Wednesday 30 April 2014

Staveley Fell - One hazard exchanged for another!

Staveley Fell was one of the Outlying Fells I was desperate to get done before the bracken makes an appearance. AW warns that the bracken on the ridge impedes progress so at the tail end of April, I was expecting no more than green shoots. Of course I hadn't anticipated recent forest operations that made some of the walking more awkward then expected!

Surprising for its closeness to Windermere there is an abundance of parking in Staveley in Cartmel. For a
change I more or less followed the original route.

The track through the woods leaves Staveley in Cartmel beside a telephone box...

Tuesday 29 April 2014

Kentmere Horseshoe Pt 2 - Making a long walk longer

This is an extension to a walk around the Kentmere Horseshoe.

My usual choice of route from Shipman Knott is to turn down the pass to Green Quarter, however today I was after three minor tops. It was a straight pull from the pass summit following the wall before descending towards Skeggles Water.

view back to Shipman Knotts from Hollow Moor... 

Kentmere Horseshoe Pt 1 - A Lakes Classic

It has been a few years (in fact 2010!) since I have last completed the full Kentmere Horseshoe, I did revisit the Kentmere Fells twice last year but not as a full expedition. So with probably the best forecast of the year so far, Kentmere was a temptation I couldn't refuse.

An early start meant I didn't meet anybody until between Froswick & Thornthwaite Beacon,
and he was asleep. Its not unusual to see a tent, but to see a small empty 'peapod' sized tent pitched right next to the path, with its occupant asleep on the grass is unusual!! I was tempted to give him a kick and check he was ok but thought it best to leave him. An RAF jet passed over shortly after and the over-sleeping camping sat up so at least he was still in the land of the living! His choice of a half empty litre bottle of water as a pillow I thought odd & uncomfortable!

My next encounter was a large party of students climbing from the the top of the Nan Bield Pass to Harter Fell, as with all large groups you get stragglers, one was getting encouragement from one of the group leaders. The fitter members under direction from another leader would wait for the few stragglers to catch up then march off. It became apparent that the fitter members where getting regular prolonged stops while the less fit members of the group weren't getting any - whats the chances of them venturing into the hills, they will most probably be put off for life!

A visit to Kentmere wont be complete without mentioning the lack of parking, the field that opens as a car park was gated (closed), with no evidence of a sign or bucket. Being early I was the first to arrive & park at the village hall (donation box), on my return the field was still closed and parking outside the village hall was full. Cars & vans had slotted themselves in various passing places and field openings!

Early morning, Kentmere & Badger Rock... 

Sunday 27 April 2014

Helvellyn - A circuit of Red Tarn timed to perfection

A friend asked me to take him over Striding Edge, not that you need an excuse! The forecast, depended on where you looked, it could go either way but I wasn't expecting a view. As it turned out the cloud lifted as we walked our way round and dropped behind, the rain started as we reached the car - a walk timed to perfection.

Birkhouse Moor...

Solway sunset on two wheels

Out of all the hills in the Lakes, the Caldbeck & Uldale Fells are probably considered the poor cousins to the other ranges. The views of the Scottish Coast over the Solway are hardly the most dramatic that Scotland has to offer, but one of the best times to view are at sunset - especially on two wheels

Climbing High Pike from Fellside, the sun getting low in the sky...

Saturday 26 April 2014

Crinan & Kilmartin Glen - A wander through history

The Crinan Canal is one of my favourite places, despite the tourist (I'm one!) hustle & bustle it is still a peaceful place. As the sun finally showed itself a wander up the Kilmartin Glen to grab photos of some of the ancient monuments, I've visited them before on a grey drab drizzly day.

Duke of Normandy II & VIC32...

Friday 25 April 2014

In search of rusty metal on Islay & Jura

Sometimes the detail of an OS map brings up those little tantalising things that catch your eye. My other half describes me as 'sad' but I can sit there for hours looking at maps, studying their finest detail. On Jura's Explorer Sheet 355 (its one of those annoying double sided ones!), I noticed roughly a mile North of Feolin Ferry a waterwheel. Intrigued it looked worth a visit, it was also an excuse to stay on Jura for just a little while longer. If you also decide to extend your stay don't expect a 30 foot working wheel, because you will be decidedly disappointed!

