Wormsley Park with Dad

I was down south visiting the parents and took the opportunity of some good weather to go for a walk with Dad.  Unfortunately his walking partner had cancelled on him and so they were not able to do their next section of The Ridgeway Long Distance Path.  This did however give us an opportunity to get out together.
After a quick scan of the map I worked out a rough route in the Chilterns, starting near Stokenchurch which is only about half an hour from home. We drove to Cowleaze Wood which is a Forestry Commission pick nick site and formerly a sculpture trail.  I believe all the sculptures have now been sold off, which would explain why we didn’t see any!

It was a beautiful sunny day, and allowed the woods to look at their best as we followed the clear but seemingly under-used path through the trees.

Exiting the woods, signs informed us to keep to the footpath as we were entering the Wormsely Estate. Walking down the field (were they appeared to be effectively growing nothing more than chalk)  we could see down in to the valley and the next section of our route.


Reaching the valley bottom we passed by Lower Vicar’s Farm.  A delightful and doubtless pricey cluster of old buildings.


Climbing the other side of the valley we were back into woodland again.  It was noticeably quiet, with very little sound other than the distant rumble of the M40, the birds and ourselves.  What we did notice was some movement up ahead, which I thought at first was a bird, but quickly realized was a deer.

Surprisingly the deer had not detected us, probably as there was no wind to carry our scent and we were in the shade of the woods, where as the dear was probably dazzled by the sun in the clearing.  However the click of the camera on taking the photo, had the dear immediately startled and running for cover.  As it did do it let out what can only be described as a bark, something that I’ve never heard before. Looking at the British Deer Society website, I think it was probably a young Fallow Deer.
Shortly we were heading South along a bridleway, passing within sight of Wormsley Park itself and it’s cricket ground.  After a few minutes correcting a wrong turn we  joined the Chiltern Way, but left it after about half a mile to make our way towards Christmas Common.

Here we stopped at the Fox &  Hounds which seemed to be a decent, but small Brakespears pub.  The size was not an issue however as we sat outside in the sunshine and had some lunch.
Annoyingly, to avoid walking on the road, we now had to follow the Oxfordshire Way downhill, only to re-gain out height by ascending Shirburn Hill.  However this gave us an opportunity for some great views out over the Oxfordshire plain.


Though I am very lucky to live so close to both the Forest of Bowland and the Lake District National Park, coming home does remind me how special the Chilterns are. Although of a very different character to either of the above places, their solitude and beauty does make them, in a sense, quite wild as well.

Beatrix Fell Run, Forest of Bowland

It was Saturday morning and Pete and I were going for another fell run.  Pete picked me up and we drove out in to the Forest of Bowland towards Dunsop Bridge.  The temperature in Lancaster was in the single digits (centigrade!) so we were a bit surprised to see the odd patch of ice  on the road up to Jubilee Tower.  However Lancaster is always a few degrees warmer than further land due to it’s proximity to the West Coast, so by the time we got to Dunsop Bridge there was still a fair bit of snow around.

Do the ducks know that they are at the geographic centre of Britain?  I doubt it!
We set off up the path by the River Dunsop, before striking out North-Westwards towards Beatrix Fell.


We avoided the patches of ice as we gained height, and quickly an overcast but still picturesque view of the Hodder Valley opened up.

Shortly after reaching the flat top of the Fell, I noticed something in the grass.  It turned out to be a flask which someone had dropped, and even had some partially frozen coffee inside.  Pete kindly managed to fit it in his bum bag so I could try and reunite it with it’s owner via the various internet forums.

Beatrix Fell Summit Trig
Carrying on from the summit we moved away from the fence to try and find the remains of a crashed World War 2 US Air Force bomber.  All we managed to find was a stunted tree, so we will have to go back and have a look another time!
Our search meant we had overshot our path, so we struck out across the fell towards the Whitendale Valley.

Descending to Whitendale.

The terrain steepens as Whitendale Farm comes in to view.
On reaching the farm we crossed over the river and made our way over the saddle of Middle Knoll to Brennand Farm.  From here it was up to the Ouster Rake Path, which is relatively steep and narrow  for the Trough, traversing above a steep’ish slope and gully.  I have wondered that on the few occasions that the Trough gets substantial amounts of snow, this gully might make an interesting grade 1 winter route.  Today there was a substantial amount of ice in part of the gully, so maybe one day it will come into condition.
Getting to the top of the path we followed the fence southwards.

After a short while Smelt Mill hove into view.

It was then simply the case of taking the road towards Dunsop Bridge, and then a path across the fields back to the car.


Looking back towards Smelt Mill.

Wolfhole Crag, Forest of Bowland Fell Run

Pete suggested a run up to one of the Forest of Bowland’s highest points, and it was high time for me to test my knee out and see if the recurring pain I have been getting on the road was still there.

