We could all get a bus from Dunmail to Keswick to save having to drive back to Keswick at the end of the day. Just a thought.
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We could all get a bus from Dunmail to Keswick to save having to drive back to Keswick at the end of the day. Just a thought.
Hello All.
I can't make Friday due to a nasty infected elbow that I can only put down to a particularly muddy XC race at the weekend. I was going to give it another day to decide but didn't think it fair to mess people about. I'm pretty gutted as training for a June / July round was going well and I was looking forward to getting some long miles in the legs.
Ah well, it happens. Hope to join you on the fells soon. Have a good day and wrap up warm!
Andy.
With Clewy not coming am picking Mole up so there is 3 seats in back for people to jump in to Keswick
Me and Jackie will be driving up on Friday morning so we can meet you all at Threlkeld, we've decided to only do leg 2. We'll be parked at the usual BG spot near the industrial units at the bottom of the track for about 12.30ish - I expect you may be later than this but we don't mind waiting. I'll bring some flapjack and other goodies for you all. Do you know which descent you're doing off Blencathra? Would it be possible to cadge a lift back to Threlkeld at the end please?
Many thanks, Linda
Am sure we will be able to sort you a lift out LindaQuote:
Originally Posted by Mrs Stagger
That's great Andy, thank you. I'll put water and food in the car in case anyone wants a top up.
See you on Friday!
So who's in for the 2 legs then
Me
Hank
Mole
Clive ??
Hank will pm you mobile
I'm still up for both legs, will be driving up from the Pennines, eta 0800-0830 Dunmail.
alas, couldn't persuade my Toddie colleagues to change their plan. They're also going up to Dunmail, but to do some legs of the Joss.
I have a grey Astra by the way, see you all up there.
Oh, anyone any idea of the bus fare to Keswick?
I suggest we meet in the large lay-by on the south-bound side at Dunmail. I'm in a silver Skoda estate.Quote:
Originally Posted by Clive
Bus fare: loads! Kendal to Ambleside is £6, so I guess it'll be similar. I'm not 100% where the bus stops at Dunmail, but we can always trot down to Wythburn church (10 mins at the most) if in doubt.
Linda, I'd usually go for dropping slightly to the right of Hall's Fell to avoid the tricky section at the top and then contouring across to join the ridge, but subject to underfoot conditions I think it might be sensible to go for Doddick.
See you all tomorrow.
Why are we getting the bus ? cant we just drive ?
It depends on how many cars we have and how many people. We can work it out in the morning. At the moment I think as there's only four of us going to Keswick we should be ok. I don't mind driving you back to Keswick and dropping the ladies back at Threlkeld.Quote:
Originally Posted by andygib1982
Hmmm, that had occurred to me whilst just driving over to see Martyn Speight about my long running rubbish shoulder!Quote:
Originally Posted by andygib1982
I guess we'll see in the AM, but possibly a good plan.
Just back from a run out over Helvellyn, it is snowing quite heavily down to approx 300m and things were feeling pretty wintry in the strong w/sw wind , conditions underfoot were not too bad but you might want to have some yaktracks or micro spikes to get of Blencathra in the morning. Have a good day tomorrow
Thanks for the info! I guessed there must be a bit of fresh stuff up there as it's been sleeting a bit down in Ambleside.Quote:
Originally Posted by Steve Ashworth
Great see you at the bottom of the track. If a disaster occurs and we're not there, please don't hang about getting cold. I've got a silver blue vectra (KF06 VZM).
Hank - I'll PM you my mobile number just in case something happens to your party or you set off late.
Ok pal,Should be an awesome day out am all packed and wanna go now !!!!!!!!! I've got my camara to snap away hopefully will get some clear skiesQuote:
Originally Posted by Hank
I like your optimism!Quote:
Originally Posted by andygib1982
Jealous!