While in the search of rusting iron a visit to the wreck of the Wyre Majestic on the Islay Shore of the Sound, just South of the Bunnahabhain Distillery, is well worth a visit.

CalMac's 'Isle of Arran' bound for Colonsay docked at Port Askaig...

Wednesday 23 April 2014

Evans' Walk - A wander across Jura

The Evans walk is the 'only' path on Jura & is even named on the OS map, it leaves the A846 heading for Glenbatrick Lodge, the summer residence of Lord Astor. The path was originally constructed for Henry Evans who held the lease on the Forest, Inver & parts of the Tarbert Estates in 1888. He had only one leg so the path was to aid his crossing to Glenbatrick on horseback. 
He spent his time studying deer & was the forefather of deer management but was also instrumental in clearing crofts on Jura to make way for deer. 
Not only did George Orwell appreciate Jura for its remoteness it is alleged in 1963, Christine Keeler & Mandy Rice-Davies where hidden at Glenbatrick to escape the press over the Profumo Affair! 

Evan's walk begins from a small lay-by just over half a mile from the Corran River... 

Tuesday 22 April 2014

Beinn an Oir - No view & NO jelly babies!!

My original intention was to walk all three paps, Beinn an Oir, Beinn Shiantaidh & Beinn a Chaolais but my old man decided to accompany me, being in his 70s he informed me he wouldn't manage all three so I decided to climb to the saddle of Imir an Aonaich, where I would 'nip' up & down Beinn Shiantaidh before we both climbed Beinn an Oir. I would use the same method for Beinn a Chaolais - however with all best laid plans & despite a clear start the weather gods played their hand. By the time we reached Loch an t-Siob the cloud was beginning to build and unfortunately Beinn an Oir didn't reveal any views - the wind was brisk but not enough to clear the cloud! I was surprised to come across several ruined huts and a well made track to the summit which I have read where connected with the 1764 experiments on the affect of altitude on the boiling point of water.

The approach from the three arched bridge to Loch an t-Siob is horrendously wet, leaving the path to avoid the bogs just leads to more bogs!!!

A glimpse of Beinn Shiantaidh & the Sub 2000 of Corra Bheinn, clear of cloud from the boggy path...

Monday 21 April 2014

Hard Knott & Harter Fell - A circuit of Mediobogdvm

The first Lakes walk for nearly a month an overdue visit to Eskdale on two of the quieter Southern Fells, considering I only saw a handful of people on an Easter bank holiday Monday - mission accomplished. The two campsites in Eskdale where full but surprising all the parking spaces in upper Eskdale where empty apart from an overnighting campervan.

Looking back to Jubilee Bridge, recent tree planting...

Sunday 20 April 2014

Corryvreckan misadventures on two wheels!

One of my many things to see and do on the Isle of Jura was a visit to the Corryvreckan whirlpool, as its a walk from the public road end of 14 miles I decided it would be quicker on two wheels! To make matters worse my wife & kids didn't fancy being left in a car park in bleak moorland preferring the campervan to be left by the sea! 
Starting from Inverussa added another few miles to my intended route which as it was starting to drizzle wasn't a pleasing thought! In a way I was pleased the last few miles of road beyond Ardlussa are narrow & passing places are limited - the campervan was safer left down the road.
After a mile or two on the Land Rover track I also had a slight off, I'm not sure if it was due to excess speed or lack of skill (or both!!) but as all accidents it happened in slow motion & I saw it coming. The result was a sore right wrist and shoulder, my right knee was bleeding through my ripped trousers; in fact my right leg was badly bruised, on the plus side the bike that caught my left hip & shoulder (oily imprints marked the points of impact!) survived without a scratch! 
By the the time I reached Kinuachdrachd the drizzle had given way to torrential rain & gale force winds - which meant the return leg was going to be against an unpleasent headwind! Even walking was difficult so cycling wasn't going to be good!
I had also forgotton the map - so eventually with the end still out of sight I admitted defeat - with hindsight I had reached Garbh Leitir so didn't have far to go!

The bike at the end of the public road, the tarmac had given way to gravel before Lealt...

Beinn Mhor - A brief interlude from the water of life

Despite the best intentions this was the only of Islay's Marilyns I managed to climb. A combination of mixed weather, meeting family & other distractions (distilleries) meant my short stay on Islay did not produce many walks!

Starting from the RSPB car park near Upper Killeyan a waymarked route led to the American Monument...