We parked up at the isolated hamlet of Tarnbrook, and from here followed the Wyre Way across increasingly rough fields, until climbing over a stile and gaining the fell proper.  Following a wall boundary across White Moor, I had quickened my pace and caught up with the ever fitter Pete.  However I was stopped in my tracks, and in fact thrown to the ground by a rabbit snare in the grass!  Dusting myself down, we continued and I kept an eye open for more loops of wire.  Soon we found the path we were looking for, which branched off from the wall and made towards the outline of Brennand Great Hill.


Looking back over Marshaw and Hawthornthwaite Fell

My pace had slowed, in part due to the strong, cold wind that was blowing across our path, but mainly due to my lack of running over the past few months.

Brennand Great Hill has a few gritstone boulders on top.  If it was not for the isolated location, and the wetness of the ground, they would be great for some short boulder problems.  Maybe I will go up there in the summer and see if they ever dry out (I doubt it, this is the Trough!).


The Boulders

Shortly afterwards our destination came into view, and soon we had gained the dry stone wall which follows this long ridge, dividing the River Lune and Wyre catchments.


Pete heads for the Trig

The cold wind meant we only stopped so I could retie my shoe laces, and then we turned back on ourselves, into the wind, heading for the shooter’s track.

The wind slowed us considerably, and it was with a little relief that we reached the substantial shooter’s track.  It is a real eyesore, and an intrusion into an otherwise fairly wild landscape.  However it did allow us to stretch out and make it back down to the car in good time.


Pete picks up the pace on the way down

Coniston Old Man

Several days of high pressure over the north of the UK has brought cold, dry, clear weather to the Lake District, so this Sunday it was high time to get out for a walk.  Tess, Pete and I decided on the classic round of Dow Crag and Coniston Old Man, starting from the Walna Scar road.

Walking up Walna Scar, numerous runners passed us, apparently recce’ing the Lakeland 50 route.  As we ascended, the mass of Dow Crag came into view, reminding us of the quality of this crag as both a summer and winter venue.  Higher up, the view of the south lakes increased, as did the wind!


Coniston Water and Morecambe Bay in the distance.


Reaching our first summit of Brown Pike, there was a substantial frost covering  the ground, with verglass on some rocks.  This made things a little slippery, but not enough for Tess to use her new crampons.


Harter Fell


To the South-West we could see the last fingers of the Lake District extending towards the Irish Sea. It reminded me of my two day walk from Black Combe to Ennerdale, then up Great Moss, over Esk Hause, and down into Borrowdale.


The long ridge of the South-Western Fells, with Black Combe on it’s tip in the hazy distance.


With some extra layers on we continued towards Dow Crag in the biting wind.


Dow Crag from Buck Pike

We descended from the summit of Dow Crag to Goat's Hawse, where we shelter behind some rocks from the increasingly cold wind. After some hurriedly eaten sandwiches we were on our way again, but had to stop to help Tess who was getting hot aches in her hands.  Strangely, as we gained height again, the wind decreased, and as we gained the ridge leading to the Old Man, it had almost completely died.


Cloud lifting from the Sca Fells


Ascending to Coniston Old Man

The summit was fairly busy, which wasn’t surprising considering that this was the first good weather weekend we had seen for several weeks.  In fact we bumped into several Lancaster residents, including the owner of the Yummy Cupcake Company, and some friends of Tess and Pete’s from circuit training.


The summit


Looking back along the ridge towards Brim Fell

After a quick chat on the summit, we descended the front of the the fell towards Coniston, giving views over two of the Old Man’s tarns, Low Water and Levers Water (I’ve swam in both!).


The Tarns divided by the ridge of Brim Fell

We continued down the now substantial path, and took the right turn that lead us back to the Walna Scar car park.  The only thing now was the drive home, with a stop off at Chesters By The River.


Coniston Water

Helvellyn in the Snow

Snow having fallen in the lakes, it was time to get out on the fell.  The Weatherline Fell Top Assessors had been reporting accumulations of snow on Helvellyn, with the normal scouring of the summit plateau by Westerly winds, dumping into the Eastern gullies.  The likelihood was that the snow in these gullys would not yet be consolidated enough to climb on, but a walk up Swirral Edge would give me a much better idea of the conditions.

Starting from Glenridding I made my way up ‘Little Cove’.  Place Fell over the other side of Ullswater had a healthy amount of snow on it, and soon I was walking up through snow as well.


Place Fell from Glenridding

The valley had been sheltered, but as I gained the ridge of Birkhouse Moor, it became increasingly windy and the snow depth increased.  Many hollows had large accumulations in, and I tried to follow the tufts of grass marking the areas of shallow snow, to avoid post holing in the drifts.


Looking down the wall from Birkhouse Moor

With some effort I reached the hole in the wall and spoke with a few other people who were behind me, and some others who had just turned back from Sharp Edge.  The wind was strong enough that I definitely decided not to attempt Striding Edge, and carry on towards the less challenging Swirral Edge.
With the cloud coming in, and spindrift in the air I was very pleased to be wearing my goggles, and with a bit of dead reckoning, navigated to where Red Burn leaves the Tarn.  From here I made my way part way up the side of Swirral Edge, before stopping to put my crampons on for the first time this season!

