Eventually got my act together this morning and headed South. Set off with no idea where I was going to hike. Weather forecast had high winds, which was accurate. Headed dowbn the A702 and started going through various options in my mind. Thought for a bit I might park at West Linton in the Pentlands and do a loop from there, but quickly ruled that out. Kept on driving. South of Dolpinton I chopped over to the A701. It was about this point I decided on doing Hart Fell again from the Devil's Beeftub, this time clockwise.
Set off just after a middle aged group of hikers who managed to get lost right at the start by going into a nehighbouring field. I too advantage of that and managed to overtake them as they attempted to rejoin the path. Kept pushing for a bit up the first hill as they were loud, annoying and obviously incompetent! Never saw them again. I think they gave up and turned back as I didn't even see them in the distance again. Or maybe they got lost again. Anyway, I did the full loop. A lot of up and down along the way, close to 3000 feet of ascent according to one of my books. According to the Garmin 10.5 miles. High winds on the top. I could see into England today from up there. The hills in the Lake District were visible across the Solway Firth.
Eventually made it back to the car. The final section was a drag, Had to climb back out of a valley to the car. Didn't get wet, it rained briefly a few times, but not severe. On the way home it was dark and wet roads.
That was the final warmup. Not the best hike of recent times, the weather wasn't great. A few more preparations to come this week, then I head off.
Cheers,
Stu B
Sunday, 28 August 2011
Sunday, 21 August 2011
Newlands Horseshoe and Helvellyn Reconquered
Made it into breakfast at 0730 on Saturday. Drove down narrow lanes to a place called Little Town and a carpark at a place called Chapel Bridge. Parked car, I was the first person there. A Jaguar came along a few minutes later. Had to complete my preparations outside the car. The dog that emerged from the car focused his attention on me. He kept dropping the stick at my feet, and I had to throw it for him to bring back. A bit of a pain when you’re trying to get your boots on. The owner said he was taking the dog up all the Wainwright’s. I kept seeing him taking pictures of the dog at different points including a summit.
I hit the trail. Steep uphill behind Cats Bells. I didn’t take the detour to the top of it but kept going on the clockwise loop. As I climbed I had no idea if I would do the entire loop. Kept going one peak at a time. There was no way down into the valley so I had to either go the head of the valley or turn back. I kept going. There was a big drop from High Spy at the head and a very substantial looking and non-trivial climb up Dalehead on the other side. Thought at this point I was going back down the valley, but I decided to push upwards again. Made it to the highest point of the day. Was looking down on the Conister Slate Mine and across at Bowfell and Scafell in the distance. This was some hike. Right in the middle of it all with reasonable weather. Clouds, but not the worst I’ve been out in.
Didn’t spend long at the top, Kept doing around the horseshoe and back down. The drop down had some narrow and extremely steep bits. It took a while but eventually made it back to the car. Just over 8.5 miles according to the Garmin. Car park and lane now full of cars. Changed into my casual clothing, drove back to Keswick’s downtown carpark. It was full, but before I did half a lap a massive SUV reversed out of a space so I wasted no time in screeching into that! I don’t think the owners of the car next to me were happy, they probably thought I was about to scrape their pride and joy! Straight into the Bank Tavern before even thinking about a bath. Went back to the hotel after 2 more pubs and a visit to the convenience store next to it to buy a 500ml can of Budwieser. Drank it in the bath. The ultimate in degeneracy, but I’d earned it, right? After that went out again with a view to getting some food. Drank 1.2 pints, couldn’t be bothered finishing the 2nd. Went to the chip shop at the head of the High Street, took the Fish and Chips back to the room. Got into bed and watched the X Factor. Exciting Saturday night, eh? Must have very quickly fallen asleep as I woke up later with the TV still blaring away. I switched it off. However I’d already decided tomorrow’s target.
Helvellyn the steep way from Thirlmere Reservoir. This was another reason I was in bed early. Miscalculated breakfast time. It was 0800 on a Sunday. Took a 5 minute walk, got bored, then took one of the hotel’s papers back to the room for another cup of coffee. Went down again for breakfast. There was a distinguished looking elderly gentleman across from me that I’d seen the day before too. Still can’t quite put the name to the face, but I’m sure he was one of these famous old BBC TV presenters. I’ll work out who he was in a month or two. Julia Bradbury stays here as well when she’s in the area, had a conversation with one of the hotel staff (might have been one of owner family) on returning to the hotel late on Friday night. Can’t remember what he said about her, I think he said she’d been in recently.
