Sunset over Grasmoor

Long Shadows in the Moonlight

Well indeed the sun had truly set by the time I got off the fell, moonlight and a decent head torch my only comfort.

Looking back to Skiddaw

Cornice

The day had started late, looking at the weather forecast the evening previously I had expected fog lower down and had delayed my journey so that I don't get to Braithwaite until around ten in the morning. I wish I had got up early, as you can see from the photographs the air was clear and very cold, the snow unconsolidated powder, knee deep in places, everywhere white and wintry. The initial pull up to the shoulder below Grisdale Pike, Sleet How, is pretty steep but the trail is well made and the sun is out, it's very warm work. Stopping frequently for photographs as the views back towards Skiddaw and Blencathra are amazing, Grisdale Pike is still not in view. Then as the ridge proper is gained the vista opens up to encompass the whole horseshoe around Coledale itself. The views stretch from the Solway all the way south to the Langale Pikes, Scafell Pikes and everything else in between. I'm reminded of similar views we had earlier in the year on the Lakeland 3000, except this time it's white not green.

Whiteside

Stopping briefly on the top of Grisdale Pike itself for another photo opportunity it's then down to the col and back up to Hopegill Head, often called Hobcarton Pike, the latter being my preference. The route has to be forged through knee deep powder snow as no one has been this way. There's a crust on the snow and it's exhausting work. Once there Hobcarton provides a welcome rest for food and drink and endless views of the mountains and snow. To the north you can see all the way to Galloway. The ridge to the west, Whiteside, looks positively Alpine.

By now the sun is well past midway in the sky and it's increasingly obvious that the likely hood of getting down before dusk at least is slim. Despite encouragement from a passing photographer extolling the virtue of Grasmoor I declined and pushed on over Sand Hill and down to the col at Coldale Hause then on up the very long slog up to Crag Hill. It doesn't get any easier.

Crag Hill

There's only time to linger briefly at the top of the ridge to take another photo or two, this is too good to miss, before pressing on down and back up to the slight top beyond Sail. Another photo stop and the last of the coffee. Now I'm alone on the hill it seems, everyone else has bailed out down Sail Pass. I push on, despite being very tired and the inevitability of darkness, to the last top on the route, Causey Pike.

Frost

Causey Pike is reached just as the sun was setting. The photo at the head of this entry was taken just before dropping steeply down towards the path and Braithwaite. Moonlight and then the new head torch, bought for the Lakeland 3000 earlier in the year, get me off safely if a little slower then anticipated. The usual. crampons off, then crampons back on, uncertainty adding to the delay.

Crag Hill to Sail

Down to the road at Newlands and there's still some way to go to get back to Braithwaite and then the car. The icy tarmac road is as lethal as any on the hill and seems to go on for ever. That which was a very pleasant summer stroll in shirt-sleeves earlier in the year is now just a grind. Then welcome lights in Braithwaite, a corner shop is still open and a welcome cup of tea is ordered. I realise I have no money to pay, having left my wallet in the car, still a mile or so away but the store owner takes pity on me and refuses payment anyway and indeed offers cake. I declined apologetically. The friendly hospitality is very much appreciated and restores my faith in humanity. (You know who you are, thank you!)

Update: loking back on the times it wasn't too bad after all, excepting of course I got back in the dark. Compared with our last outing in August which took 5 hours for exactly the same route the 7 doesn't seem so bad.

GP

GP, originally uploaded by rantoutloud.

At the start of the day, really at least an hour and a half too late, for which I was to suffer for later in the day.

Coledale Round

Whatever the weather

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An un-hurried brisk glorious Lakeland day of changeable weather from thick fog to clear skies, blustery winds to calm and sheltered. Beautiful views over the Newlands Valley with grass so green it defied the imagination. A memorable day for sure.

11 miles, 5327ft of ascent, 5 hours.

Coledale Round: Blistering Pace

Testing Times & Drinking From your Own Bladder

In an attempt to have one big training day this month, prior to and far enough away from from the iROC event, I went to the Lakes and did what is the Coledale Round. I've walked this several times this year alone, it's one of my favourites, taking in the North Western fells of Grisdale Pike, Eel Crag (Crag Hill) Sail and Causey Pike from Braithwaite. The route itself takes all the tops you can see in the photo above, from right to left.

