Murton Pike and High Cup Nick

Today I got up at 08:30 and got a lift with Dad to Murton where Fergus was due to meet me. Fergus was waiting in the bus shelter when I arrived. We set off up towards Murton Pike walking behind Murton Crag. The cloud was very low and from here on navigation was difficult, seeing as we were off the path. Using a compass bearing I found our way to the summit. We then headed down towards the start of High Cup Nick. The plan was for Fergus to walk around High Cup Nick with me as well before finding his own way back to Murton, and then I would head on up to Cross fell and Greg's hut. Seeing as the cloud was low and Fergus didn't have a map or know how to use a compass we decided it was best if he went back now while the way was still clear. I worked my way around High Cup Nick, the fog was thick and the rain was persistent. I didn't meet one person. Every so often one of the jagged, pointy rocks would stick out through the fog to confirm I was near the edge. I was deciding that it perhaps wasn't worth heading on to Cross Fell today and I should meet Dad in Dufton. After a few kilometres down the field I came to the bottom of Dufton Pike. At only 300 metres visibility was still poor and the majority of Dufton Pike was hidden. It is in this weather that I start to appreciate the company of others a lot more. I was going to check out Greg's Hut but realised that although I could probably make it quite easily, I didn't see what enjoyment I would get out of spending a long, lonely night in a mountain bothy at 700 metres with nothing to do other than cook some pasta and dry out my clothes, just to head back down in the morning. After ringing Dad I decided that it was best to meet him in Dufton.
             It is hard for me to cope with the fact that I didn't go on to the hut today, but I know that sometimes my determination can push me through those hard times and thats what achieves great things on the mountains, but it can also push me through tough times and in the end bring me nothing to look back on with a smile on my face. If I was aiming to get somewhere for the next night or had a particular route in mind I wouldn't have returned until I had completed what I had set out to do, but considering this was an adventure with no objective and at the end of the day had little enjoyment or achievement in completing it, I decided it was one to do another day with enjoyable weather and good company.

Thanks for reading,
Comments valued as always.

Regular Update

Tomorrow I'll be going on a walk with Fergus for the day up Murton Pike and around High Cup Nick.
These are both walks I've done a lot. It's possibly my 5th time up Murton Pike and maybe my 5th visit to High Cup Nick. One of them a memorable experience with my Dad, when it didn't really cross my mind mind that walking along a 70 foot drop could be a bit scary to someone (like Dad) who suffers from vertigo. After that Fergus will make his own way back while I head off up to Cross Fell (which I've never been on) and then stay the night at 'Greg's Hut' (which is also a new experience). Cross Fell is the 9th highest fell in the country and the highest fell in the country, outside of the Lake District. 'Greg's hut' is also the highest mountain bothy in the country. I am quite pleased with how I've packed. I've managed to fit everything in my 'Lowe Alpine 45 litre Air Zone', and I'm leaving my Theramarest style Vaude Air mattress at home and I'm taking the light weight and cheaper option (a standard foam mattress).

What I've been up to
I haven't been up to a lot recently. I have a minor cold which usually would mean nothing, but it is effecting my stamina quite a bit, so I have had to abandon my increasingly regular long distance run for this week. I have managed to fit a 6km and a 4km in but I can't say I'm proud of the distance or my performance in it.
           I went to my first session of the indoor climbing course at Kendal Wall. It was extremely well taught. I have done bits of climbing in the past, at a Kids club when I was 10 in Penrith leisure centre and also with school and a summer camp once or twice, but I learnt an awful lot just in this one session. We only used the Bouldering wall this week, but I learnt to climb a lot more efficiently. Next week we will be doing top rope climbing and weeks 3 and 4 we will be doing Lead Climbing (something which I have never done).
           I have been having trouble getting hold of size 14 B2 winter boots. Which is strange because I can find Plenty of size 14 walking boots. Manufacturers are a bit silly really. They have concluded that men with size 14 feet don't have the desire to do anything more than summer walking! It's as if they expect a man with big feet to say "Oh no, gravel is challenging enough for me! I'll wait until next summer, and for now I'll leave those much more adventurous small-footed people to explore the snow." However 'La Sportiva' do 2 B3 rated models in my size so I am not totally lost.

