Pavey Ark and the Langdale Pikes today for the KMF

This was the scene ontop of Pike o Stickle at about 2.30 today.  We had set off in appalling rain and rising waters at 10.15 from the New Dungeon Ghyll car park to climb Pavey Ark, but found the river impossible to cross safely so we had to take a much longer route to detour around the problem.  Suffice it to say that Pete's navigation with map and compass was as accomplished as ever and we soon made off for the top of Pavey once we established some new bearings in the mist. After Pavey we took more bearings and set off for Harrison Stickle, then Pike of and lastly Loft Crag.  We all had a through wetting in the morning but by the afternoon the 'precipitation' eased off and we enjoyed slightly dryer hiking back to Langdale.  Not many photos could be taken in these conditions I am sorry to say.

Keswick Mountain Festival 2013

 Just a few photos from the last two days of the Mountain Festival, here we all are on day one Wednesday when we walked the ridge from Red Pike over High Stile to High Crag above Buttermere. It did not rain on our parade either!

 Here we are again, just waiting for the stragglers to catch up before we descend down to the valley.

This photo is on the top of Helvellyn on Thursday, and as you can see it keeps it's snow as long as it can.  This was another lovely day when it did not rain until the bus arrived way down at the bottom.

Another lovely photo from the top of Helvellyn, Bella our Border Terrier really enjoyed the hike.

Robinson to Dale Head

Elevenses on High Snockrigg

The snow has almost disappeared from the Lakeland Fells now, it's the last day of April and only patches remain on the higher tops. Here we take a break on High Snockrigg above Buttermere Moss. The normally boggy morass proved little obstacle today as there's not been a great deal of rain in the district recently and we climbed dry-shod to the top of Robinson 737m for lunch. That's Paul Ross in red who used to be a KR leader himself before leaving for the US where he spent the best part of fifteen years climbing in Colorado and neighbouring states...he's back! Little Bess one of his two Jack Russells is looking on and taking it all in her stride despite this being only her second outing on the Lakeland Fells. It was a fine sunny day today and a great day out; we look forward to many more of them this season and hope you'll find time to join us on a walk yourselves.

Glaramara in the Grip of Winter

 Wintery Glaramara.

Pete and Bella took a small group of intrepids over Glaramara 783m and Rosthwaite Fell 612m today. The higher tops in the Lakes are still in the grip of winter though the snow conditions today were good for walking and, though we carried them, we had no recourse to our Kahtoola Mini-Spikes except to climb the "Bad Step" that leads to the summit. It was a silent and deserted winter landscape with few walkers in evidence. This view was taken on the descent East from the three tarns on Combe Head towards Combe Door below.

Haystacks in the Snow

Innominate Tarn on Haystacks 597m.

This was the wintery landscape at frozen Innominate Tarn today 3 April. Pete and Lyn took a small group out to climb Haystacks from Honister, there was a good deal of snow on the ground though we didn't need to resort to crampons... In the distance, left to right, are Brandreth, Green Gable, Great Gable and Kirk Fell.