Anyway a short jaunt took me south to Thirlemere, the first massive reservoir that Manchester City Corporation built in the Lakes. Parked at Wythburn near the south end. Got ready. Paused an extra minute or two to attempt to let a large crowd set off before me, but they were taking too long to get prepared so I had to set off a minute or two before them. The Garmin failed early on. The batteries were fully charged before heading south, they’ve previously lasted several hikes. A shame as this was going to a brutal climb. Helvellyn the direct way, it would have been nice to track my progress and know how much more pain was still to come. The first 10 minutes is on a steep path up through a forest. Damp in there, started sweating heavily. I got some air on breaking out, but the gradient didn’t get much gentler for a while! I’m sure when I’ve read off this route in the past, the descriptions always scared me regarding the initial effort. Anyway I made it. After the halfway point I was into the mist. 4th time up this beast and I still haven’t seen anything from the top!
My first attempt got abandoned on a blue sky day in 1999 as the Spanish chambermaid I was with got scared off heights well before Striding Edge and needed to turn back. I should have told her to make her own way down. I’d met her in a bar in Grasmere the previous day. Told her I was doing Helvellyn the next day, she invited herself along as it was her day off. I think she put a curse on me as the 4 successful ascents are always in misty conditions. Yesterday would have been good, but then today wouldn’t have been as good on Newlands Horseshoe so I got that aspect correct.
Was at the summit just before 11am. I think this route is about 2.5 miles (straight up). I’ll check later. Didn’t stop at the top. Found the trig point in the mist and then went back down. Car reached at 1230, could have paid less for the car park as I was less than 4 hours. Never mind.Thieves, they make money out of that situation for sure. Drove home. Had a load of energy left . I could easily have done another 5 or 6 miles today. The brutal way to the summit was certainly efficient. Looks like the next time I’m down here, I’ll need to do Helvellyn from the north end of Thirlmere. That’s the remaining direction, with a completely new path (to me). Today's last mile or so intersected with a path I'd been on before 3 years ago from the Grasmere direction.
Made the mistake of going on the internet as I'm writing this, and it pointed out the obvious, I could have turned today into a loop back down the remaining way and then along Thirlmere back to the car. Never mind. I didn't realise today's route was so "easy". Next time.
These warmup events are pretty much over. Next it’s the real thing, with an altitude handicap to factor in. No way to prepare for that in this country I’d afraid. Maybe I should have planned a trip to France or Switzerland. Difficult to get there and back in one weekend however...
I hit the trail. Steep uphill behind Cats Bells. I didn’t take the detour to the top of it but kept going on the clockwise loop. As I climbed I had no idea if I would do the entire loop. Kept going one peak at a time. There was no way down into the valley so I had to either go the head of the valley or turn back. I kept going. There was a big drop from High Spy at the head and a very substantial looking and non-trivial climb up Dalehead on the other side. Thought at this point I was going back down the valley, but I decided to push upwards again. Made it to the highest point of the day. Was looking down on the Conister Slate Mine and across at Bowfell and Scafell in the distance. This was some hike. Right in the middle of it all with reasonable weather. Clouds, but not the worst I’ve been out in.
Didn’t spend long at the top, Kept doing around the horseshoe and back down. The drop down had some narrow and extremely steep bits. It took a while but eventually made it back to the car. Just over 8.5 miles according to the Garmin. Car park and lane now full of cars. Changed into my casual clothing, drove back to Keswick’s downtown carpark. It was full, but before I did half a lap a massive SUV reversed out of a space so I wasted no time in screeching into that! I don’t think the owners of the car next to me were happy, they probably thought I was about to scrape their pride and joy! Straight into the Bank Tavern before even thinking about a bath. Went back to the hotel after 2 more pubs and a visit to the convenience store next to it to buy a 500ml can of Budwieser. Drank it in the bath. The ultimate in degeneracy, but I’d earned it, right? After that went out again with a view to getting some food. Drank 1.2 pints, couldn’t be bothered finishing the 2nd. Went to the chip shop at the head of the High Street, took the Fish and Chips back to the room. Got into bed and watched the X Factor. Exciting Saturday night, eh? Must have very quickly fallen asleep as I woke up later with the TV still blaring away. I switched it off. However I’d already decided tomorrow’s target.