I noted the time I took on the last but one outing was around 4.5 hours for the 9.5 or so miles. The last trip was in a monstrous hurricane and trip times don't count. This time I was aiming to do it as fast as possible, maybe under 3 hours would be ambitious.

Hydration

The new rucksack, Haglof TIGHT PRO, was as the marketing blurb said 'hydration system compatible'. What that actually meant was if you spend another £18 you can fit a bladder and a drinking tube inside the sac and use that instead of your trusty SIGG bottle you have had for the last 30 years.

I have been a bit sceptical about these, thinking that they were just a gimmick and an expensive way of being somewhat anti social. After all it's not as easy to share a drinking tube and bite valve amongst friends than passing a bottle around. However I have to say, today it was just the thing. It meant no stopping, drinking and eating on the run.

It was, and my excuse was there was too much weather. The forecast had been for cloudless tops and fine windless day. The windless bit was correct but by the time I was there, 8:00 it was still cloudy and well I got a wee bit lost coming off Hobcarton Crag. Not really lost you understand just enough to stop and get the map and GPS out to make sure I didn't, get lost that is. Well there's at least 10 mins I reckon.

The pull up from the car park to the top of Grisdale Pike is steep, it progresses in three sections each getting steeper and I found it very difficult at the beginning. More time lost against the plan, mainly down to pacing myself badly from the start.

From the summit of Grisdale Pike, now in thick mist, the path drops down a bit before regaining some height on the pull up to Hobcarton / Hopegill Head. From there it's a long run down to Coldale Hause, the col between there and Eel Crag. Finding the right direction in the mist caused a momentary worry and a dive into the 'sac for the GPS and map just to make sure that I took the right direction, almost due south over Sand Hill.

The next phase of the climb is hard slog, it's a long pull up and round the back of Eel Crag to the top of Crag Hill and I mean a slog. It's no where near as steep as the final ridge to Grisdale but the un-remitting length is what drains the energy.

From the summit of Crag Hill, a well defined trig point if ever there was one, the route takes the Easterly ridge down a surprisingly steep and narrow rocky ridge, across the col to Sail and a number of switch back tops to the final top of the day, Causey Pike. This was taken at an almost constant run, stopping only to pat the dog on the summit of Causey Pike and turn around to go back down to the col and head off down the steepest of rabbit runs to crossing of Stonycroft Gill. On from there through Barrow Door, along the steep gradual path alongside Barrow Door Gill to Braithwaite, parting the various groups of family walkers (....and look Emily he's got special shoes too. )just beginning their day out, at some speed.

The worst bit of the day, the grind up the road from Braithwaite to the car park. It's less than half a mile but steep tarmac and the blisters had really begun to make their presence felt. Back at the car, 3 Hours 28 minutes and 9.87 Miles, according to the GPS. Verdict: over an hour shorter than previous, not bad, shows promise, could do better. iROC still might be possible.

Improvements to the time, iROC is almost2 miles shorter, but just as steep, no mist (we hope) and its taped so no diversions, I wasted 5 mins off track just after Sail, and well there's another month's worth of training to do. Is it going to be enough?

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Blisters

Over the years I have suffered from blisters. No matter what boots I have bought, how much I have spent or how long I have broken them or my feet in I have always got blisters.

Earlier this year I though I had it cracked, new boots some cheap HiTec bendy boots, light weight and for a time blister free. But it didn't last long before they too attacked the back of my feet. Then I was advised to use 1000 Mile Socks. What a bloodless revelation. From that point on I have not had any blisters of any significance.

That was until this weekend, I wore one of them inside out on Saturday. That makes all the difference, the technology doesn't work like that. So I ran all day Sunday with a hole in my foot! Arrrhgg I will not make that mistake again!

For those who wish to look at the gory details see this blisters photo. I do not advise it for those of a nervous or squeamish disposition.