The Coledale Horseshoe (finally!)

18 months after the “Not quite the Coledale Horseshoe” incident, I ventured back to the area. This time I was without a large group of friends but had the lovely Tilly for company. 

Scrambling up Grizedale Pike

The Coledale Horseshoe from Braithwaite is a walk of approximately 11 miles and 1,250 metres of ascent (depending on which fells you include). I was planning on the whole horseshoe but was going to take each mountain at a time and make my decisions as I went along. 

We set off from the small car-park near Braithwaite at the foot of Grizedale Pike with tantalising patches of blue sky scattered across the horizon but large clumps of cloud threatening to hide the views. It is safe to say that much of the ascent on this route is steep and before long I was taking regular view stops up the grassy slope. The views to Skiddaw, Bassenthwaite and to other parts of the Coledale Horseshoe were lovely and the cloud gave the whole area a mysterious look. At one point as I looked back down the mountain, the cloud filled the valley on my right, threatening to engulf us but it seemed to get “caught” on the ridge and just stayed where it was. The path goes on the edge of the Hospital Plantation, so-called because of the old isolation hospital that has been turned into a hotel.

Swirling mists on the ascent

The good thing about a steep ascent is you get rewarded with far-reaching views very quickly. However, as grass turned to rocks and I inched my way up the final scramble, I did comment to Tilly (an excellent listener) that perhaps Grizedale Pike would be enough for one day and we would do the Coledale Horseshoe another time. I also made a mental note that perhaps the “Not quite the Coledale Horseshoe” route had merits after all (given this was where we had missed Grizedale Pike altogether). The moment I stepped onto the summit though all thoughts of giving up there were gone. The views across to Hopegill Head, Whinlatter and the rest of the route ahead were spectacular. Rolling layers of mountains spread out in all directions.

After a brief coffee stop next to a random fence post, we headed off to Hopegill Head, which is only a short stroll away but the path gives you a view into the valley towards Hobcarton. The cloud came back again here but only briefly as the sun was starting to melt it away. I was tempted to add Whiteside to the walk at this point as the narrow ridge between the two mountains is one of the best in the Lake District in my view but decided it would be too much for one day. Yes – this was the same person who only 20 minutes before had almost given up before the first summit so the fact I was even considering it was astonishing!

Crummock Water & Mellbreak from Grasmoor

We pressed on to Coledale Hause and up the path towards the dip between Grasmoor and Crag Hill. This was decision time. Should I include Grasmoor on the route? The initial ascent looked steep but I hadn’t been on Grasmoor since I climbed the screes from Rannerdale (a long story) and it would give views to Crummock Water and Buttermere so off we headed. The sun cast a warm buttery glow across the fells and Tilly scampered around as happy as anything. 

It was definitely worth the additional height and distance. We had the summit to ourselves and had lunch looking over Crummock Water. I stared mesmerised at the surrounding fells and Tilly stared mesmerised at my ham sandwich. 

Taking it easy

The next fell was Wandope. I have been on Wandope several times before on different routes and I am always captured by the ridge of Crag Hill from there and the view of Addacombe Hole. The path curves around the ridge from the Crag Hill path to the summit and it is on a slope so it gives a very dramatic feeling to an otherwise quite nondescript fell. Our fourth summit of the day and we were still going strong.

The path to Crag Hill was very straightforward and is lined by cairns. The summit is nothing spectacular but what is spectacular is the ridge between Crag Hill and Sail. This narrows in places in an arête with a few scrambles adding a little frisson to the walk. I always keep a close eye on Tilly at these points but she has four-paw drive and I think was a mountain goat in a previous life as she takes it all in her stride and usually just turns around wondering why I am taking so long. A rocky scramble up the opposite slope brought us to the summit of Sail, our final summit of the day. 

Still taking it easy

Given the arête and scramble up to it, the summit is surprisingly just a grassy dome, easily missed as you have to divert from the path. What it lacks in interest here though, it makes up for in the views to Skiddaw and Blencathra and Grizedale Pike. Its grassy slopes also make an excellent place to sit down and soak up these views. With the sun still shining, we sat there for ages just gazing ahead.

Grizedale Pike

Heading back over the other side of Sail, we then took the path down to Force Crag Mine and the mine road. You can add Outerside and Barrow to the Horseshoe back to Braithwaite but we were both feeling like we had done enough for one day and the walk back was still a good three miles even without additional summits. Tilly enjoyed a splash in the stream as we arrived on the mine road and I am always reminded of a scene from a John Wayne film when I see the mine buildings. They are reminiscent of the Wild West scenes.

