weeks before that. Then it was like climbing up a small waterfall.

Once the actual tarn is reached, literally a small pool with a big boulder in it, the path ascends steeply up scree in a long leftward curve to the summit which is marked by a rather inconspicuous pile of stones. Just time for a short halt, some food and photos and to admire the views to the whole of the Cumbrian coast, which were spectacular. Then off back down the scree, gully and up the other side of Mickeldore to Scafell Pike proper. We arrive at the top of England at 16:20, stillover two hours ahead of the planned schedule despite the longer stop at Seathwaite and the brief halt on Scafell.

Scafell Pike - Angle Tarn

Looking north to Skiddaw

The scree slopes have been hard work and we stop for another refuel and more photos. The look back towards Skiddaw shows just how far we have come. Then realising while we have done 3 of the 4 summits we are less than half distance and there's a long way to go.

There's an air of determination now more than ever, this has become a test.

The route now drops away from Scafell Pike and up again towards Broad Crag and again down and up to the shoulder below Great End. From here down all the way to Angle Tarn via Esk Hause its longer and more tiring than we remember. Angle Tarn at 17:35, and we're still two hours ahead, that means the planned times are about right.

Angle Tarn - High Raise

I've only done the route between Angle Tarn and High Raise once, earlier on this year when the ground was frozen solid. The path from the outfall of the Tarn starts off distinct enough but disappears on several occasions in tracts of bog. Luckily the ground is so dry that these don't cause us any problems. We pass a couple who have come up from Langdale who indicate the way they came suggesting the way down was easy. We have to disappoint them slightly and say we're off the other direction towards Helvellyn. ".are you sure? .. rather you than me.". We cross the Cumbrian way at Stake Pass where there is a distinct path marked on the map, the isn't one on the ground and we take a wandering line to the crest of the broad ridge that leads to High Raise. It is a slog up steep seemingly never ending boggy peat. There's one point of light relief, we see a big stag standing less than 150m away but there's no time for the camera, he's seen us and is off and gone before I even attempt to make a move. Just time for another photo at the trig point on High Raise. It's not an official peak in the list but it feels that way.

High Raise - Wythburn Church

Wyhthburn Church & midge shelter

Now this is new territory, neither of us has been here before and the path, again well marked on the map is nowhere to be seen. Taking some chance that the dry conditions will mean that if we get off line a little the bog will not swallow us up we make a bee line for the edge of the burn where we know the path should be. The bog wasn't completely dry and by the time we'd gone a mile or so neither were we. The path wanders down the alongside of the burn for most of it's length. Cccasionally distinct but narrow at other times nowhere to be seen and even in these dry conditions calf deep bog. The light is becoming quite poor even though it's only eight o'clock or so. The gathering clouds have already indicated that there is wet weather to come with the odd shower. It's over 4 miles from High Raise to the church and it does feel every inch that. The beauty of this little valley lost to us for the most part in the concentration of the task in hand.

The halt at the church was a life saver the midges obviously cousins of those on Skye. The shelter gave us time to refuel, test the head torches and gather ourselves for the last summit, Helvellyn.

Helvellyn

The pull up to Helvellyn is steep and I was suffering, badly. Contrasting this climb with the last time I was here when, in balmy sunshine and the odd light cloud, I had fantastic views over Thirlmere. Now it was definitely dusk, indeed dark, head torches brought into use well before we got to the summit and it was beginning to rain. The wind was getting up too, this was not fun. Sheer determination and an unwillingness to fail for the both of us, got me up.

The gradient eases a little as we reach the shoulder below Nethermost Pike and we make better progress, backs to the wind and driving rain. Some thoughts of should we go back and get down off the hill before the weather gets worse? cross my mind. It seemed to me the best way down from here would indeed be to go on. Amazingly as we near the summit shelter we see lights coming towards us, three people, barely audible grunts of recognition exchanged between us as we pass. This is no place to stop for even the briefest of pleasantries.