That's all for now. Check back on Sunday or Monday night and I might have a post up about tomorrow's adventure.

Feel free to post comments and few more followers would be nice (but I won't hold my breath).

Ethan

Lakeland Walker Article and a Catch Up

I haven't been able to spend much time on the fells recently, but I have kept myself busy in other ways.

The most important thing to mention firstly is about an article I was lucky enough to get published in the Lakeland Walker. It's a more compressed version of the 12 Peaks Challenge post that I wrote in July. It is on Sale in Booths and I think WHS. Possibly Cotswold sell it as well. Have a look if your interested it's a great magazine, which offers advise and inspiration to those who visit the area.



About 2 weeks ago, a day or two before I was due to start school, me and Calum went on a walk in the Howgills. We were planning to go camping in the Lakes for a night but with the Met Office Mountain Weather suggesting winds of up to 70mph I suggested we didn't. We ended up spending the day going to Weasdale and walking up to Green Bell and Randy Gill top instead. Apart from the Lake District the Howgills are my favourite fells in the country and I have a feeling I will be writing a lot more about them in the winter months. At this height and location the winds were at an exciting speed, more than the dangerous speed that Scafell was probably taking. I can only hope nobody set out for the summit in that weather. We then went for a game of pool in Tebay before heading to the cinema with Fergus. We saw that film about apes taking over the world. We had a much more comfortable evening then the one I had planned for us originally.

I then started school on Thursday and only had to suffer two gruelling days of it before the weekend came. The Saturday was my Birthday and the 2 days were spent at Langdale Charity Folk Festival where I had been booked to play Sat and Sun. Langdale is the place where I discovered my love for the Lakes and I have the folk festival to thank for getting me out to that part of the country. The night of my Birthday we ate at the thai restaurant in Ambleside. As we set off we picked up a lad a bit older than me hitching, who lived in Ambleside. He studied Geography and Mountain Walking at the uni there, and had been to the Picos and many other fantastic places. I took the opportunity to rabbit on about mountains to him. I think he was glad to exit the car once we'd arrived (and I'm almost surprised he didn't attempt an escape while the car was still moving.

I will be starting a climbing course at Kendal climbing wall on Wednesday. I have been wanting to get into rock climbing for while and I'm glad I finally have the opportunity. I'm also looking at getting some experience in winter hillwalking and mountaineering. I am looking at getting some B2 boots, crampons and Ice axe first and then will try and find a way to learn. Whether its going out on some of the safer fells learning on my own by trial and error or saving up to go on a course.

This week I have managed to fit in a few 13km runs, to keep fit while I'm off the fells and also to improve my running in itself. I'm thinking about possibly entering a 10km race next month but I'll see how I'm doing nearer the time.

I'll try to update my blog at least every two weeks, even if I'm not getting up to much, but hopefully I'll find something to speak about before then.

Thanks for reading and keep checking back every so often.
Feel free to leave comments.

