English Lake District

Nice shots Roger! Would you post some more? I have never been to England or Scotland and enjoy very much the few photos of the backcountry areas that are posted on too rare of a occasion. It is interesting that even though the mountains are low, relatively speaking, the elevation gain is very similar to hiking here in the Sierras.

Great photos, and I love Leeds as a city.

Were you over nighting and if so what gear did you use?

Unfortunately in Denmark the biggest ascent is 482 feet.

I spent many years in West Yorkshire and often went to the Langdale area. You've really caught the essence of the area in those photographs. Makes me want to go back.

Nice pictures. Looks like a great place to go hiking.

What was the temp and wind?

Thanks for the compliments John, yes, I'll post some more of the lake district from other trips on another thread so this doesn't get too image heavy.
John H: see here for some shots of Langdale and an ascent of Jack's Rake on Pavey Ark. Also a set of a winter roped rockclimb up Needle Ridge on Great Gable.
http://www.tallbloke.net/html/images.htm

Roger, the weather looked fine when I stepped out on tuesday, so I took my gatewood cape and light pack. I carried 4kg including some food and water. I have a western mountaineering ultralite and a prolite4 full length thermarest. I was wearing woolly man-tights under paramo trousers with clumsy boots(tm) and a string vest, fibre pile waistcoat, microfleece shirt, light down duvet and E-vent jacket on top. Camerawise, I just used the 3 megapixel ccd built into my HTC touch diamond phone, which also packs my ordnance survey mapping and builtin GPS, an FM radio for forecasts and news, a web browser and my favourite music. It weighs 98 grams. I love technology.

Here's my campsite on Castle Crag on weds evening.

George: I didn't have my thermometer with me, but in even a slight breeze, there was a heck of a windchill factor up on the tops. I'd guess the air temp was -8C or low 20's F. The snow conditions were perfect underfoot; firm enough not to break through the crust, but not glassy on top. I was able to walk up 30 degree slopes without crampons, just using my carbon fibre golf club shaft as a walking pole. The bag is good to -5C and it was a bit warmer in the valley, with no groundfrost thurs am, though I always prefer to camp a hundred feet or more above the bottom, to avoid freezing mist.

Here's the view the other way from the same spot, one of my favourite stealth camps.

And here's the view from Glaramara up Borrowdale over the low fells and Derwent Water to Skiddaw (3054ft) and Blencathra (2816ft) in the distance. My campsite was on the low wooded hill in the center of the valley just beyond the mountain shadow in the midground.

Thanks Roger, great campsite especially with the Gatewood Cape. It amazing the functionality that you can get on a "phone" (if that is what it should be called) these days.

Stealth camp Rog? Why? Camp a 1000ft up or above the last intake wall on National Trust Land and it is legal. Like the photos and Castle Crag is a sweet spot to explore no doubt.

Thanks for the info Martin. It's well under 1000 feet, but it is above the last intake wall. I'd always thought the N.T. might be a bit keener on pushing me onto an official campsite than most, but if 'da rules' are in my favour there, great.

Here's a view I like, Great Gable again, with Green Gable, Brandreth, Grey Knotts; Base Brown in front, and High Stile above Buttermere beyond. Easter High Stile ridge epic next thread. :-)

I think we should put lots Lakes photos here to show what a good place it is.

All show the same area in the Summer. Looking forward to more from you Rog. You should do a Blog.

Thanks Martin, the more the merrier, bring 'em on! If we put some extra comment posts in between the shots, we won't end up with tooooo many photos on one page.

Is that Sty Head tarn you're camped by in the bottom shot?

In order we had:

1. Summit of Glaramara

2.Looking down Borrowdale

3. Tarn at leaves of the ridge leading from Glaramara

I could spend all night putting photos of the Lakes on here. Be fun but I will leave you with a few more.

Lovely pics Martin. This thread will become a shrine to the Cumbrian hills and valleys.