Helvellyn shelter

Then the summit shelter, as the wind is driving the rain horizontally, the shelter actually works and we're able to sit out of the wind and eat, check the GPS, and try to grab a photo. This is the last summit after all. The GPS is a real life saver in all aspects of the word. The weather has closed in even more it's now raining harder and it's foggy we can't see a thing. The light from our head torches bounces straight back in our faces, it's as good as a white-out.

GPS, route, waypoint H5, bearing, and now we walk scanning the path ahead and the edge 2m to the right of us above the 1000ft drop into Brown Cove with the new head torch.

I have never been quite so glad to see a made up path, nor so glad to have been so prepared that I had the route and way points programmed into the GPS. Not smug just relieved and thankful. It may be technology Jim but got us off the mountain.

Swirls Car Park - Keswick

Finish Keswick Moot Hall 03:24

The path down to The Swirls car park is just long and steep and slippery. By the time we get to the bottom we're absolutely shattered, thoughts of hitching a lift more than cross our minds. There's about 8 miles of road to do before Keswick and the hotel but the rain has eased off and with a few mouthfuls of food and water we're off again. A little too fast at first, anxious to get back, so we slow to a more manageable pace knowing we'll make it, just a couple of hours or so to go.

The road is undulating and there's a steep uphill section just before the lights of Keswick appear, now it's down hill all the way. We miss a turning into town and add another half mile or so. Almost too tired to care about a photo at the finish we hesitate but make the effort for that last shot of me in front of the Moot Hall, where we started 21 hours 35 mins and some 47 miles ago.

	Sunrise 4.36	Sunset 21.49		Six AM Start		Actual time
Location	Light	Leg Distance	Leg Time		Notes	Fri 12/06/2009
Keswick Moot Hall	daylight	0	0	06:00:00	Start	05:45
Skiddaw		5.25	2.5	08:30:00	steep uphill	07:30
Keswick		5.7	2.5	11:00:00	down hill	09:00
Borrowdale				11:00:00	road	-
Seathwaite		8.33	3	14:00:00	road	11:20
Halt			0.3	14:18:00	20 min stop	-
Scafell Pike		3.68	2	16:18:00	long uphill	-
Scafell		1.13	1.2	17:30:00	vertical	15:20
Scafell Pike		1.13	1	18:30:00	vertical	16:20
Broad Crag		0.5	0.3	18:48:00	uphill	-
Esk Hause		1.23	0.5	19:18:00	downhill	-
Angle Tarn		0.75	0.3	19:36:00	down hill	17:35
Stake Pass	dusk	1.5	0.75	20:21:00	flat	-
High Raise	dusk	1.6	1	21:21:00	steep uphill	19:15
Wythburn Church	dark	4.3	2.15	23:30:00	long down hill boggy	21:15
Halt	dark		0.3	23:48:00	20min stop	30 min
Helvellyn	dark	2.3	1.2	01:00:00	steep uphill	-
The Swirls Car Park	dark	2.5	1.2	02:12:00	down hill	-
Keswick Moot Hall	dawn	8	3.5	05:42:00	road	-
		47.89	23.7		finished	03:20

View The Real Lakeland3000 in a larger map

Life Saver:1

The halt at Wythburn Church was really welcome. The slog over High Raise and down Wythburn had taken it out of us. A chance to sit and think, to eat, refuel for the task ahead. There's a seat in the churchyard, we sat a while, not long, the midgies arrived insatiable in their need for human blood (or whatever it is they eat). We could not stay there and yet we needed the rest so going on was NOT an option. We tried the church door in hope but anticipated it beeing locked. It was OPEN! and we hurried in away from the swarm. That sheltered rest was literally a life saver.

Life saver:2

The head torch I bought recently, a LED/LENSER H7, £46+ which I thought at the time was a bloody hell of an ammount to pay for a torch. It wasn't, buy one. If you pardon the pun it's bloody brilliant! worth every penny.

