Thursday, 21 May 2009
Tuesday, 12 May 2009
Two days in Snowdonia!
Another great weekend up in north west Wales, taking in some spectacular views, rugged mountains and atrocious weather. We arrived in Nant Peris about 12:30 Friday night. Found the basic campsite in the heart of Snowdonia, pitched in the middle and crashed. Probably not the best location, as through the night we were pounded by strong winds and heavy rain. Tents were horizontal but we got enough sleep.
So setting off Saturday lunch time, the weather had become even worse, but we thought we'd give it a crack. Above the campsite at Nant Peris, a small road leads to a series of footpaths, below Elidir Fawh. The start of the trail is boggy and wet most of the time and after the latest deluge was pretty bad. So we headed straight up to the summit. Strong westerly winds and rain pounded us all the way up to 924m. From Elidir Fawh, you can walk north and follow a horseshoe round in the cloud. This section was quite sheltered from the wind, but visibility was no more than 15-20 metres (see above). After completing the horseshoe you head south and towards Foel Goch and Y Garn. At this point, soaked and blasted by the wind, we were considering our bail out options. But all of a sudden... the strong winds blew away the cloud and blue skies emerged. Finally some views in Snowdonia! We summited Y Garn - another 3000s'er, where you get great views of Llyn Ogwen. Then took a slow descent to a quiet tarn - Llyn Y Cwm - a possible swimming spot. From here you take a long walk back to Nant Peris down a rocky and very green path. Lots of beaut waterfalls and plenty of flopping out in the warm sunshine - an amazing contrast from three hours earlier!
Day 2 - Tryfan
Today was quite cloudy and threatening drizzle, but it seemed to be holding off. After advice from a few regular climbers, we headed up the north trail of Tryfan. There are numerous options ranging from scrambles to grade 1 climbs. The main trail isn't very obvious, but if you head slightly east of the peak, the scrambling is easier. It took roughly three hours to hit the top. There are two summits - the southern one hosts Adam and Eve. These are two stones - remarkably positioned on the top. You can jump between the two to gain the "Freedom of Tryfan", but at 915m, we just settled for standing on one each... Still views at the top were sensational and very mystical with cloud moving around.
So setting off Saturday lunch time, the weather had become even worse, but we thought we'd give it a crack. Above the campsite at Nant Peris, a small road leads to a series of footpaths, below Elidir Fawh. The start of the trail is boggy and wet most of the time and after the latest deluge was pretty bad. So we headed straight up to the summit. Strong westerly winds and rain pounded us all the way up to 924m. From Elidir Fawh, you can walk north and follow a horseshoe round in the cloud. This section was quite sheltered from the wind, but visibility was no more than 15-20 metres (see above). After completing the horseshoe you head south and towards Foel Goch and Y Garn. At this point, soaked and blasted by the wind, we were considering our bail out options. But all of a sudden... the strong winds blew away the cloud and blue skies emerged. Finally some views in Snowdonia! We summited Y Garn - another 3000s'er, where you get great views of Llyn Ogwen. Then took a slow descent to a quiet tarn - Llyn Y Cwm - a possible swimming spot. From here you take a long walk back to Nant Peris down a rocky and very green path. Lots of beaut waterfalls and plenty of flopping out in the warm sunshine - an amazing contrast from three hours earlier!
Day 2 - Tryfan
Today was quite cloudy and threatening drizzle, but it seemed to be holding off. After advice from a few regular climbers, we headed up the north trail of Tryfan. There are numerous options ranging from scrambles to grade 1 climbs. The main trail isn't very obvious, but if you head slightly east of the peak, the scrambling is easier. It took roughly three hours to hit the top. There are two summits - the southern one hosts Adam and Eve. These are two stones - remarkably positioned on the top. You can jump between the two to gain the "Freedom of Tryfan", but at 915m, we just settled for standing on one each... Still views at the top were sensational and very mystical with cloud moving around.
Tuesday, 5 May 2009
Three day trek in the lakes.......
Just completed a cracking three day trek around the Lake District. Took in some amazing scenery, starting at Patterdale then ascending Helvellyn and Scafell Pike.