Force Crag Mine

A gentle stroll along the mine road brought us back to the car-park tired but very happy walkers. An excellent route for a full day walking and it was nice to do the actual Coledale Horseshoe at last!

There are lots of places to eat or stay in the Braithwaite and Keswick area - have a look at the Go Lakes website.

Lest We Forget: Remembrance 2013

A frosty start from Honister

The crowds coiled their way around the slopes of Green Gable like a rainbow-coloured ribbon and the snow-capped peaks sparkled in the sunshine like polished icing. It was a perfect day to be heading to Great Gable for Remembrance Sunday and as ever, the crowds were out in force.

Great Gable was gifted to the National Trust by the Fell and Rock Climbing Club. In 1924, a bronze memorial was placed on the summit cairn to remember those members of the Club who died in the First World War. Each year on Remembrance Sunday, hundreds of people head to the summit, where a short service is held to remember all those who have given so much for our freedom. 

A colourful ribbon of people

On Remembrance Sunday it is all about the occasion and the atmosphere rather than the views but the long-distance views towards Buttermere, Crummock Water, Ennerdale, Blencathra and the Langdale Pikes were spectacular and certainly added to the atmosphere. 

I was walking to the summit with a few friends, Ray, Andy, Stuart, Jimmy and Cindy and we chose the route up via Green Gable from Honister. I have been on the summit of Great Gable many times but each time I have been unfortunate with the clouds and not seen the views. Today looked like I was finally going to see what I had been missing. 

Buttermere Valley & a cloud banner

We kept a steady pace as we skirted the slopes of Brandreth and towards Green Gable. I kept stopping to take photos as the views that started to open up were sublime. The warm reds and golds of autumn were spreading across the mountain slopes in a striking contrast to the blue sky and the snowy peaks. Buttermere Valley had a cloud all the way across it as though the peaks of High Stile and Grasmoor were holding a banner of cotton wool.

Great Gable in the cloud with a queue of people

Scrambling over rocks and boulders, we reached the summit of Green Gable and saw several other routes converging from the Brandreth, Aaron Slack and Moses Trod paths. From above we must have looked like ants heading to an anthill. Sadly at this point, the cloud came in and it looked as though Great Gable would cling onto its cloud factory once more.

The last section of path to the summit of Great Gable is a rocky scramble and with so many people heading the same way it becomes a bottle neck and you actually queue to get there. I think this must be the only occasion that queuing to get on a mountain not just happens but is totally accepted as part of the experience. It really is part of the experience though and there is always a sense of a shared aim.

Colourful crowds

This year, with the ice and snow, the scramble was tricky in places and the going was slow and often not elegant but before long we were arriving at the summit along with those who had made the ascent from Styhead and Wasdale. With multi-coloured hats and jackets, it was a colourful place to be and there must have been several hundred people there. At this point, arriving rather out of breath from a swift ascent from Honister, our friend Phil joined us.

We will never forget

With the cloud enclosing us, a few words were spoken by a member of the Fell and Rock Climbing Club and then the two minute silence was held. It was thought-provoking and memorable, with only the occasional dog barking. At the end of the silence the crowd applauded and it sounded like deep rolling thunder rumbling up the valley as there were so many people. It was simply awe-inspiring.

Views at last!

The sun was trying desperately to burn through the clouds so as the crowds dispersed we decided to wait on the summit for a while to see if the views appeared. We were not disappointed. The clouds slowly cleared towards Wastwater and the Wasdale fells of Kirk Fell, Pillar and Yewbarrow. The deep blue of Wastwater in the emerald green valley was beautiful. The Scafells and Langdale Pikes slowly emerged from the grey and finally I saw what I had been missing for so long. Great Gable has some of the most stunning views I have ever seen, especially at this time of year.

Wasdale

We headed off the summit, which was much quieter by then and down the tricky slope. I donned my micro-spikes for the occasion and got to the bottom unscathed. We returned via Green Gable again and back to Honister. A really lovely walk with spectacular views but more importantly a superb and poignant occasion. 

At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them.

See more photos here

Read about Remembrance 2012 here

Rocks, ropes & conquering fear with Lakeland Ascents

To say I was out of my comfort zone is putting it mildly. Rock-climbing and abseiling are things that in my mind other people do. However, when the opportunity came to spend the day with Lakeland Ascents I decided to give it a go. They do everything from rock-climbing and abseiling to gorge scrambling and winter and ice climbing. My friend Peter was in the Lakes on holiday and I persuaded him to keep me company on this adventure.