Life saver:3

If you have read any of this blog you will have seen the Maps and GPS tracks I've plotted from all the walks and runs I have done. For the 3000 I had pre programmed the GPS unit , a Garmin etrex Venture HC, with a number of short sections of the walk as routes and waypoints. I hadn't plotted all the route but just one or two key sections where I was either unfamiliar with it or where I anticipated that the darkness or bad weather may require us to really navigate.

I plotted the bearing off the top of Helvellyn, that got us off in the whiteout, this was a real lifesaver.

Tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow

Here we go here we go!

Well almost, I'm packed and now just got to get through today without losing my grip, overdosing on adrenaline. The weather looks very good for Friday too and that is really a big big plus. Hopefully it'll not get too warm 6 ~ 8° and clear skies are predicted.

Final Adjustments : 4 days to go

Training : Final Planning

With only a few days to go it seems like I've a million and one things to think about. The route itself, final adjustments like 'skirt around the top of High Raise save 400ft and so on. With one eye on the weather, op-out clauses, Seathwaite, Wythburn, skip Helvellyn, the potential variations are mind boggling.

Clearly my real mind set is imagining myself on every part of the route, moving strongly and actually completing the trip. I think this approach means half the battle, the mental one, is being started now, before I get on the hill and will give me a much better chance of success. I think the training decision to walk as much of the route as possible over the past few weeks has been really helpful, really positive and one hell of a confidence boost.

Problem is the weather looks shite for Friday night, I don't fancy walking off the edge of Helvellyn into Brown Cove in the middle of the night in thick cloud. Bought a new head torch, Black Diamond H7, bright it is for sure.

9 Days and Counting

Start Time 06:00 12th June 2009

It's less than 10 days to my attempt on the Lakeland 3000. After the warm weekend trip up Scafell Pikes I've been taking it relatively easy. A Hexham run out yesterday evening, the usual 6~7 miles. I don't know exactly how far as I left the GPS at home. Thinking of taking it easy until a final jog on Saturday or Sunday next weekend.

I've carried out some detailed analysis of timings from previously recorded GPS track segments of the routes I've done over the last few months. These have corresponded to the planned and estimated times on my schedule. This is encouraging as it does mean it's possible but on the other had one or two of those tracks were taken at speed. I'm relying on two areas of estimate flexibility. One is many of the recorded tracks include the stops for food or photography and these will largely abandoned. The other is I have conservativly estimated the road sections where I'm really hoping to make up some time. Many of the down hill sections have been estimated as being very similar to the corresponding uphill ones, usually down hill is much quicker than up.

Food and diet will be a feature of the next week or two too, concentrating on packing in the carbohydrates rather than adding protein.

I'll be keeping a close eye on the weather too. I've yet to master the controls on that function!

	Sunrise 4.36	Sunset 21.49		Six AM Start
Location	Light	Leg Distance	Leg Time		Notes
Keswick Moot Hall	daylight	0	0	06:00:00	Start
Skiddaw		5.25	2.5	08:30:00	steep uphill
Keswick		5.7	2.5	11:00:00	down hill
Borrowdale				11:00:00	road
Seathwaite		8.33	3	14:00:00	road
Halt			0.3	14:18:00	20 min stop
Scafell Pike		3.68	2	16:18:00	long uphill
Scafell		1.13	1.2	17:30:00	vertical
Scafell Pike		1.13	1	18:30:00	vertical
Broad Crag		0.5	0.3	18:48:00	uphill
Esk Hause		1.23	0.5	19:18:00	downhill
Angle Tarn		0.75	0.3	19:36:00	down hill
Stake Pass	dusk	1.5	0.75	20:21:00	flat
High Raise	dusk	1.6	1	21:21:00	steep uphill
Wythburn Church	dark	4.3	2.15	23:30:00	long down hill boggy
Halt	dark		0.3	23:48:00	20min stop
Helvellyn	dark	2.3	1.2	01:00:00	steep uphill
The Swirls Car Park	dark	2.5	1.2	02:12:00	down hill
Keswick Moot Hall	dawn	8	3.5	05:42:00	road
		47.89	23.7		finished

Training : Lakeland 3000 Shakedown

The Final Piece of the Jigsaw

View Borrowdale in a larger map

The day started out cool and calm. The photo of Hartsop Dodd captured in a brief stop on the way to Windemere station. On arrival only to find connecting trains late and connections failed, the reliability of Northern Rail brought into question. Would this have happened under good old British Rail?