Day 1
Starting roughly fifteen minutes walk outside Patterdale, due to parking restrictions, I accessed the mountains through Grassthwaite Howe. A slow trail led up to the Hole in the Wall, just south of Birkhouse Moor. It is only when you reach the top of this trail at about 650m that you can take in decent views. Primarily Hevellyn further up, but also looking back over Ullswater. Helvellyn can be ascended from its north or south. I took the northerly trail up Swirral Edge. Quite steep towards the mount and requiring a bit of scrambling. The top of Helvelyn is a large plateau. From there I headed south towards Nethermost Pike, then past High Crag and Dollywaggon Pike. A steep descent towards Grisedale Tarn has superb views westwards over Wythburn and Thirlmere reservoir. After walking around the tarn, you take another long descent down Great Tongue, south west until you hit the northern fringes of Grassmere. That descent killed my legs, so after crossing the A591, I headed up to Greenburn Bottom. A low set valley with a strong stream through it, this was a great spot to camp.
Day 2
After a stormy and wet night, I set off early for what looked like an epic day of trekking. I took the easier option to leave Greenburn, ascending slowly then climbing up on to a ridge where there was great views of Grassmere Common. I had camped at 250m or so, so spent the first couple of hours of the trek walking uphill. This led to High Raise at 762m, where there was great views north toward... and back towards Helvellyn. A long pass south west takes you to Tongue Head and Angle Tarn. This is a beautiful spot and ideal for a good break before the ascent into Scafell range.
From here I headed up to Scafell, taking about an hour and fifteen. The last time I was up Scafell, cloud descended and all I could see was white mist. But although plenty of cloud came over, there were still cracking views of Great Gable and Wasdale.
After this I had to take a long trek back the way I came. No other options back towards Grassmere. The walk to the top of High Raise was a killer, but I ended up camped just below Wythburn Fells, quite close to the previous night. After 10 hours walking, I collapsed.
Day 1
Starting roughly fifteen minutes walk outside Patterdale, due to parking restrictions, I accessed the mountains through Grassthwaite Howe. A slow trail led up to the Hole in the Wall, just south of Birkhouse Moor. It is only when you reach the top of this trail at about 650m that you can take in decent views. Primarily Hevellyn further up, but also looking back over Ullswater. Helvellyn can be ascended from its north or south. I took the northerly trail up Swirral Edge. Quite steep towards the mount and requiring a bit of scrambling. The top of Helvelyn is a large plateau. From there I headed south towards Nethermost Pike, then past High Crag and Dollywaggon Pike. A steep descent towards Grisedale Tarn has superb views westwards over Wythburn and Thirlmere reservoir. After walking around the tarn, you take another long descent down Great Tongue, south west until you hit the northern fringes of Grassmere. That descent killed my legs, so after crossing the A591, I headed up to Greenburn Bottom. A low set valley with a strong stream through it, this was a great spot to camp.
Day 2
After a stormy and wet night, I set off early for what looked like an epic day of trekking. I took the easier option to leave Greenburn, ascending slowly then climbing up on to a ridge where there was great views of Grassmere Common. I had camped at 250m or so, so spent the first couple of hours of the trek walking uphill. This led to High Raise at 762m, where there was great views north toward... and back towards Helvellyn. A long pass south west takes you to Tongue Head and Angle Tarn. This is a beautiful spot and ideal for a good break before the ascent into Scafell range.
From here I headed up to Scafell, taking about an hour and fifteen. The last time I was up Scafell, cloud descended and all I could see was white mist. But although plenty of cloud came over, there were still cracking views of Great Gable and Wasdale.
After this I had to take a long trek back the way I came. No other options back towards Grassmere. The walk to the top of High Raise was a killer, but I ended up camped just below Wythburn Fells, quite close to the previous night. After 10 hours walking, I collapsed.
Day 3
So the final stretch and after another night of heavy wind and rain, I left early. Having walked further down this valley and then over the A591, I headed back towards Grisedale Tarn. From here it was an hour walk back to Patterdale, past Grisedale Forest.
http://www.mountainhiking.org.uk/england-wales/glenridding/index.shtml
Sunday, 5 April 2009
England's South Downs gain national park status
Hundreds of square miles of woodland, rolling chalk uplands and river valleys across southern England will be made a national park, the government announced today. The new South Downs national park will spread across Sussex and Hampshire thanks to a decision that comes more than 60 years after the area was recommended for park status, and a decade since the government first announced its intention to designate it as such. http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/mar/31/south-downs-national-park
Monday, 1 December 2008
Navigation training in Yorkshire Dales
This weekend was spent in the western half of the Yorkshire Dales on a navigation course. This is obviously an essential skill for trekking, but it also forms the main assessment for the Mountain Leader qualification. So pretty useful. Before the course my map reading and compass skills were pretty basic. Working out distances and not staying on bearings were probably my main faults. After the weekend though, I am quite confident on both of these.