Me too. The high moors are all snow covered here in Yorkshire, expect it will be more of the same (plus more) up in the Lakes - hope they have a good day. I'll just sit here and mope :-(
Chin up Martyn. Get some soul music on; that'll cheer you up. Plenty of time to get fit. You already know the way :thumbup:Quote:
Originally Posted by Martyn P
Martyn.
You'll be reet! Plenty more recces. You can join me when I get rid of my 'elephant man' elbow!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Derby Tup
Cheers fellas. I took DTs advice, got me iPod out and did 3000ft on the gym hillclimb machine .... not quite the same as Skiddaw but the best I could do in limited circumstances:DQuote:
Originally Posted by Clewy
So come on lads, you'll be thawed out by now - how did your day go?????
Mrs S texted at 6.15pm to say she was setting off for home. Looking at 2 and a half to three hours to wait for the report.
Was a good day out very hard going in the snow we was out for 9 hours.We dropped down back to Dunmail after Helvellyn as it was gettng dark it still 9 hours in those conditions was more than enough !
Wow, what an awesome day, snow snow snow everywhere.
The omens were good when I saw my first ever red squirrel whilst starting off along Spooney Green Lane.
Passed 4 walkers whilst going up to Skiddaw, apart from that, no-one until coming off Doddick Fell.
Conditions on the top of Skiddaw were sufficiently exciting enough for us to run run run, for our lives. I've never experienced conditions like that before. Despite all the emergency gear I had in my rucksack, probably a case of run or die! Exhilarating.
Hank took the decision to drop down the the fence early to avoid any precarious ridges (thanks for your awesome navigation btw, much appreciated).
Drop down to Hare Crag and Cumbria Way was a nice diversion from the blizzard conditions. I found the climb up to Great Calva a struggle - not a good omen! Great Calva summit was similarly challenging to force us to just get off and drop East asap....or freeze to death, heh heh.
We all took a different crossing line thru the Caldew and guess who found the only slimy stone and ended up falling one side, wet hand and arm. Hmmmm, you don't need to guess. We were about on the BG timings until here and the slog up and across Mungrisedale.
I was spleased to see Blencathra summit, and even more pleased that Hank safely navigated us away from the Arctic conditions down Doddcik Fell.
By now my wet helly sleeve was drip feeding my hand.....and despite the attempts of the buffalo mitts, never really recovered all day. With hindsight I should've put on my spare paer of gloves Under the mitts, and thanks for your gloves offers as well guys.
Drop down into Threlkeld was nice and out of the weather, then nice to meet up with Mrs Stagger and Jackie for leg 2.
Once again I seemed to be the weakest link climbing up Clough Head, and was pleased to get up on the summit in slightly better conditions than leg 1. Let Hank and Jackie navigate as they are exceptional orienteers. Lazy of me? Possibly as I had map and compass in my bag. Occasionally some tiny bit of blue sky and sunshine tried to appear but never really made it. So we ended up walking (yes mostly walking!) thru snow between 1 - 3 feet deep. It really was heavy going, suspect today I'll have aches in places I never knew existed! Forgive me if I've missed something out here, but I don't remember much of interest on this section apart from great company and camraderie (thanks friends), and some interesting conversations. First (other) human spotting took place climbing up from Lower Man when we passed 2 walkers going the other way. I bet it's not every day you only see 2 other people of leg 2?!
Helvellyn at 1700, so time to bail. Took the nice, fantastic descent down to the Thirlmere woods, some of us had headtorches for this nice drop down, some used the bright, bright snow. Once in the woods I discovered just how rubbish my headlamp batteries had got, and how rubbish I felt. I dropped back again - apols all, and thanks for waiting for me! There then followed one more Clive dropping back incident when I decided to walk a little bit, but ended up to my advantage when in the quiet and peace I heard a tiny swoooooosh, and quickly looked up to notice a ghostly barn owl flying very close to me very low level. Feathers and flight designed to be virtually sound proof, but so majestic - hmmm, yes I can agree with that.
