New Year

2009 : 2010

Back Gate, uploaded by rantoutloud.

It's New Year's Day and I awoke to 6" of snow and more falling. I have to travel to North Yorkshire today for my daughter's wedding tomorrow so I'm faced with the prospect of digging the car out and indeed the whole of the small square / courtyard in front of my flat. It's very pretty for sure but it takes nearly 2 1/2 hours. No one is awake to help it seems.

Happy New Year

Wishing you all a very happy, prosperous and successful 2010.

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.

Weather : The Outlook

It must be Winter

I may be slightly mistaken but I just heard the word snow used in the weather forecast on Radio 4 this morning and it's also mentioned in the MWIS one as well. I think this is the first time this year. Is it winter already? I'd better break out the ice axe and crampons soon.

Waterlogged on High Street

Haweswater : You can see why

Small Water + Haweswater

The weather didn't look promising desite the weather man on Radio 4 this morning suggesting dry and sunny day with a little showery weather in the North West. Remember this is the Lake District and the Victorians built the resevoirs here for a good reason, it's normally pissing down and today was no exception.

High Street, 2700 odd feet and it's far easterly aspect I thought would keep most of the cloud and rain off, wrong. It was raining moderately when I arrived at the car park at the southerly end of Haweswater, which despite the weather, was already crowded.

The route taken was the one from Haweswater or rather Mardale Head, around the resevoir 'The Rigg' and up the steep, craggy and almost dead straight ridge directly to the summit of High Street. The two main features along the route are Rough Crag and Long Stile are bounded on the north by steep crags that fall into Riggindale and on the south side by Blea Tarn. Beautiful views on a sunny day no doubt but from my perspective today were just notional landmarks 'over there somewhere' hidden in the mist and cloud.

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At the cairn at the top of Long Stile, a brief stop for some munchies, more clothing because it was by now very windy and cold, a chat to some folk doing the same thing a study of the map and then off at a run to the summit itself. The run and the additional layer helps to warm me up but I still can't see anything and decide that common sense means get down and to the pub as quickly as I can!

The route is easy now there's a very well defined path to Mardale Ill Bell and beyond to Nan Bield Pass where the path drops down to Small Water then directly back to the car park.

The Pot of Gold

The Pot of Gold, uploaded by rantoutloud.

Great Railway Journeys of the world, Leeds to York. This spectacular rainbow seen from the train going to York on my way home from Leeds at about 17:30. Over the past few days there's been much 'big weather'; thunderstorms and sunshine and the contrasts on a minute by minute and mile by mile basis seem extraordinary.

Running Hexham

Causey Hill

View Hexham Causey Hill

Back to the traditional Tuesday night runouts, this time Causey Hill. The pull up from the Wentworth leisure centre in Hexham is unforgiving. Halfway up the hill at one of the natural stops, a stile, I had to lie down or else I'd have fallen over, light headed and dizzy. I can only assume that I'm de-hydrated and lacking energy despite eating and drinking; I thought enough; today.

A brief rest and a steady pace up to the top of the hill and I'm managing, the down hill is easy one you get into a stride. Then the long return run, up again and again before the long run back through to Hexham's main street and back to the Wentworth Leisure Centre. 6.33 miles 5.2mph In this heat that's enough for now!

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.

to go or not to go?

The weather forecast for tomorrow looks iffy with rain and high winds until later in the day. The model is obviously complex and confidence low. Sunday is probably a better bet with a short 12 -18 hour window of less windy showery weather predicted.
-via phone blog.

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.

 

Weather : Occluded Front

The North-South Divide

Early Saturday morning just off the Military road near Horsley I spotted this weather formation. Looking at the charts for today it's a clear example of an Occluded Front. If you pardon the pun. It stretched from the horizon in the South all across the sky to the opposite horizon in North. Blanket cloud in the East and almost nothing at all looking West.

Now not sure if that heading should be East-West, anyhoo it looked spectacular enough to get out of the car and take this photo.

No training again today as the ankle is still sore as hell. May take a trip to the gym later today, pushing pedals may just be OK. Really concerned for next weekend's trip to Eastgate.