Looking over Buttermere to the Irish Sea from Grey Knotts.

Great shot and here is a few more.

They show a cold morning view of Borrowdale. On the Scafell range, Wildcamp and Looking to Buttermere.

Roger and Martin, Thank you for the additional photos of a lovely escape. I am so grateful to be able to hike in the Sierras and the southwestern desert mountains but to be able to walk out into your backyard and hike up, as you both do, to a close-by retreat on the whim of the moment is the dream life. My hikes involve several hours of driving to the trailhead.

John I live in the flatlands of the east. 165 miles to the nearest hill and 5 and half hour drive to the LAKES for me. Rog lives up north and is the lucky one. We English are a determined bunch when we want to go walking. You can see more of my UK walks on my blog found by link on my profile.

Thanks.

Still two hours drive for me to the Lakes, but this week I got there by catching a train 15 mins up the line to Ilkley, walking 20 miles to Kilnsey, hitch hiking to Hawes, camping outside Hardraw on the Pennine way, walking up Garsdale, and blagging a lift to Keswick off a nice couple in the Moorcock Inn who were going to dinner in Cockermouth with friends. Here's a couple of shots from the earlier part of the journey.

Tenant Arms under Kilnsey Crag's overhang. Out of focus, camera shake – fading light on tuesday.

Abandoned farmstead above Garsdale – wednesday lunchtime.

Pardon, but for a Yank, if anyone's still listening, what's an intake wall?

Roger & Martin,

Thanks for posting the great pictures! Recently, I've been reading up on areas in Scotland to take a walking vacation for a few weeks — perhaps later this year. I had about settled on the West Highland Way as a good place to go for my first trip. Easy public transport for getting from/to Glasgow airport, a nice variety of landscape, and lots of options for combining "wild camping" with inns.

Now these photos of the Lake District have me up in air as to where to go. I'll have to do a bit more research before making a decision, if I actually can make it this year.

I know one thing: whichever location over there ends up being my "first" trip, I'm already wanting to go again!

Thanks again for posting the great photos. I also very much enjoyed your commentaries about the various scenes. And I've gone to your website, Martin, to see even more of the beautiful areas in your neck of the woods. Very nice.

JRS

Richard –

I hiked the West Highland Way about five years ago – it was a great experience that I shared with my mom. We admittedly slack-packed the entire thing; opting (for mom's comfort primarily) to stay in inns and small B&Bs. The nice thing is that the company we arranged the hike through would, for a small fee, arrange to have your bags transported each night to the next inn via the road that goes around the mountains.

Thus, we sort of combined the walk with a week or so to travel to the Isle of Skye and Edinburgh – or bags followed us everywhere so all we carried were daypacks and maybe a packed lunch. Usually we just ate along the way, as pubs are in the most unlikely spots out in the countryside.

I'd say this, the trail is not a wilderness experience in the truest sense; but it is an affirmation of the rural life. We stayed in a B&B where the innkeeper's husband worked as a shepherd and was a drummer in a bagpipe band. We also walked through a very small village on the day that the Queen of England was visiting,and saw her chopper fly in, touch down and she met some of the townfolk. It was a bit surreal.

If I were to do it again, I'd definitely spend a couple of days exploring Glenn Coe while on the trail. It's absolutely gorgeous.I'd also visit the Isle of Skye if possible. We didn't have much of a chance to hike Skye – there were gales a couple of days that made it hard to stand up straight, much less hike.

Here is a link
http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/skye/

I'd highly recommend Scotland – the people are very warm, the countryside is sparely populated (more sheep than people) and the Scottish Moors definitely felt "right" in the rain. I also found the experience of driving a stick while in the left-hand side of a car driving down roads so narrow that they turnouts every quarter of mile to allow for oncoming cars to pass to be a completely new and delightful experience (everybody waves when you pull over to let them through. Get used to waving.)

If you need any info, let me know. It so happens my coworker is a Brit ex-pat who happens to have hiked in the Lake District a number of times and loves it.

