Grike to Lank Rigg - An Isle of Man viewpoint

These unfortunately are among my least favourite Lakeland Fells, down there with Dodd. I know the saying goes there is no such thing as a dull hill just dull people. If it is true them I must be pretty dull on these uninspiring hills. I may be wrong because Lank Rigg had a large party of walkers sat eating there lunch around the trig & summit cairn, no treasure hunting or photos of the top today!

Highlight of the day, the Isle of Man across the Irish Sea, today was one of those 1 in 50 when you can see it. Unfortunately the camera (or operator?) had a bad day and half my photos where out of focus & blurry!

The gate at the felled Forest Commision Heckbarley plantation...

Bow Fell Summit shared with more than I had bargained...

It was a promising start down Langdale with the last wisps of early morning cloud just licking the summit, as these hills are the most awkward to reach by car from where I live I usually try to grab as many as I can.
Of course we have had several days of clear blue skies so its time for the pesky summit cloud  to return - just in time for my weekend walk!! I'm pretty used to not getting a view from Bow Fell, this is the third no view visit in a row whilst the surrounding peaks have remained clear.

What I wasn't expecting was sharing the summit with six piles of ashes, I'm not sure if it was from one cremation spread out as much as possible or six separate cremations - none the less there was a considerable amount of ash deposited making it impossible to stop for lunch without either me or the dog stepping in some, onward to Esk Pike..

the route leaves the pass...

Rua Reidh Lighthouse - Three times on two wheels

Jun 2014

One of my families favourite places on the West Coast is Gairloch and I've been intending to visit Rua Reidh Lighthouse at the end of  Rubha Reidh point past the small settlement of Melvaig. Not fancying taking the camper van down the final narrow section (I had believed it to be a private road but it received a good amount of public traffic) I opted for the more leisurely two wheels from Big Sands Campsite a total distance, there and back of twenty miles.

Of course on my first visit I forgot my camera, and took a few low res photos on my phone, on my second visit a thunderstorm coincided with my arrival at the lighthouse. The downpour was so torrential I couldn't see - needless to say it I didn't dare get my camera out and cycling was 'interesting'. Fortunately my third visit was uneventful and thankfully I remembered my camera!!

Rua Reidh's jetty...

Stac Pollaidh - Still falling short of the summit

Jun 2014

My old man joined us for a week in the Far North of Scotland and he said he had always wanted to climb Stac Pollaidh - so my only hill of the week was a repeat and the true summit wasn't even reached, for the second time! But if there is a hill you have a repeat this one doesn't get a complaint from me :)

Stac Pollaidh from the car park...

Eel Crags Trig Finally Topples

A friend who has slowly been working through his Wainwright list asked me if I'd like to accompany while he aimed for Grasmoor. As summer has finally arrived I couldn't really refuse :) The trig point on Eel Crag which has slowly been deteriorating has finally toppled - probably helped.

Crummock rewards the early start...

Status Quo on Skiddaw

A hectic week or two meant that I hadn't been able to hit the fells, so on the first opportunity it was pretty disappointing to find  them shrouded in low cloud. Surprisingly Skiddaw just had a little whiff of the grey stuff licking its summit and that looked like it would be blown clear - a better proposition then the obscured Great Gable.

Of course this is Skiddaw and any fancy notions of actually getting a view are ill founded.

The sun is out to play, looking towards Binsey...

Castle Rock of Triermain - The last Eastern

Back in 2010, when I came across a list Birkett summits, I initially engaged in a bit of armchair bagging as I crossed those off I'd already walked from the list. It didn't take long before I became tired of this task so, after scrumpling up my pencil marked list I started off with blank list of 541 Lakeland Fells as seen in the eyes of Bill Birkett.
   Now four years later I'm still 62 away from my target, in my defence I've had several periods where I've lost the will, a new Birkett top has not been bagged for months! Sometimes I don't have the drive to pick off a minor top that I know I've already walked - Castle Rock at the head of St John's falls into that category. Many a time on my journey's up & down Thirlmere I've been tempted to pull over but I've never summoned the energy. But forced off the higher tops by rain & lack of anything resembling a worthwhile view, a thick pencil line can be drawn through my last Birkett summit in the Eastern Fells. My remaining total now at the annoying 61, almost tempted me towards Eycott Hill on the way home - but heavy rain saved me from that fate!

The amiable side of Castle Rock from Legburthwaite...