Calculating distances is done either through pacing or timing. For every 100 metres, I average about 55 paces on normal terrain. So counting paces can obviously tell you how far you've travelled on a map. Over longer distances, timing is better. The average walking speed is 4km per hour. Critically I don't usually trek with a watch - about time I made the investment. Judging how far landmarks are in the distance is another skill in navigation. This is down to practice, but once you do it a few times, the mind remembers. But factors like light can affect this.
Calculating distances is done either through pacing or timing. For every 100 metres, I average about 55 paces on normal terrain. So counting paces can obviously tell you how far you've travelled on a map. Over longer distances, timing is better. The average walking speed is 4km per hour. Critically I don't usually trek with a watch - about time I made the investment. Judging how far landmarks are in the distance is another skill in navigation. This is down to practice, but once you do it a few times, the mind remembers. But factors like light can affect this.
Taking a bearing off the compass is another essential part of map reading. I spent most of Saturday, navigating short distances off bearings. After lining up between the destination and current points, you add 3 degrees for magnetic north. Then turn the compass so that north matches the bearing. These are the basics, but I gained other bits of knowledge - map symbols and what to do in emergencies. Basic stuff but very important. Other skills included leapfrogging with a companion and calculating positions on the map.
This was my first time in Dales - very frosty and foggy but beautiful with the low winter sun.
Sunday, 9 November 2008
Trekking in the UK...
Two interesting articles published this weekend - one on solo trekking and bothies in Scotland, another one the dangers of trekking and risk assessment
The perfect getaway for lone rangers
I break out of the forest and start struggling up the bulky shoulder of Corserine. It is early and though my spirit is willing my flesh feels decidedly weak after a night in a sleeping bag and reheated coffee for breakfast. The sky is bright but the sun is still well behind the ridge above me, and it is cold. I turn round; to the north I can see Loch Doon, and to the west the broken vertical face of Mullwharchar, the curious amoeba shape of Loch Enoch and behind that the Range of the Awful Hand. As I watch, suddenly the sun strikes the very top of the Merrick and turns it to fire. The Galloway hills run away into infinity, green, tan, gold and, in the far distance, dark blue. There is no one and nothing, just me and the enormous view and the silence. I turn back to my hill and climb up towards the sun. http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2008/nov/09/walking-holidays-travelling-solo-scotland
Whose life is it anyway? How safety first culture takes risk out of adventure sports
The idea is to test the body and mind against the harshest of conditions, to give everything in the attempt to cross the finishing line but also to have the guts to call it a day when the going gets too tough. http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2008/nov/08/life-and-style-uk-news
The perfect getaway for lone rangers
I break out of the forest and start struggling up the bulky shoulder of Corserine. It is early and though my spirit is willing my flesh feels decidedly weak after a night in a sleeping bag and reheated coffee for breakfast. The sky is bright but the sun is still well behind the ridge above me, and it is cold. I turn round; to the north I can see Loch Doon, and to the west the broken vertical face of Mullwharchar, the curious amoeba shape of Loch Enoch and behind that the Range of the Awful Hand. As I watch, suddenly the sun strikes the very top of the Merrick and turns it to fire. The Galloway hills run away into infinity, green, tan, gold and, in the far distance, dark blue. There is no one and nothing, just me and the enormous view and the silence. I turn back to my hill and climb up towards the sun. http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/2008/nov/09/walking-holidays-travelling-solo-scotland
Whose life is it anyway? How safety first culture takes risk out of adventure sports
The idea is to test the body and mind against the harshest of conditions, to give everything in the attempt to cross the finishing line but also to have the guts to call it a day when the going gets too tough. http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2008/nov/08/life-and-style-uk-news
Friday, 31 October 2008
Nepal videos
I have uploaded videos onto Youtube of my trip to Nepal.
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=wildernessuk&view=videos
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=wildernessuk&view=videos
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