I would say this: good rain gear is a must, either way!

Dirk

I did the west highland way with my wife 2 years ago, followed by a short hike on Skye ( with a visit to Talisker distellerie…)

I choosed this way because i was recovering from a back injury and the stay at inn/B&B + have most of your things transported was the only way i could hike at that time.
I didnt regret it at all, sure they are quite a few people and lots of ederly because of those facilities but having for once a "social" hike when i met other people, and had an "excuse " to drink a pint/a dram close to every day was fun.

I enjoyed so much the area, the view, the people i have met,(even the food : i like haggis too…)that i am going back this year.
I am set on doing part of the Cape Wrath trail that starts at the end of the WHW, surely not up to cape Wrath as i only have 7Days to hike but up to Kinlochewe or Ullapool, it will depends on how fast we progress.

edit :
doing this again end of april, start of may to avoid the midges,
ill bring some bug protection anyway as this year we will sleep in our kifaru para tarp (to try it before Greenland later this year ) just in case midges are early and because of the tics, there were so many last time we only hiked in shorts for a few hours despite the sun nearly every day

Can I join in?

Offas Dyke path, Careg-y-big up on the moors. Filthy weather the night before.

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Queen Victoria monument on Clwydian Range, morning tea in one of the bays for shelter

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Climbing Snowdon via the ridge track – in May mind you!

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Old Roman Road on the Pennine Way

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Camp below Cauldron Spout, on the Pennine Way

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Hadrians Wall and Mile Castle 39, E of Steel Rigg

All taken in 1997.

Cheers

More than welcome Roger C.

Ah, Cauldron Snout. many miles from anywhere, a truly remote spot in northern England. I will be mounting an expedition on the not too distant Mickle Fell, Yorkshire's highest peak, and bag 12 surrounding 2000' 'tops' which all lie within the Warcop Artillery Range. Firing doesn't take place on thursdays…

If you did all of the pennine way, you might recognise these locations.

>I had about settled on the West Highland Way as a good place to go for my first trip. Easy public transport for getting from/to Glasgow airport, a nice variety of landscape, and lots of options for combining "wild camping" with inns.
Now these photos of the Lake District have me up in air as to where to go.

Hi Richard, make sure you let us know if you're coming over.
Scottish Highlands are big, wild and rough tough going off the beaten track. Others have commented on the west highland way, and for sure, the grandeur is on a scale above the lake district. the lakes is pocket handkercheif in comparison, but still has a majesty which takes the breath away when you get up the hill a bit.

Rule of thumb: If you are fit and strong and like getting away from it all, go to the highlands.

If you like creature comforts, great walks between valleys and over hills, hate mosquitos and want some nice real beer, go to the lakes.

I think anyone going to do the West Highland Way need to consider a few things. One it is a low level route but it is in the Highlands and the main concern is the elements. Rain and strong winds. Navigation is easy in my view. It is a well marked, wide, easy trail to follow. If you are going to were trail shoes have waterproof socks for the wet days, or Gore-Tex lined ones and gaiters. You don’t need to carry much food as re-supply is plentiful. The remotest point of Rannoch Moor is often described as wild and dangerous in guide books. It is not that bad as the trail is a wide track there and easy to follow yet again. The road is not far from it and there is a wonderful inn on the moor called the Kings House. So camp near by and have a pint. The midges are a nightmare in summer so take Deet or some form of repellent and maybe a mossie coil burner for camp. Last year I read several accounts of experienced UK backpackers falling to finish it due to the weather so don’t underestimate it. But summing it up: to a fit and capable person with competent navigation skills the WHW is a good introduction to Scotland and Ben Nevis makes a great extra hill day at the end. Follow the tourist track and take care and you should get up and down with out harm. This is a popular thing for people completing the WHW to do. Word of caution on Ben Nevis it is often covered in snow and experiences bad weather so don’t underestimate it. Here are a few photos from my WHW walk