Helvellyn the steep way from Thirlmere Reservoir. This was another reason I was in bed early. Miscalculated breakfast time. It was 0800 on a Sunday. Took a 5 minute walk, got bored, then took one of the hotel’s papers back to the room for another cup of coffee. Went down again for breakfast. There was a distinguished looking elderly gentleman across from me that I’d seen the day before too. Still can’t quite put the name to the face, but I’m sure he was one of these famous old BBC TV presenters. I’ll work out who he was in a month or two. Julia Bradbury stays here as well when she’s in the area, had a conversation with one of the hotel staff (might have been one of owner family) on returning to the hotel late on Friday night. Can’t remember what he said about her, I think he said she’d been in recently.
Anyway a short jaunt took me south to Thirlemere, the first massive reservoir that Manchester City Corporation built in the Lakes. Parked at Wythburn near the south end. Got ready. Paused an extra minute or two to attempt to let a large crowd set off before me, but they were taking too long to get prepared so I had to set off a minute or two before them. The Garmin failed early on. The batteries were fully charged before heading south, they’ve previously lasted several hikes. A shame as this was going to a brutal climb. Helvellyn the direct way, it would have been nice to track my progress and know how much more pain was still to come. The first 10 minutes is on a steep path up through a forest. Damp in there, started sweating heavily. I got some air on breaking out, but the gradient didn’t get much gentler for a while! I’m sure when I’ve read off this route in the past, the descriptions always scared me regarding the initial effort. Anyway I made it. After the halfway point I was into the mist. 4th time up this beast and I still haven’t seen anything from the top!
My first attempt got abandoned on a blue sky day in 1999 as the Spanish chambermaid I was with got scared off heights well before Striding Edge and needed to turn back. I should have told her to make her own way down. I’d met her in a bar in Grasmere the previous day. Told her I was doing Helvellyn the next day, she invited herself along as it was her day off. I think she put a curse on me as the 4 successful ascents are always in misty conditions. Yesterday would have been good, but then today wouldn’t have been as good on Newlands Horseshoe so I got that aspect correct.
Was at the summit just before 11am. I think this route is about 2.5 miles (straight up). I’ll check later. Didn’t stop at the top. Found the trig point in the mist and then went back down. Car reached at 1230, could have paid less for the car park as I was less than 4 hours. Never mind.Thieves, they make money out of that situation for sure. Drove home. Had a load of energy left . I could easily have done another 5 or 6 miles today. The brutal way to the summit was certainly efficient. Looks like the next time I’m down here, I’ll need to do Helvellyn from the north end of Thirlmere. That’s the remaining direction, with a completely new path (to me). Today's last mile or so intersected with a path I'd been on before 3 years ago from the Grasmere direction.
Made the mistake of going on the internet as I'm writing this, and it pointed out the obvious, I could have turned today into a loop back down the remaining way and then along Thirlmere back to the car. Never mind. I didn't realise today's route was so "easy". Next time.
These warmup events are pretty much over. Next it’s the real thing, with an altitude handicap to factor in. No way to prepare for that in this country I’d afraid. Maybe I should have planned a trip to France or Switzerland. Difficult to get there and back in one weekend however...
Friday, 19 August 2011
Final Warmup Weekend
Jumped in the car at 4pm prompt after work and headed South towards the English border. Foul weather as I approached the border Cumbria. Car twitched sideways a couple of time on the motorway in the high winds. Eventually got down to a major town at the top of the Lake District in just over 3 hours. This included a Burger King pitstop on route. Abandoned car in the town centre car-park next to the hotel and checked in rapidly. Didn't get an upgrade to a double room this time, they gave me a single room, #1 for convenience in case I forget the number. Last time I stayed here, I paid very little for the room at checkout as the fire alarm went off right before I checked out and the flustered girl who'd set it off by accident never noticed the miniscule bill I settled. Of course I never pointed it out. They caught up with me by telephone a month later, and I decided to settle rather than pay hardball and awkward person. Mind you they left out the almost £30 of bar charges so I guess I didn't do too badly. I guess that was the carrot they dangled in trying to partially salvage their loses from my stay. The poor receptionist probably got sacked over that, and the fire alarm incident.
On check-in tonight they asked me to authorise up front the rest of the charges. Me thinks they revised their procedures after my last visit!
Sitting in bar right now. Ordered a beer and charged it to Room #1. Maybe lightening shall strike twice and my beverages shall be complimentary again. Chortle. Chortle.
Rain was falling on final descent into the Lakes. Cloudy dark weather. No idea what it's going to be like tomnorrow.
