Sledging on Skiddaw

Near the summit of Skiddaw

A crisp, cold day with blue skies and sunshine beckoned with snow-capped fells surrounding Keswick. I had driven up from Sussex that morning and had Tilly for company who absolutely loves the snow so I wanted to head up to the snow line as quickly as possible. Skiddaw was my mountain of choice. It is one of my favourites in the northern Lakes as it dominates the skyline and I have fond childhood memories of it.

The summit was hidden underneath cloud initially, as though Skiddaw had its own cloud factory but it started to clear quickly. We headed from the car-park at the end of the no-through road up the zigzag path. It starts very steeply but the benefit of that is you get amazing views across Derwent Water, the north western fells and Blencathra very quickly. The dark clouds were broken by rays of sunshine striking through onto the surface of the lake and casting shadows across the fells. 

Derwent Water in the breaking cloud

Monument

There is a monument on the route dedicated to the shepherds of the Hawell family and the inscription is beautiful:

"Great shepherd of thy heavenly flock

These men have left our hill
Their feet were on the living rock
Oh guide and bless them still"

Before long, we were starting to reach tiny patches of snow. There was barely enough to make a snowball but Tilly didn’t care – she started “sledging” as soon as she saw it. This is where she rolls on the ground then sticks her back legs out and pulls herself forward with her front paws. I first saw her do this when climbing Helvellyn in November 2012 and it is a funny sight to behold. It was her first snow of the winter and she was clearly making the most of it!

First sledging of the walk

Another ten minutes or so saw us in proper snow. There was no holding Tilly back at this point. She rolled, sledged, jumped and generally had a wonderful time in the snow. Walkers passing by even stopped to watch. I had to keep reminding myself to look at the views as well as Tilly. As we took the path around the slopes of Skiddaw Little Man, the view to the valley and the Caldale fells opened up and the sunshine peeping through the clouds lit up the snow. The speckled snow on Latrigg looked like a satellite photo from space.

Blencathra in the sunlight

Looking to Little Man

It was time for microspikes here as the snow was compacted and frozen and I saw several people slip. Tilly has inbuilt microspikes so she was fine. 

The final part of the ascent to Skiddaw summit is steeper and with the snow being quite deep it was hard work at times. Tilly found another dog to play with and they went running around the slopes together. This was when I learnt a valuable lesson.

Tilly is very obedient and always comes back on command and she never really strays very far away from me. However, whilst playing with the other dog (a Collie with much more energy than her) she ended up quite a distance in front. When they stopped playing, she thought I was ahead of her (optimistic given how slowly I usually walk) so started running to catch up with me. I had been watching her carefully the whole time so I called her to let her know I was in fact behind her. Usually this would have been fine but with the wind having stepped up in speed and volume and blowing in the opposite direction it threw my voice right back at me so she couldn’t hear me. She was stopping at every person ahead trying to find me but going uphill so there was no way I could have caught up. Fortunately I can whistle for England so I gave my loudest and most shrill whistle to get her attention. She stopped in her tracks immediately and looked back (as did most of the other people and dogs on the slope). I then waved my arms around like a woman possessed so she could spot me. I was wearing bright pink so I must have been quite a sight! She then sprinted back to me, covering me with kisses and wagging her tail with enthusiasm as she was so pleased to find me. It was a lesson I will not forget in a hurry. I have added a dog whistle to the equipment I take with me now just in case.

Heading to the summit

The rest of the walk was uneventful. The view to Ullock Pike and Longside as we reached the south top, with the ridge covered in snow was beautiful. Tilly stayed beside me like a magnet and we soon reached the summit. The wind was bitter at that height though and the wind shelter was full of people trying to escape the cold so we didn’t stay long. The views were superb all around towards the coast, Bassenthwaite and down to the valley below but sadly my camera iPhone battery had died so I couldn’t take a photo! 

Ullock Pike & Longside

We headed back down the same route and Tilly made the most of the snow before it petered out and we got back to the car. A spectacular day for walking made all the more special sharing it with Tilly and her passion for “sledging”.

Diary of a YHA Novice....

The last time I stayed in a youth hostel was whilst backpacking in Australia in 1999. I remember the enormous dorms, having to bring my own sheets, sharing a pokey little kitchen with a toaster that looked rather like a sandy beach with all the crumbs of residents-past lingering in it and queuing to use the communal showers that had dubious plastic sheeting separating them. I had a fantastic time in Australia but YHA’s were not somewhere I was planning on ever going back to. I do after all like my creature comforts.

So it was with trepidation that 14 years later I walked into the Ambleside YHA. I could not fault the setting – the hostel is on the shore of Windermere. Literally a few metres walk takes you from the front door to the water’s edge, where the gentle ripples lap the shore.