Conniston to Grasmere August 29th-30th

View of Low Water

Windermere and Conniston

Dad dropped me off in Conniston, just after 10am. I made my way along a field until I came to the path up to ‘The Old Man of Conniston’ (that’s the name of the fell by the way). After Some hard work I was on the summit in about an hour. The views showed Windermere, Conniston and the coast rather nicely, with the morning sun shining through the high clouds. This didn’t last for long. I was in the shelter of the cairn and knew the other side of it was gonna be a whole lot worse. I set out onto the wide ridge between The Old Man and Brim Fell where the winds suddenly picked up. I didn’t bring any gloves as my cheap ones just get wet and cold anyway. As I got to Brim Fell I sheltered from the wind behind the cairn and put my waterproof jacket on to keep the wind off. Rain was bound to come as well. It wasn’t long before a mean looking cloud started sweeping in from the coast. The rain started and visibility became minimal. As I headed on to Swirl How, I had begun to lose track of where I was on the map, I asked another walker and they told me. Great Carr was my next destination where I was told the path to Grey Friar was clearly marked. By this time the fog was thick but I could see the cairn of Great Carr so took a bearing on my compass and made my way over to Grey Friar with a little uncertainty. It is at these points where I wish I had a friend with me, just to talk to when I feel the most lonely (best start trying to make some). The fog cleared to my right to show Wynrose Pass running behind Cold Pike and Pike o'Blisco. This was where I was heading down to after Grey Friar. With newly found confidence I continued walking towards Grey Friar when the path cleared to reveal some Land Rover Tracks in the grass. I wouldn’t call it a “clearly marked path” but once I found it I was able to make my way up to the summit with a much calmer feeling. I gradually made my way down the hill and crossed the Wrynose Pass to make my way up the Public Bridleway west of Cold Pike and Crinkle Crags along the Moesdale beck. After a long lonely stroll through the boggy ground and the rain I came to the path leading up to Ore Gap (the col between Bowfell and Esk Pike). It was about 5:30pm and I was ready to pitch my tent and have a good nights sleep. I was glad to have a signal so rung Mum and Dad for a quick chat, before descending to angle tarn where I’d camp that night. After having tea I went to sleep at about 7pm and had a good nights sleep.

Nice and Dry

At Stickle Tarn

The next Morning I got up at 8:30am and was off by 9:30am. The weather was the same as yesterday. I could see Pike of Stickle watching over the Langdale Valley. The paths were muddy and on my way to the crossroads where the Cumbria Way meets up with the path from angle tarn, my right leg went knee deep in Peat Bog. By the time I got to the crossroads I wasn’t sure what to do. I had decided I wasn’t going to go up High Raise today, just the Langdale Pikes, but a part of me wanted to take the Cumbria Way path into Langdale and get picked up there. I couldn’t though. I had to go on. If I did I would beat my self up about it all week. I took the black path marked on the map. After a few hundred metres on it I was off the boggy ground and on a nice graveled path leading up to Pike of Stickle, the first of my Langdale Pikes. After a bit more walking and a short scramble, I was on the summit and Loft Crag and Harrison Stickle had escaped the cloud and were looking quite magnificent. Elterwater and Windermere were visible as well as the Langdale valley. Crinkle Crags and Bow Fell were hidden by cloud, but Pike o’Blisco, Lingmoor Fell and Blea Tarn all stood out making Langdale look fantastic. I found and easier route of descent of the summit, which I took before making my way on to the summit of Loft Crag. Again Langdale looked fantastic. I stopped by a stream to clench my thirst and then began the short ascent onto Harrison Stickle, the highest of the Langdale Pikes. On it was a Mum and her son about 6, who asked me where I was going. The boy was keen to show me the way they came. It’s nice to see someone that young getting so much out of fells, even when the weather is bad. I made my way on to Pavey Ark where I rung Dad before descending. I made my way for Stickle Tarn to Easdale Tarn, where I met a small group of men from west Cumbria who showed me the best way off down to the tarn. At the end of the tarn I went up a small hill to get a signal to arrange the pick up time with Dad. After a 40 minute descent I met Dad outside the Cotswold shop and we then went and had Lunch in the pub next door. I’d had a good trip but there were plenty of times where I wished I had someone to talk to. 

Harrison Stickle (left), Pavey Ark (right) and Stickle Tarn

Next week, if all goes to plan I should be going on a 2 day walk with Calum (Fergus’ brother). I was thinking of going over in to the Scafell area from Langdale via Crinkle Crags and perhaps doing Scafell Pike and maybe Scafell as well, depending on the weather.

Feel free to post comments as always.