Tour of Hawkshead, Coniston and Windermere

Our midweek cycle ride this week took us down to Bowness to get the short ferry across Windermere.  We then headed across to Hawkshead and some tourist photos outside the Beatrix Potter shops.  We then cycled down the Eastern side of Coniston with great views of the Lake and a lovely quiet lane.
A busier section then took us across to Newby bridge and then up the Eastern side of Windermere before heading back along the Crook road.  A lovely ride and quite cool and comfortable weather.

Yen on the Ferry

Yen with Peter Wabbit.

Posing around Hawkeshead

Views of Coniston and the "Old Man"

A short rest stop overlookng Lakeside from Fell Foot beside Windermere

Weekend break to Hike Scafell Pike on the longest day of the year.

Over the weekend, we based ourselves at Langdale YHA for a full weekends walking.  This included a long day out on Saturday to climb Scafell Pike from the Old Dungeon Ghyll hotel and then a more relaxed days walking on Sunday over the tops and down to Easedale Tarn and Grasmere.

Resting after the climb up Rossett Gill.

Looking back down Mickleden

Negotiating our way across the rocks on top of Broad Crag

Some happy faces posing on the summit

Even happier smiling faces, enjoying a beer back at the Old Dungeon Ghyll.

Sunday

On Sunday we had a more relaxing days walk and headed out of the hostel and up towards Silver Howe for some great views over Grasmere and Rydal Water.  we made our way across the tops and then down to Easedale Tarn for some paddling and then finished up in Grasmere.

Robin strikes a pose overlooking Grasmere

Heading down to Easedale Tarn

Giles goes for a paddle to cool his feet down

Then takes a rest with Kasia

Kasia has the biggest ice cream ever sold in the Lake District

Enjoying well earned tea and cake at the end of the weekend

A great day out up Striding Edge and Helvellyn

We had a fantastic day out on Helvellyn today with a small group from our Lakeland Mountain Hikes Meetup group.  Weather was great and it was a really fun group who coped well and thoroughly enjoyed the fun to be had scrambling over Striding Edge.

On the way up towards Birkhouse Moor from Glenridding with Julie, Christine, Becky, Glynis, Paul & Yen

The view along the ridge we are about to scramble over and on up to the Summit of Helvellyn.

Scrambling along the start of the main ridge

Having a short rest, about half way along

Still smiling as we make our way along Striding Edge

Julie looking back at the route, with Yen and Glynis on the way up the final climb.

Yen happy that the main excitement is over and nearly at the summit.

Another happy group shot, having made it to the summit.

A bit of further fun on the way down Swirral Edge with Catstycam in the background, our last summit.

Out on the Howgills today - The Calf and Cautley Spout

Yen and I thought we would head East of the Lakes, for the quieter hills of the Howgills today.  We did an 11 mile circuit from Sedbergh round to Cautley Spout then up to The Calf (the highest point in the Howgills), then back along the broad ridge to Sedbergh.

First up though was this guy.  Looks as if it was wearing a sun shade to keep the sun out of his eyes. I have no idea what was really going on, but it was the only sheep in the field with the contraption tied to its head and I am guessing she hadnt attached it herself.
Any ideas feel free to comment.

Yen was navigating today and doing a very fine job too.












The view on the left was our first sight from a distance of the very fine Cautley Spout.  A magnificent waterfall.

















And this was one of Andy Goldsworthy's famous sheepfolds.












It was a different walk to normal, as the Howgills are much more rounded and a lot less craggy than the Lake District fells, but it was a great afternoon out.
Anyone with any ideas about what was going on with the sheep feel free to comment.

Helvellyn and Striding Edge Walk

Here at www.Mountainhikes.co.uk central we are really looking forward to this weekends walk up Helvellyn along Striding Edge.  We still have places available and even the weather forecast is looking good at the moment.

Check back here next week to see how we how got on.

Weekend Training with Outlook Expeditions

I had a great weekend at Lee Valley YHA, in Hertfordshire training for our summer expedition to Malawi with Outlook Expeditions.  Covered loads of hot topics including Transformational Expedition Leadership, Risk Management, and Expedition Medicine amongst others.  We head off to Malawi on 7th July for three weeks and I cant wait.

Summers Evening Walk

Yen and I havent been out so much this week, as we have been busy planning some more weekend breaks and getting paperwork done. So we thought earlier today, its June, lets head over to Glenridding and have a nice early evening walk in the sunshine up to Red Tarn and Birkhouse Moor. So in our minds eye was this first picture overlooking Ullswater in the sun. 

What we got was the picture below. Really strong winds, heavy overcast skies and temperatures in the low single figures.

Lakeland Summit Series Walking Weekends

Yen and I have been busy planning the first two of our Lakeland Summit Series Weekends. 

We are really excited about this and are hoping to add many more of these weekend breaks over the coming months. 

The first weekend is to Helvellyn YHA on 1st to 3rd August and we will aim to complete up to 10 Wainwrights over the weekend. The second break is to Keswick from 18th to 21st September and will be over three days. Here we will aim to get up and down the Skiddaw range, Blencathra and the Derwent Fells and complete a further 13 Wainwright summits. 

For more detail head over to http://www.mountainhikes.co.uk/#!walking-weekends/c20d1 

Scafell Pike from Langdale - Lakeland Mountain Hikes Meetup group

Yen and I recently started our own Meetup group called Lakeland Mountain Hikes http://www.meetup.com/Lakes-Mountain-Hikes/ and on Saturday I led a small but very select group up Scafell Pike from the ODG at Langdale.  We were very lucky with the weather all day except for the actual 30 minutes we spent on the summit, which was unfortunately in cloud for probably the only time all day.

Our next day hike will be up Helvellyn along the famous Striding Edge on Saturday 14th June and bookings can be made from the website www.mountainhikes.co.uk as well as our meetup group page here.

Saturday 31st May - Scafell Pike

We started from the ODG (Old Dungeon Ghyll) around 9:15 and headed up Mickleden to Rossett Gill, with Bob, Elodie and Julie.

Passing Angle Tarn and then heading up to Esk Hause.

Crossing Broad Crag with a noticably cloud free summit of Scafell Pike in the background.

The four of us on the summit of a very cloudy Scafell Pike.

We took the scenic route back via Esk Pike and Bowfell and here we are on the very sunny summit of Bowfell with Great Langdale and then Windermere in the background.

Admiring the view from the band as we descend back down towards Langdale and the ODG.

With Julie and Elodie at the ODG.  I just dont think its humanly possible to walk past it when the sun is shining, without calling in.