Re-route via Oxenhome and the delay made up and we're on our way to Borrowdale, via Keswick and the crowds are awakening, some are in Saabs and Volvos and we queue up behind them and process down the road to Seathwaite. This gives us time to view the road and paths which forms one of the road legs of the route itself. It may look easy but I bet there's scope for a balls up and the eight miles from Keswick after the first pull up Skiddaw this will be tough in the heat; if it's as hot as this.

Cresting the hump back bridge at Seatoller and we're brough up a jolt, there are 100's of cars and presumably many hundereds of people too. So much for a Friday being less crowded, it's half term of course.

We're keen to get going and make excellent progress along the path, past the farm where the route crosses the river Derwent at Stockley Bridge. Then on an upwards quite steeply to Styhead Tarn. A quick stop to check the map, it's ages and half a lifetime ago since I've been here. Locating the Coridoor Route another 1500ft and the col at Lingmell is topped. All the while making guesses, which top is that, Scafell, no you can't see it from here.

Great Gable

Its crowded now and the haul up to Scafell Pike is taken as fast as possible, topping out at the cairn 2:10min from the start. Stopping for something to eat and drink, consulting the map and options to be discussed and with decisions made. Scafell is only reached by losing around 850ft and climbing back up, via Fox's Tarn again; then doing it all over again on the way back! The view from the more secluded summit is well worth it.

The route home is via Broad Crag and Esk Hause then Sprinkling Tarn With it's beautiful seclusion and cool and inviting water it's difficult not to linger and swim! Grab a few photos, Gable is impressive from here, then on to Styhead Tarn rejoining the route up, back to the car. Damn it is HOT!

Wasdale to the Top of England

Scafell & Pike

View Scafell via Fox's Tarn in a larger map

Another new trip for me, Scafell and from Wasdale. Tim and I were to reccy the link between Scafell Pike and Scafell by driving into Wasdale Head and then taking a route from there to Mickeldore, the col between the two tops.

We set off in foul weather from the head of Wasdale at about 9:00, wet and windy, the forecast looking to be accurate. Climbing steeply, skirting Lingmell Gill the route goes straight towards Mickledore via Brown Tongue, into the thickening cloud and showery rain. It's warm work and there's the usual dilemma of 'overtrousers' or 'no-overtrousers'. I adopted the latter dress code.

The path steepens at the head of the cove and the scree underfoot does nothing to help forward / upward progress. When it's saturated like this it's more like walking in wet cement. Then suddenly we're on the col itself, cloud and wind making this spot feel very isolated and dropping the temperature enough for us to add layers. We're glad the wind is not at the forecast 'gales' 50mph level, that would have been too much.

Now the direction is down, the other side of the col towards the bottom of the East Buttress looking for a short cut through the rock and vegetation to a point 1/3rd the way up Fox's Tarn Gully. We see several possibilities but nothing definite and its very wet and slippery and opt for the safer option of the Gully itself. This is waterfall climbing, but it's steady and absorbing so the loss of height is quickly regained and without too much time lost. Fox's Tarn itself is just a peaty pool of water with a huge boulder sat in it but provides a necessary landmark, we bear right up the steep slopes behind to the summit ridge. The well cairned path bearing back around to the left to the summit of Scafell proper.

Time for a refuel, food and coffee in the cloud and wind a photo or two for posterity. Then suddenly the cloud parts and we catch a glimpse of Wasdale below, only a glimpse mind as the cloud rolls back in. This is no place to linger and with no view to keep us there we head off back down the way we have come. Finding the top of the gully easily we drop down the waterfall just as wet going down as up.

