Five of us, plus Steve Murrays dog Storm, made a two-day circuit around Eskdale with a wild camp under the feet of Scafell. Day-tripping the Lakes for a jaunt up such as Pinnacle Ridge or Blencathra is often done: but the western areas are just that bit further. So it… Continue reading
Cautley Spout was looking good. That is, as a waterfall in the warm summer-like days of March. As a winter climb, it had the reputation of coming into condition only at 10-year intervals. One of these was in 2010 https://www.yorkmc.org.uk/climbng-cautley-spout/ Perhaps the next stage of our disaster will see Cautley… Continue reading
Sundays walk started early but at a much more leisurely pace with a lovely morning brew thanks to Bev in her and Steve’s van. We took in the lovely tracks through the forest from the Loch Morlich to the emerald loch where a quick dip was tempting, but too much… Continue reading
The annual winter weekend, 2022. The weather was booked and the weather came! In all the years of winter mountaineering the UK, I can not remember a more perfect winter mountaineering day in the UK. There was blue sky, clear visibility (we could see the Ben from Cairngorm!) and good… Continue reading
A beautiful day saw Steve G, Bev, Caroline, Dave, Anna, myself and Hal take the track up the forest from Ingleby Greenhow onto the exposed Moors, where the view stretched miles north. The wind was fierce and cold if you stopped for any length of time, but the company was… Continue reading
Dominating the head of Loch Etive in the west, Ben Starav has two ribs off its summit. We went up the northern (right hand) rib on hard-frozen snow. Then across the summit area to a long narrow east ridge which rises to the subsidiary top. The first rib rears up… Continue reading
A fabulous day out with clear skies in winter saw a big turn out for Broxa forest. The walk took us through a variety of terrain from forest with obstacle courses to clamber through where trees had fallen, along the muddy river side and through fields. Lunch stop was on… Continue reading
Hopefully just a short report (although it does cover 6 days), as nothing particularly eventful occurred, but I thought that others in the club might be interested if they were planning something similar…When you mention winter climbing to most people, images and memories of spending hours driving to Scotland, and… Continue reading
Scottish Winter isn’t just challenging for its frequent brutality but for the way it plays with us. It’s a bit like being in an bad relationship, it promises, threatens, sometimes delivers, frequently punishes you. But you love it regardless for the amazing moments and experiences. There have been good opportunities… Continue reading
“And is no nook of English ground secureFrom rash assault ?”Gunnerside Gill off Swaledale was filled with burning, digging, banging, crushing and smelting lead ore, at the time Wordsworth was writing. Industrial buildings thrown up willy-nilly, plate-ways carved diagonally up hillsides. Today, a path climbs the narrow re-wooded valley, passing… Continue reading