Ready to climb

We met Si from Lakeland Ascents in the Stickle Ghyll car-park in Langdale and headed to Scout Crag a short walk away. Scout Crag is for beginners. It still looked pretty high to me though and impossible to climb! As Si got the ropes ready, I stepped into my harness (really not the most flattering thing I have ever worn but for this occasion I did not care – it felt robust and secure and that was all I was after!) Equipped with hard hats we headed over to the crag to begin rock-climbing.

Scout Crag - my first rock climbing challenge!

The first lesson was in knots (which were all checked by Si) and then we were off. Peter went first and pretty much sprinted up the side of the crag then scaled elegantly down. Well that didn’t look too hard. I took my first tentative step on the crag and then another. I was probably all of six feet off the ground at this point but was starting to feel a real sense of achievement. It is all about keeping the weight on leg muscles rather than on your hands and arms. When I was half way up, I found it much trickier as obvious foot holds were not apparent and I began to put trust in some of the tiniest pieces of rock. But it worked. My adrenaline was pumping and my legs were shaking live Elvis at one point but I made it to the top. Yay!

Me on a rock

Then I had to descend. Technically this is the easy part. I somehow managed to get it wrong though and found myself spinning around and dangling on the rope in mid air! I recovered a little bit of elegance but only a little as I got back down to terra firma. However, I was surprised that at no point as I was hanging in mid air was I afraid. I had complete confidence in the ropes and Si and it was well placed. I was never at risk.

I tried the ascent again and this time I was faster as I had a better technique and more confidence. I also managed to get back down more elegantly. Buoyed up with this success, we tried a higher and more difficult part of the crag. Peter went first again and I was in charge of belaying for him, which is where I was holding the rope and controlling the slack etc. Si had another part of the rope as back-up in case I did something wrong. This was demonstrably a more difficult proposition.

Cathedral Quarry

Peter took two attempts but did get to the top whereas I took about ten minutes to get onto the first grassy ledge about a foot off the ground (much to the amusement of Peter and Si) and it didn’t bode well for the rest of the crag but I started making progress with even fewer footholds than before. I only got two-thirds of the way up as my muscles were starting to feel really tired but I was really pleased with what I achieved. I started my descent and once again got my technique wrong. This time I span about six feet around the crag and dangled again. I was unscathed but I did demonstrate the importance of hard hats!

Next we headed off to Cathedral Quarry near Little Langdale. This is an amazing place that I did not know existed. It is a large cave with extensive mining tunnels around it. It is a real attraction for people abseiling and as we arrived it was already busy. The lower crag was full so we decided to head straight for the high crag that meant an abseil of 160 feet. 

The high abseil descent

Again, Si set up the ropes and I watched person after person descend just further along the crag. No-one seemed to struggle. I was feeling very nervous though.

Peter went first again and hopped over the crag and made his way down. No problems at all. I was clipped on and took my first tentative steps towards the edge. My heart was racing. Si gave me the instructions and I stood with my back to the wide expanse below me. I was standing on the tiniest of ledges with the calming words of Si encouraging me to lean back and take the first steps down. I really wanted to but I was shaking and quite literally terrified. Si was very patient and deserves a medal. 

I tried about four times to descend. Peter came back up to give me encouragement. I had full confidence in the ropes (after all, I had spent a good amount of time dangling from them that morning) and confidence in Si but I just couldn’t do it. Peter even went down the crag again to show me the technique. In the end I admitted defeat. I was so frustrated I could have cried.

Me finally braving abseiling

Si had a solution though. We headed off to the lower crag that was now empty. He set the ropes up again and I was absolutely determined. I got into position, leant back straight away and off I went! Hurrah! I had quite a good technique for much of the descent (unlike this morning) and so was very happy. As I got to the bottom my smile could have rivalled the Cheshire Cat. At last!

To finish the day we headed along the caves and tunnels right through the crag to get back out to the car. The tunnels are pitch black so you need a torch and are low so you need a hard hat ideally. I cannot believe I have never been there before.

So having been out of my comfort zone all day, would I do it again? Actually yes I would. I really enjoyed the rock-climbing and would like to get better at that. Abseiling still holds a lot of fear for me but I think if I did the low crag a few times to get confidence in my technique I would be brave enough to do the large crag. I am certainly going to try it again one day.

Si and Lakeland Ascents were fabulous. I put my confidence and faith in his skills, experience and knowledge and it was well placed. Si was calm and encouraging and I achieved things I never thought I could. 

Now, when I see other people rock-climbing I can look and say “I did that”. Maybe ice climbing next?

With Si before the abseil attempt

Walking with a legend

David Powell-Thompson & me!