The final push on the road I got a second wind, sniffing my nice warm car and peanut butter and banana butties! Dropped Hank back off at Keswick, and Linda at Threlkeld and then Jackie and I got back to Calderdale just past 9. A long, but very enjoyable day at the office, with awesome company and wonderful conditions and beautiful deep pure white snow.
I was the only one not done a BG or doing one this year, but would I do another BG reccie again with great friends, you bet.
Great report Clive, sounded like a great day out.
Some of my best days out were spent in Jan and Feb doing the same.
Ken
Me and Jackie had a great time in the snow, thanks Hank for organising us all. Nice to meet Andy, Martin and Clive - you were all great company. Shame the weather never cleared enough to allow us to see any views but spectacular all the same.
I didn't get home until 9.30. Apparently we'd had a heavy snow fall around junction 22 at teatime which meant lots of people on the M62 had abandoned their cars on the hard shoulder, it was slow going for many a mile but I made it in the end. Hope everyone else managed ok.
Thanks again and look forward to another outing in the Lakes.
Reading this took me back two years to me and my mate reccying leg two in thick snow and clag. Running down off Dollywagon in the snow to a frozen Grizedale Tarn was hilarious.
Well done everyone, it sounded a blast.
Clive, don't read into struggling too much at this stage. At least you're out there. I supported a friend of mine a couple of months before my own round and bombed big time at the end of leg 2.
Good luck to all this year, and hopefully I might be able to get out and support some of your rounds (Clewy's got first dibs!)
Some pictures here
http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?s...3370757&type=1
Enjoyed looking at them thanks Andy.Quote:
Originally Posted by andygib1982
At the risk of embarrassing him; that Hank is a Top Gun navigator.Quote:
Originally Posted by Clive
He led me round leg four of my BG last June when I was little more than a zombie. His intimate knowledge of the route saved me chunks of time and made a significant difference between success and failure.
Hank.You should start charging a fee!?Can you make yourself free for June 22/23 for my attempt? I will pay you in Jelly Babies!Quote:
Originally Posted by Mark L
Sounds an awesome day out! Was driving down to Harrogate on Friday afternoon as the snow started to come in and was thinking of you guys! Slightly enviously, it has to be said!!
Great write-up Clive and good pics Andy. Thanks everyone for a grand day out! We might not have finished leg 2, but I think we definitely got our money's worth from 9+ hours out. Was back in Keswick yesterday and popped up Latrigg. Absolutely amazing views... snow everywhere and clear blue skies! I'll try post a picture later.
Thanks for the kind words regarding navigation. It was certainly testing on top of Blencathra and the Dodds. I've been lucky enough to learn from people who are much better than me!
Could anyone be tempted in to another group effort on Friday 24th February???
Yes please! Which leg(s)? I'll see if Jackie is free too. Glad you had a nice walk, the weather was pretty good here too.
Excellent! Maybe leg 3 starting from Langdale, over to Wasdale and back? Something like starting with Sergeant Man, BG to Wasdale and then back to Langdale via Styhead and Esk Hause (or the tops if we're feeling fit!).Quote:
Originally Posted by Mrs Stagger
I was up that way yesterday (possibly following your tracks up Clough Head?).
Lovely snow - soft an runnable off-piste for the downhills, compacted on the main path for the flats. Don't ask me about the ups. I took microspikes, but no axe, and didn't feel the need for either.
I half planned to continue to Ambleside, but tired legs and a lack of aspiration at Grisedale Tarn forced a sharp exit down to Dunmail. Handily met another runner there who kindly gave me a lift back to Threlkeld.
A real cross section of people out enjoying the snow. Skiers, parapenters, climbers all in evidence.
Gutted Hank, can't do any Feb, but suggest 23/3 as a possibility if you or anyone else is up for it? btw Hank, that is the week we are up at Troutbeck if you are about anytime?Quote:
Originally Posted by Hank
Am off the Saturday but could swap it people always want a Sat offQuote:
Originally Posted by Hank