The weather chart above has been supplied by the Met Office, courtesy of their Library Service. I have to say these guys are great, I asked them if I could have a historic chart at approx 1am, by 13:00 the next day they had sent me the full image of the chart that I asked for. Brilliant guys! Thank you.

Ice Cold : On the Edge

The Icy Adventures of Gripp Type-Thinne II

"The best snow and ice conditions in 20 years", that's what the man promised and that's what we got. Well pretty much. It was a little misty and the view was restricted later in the day but the conditions underfoot were solid hard neve and just fantastic walking and climbing.

The path up from Patterdale, very familiar now, takes no time at all and stopping only to take the odd photograph the top of the ridge is reached at the Hole in the Wall within the hour. The hole is nowhere to be seen, it's under about 10ft of had packed snow and only the very top of the ladder stile is to be seen.
We stop to put crampons on, Gripp looking very pleased he'd brought them this time. I swapped windproof fleece for another base layer and windproof jacket expecting the wind on the ridge itself to be bighting.

The conditions were fantastic, firm ice and snow making foot placements solid and confidence building, the wind not distracting at all except in one or two places. I even had time to stop and take photos of the mele along the ridge, for it had become obvious that there was quite a number of folk determined to take advantage of these conditions.

The last step down at the end of the ridge required some care, holds and ledges packed hard with ice and then the final pull up to the summit, seeking out steeper ice along the face to make it more interesting.

After a brief stop at the "shelter" made even more tenuous in that regard since all the snow packed into each and every corner had reduced it's meagre effectiveness even further, we set off over the actual summit of Helvellyn to the cairn above Swirral Edge. The steep ice was firm enough to walk down a seemingly impossible slope to the easier ground along the ridge itself. This is no where near the edge that it's bigger brother demonstrates at the other side of the corrie.

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Windward Ho!

The Coledale Round Extreme

The forecast was for extremely windy weather, 60mph + and was described by the MWIS as

South or south-easterly in the range 35-40mph, but on higher summits 45mph, gusts locally in excess of 60mph Will continue to make for very difficult walking on exposed higher areas - with any mobility difficult on highest summits and ridges. Severe wind chill.

I can vouch for the accuracy of this prediction. At one point in the walk I literally had to crouch down and clamber up the path almost on all fours in order not to get blown over the edge. Most of the time I was leaning with a 30 ~ 40° list into the wind in order to stay upright.

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There was a point when I sat down at the summit of Hobcarton Pike, or Hopegill Head if you prefer, when the coffee flew sideways and not into the mug, when the rucksack moved 3' to the left in an instant, when a fellow walker passing by was blown onto all fours, that I nearly decided to go down via Coledale Hause and back along the valley. However foolishness got the better of me and I continued up Eel Crag and along the ridge, Sail and Causey Pike, stepping back along the ridge a while before dropping down to Barrow Door and along Barrow Gill and back to the car at Braithwaite.

The header photo for this entry is taken looking south from the summit of Eel Crag more towards Pillar rather than Scafell group, some of the other shots on Flickr do take in the whole vista.

Mountain Weather : Inversion Layers

Inversion layer, by rantoutloud.

Temperature inversion layer above Fairfield taken from from St. Sunday Crag. This climate phenomenon is due to a layer of warmer air above the cold dense air mass closer to the ground. I believe that the principle reason for this formation is due to a combination of the high pressure air mass which was sat on top of the UK and the low angle of the winter sun. According to Wikipedia "An inversion is also produced whenever radiation from the surface of the earth is less than the amount of radiation received from the sun, which commonly occurs at night, or during the winter when the angle of the sun is very low in the sky."

Conditions in the higher layer were extremely bright clear air with temperatures around freezing, maybe +1° Celsius. Visibility was in excess of 20 miles despite the haze and the wind was steady around 20 mph. Within the lower layer the temperature must have been closer to -8° Celsius and the wind significantly stronger and the humidity; judging by what most people call hoar frost, but is in fact advection frost, which formed on everything and every one; close to 100%. The visibility within the colder layer was down at around 15m and the transition between one layer and the next was very sudden, within around 20m.

