September Walks

There have been a few changes to the September programme so please take a look if you were planning to join us in September as there are one or two days when walks are not available.

Pete's Coast to Coast Adventure

Between August 7 and 20 Pete helped guide a group of nine very determined Americans on Wainwright's coast to coast walk...14 consecutive days of walking. Here's Pete and Bella taking some shots of the group at the starting point at St Bees with 190 miles to go. Wainwright chose the route for the richness and diversity of its landscape and I've selected a few pictures that I hope will illustrate this.

The walk begins with a high level traverse of the dramatic sandstone cliffs of St Bees Head then heads east across the West Cumbrian plain towards the Lake District National Park.

The rough path along the south shore of Ennerdale Water leads towards the head of Ennerdale where we stopped for a welcome lunch break at Black Sail YHA.

The path from Rosthwaite alongside Greenup Gill leads past Eagle Crag towards Lining Crag and Greenup Edge in the distance. This was day three of the C2C and the sun smiled on the group that day.

High above Far Easdale, the ridge leading from Calf Crag over Gibson Knott towards distant Helm Crag and the village of Grasmere is enlivened by the shadows thrown by the afternoon sun. There followed two very wet Lake District days as we made our way from Grasmere to Glenridding and on towards the village of Shap.

We had a late lunch high above the river in Swaledale in the Yorkshire Dales National Park before descending towards Richmond, a very attractive and historic town, and the only one of any consequence on our route.

Between the Yorkshire Dales and the North York Moors lie the flat farmlands of the Vale of Mowbray. It took us two days to traverse the plain with the Cleveland Hills ahead beckoning us ever eastward.

High above the Cleveland plain the C2C route follows that of the well engineered Cleveland Way which makes for good progress across the heather clad moors. The 19 miles we covered between Osmotherley and the Lion Inn at Blakey Howe made for a long hard day.

From the 1317 ft point on Cold Moor the dark rocks of the Wain Stones appear to block the path ahead over Hasty Bank.

The Wain Stones were easily negotiated to reach the top of Hasty Bank. We ate a late lunch on Carr Ridge a mile or so beyond before setting out on the last eight miles to the Lion Inn.

At Bloworth Crossing our route joined the track bed of the old Rosedale Ironstone Railway which eased our progress over the last five miles of the long day.

Remarkably the whole group made it to Robin Hood's Bay; unsurprisingly, fourteen days walking took its toll on our feet many of which were much the worse for wear by the time we arrived, yet high morale and sheer determination overcame all adversity. Here's the "Team Awesome" on Ness Point with Robin Hood's Bay beyond.

Outside the Bay Hotel in Robin Hood's Bay after we'd dipped our feet in the North Sea. It's a very quaint and jolly little town with a great atmosphere, the boots are off now and we felt we'd earned a pint or two .

This is the Lion Inn at Blakey

Pete and his intrepid Americans have reached this point on the C2C, it was a long hard 19 mile walk.

Only 2 more days to go now and it is much easier tomorrow through Danby High Moor and Glaisdale Moor then onto Grosmont. The last day into Robin Hood's Bay should be all downhill too. I can't wait to see the photos he has been taking en route.

Programme changes

Please note that the following changes have been made to the programme

19th August Glaramara will now be lead by Cathy Colam
20th August Castle Crag is CANCELLED
21st August Scafell Pike will now be Cathy's walk too

Ravenstonedale for Pete tonight

This is where they are tonight on the C2C except its not sunny but raining again. However, they are all in good spirits and had a hearty dinner.

Shap - Coast to Coast

Some of you know that Pete is doing the coast to coast with a group of Americans.  I was with them for the legs from Rosthwaite to Grasmere and then on to Patterdale. They are a determined group and lovely company. They all  managed to reach Shap yesterday evening, rather wet but still going strong. This is the very welcoming hotel which has put them up for the night and is drying all their boots ready for today's leg.

The weather has been so bad this last few days that Pete has not been able to take any photos at all. I am hoping that the camera gets out today.

Last Wednesday the weather was kind

Top of Fairfield

The walk on 3rd August was St. Sunday Crag and Fairfield and for some reason no photos were taken until we reached Fairfield when suddenly a very good SLR was whipped out of a rucksack. Not surprisingly it was used for some serious photography, Lyn amused by the antics of the would be 'David Bailey's' took her own shots.  Well says Bella, wots all the fuss aboot? 

P.S. since Bella has been given access to Twitter we have discovered her education in the spelling of the English language has been sadly neglected.  Wot R we 2 du?

Programme change

Please note the walk on 9th August has changed to Stonethwaite to Grasmere (A) starting at 9am

Lurg Mhor

The shapely peaks of Bidein a'Choire Sheasgaich 945m and Lurg Mhor 986m grace the skyline high above Loch Monar in NW Scotland. This view was taken from the steep southern slopes of Sail Riabhach above Creag Dubh at about 700m. These remote Munros are best approached from Attadale from where it is a two hour bike ride to the foot of the mountains.

The summit of Bidein a'Choire Sheasgaich reflected in one of the numerous lochans scattered along the ridge between the Munro and Sail Riabhach.

The summit cairn on Bidein a'Choire Sheasgaich with Sail Riabhach beyond and below a glimpse of Loch Calavie which lies between Bidein and the Corbett, Beinn Dronaig 797m.

To the east of Bidein beyond the 740m bealach which seperates the two mountains is one of the most remote of all Munros; Lurg Mhor.

The bothy at Bendronaig Lodge, where our bikes were left, is in sight half a mile away and so are the hills in the background over which we still have to ride on our return to Attadale.

View from the top of the pass on our ride out. Beyond Pete are the two Munros that we've just climbed. The weather's glorious now...only an hour more to ride to Attadale and all downhill!