The snow on Swirral Edge was reasonably firm, but more from the passage of feat than anything else.  Off to the side of the ridge the snow was still very powdery, which did not bode well for gully climbs. The final snow slope was steep, and a guy descending it was having some confidence issues with this.  After some gentle and then not so gentle coaxing from his companion he managed to descend and I made my way up to the summit plateau.


Swirral Edge

The were quite a few people at the summit shelter.  Several had braved the wind and come up sharp edge, whilst some others had completed climbs in what the reported as poor, unconsolidated conditions.  Despite the wind having dropped somewhat, the wind chill was still pretty strong, so after a quick bite to eat I made my way back down Swirral Edge.

Stopping to take my crampons off at the bottom of the ridge, I elected to take the slightly shorter and hopefully more sheltered route, following the Red Burn back down to Glenridding.  The slopes of Catsye Cam looked to be in skiable condition, and reminded me of my hope to learn to ski,  if only to shorten the walk outs in winter.  I felt very envious of the skiers who came down the path on the other side of the valley, after using the Ski Tow on Raise, but soon I was on the metalled road from the Youth hostel and not long afterwards back at the car.

Evening Run up Clough Head

 

 

Thursday afternoon became warm and sunny so I thought i would take the opportunity to get out for a run after work.  From Threlkeld I ran up through the fields to the Old Coach Road and traversed the bottom of Clough Head until I found the path upwards.  It is  a steep climb but a light breeze kept me cool as I walked up, and was greeted by some spectacular and unusual cloud shapes over Keswick.

On gaining the summit trig point I stopped to catch my breath and admire the view, as another fell runner came towards me from the other side of the fell.  He remarked that he rarely saw people up here, and despite it being on the Bob Graham Round I would have to agree with him.

After  saying our goodbyes we left in opposite directions and I ran down towards the rocky knoll of Calfhow Pike.  Skirting under this I picked up a trod that took me down the valley in a north-westerly direction back towards the Old Coach Road.

 

A slow run took me back round the bottom of Clough Head back towards my start point with the last of the sun’s rays appearing through the clouds over Keswick.

Borrowdale Fell Race Cover

 

On Friday night I did the now annual early August trip to Rosthwaite.  With the team I was helping to provide safety cover for the Borrowdale Fell Race, manning the Scafell Pike summit checkpoint.  After saying hello to the early arrivers in Rosthwaite I drove down to Seathwaite and after trying a multitude of different packing options managed to get just about everything into my Osprey Mutant Pack.  Thankfully it was a nice evening as I walked up the valley towards Styhead Tarn, and the Stretcher Box.

 

The party of Three Peakers who had started at a similar time to me were now far behind, but there were plenty of people pitching up at the tarn.

I followed the corridor route towards Scafell pike, but after Skew Gill struck up to the left, away from the path, up a grassy rake, flanked by a rock wall to the right.  A stiff but fairly quick climb brought me out to the promontory and tarn of Lambfoot Dub, where I found Rob Gilder and his bivy.

It was a lovely spot, thought I was slightly disappointed to see that someone else had camped here recently, but not bothered to replace the stones that were arranged in a ring around the flattest piece of ground.  As well as a wonderful view of Great Gable and Wasdale, the spot came with a handy kitchen area that Rob had already made use of.

As it got dark we had dinner and then spent the next few hours chatting and looking at the stars as they came out.  All very tranquil!

The camp also gave me the chance to try out a new piece of kit.  The Klymit Inertia X Frame camping mat is a new ‘world’s lightest’ bit of kit, and works in a similar manner to other inflatable sleeping mats (e.g. Therm-a-rest Neo Air) except it has cut outs in the mat to decrease the weight.

In theory your sleeping bag is allowed to loft into these voids, rather than being entirely squashed under your body weight,and so it shouldn’t be as cold as you might think.

In practice I did find I got cold over night, but that is perhaps due to the very light synthetic sleeping bag (Mountain Hardwear Lamina 45) that I was using.  Also I had not taken with me the mini pump that is supplied with the mat, which might have allowed me to put a bit more pressure into the mat, possibly improving my comfort.  Next time I will also take the manufacturers advice and put the mat inside the sleeping bag.

After a slightly chilly night we awoke to a reasonable day and within an hour were making our way up into the corrie formed by Greta Gill, and up a scree slope to the col between Ill Crag and Broad Crag.  We nipped up to Broad Crag’s summit so Rob could tick the Wainwright.  It also gave us a chance to admire the view and get a ‘hero’ shot of Rob!

Jason had walked up that morning and we met him at the summit of Scarfell Pike.  We got comfortable and after about an hour the runners started turning up and we spent the next few hours taking down their numbers and then checking they had all gone through.  The weather stayed mostly ok with the odd shower, but was much nice than last year.

By mid afternoon we had made sure all the runners had got down ok, and so we  headed back down the Corridor Route to Seathwaite.  The night was finished off with a barbeque, drinks, music and dancing in the Scarfell Hotel.