There seems also to be some particular aspects of this specific fell and it's surroundings that makes this dramatic formation occur regularly. I have seen and photographed it before on several occasions over the years.

High Up Iced Up

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The Deepdale Horseshoe

Endorphins free flowing a day set up with great promise the weather forcast looked amazing with the high pressure still maintaining a presence over the UK after several days. This High was the cause of the bright clear weather last Saturday and the fantastic clear views from Place Fell and the still cold air in the valleys. Arriving in Patterdale at around nine am the outside temperature, according to the car's computer, was -6°C and everything was white and icy.

A burst of activity and the steep slope up to the 1st shoulder of St. Sunday Crag is reached; the views into the eastern crags of Helvellyn group is fantastic, it's so clear and you can see for miles, except the for the haze. The view over Ulswater is worth the climb in itself. I just manage to capture the steamer on its way across the lake, it's wake making increasing patterns on the surface.

The cloud which is streaming over Fairfield is being held at bay by the mass of relativley warm high pressure air sat on top of the colder layer below.

This inversion layer looks dramatic with freezing fog/cloud billowing in the strong wind, seemingly following the contours of the fell as it over Fairfield, Cofa Pike and down into the hollow at Grisdale Tarn. Eventually it seems to escape and breaks out over Dollywaggon and Nethermost Pike.

The route I plan to take takes me right into the cloud layer as I climb steeply up over Cofa Pike and on to Fairfield. As I pass those coming down everyone mutters something about how cold it is and judging by their appearance, they're all covered in a white frost they are not joking.

The temperature gradient is dramatic as is the change in visibility. From a almost warm 0°C in the sunshine on St Sunday to what feels like -8° takes almost no time at all and by the time I get to the top of Cofa Pike the visibility has dropped to just a few metres.

Navigation on the summit of Fairfield is notoriously difficult, the place is flat and relatively featureless. Even the cairns only add to the confusion in the fog as they are too close together and too many in number. Several times along the path to Hart Crag, the point at which I turn left to follow the path down to Bridgend, I'm asked for directions or confirmation of where we are. At one point I get the GPS and the compass out to make doubly sure as a small group of walkers, obviously on some form of organised walk are completely disorientated.

The remainder of the route follows the ridge down from Heart Crag over Black Crag and Hartsop Above How and the transition from the cold inversion layer back into the warmer one is almost as dramatic.

Bowfell, High Raise and The Langdale Pikes

Bowfell and the Langdale Pikes

22112008, uploaded by rantoutloud.

Saturday 22nd November 2008, 7:30 in the morning, twilight and the weather shaping up for a cold and clear day. The weather was extremely cold and windy, 35~45mph (about -20DegC wind chill) but it was promised to be clear and cloud free.
So a decision was made to at least to take a look at the unfamiliar territory east of Angle Tarn towards High Raise. This section forms part of the Lakes 3000's that we're planning to do next year. Coming after the slog up and down Scafell and Scafell Pike it is likely that will have to be done mid afternoon before we get to Helvellyn. It is a somewhat bleak and rounded group of fell and while we're expecting to do it all in reasonable weather it's obviously advantageous that we're as familiar as possible to make the journey as easy as can be.

In order to make it a bit more of a walk I decided to start from Langdale and ascent up to Esk Hause via the Band, Bowfell and Esk Pike. Esk Hause is the turning point on the route for this section. The track from Esk Hause down to Angle Tarn is very familiar ground and I've covered this at least twice in the last few months. At the point where the path crosses the outflow from the Tarn the path diverges, continuing south west to Rossett Gill and roughly north east to Stake Pass where it crosses the Cumbrian Way.
I followed the Cumbrian Way path for a short while before dropping down into Stake Beck and headed straight up the hill towards the summit of High Raise. The effort to cross the mile or so from the pass to The summit ridge seemed all out of proportion to the 300 or so metres the map suggested it was. The boggy ground, the number of small false summits and what I can only described as heather and moss moguls made the going very tough indeed.