I have to confess that David Powell-Thompson is rather a hero of mine. As a fan of Lake District walking programmes I have seen him play cricket on top of Knott (one of the mountains behind Skiddaw that has rather a flat summit) with the crew filming Stuart Maconie and guide Julia Bradbury across Sharp Edge. David has such an amazing knowledge of the Lake District that any guided walk with him at the helm is going to be worth every step.

This guided walk however had the added bonus of including Mark Gilligan, an award-winning photographer who I met recently when he was writing an article about me and my book. Mark’s role was to give basic photography tips for amateur photographers like me (and I need all the help I can get!)

View to the jaws of Borrowdale (photo taken with help!)

We met at the tiny hamlet of Grange in Borrowdale (which has two lovely cafes) and set off towards Derwent Water. The origins of Grange date back to medieval times when the monks at Furness Abbey built a monastic grange (a manor house that was used for food production). It has a double-arched stone bridge that was built in 1675 that I think is the only double-arched bridge I have come across.

The rapport between David and Mark was clear immediately and it made the whole day light-hearted and entertaining as well as highly informative. Here came the first comparison between one of my “point and shoot” photos of the lake and a photo that with Mark’s advice and taking just a little bit more time, looked so much better. It sounds obvious but it really is all about how you capture the light. 

Before

After - much better colour contrast

Using the same technique

After my first short photography tuition, we headed up behind the Lodore Falls walking beside beautiful cascades and waterfalls that were still frozen in parts and glittering as the sun came through the trees. I started to understand how to use light and dark contrasts on my camera at this point - I still have a  lot to learn (as you can see from the photos) but at least I know the technique.

As we were on a trial run for the guided walks rather than an official one, we decided to cross the river over some stones rather than continue up to the footbridge. It was an interesting few minutes. David hopped across like a mountain goat, I demonstrated that walking poles can actually be useful (thanks for lending me one Mark) and Mark demonstrated that his walking boots were in fact waterproof.

Same view......

....different light/dark contrasts

 Our next stop was Surprise View just above Ashness Bridge. It is a little clearing at the edge of the woods on a crag that looks across Derwent Water to Keswick, Skiddaw, Catbells and all the way down to Bassenthwaite. Another photography lesson followed and I bravely took my camera off its automatic setting for the first time... For me this is real progress. I was given my camera by a friend recently who was upgrading so it is the best camera I have ever had. I know very little about all its features and functions though so understanding even a small amount what it is capable of has made a real difference. The quality of the colour of the sky is so much better – it actually captures the colour and contrast I am seeing with my eyes much better, rather than the sky being too light.

Surprise View

Watendlath Tarn

The hamlet of Watendlath was our next stop and we followed a gentle rocky path. There is a cafe at Watendlath (which may or may not be open, it keeps its own hours) and the most stunning tarn. I chatted a lot to David on the way up the hill out of Watendlath. It was totally by chance David got into the research and filming side of the Lake District, starting with some programmes being made by writer and broadcaster Eric Robson. Every conversation I had with him I learned something new about the Lake District – particularly the literary links. As we made our way into Rosthwaite, David explained that William Wordsworth had once stayed at the Scafell Hotel and had had to share a room with a pedlar owing to a lack of space. Now that was definitely the random fact of the day. After a swift refreshment break at the Scafell Hotel bar, we headed back towards the jaws of Borrowdale along the lower slopes of Castle Crag and the river Derwent.

The weather had turned much colder and there were even a few flurries of snow at this point so it became a walk more about history and insights rather than photography (if it does rain on the walks though they have that catered for so photos can still be taken). I knew about the history of Milican Dalton, a hermit who used to live in a cave on Castle Crag but I had never found the cave. David of course took us straight there (albeit on a more adventurous route that usual) and lo and behold there was a two-storey cave with living quarters below and the bedroom up and to the right. Positively roomy! Inscribed on the wall of the cave by Milican Dalton himself is the phrase:

“Don’t waste words. Jump to conclusions”

A brilliant phrase!

Milican Dalton's cave

It was then just a short walk back to our starting point of Grange. The walk was about six hours but it was done at a relaxed pace to allow time for photography, to talk and for refreshment breaks. I ended the walk with a better level of photography skill based on a few basic tips and a much better knowledge of the area we had been walking in. More importantly however, I had an absolutely grand day out in a wonderful part of the Lake District and in great company. 

I would highly recommend this guided walk with photography tips. David and Mark have dates and locations set for the summer so go onto their "A view, a camera and you" page and book yourself onto one. I am definitely going on more of them so I might see you there.