Mickledore

At the foot of the gully we have a steep climb back up to Mickledore, this time we hug the base of the gigantic cliffs in a further attempt to find the elusive shortcut. This time we do indeed see where the faint 'path' seems to go right into the heart of the craggy moss. Note the word 'path' is a very lose term and I am not confident that in a tired state this is the way forward, better the safer option even if we lose that extra 20~30m in height.

From the end of Mickeldore, just below Broad Stand we see our next objective in the clearing cloud and mist, Scafell Pike. The highest point in England is gained in short order, its now familiar bulky cairn covered with people of all shapes and colours. There's obviously an event on as there's a marshall with a radio and fell runners appearing every so often, only to disappear at an alarming speed. Our enquiries establish that the event is "The Three County Tops", Helvellyn, Scafell Pike and Coniston Old Man.

Author, Wastwater

The route down is via Lingmell Col and is fairly straight forward, if long and steep at the end. The weather plays tricks, at one time heavy showers and others bright sunshine. The clear spells allow some good photos of the unusual view of Mickledore and down the Wasdale valley all the way to the West Coast and the Irish Sea.

Tim looking down on Wastwater

Great Gable and Styhead Tarn

Hellvellyn :A walk on the West Side

From Wythburn to Helvellyn, Thirlmere and back

View Helvellyn in a larger map

It's the first time I have attempted Helvellyn from the west side of the mountain. Starting at the Wythburn car park, just behind the very picturesque church, close to the southern end of Thirlmere Reservoir it self, the route climbs straight up the fell side towards Nethermost Pike and then on to the summit. Some 2550 ft of climb in just over 2 miles.

The Path from the car park, bloody car park charges, don't get me started, climbs steeply through the forest and is all the same quite a pleasant walk. Braking out onto the hillside the views down to the reservoir a spectacular. The clouds are rolling in now and again but from this side the view is good all the way up to Keswick. It's steep and warm work despite the light but cold wind but once the shoulder just below Nethermost Pike is reached the path eases and I can start running again.

There's no one about and its quiet apart from the birdsong, skylarks. The views open up through the mist which is by now obscuring part of the view to the summit, and Striding Edge is obvious. A lone walker appears out of the mist just as we reach the shelter.

A brief stop for more photos and then we're off, following what will be the route on the Lakeland 3000 walk. But then I see the time, progress has been good and I realise if I go down now I'll be back to the car before 11:00. I decide to extend the route over White Side and Raise, two tops I have never visited.

This is good the route is great and apart from a drop down from White Side it taken at a run. Passing only a couple of walkers and one mad person with a bicycle, he's pushing it up hill.

The route then takes a fairly unremitting descent to Thirlmere Village. It's hard on the knees and thigh muscles. At the bottom the path then hugs the side of the hill parallel to the road and an aqueduct for 4~5 miles. Some of it is rough going and very tiring especially as I'm now cold and it's started to rain heavily. This is not a good option for the big one. I practice fell falling just as I get to The Swirls car park and in sight of joe public. The path from here is a wide forest track and is much easier going, except for the final hill in the last mile or two, arriving back at the car just under 4 hours after I left, 10.5 miles, 3000ft of climb.

Me, Mad?

Not compared to Sarah

My planned Lakeland 3000 walk later this spring causes my colleagues to say that I am mad. If you think I am then what would you say about Sarah's race calendar and planned events for this year?

Lakeland 3000

All four 3000ft peaks in the Lake District

View 3000 in a larger map

Update Update

We completed the walk at 3:24 on Saturday 13th June 2009. see Lakeland 3000 for details

The Idea

The idea is to set a challenge for yourself, one that is not totally unrealistic but one that you know will stretch your endurance and determination beyond a point where you have been before and a bit more.

Why?

Why not? Well actually for many reasons:

• To have a focus and reason for getting and staying fit.
• To be sociable.
• To have something to do with spare time, other than work.

The Detail

The actual challenge is to walk the four 3000ft tops in the Lake District in one day starting at and returning to The Moot Hall in Keswick, all within 24 hours and unaided.