A beautiful setting

My first impressions were excellent. The hostel has recently been refurbished and it turns out things have changed rather a lot in the last 14 years! I received a warm welcome from the receptionist and as I was filling in the form and being given my keys I peered to my left and clocked the bar for future reference! Keys in hand, I headed up the stairs to the top floor in search of my room. Along the corridor were rows of bathrooms and individual showers – I was relieved to see there were plenty of them and they looked sparklingly clean.

The Room

So the room. The Ambleside YHA is a large hostel and even has a selection of en-suite rooms but I opted for a bed in a small dorm. There were two bunk beds, a basin, a portable heater and large wooden lockers for any bags and valuables. The beds all had matching green pillows and duvets, which were ironed and looked inviting. As I was on the top floor, I was amongst the eaves, which gave the room character and whilst the room was small it wasn’t pokey. The views from the window were superb across the lake.

The Bar!

It was early evening so after selecting a bottom bunk I headed down to the bar. And what a bar! It would not have been out of place in a nice hotel. There was a good selection of beers, spirits and wines, including prosecco (a personal favourite) a restaurant, conservatory area and outside decking. I settled into a sofa with a glass of wine, connected to the wifi network and watched a rather cloudy sunset over Windermere, with the imposing fells behind getting darker and darker as they disappeared into the night sky. I have stayed in expensive hotels that could not boast such a setting.

The staff were friendly and it was clear the restaurant itself was a destination of choice as several people were staying elsewhere but had come for the food and ambience. I am not surprised. It is excellent value and having tried the chilli con carne, I was impressed. I would definitely come back to the restaurant again and those visiting on warm sunny days can take advantage of the outdoor space. There is a self-catering area as well for those who want to be self-sufficient.

A room with a view

Little things matter and next to each bed was an individual light and a socket for a phone charger with a little platform to lay your mobile phone to charge over night. I had the dorm to myself for the two nights I stayed. I was worried the corridor would be noisy with people coming and going from the dorms and whilst there was the occasional door banging more loudly earlier on in the night, I was not disturbed and slept really well.

In the morning there were no queues for the shower (which was just across the corridor) and the superb view from the bedroom window even though cloudy was one that many hotels would covet. I headed out for the day with a spring in my step.

Ambleside YHA

So my youth hostel journey has begun and so far I am pleasantly surprised. Having not considered YHA’s for many years, my opinion of them has changed dramatically. Having started the journey with trepidation, I now find myself looking forward to my next stay with pleasure. Now which one to choose?

A restaurant with a view

I am working in partnership with the YHA to encourage people to get out and about and if (like me) you haven't thought about youth hostels for a while to perhaps think again....
Find out more about the YHA on their website 

Through the Clouds

Always something to look at

The Lake District is beautiful in all weathers. Sometimes even when the clouds are out in force, the wind is blowing and it looks as though it could rain any minute, I still want to get out on the fells. It isn’t always about the long-distance views (stunning though they are).

So it was one morning when I headed out to climb Lord’s Seat and Barf from the Whinlatter Forest Visitor Centre. On this route, much of the walk is amongst the forest and with the weather uncertain this seemed a good form of shelter (besides, starting from the top of the pass meant I was already a good way up the mountain!)

Sheltering in the trees

I made my way along the forest tracks up towards Ullister Hill. With the clouds swirling around, the tall trees seemed very eerie next to me and they came and went like shadows in the mist. Without views, I paid more attention to the beautiful purple heather, yellow gorse and tall grasses around me. The mist had left tiny water droplets like crystals on them and spider webs glistened as they swayed in the breeze.

"View" from the summit

After about a mile and a half I emerged from the trees and before long, I had reached the summit of Lord’s Seat. Apparently the name comes from a natural rock seat just below the summit but today was not a day to explore too long as the wind was becoming quite feisty. When amongst the trees it was barely noticeable so my decision to try a forest route was a good one. 

Misty view of the "mound"

After admiring the cloud for a few minutes, I headed off towards Barf into yet more cloud. I passed the imaginatively named “mound” (according to the Ordnance Survey map). Even in the cloud I couldn’t argue with that apt description as a “mound” it certainly was! 

The view from Barf was much the same as from Lord’s Seat when I arrived on the summit but then, briefly, the clouds blew north and a misty view down to Bassenthwaite suddenly appeared and almost as quickly disappeared. I wasn’t expecting any views at all so this made it even more beautiful. 

A glimpse of Bassenthwaite from Barf

Ever improving views

I came back through the forest and the lower I got the thinner the cloud became and the views to the valley, with a patchwork of fields got better and better. The tracks twisted and turned through the trees until I arrived back at the Visitor Centre. If the weather had been better I probably would not have chosen that walk and I would have missed out. The forest walk was lovely, much nicer than I thought it would be and I will definitely return regardless of cloud!