Newlands Horseshoe is the target tomorrow, one of the signature hikes by all accounts in the Lake District and somehow one on the few I haven't done. Time to rectify that I feel. I may have to make it an "all weather" event. I've got all the stuff in the car. I'm prepared. Tonight I take a wander around town after abusing the free Wifi here. Haven't quite unwound from the motorway yet, I flew down tonight despite the winds.
On check-in tonight they asked me to authorise up front the rest of the charges. Me thinks they revised their procedures after my last visit!
Sitting in bar right now. Ordered a beer and charged it to Room #1. Maybe lightening shall strike twice and my beverages shall be complimentary again. Chortle. Chortle.
Rain was falling on final descent into the Lakes. Cloudy dark weather. No idea what it's going to be like tomnorrow.
Newlands Horseshoe is the target tomorrow, one of the signature hikes by all accounts in the Lake District and somehow one on the few I haven't done. Time to rectify that I feel. I may have to make it an "all weather" event. I've got all the stuff in the car. I'm prepared. Tonight I take a wander around town after abusing the free Wifi here. Haven't quite unwound from the motorway yet, I flew down tonight despite the winds.
Sunday, 7 August 2011
Wet 13.5 Miles in the Scottish Borders
Went down my favorite road of recent times, the A701. Had decided to have a go at Gathersnow Hill from the East. Last week was down in the vicinity and observed a relatively new wind warm to the West of the road. Looking at the map confirmed I could get to Gathersnow Hill from there. More than 2 years ago I did a big loop which took me up Culter Fell and then Gathersnow Hill and back. Parked beside the entrance into the still under construction wind farm, which was sealed off with padlocked fences.
Went along the road a little bit and up a road into an old estate. Started uphill from behind the Kingledores cluster of farm buildings. Had to wade through a burn behind the farm before getting over some fences across a hillside, tried to head straight uphill to a turbine, but changed course to avoid some fierce looking cattle. Changed direction along the side of the hill to avoid them, and eventually picked up the first turbine and the network of recently built gravel access roads which allowed me to make fast progress for a bit. When I hit the end of the wind turbine road network I headed alongside a fence then up and downhill. Was in the mist, but eventually go to the top of Gathersnow. Briefly saw Culter Reservoir. Saw another reservoir in the distance which I couldn't place at first until I realised it had to be the Fruid Reservoir back across the A701. Things cleared a little bit and I could see the way around the head of the valley with the Kingledoors Burn. Didn't resort to looking at the map. Got to the first trig point of the day on Coomb Dod and then later on the 2nd at Upper Oliver Dod.
Progress was slow due to lack of paths, the up/down hills and damp grassy bogs etc. Took a while but eventually dropped back to the A701 after 11.5 miles and back to the car for the last 2 miles past the now closed Crook Inn. It's going derelict. Not a bad walk. Wet from the start but worth the effort. Also saw the Talla Reservoir up top from yet another angle. Roads very wet on the way back. I'd considered staying home when I looked out of the window earlier this morning, but decided I would only let myself down if I didn't go for it! Good attitude...
Went along the road a little bit and up a road into an old estate. Started uphill from behind the Kingledores cluster of farm buildings. Had to wade through a burn behind the farm before getting over some fences across a hillside, tried to head straight uphill to a turbine, but changed course to avoid some fierce looking cattle. Changed direction along the side of the hill to avoid them, and eventually picked up the first turbine and the network of recently built gravel access roads which allowed me to make fast progress for a bit. When I hit the end of the wind turbine road network I headed alongside a fence then up and downhill. Was in the mist, but eventually go to the top of Gathersnow. Briefly saw Culter Reservoir. Saw another reservoir in the distance which I couldn't place at first until I realised it had to be the Fruid Reservoir back across the A701. Things cleared a little bit and I could see the way around the head of the valley with the Kingledoors Burn. Didn't resort to looking at the map. Got to the first trig point of the day on Coomb Dod and then later on the 2nd at Upper Oliver Dod.
Progress was slow due to lack of paths, the up/down hills and damp grassy bogs etc. Took a while but eventually dropped back to the A701 after 11.5 miles and back to the car for the last 2 miles past the now closed Crook Inn. It's going derelict. Not a bad walk. Wet from the start but worth the effort. Also saw the Talla Reservoir up top from yet another angle. Roads very wet on the way back. I'd considered staying home when I looked out of the window earlier this morning, but decided I would only let myself down if I didn't go for it! Good attitude...
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