That's an approximate total of 46 Miles, 11,000ft of ascent.

1. Keswick Moot Hall 06:00 Friday
   
2. Skiddaw Summit
3. Keswick
4. Borrowdale
5. Seathwaite
6. Lingmell Col
   
7. Scafell Pike
8. Scafell
9. Scafell Pike
10. Broad Crag
    
11. Esk Hause
12. Angle Tarn
13. Stake Pass
14. High Raise
15. Steel End
    
16. Wythburn
17. Helvellyn
18. Thirlmere
19. Keswick Moot Hall 06:00 Saturday
    

Skiddaw : Hey there is a view!

Skiddaw from Keswick Moot Hall

View Skiddaw from Keswick in a larger map

A bright but hazy morning saw me up early and after a brief rather manic drive along the A69/M6/A66 saw me in Keswick by 8:00.

The weather forecast was a bit dire with rain and showers predicted for the afternoon. So, determined to see if there was a view for the summit of Skiddaw I planned the early start. In all the years I have been walking in the Lakes and the many times I have actually been up Skiddaw I have been surrounded in mist or buried deep in cloud and rain and never seen any kind of view from the top.

The other reason for chosing this particular route was to reconnoitre it in preparation for the Lakeland 3000s later on this year. One of the key things we learned from the Yorkshire 3 Peaks trip was that knowing the route meant that virtually no time at all was spent looking at the map. That saved us a huge amount of time as we were inevitably making good forward progress all day, stopping only for food and drink. This walk from Keswick's Moot Hall to the summit of Skiddaw and back, is the first section of the L3K trip. Making sure we can get out of Keswick at the start and back through the town and on to Borrowdale in the dark will be important.

As it was I got a little lost at the beginning and found the dead end that is the road up to the Keswick Hotel and the Station. A short detour and a stop or two two for photos and to embed the path into the memory meant that it took about half an hour to clear Keswick and get to the start of the Latrigg path at the end of Spooney Green Lane.

Once on this path there is no real possibility of losing your way. This is a main road of a path and it continues around Latrigg, forming part of the Cumbrian Way long distance path.

This early in the morning there were few people about and I made good progress, running some of the time, walking otherwise. The climb from Hawell monument is pretty unremitting calling for some determination, head down, keep going. It's not until the shoulder above Jenkin Hill is reached does it become flat(ish) enough to break into a jog again.

The summit is still some way from here but the views are indeed fantastic despite the haze, and its windy a somewhat refeshing cold Southerly breeze bringing a welcome relief.

A short stop on the summit to pat the ubiqutious dog, say hi to passers by and take the odd photograph, using thenew camera's self timer and the trig point as a tripod. But the breeze is actually quite cold and it's not long before I'm off at a fair pace down.

The path is quite steady from the top and I'm able to crack on passing all those still on their way up. Most of these folk are well overdressed or so it seems. Maybe it's just me being a bit self rightous.

View Skiddaw from Keswick in a larger map

The way back is obvious, through the plantaion around Latrigg again and Spooley Green Lane but then I missjudge the road and forget the gate and well get a bit lost on the old railway track back down into Keswick. It's not long before I realise and correct my mistake and get back onto the road, coming back into Keswick along the road in from the A66. Back at the Moot Hall in what is now a crowded market place at about 11:00, 3 hrs round trip, 11.1 miles according to the GPS.

 

The Lakes 3000'

View 3000 in a larger map

The Challenge

A friend of mine recently said 'set yourself a real challenge', (you know who you are now see what you've made me do!). Well I did, the trip up Scafell Pike from Langdale was challenging for a first day on the fells for over a year. Having now completed that I think I need another, The Lakes 3000ft Peaks in 24hrs sounds about enough. According to Ken Wilson's book 'The Big Walks' thats 16 to 20 hours and 46 miles and includes 11,000ft of ascent.
According to friends I'm Mad, but I'll give myself enough time to train and set a target of completing the round before this time next year.
What then....'The Bob Graham Round?'