Having got to the top of High Raise, managed to get some food and coffee inside of me the remainder of the walk across Thuncarr Knott, and the Langdale Pikes, (Pavey Ark, Harrison Stickle, Pike O'Stickle and Loft Crag) was done in rapid order. The wind and the cold made it almost impossible to stop without freezing almost immediately. The path down over Raven Crags to the New Dungeon Gill pub is just long and hard on the knees.

In total the day was about 14 Miles, the GPS missed a bit, and about 4900' of ascent in about 7 hours.
The evening was spent winding down at the Kendal Mountain Film Festival, Catherine Destivelle's film was very inspiring. Followed by a excellent meal at Deja-Vu a small French Bistro in Kendal with friends.

Rockefeller State Park

Rockefeller State Park, by rantoutloud.

In the park again, running this time. On the flat makes things easy compared to HHR. The beautiful view over the lake and the Autumn/Fall colours in the sunshine made running almost a pleasure.

Grisdale Pike

grisdale pike, uploaded by rantoutloud.

Cold wind on top, cloud closing in from west, ipod karma shuffle in reflective mood. The weather is fantastic and the clouds hold off all day. Didn't stop anywhere for long and the complete round took just about 4.5 hours.
The route takes the path from the quarry car park at the edge of Braithwaite up on to the ridge to Sleet How and Grisdale Pike itself. After a brief stop for coffee and a banana (?) Hopegill Head or Hobcarton Crag depending on which map you read, down to Coldale Hause and back up to Crag Hill, or Eel Crag again depending on which map you read. From Eel the ridge is followed over Sail and on to Causey Pike. The descent from the col between Scar Crags and Causey Pike leads down to the path which skirts Outerside and Stile End and back down to Braithwaite by the Coldale Pub, about 9.5 miles. This means I still haven't visited the summit of Grasmoor! I was informed by John that it was too boring anyway so I don't feel I missed out.

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Ingelborough and Pen-Y-Ghent

2/3 of the Three Peaks

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River Running

Water water everywhere

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Running the Horsley Hell Run this morning was a very wet affair. The water pouring down the hill from Horsley was being funneled down the track at the end of the run into was was in effect a small river. I extended the run to the very end of the bridalway which goes all the way down to the Tyne at a place between Wylam and Ovingham.
The new fell running shoes, inov-8 Flyroc 345 GTX were a bit dissapointing.
Don't get me wrong they are comfortable and cope well with the really muddy ground, not too hard on the feet and knees on tarmac either, but under these wet, well aquatic, conditions they just filled up with water. I think that the Gortex ® lining under these conditions may be a hinderance rather than a help. I wish now I'd bought the standard version.

Blencathra via Hall's Fell

Gategill by rantoutloud.

Sunday, early start alarm off at 5:00AM hoping to get a weather window before the heavy rain and wind predictied by our chums at the Weather Centre for later on in the day.
Dash over to Threlkeld marred by forgetting the speed camera ot Low Row service station on the A69, think I got snapped! Damn!
Walk up to the summit of Blencathra, technically Hall's Fell Top, is always a challenge. It's steep, lots of pretty orange lines to cross, and the ridge in the wet can be tricky as the rock is slate like and very slippy. The best route to follow is definately to stick to the crest of the ridge, the seemingly attractive path to the left is neither fun or less dangerous.
Very pleased with progress up the hill, no-stop ascent, except to take photos and completed in just over 1.5 hrs. That's not quite good enough yet for 2 miles and about 2,400' of ascent, will need to do better than that. Descended via Doddick Fell running down the easy sections, slipped on aformentioned wet slate and fell on arse. Back down, in the car and home by 12:00. Now looking forward to watching rugby and Ponteland Rugby BBQ later.
The map below is a plot of actual track data from my GPS data logger.

Looking up Hall's Fell at the start of the rocky section

Foule Crag and Sharp Edge from Doddick Fell

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Skiddaw, will I ever see the view?

This Sunday descided to climb Skiddaw. I've been up this tottering pile of slate several times and never seen the view over Keswick and Derwent Water, which I am lead to believe is superb.

The weather was foul above 1800ft with wind and low cloud obscuring the views. Missed the right turn on the way down and ended up almost in Keswick before realising. Even after skirting around Under Skiddaw it meant a much longer walk back to the car.