Wainwright Challenge: 17/214 Grisedale Pike

 

After finishing at Workington parkrun, I decided to nip up Grisedale Pike on my way home. Of course I was fully kitted out as its 790m of elevation to the summit. I had been part way up whilst videoing the Grisedale Grind in 2019 but hadn't made to the top (this seems to be a common theme!) so I knew the basic route up. It was a shock to get to the car park and discover it was closed! A lovely lady at the main Whinlatter visitor centre assured me that the footpath was still accessible and explained the route:

The trail is easy to follow as the Forestry Commission put in plenty of signs and maintain the access:

Wainwright Challenge: 16/214 Baystones

 

On the 11th of June I was in Ambleside as I had taken part in the Lake District Challenge 10k around Loughrigg:

I decided to make the most of the included car parking to add another Wainwright to my list. This meant finishing what I had started a few years earlier when I had climbed Wansfell Pike and getting to Baystones which is just behind. My eldest joined me for a walk through Ambleside and up through the Stock Ghyll woods:

With Wansfell being one of the most popular fells the initial path way is well trodden and has been stepped. Its quite a slog up and my son's knee wasn't up to finishing it but luckily I fell in with a fellow solo hiker:

Wainwright Challenge: 14 & 15/214 Little & Great Mell Fells

 

As I was at the top of the county already for Talkin Tarn Country Park parkrun, I decided to add a couple of outlying Wainwrights: Little Mell Fell and Great Mell Fell. They are between Ullswater and the A66 and often only walked by folks trying to get the 214 set. I didn't do a great research job and missed the easy parking for Little Mell Fell and ended up much lower down than I needed to be. Undaunted I set off up the path to get to the 505m summit, when I saw the parking bay I so wished I had parked there and just had the almost straight up path:

Wainwright Challenge: 10-13/214 Nethermost Pike to Raise (Helvellyn)

 

On the 28th May I had the excuse of filming another fell race to head up to Helvellyn. I chose the option of going on the bus to do a linear hike. This meant jumping off the 555 at Wythburn Church along the side of Thirlmere reservoir. 

For quick version nip to the bottom and play the YouTube video!

This is a less well known path which went through the forest before opening out onto the hillside with views of Thirlmere. I was glad of excuses to pause a take pics:

I wasn't in a hurry and it took me close to 2 hours to get to the summit of Nethermost Pike which was rather underwhelming despite being the 9th highest Wainwright at 890m:

Behind me was the iconic Helvellyn, which at 950m is the 3rd highest Wainwright, and the location I was intending to film. On my way to the summit I could see how many folks were taking the infamous Striding Edge route:

Wainwright Challenge: 7/214 Blake Fell

On Saturday I was over in Ennerdale to film the Blake Fell race. Of course I couldn't resist walking up to the very top to add number 7 to my Wainwright tally. I was following the race's return as the runners came down through the mist:

Once the last runner had passed I followed the directions on Komoot and a friend's tip of keeping the fence on my right:

Visibility was pretty poor and I only knew it was the top by the stone circle and the app:

Wainwright Challenge: 6/214 Latrigg

On Saturday the 8th January I was in Keswick to film the Cumbria cross country championship. Afterwards, I made the most of my location to walk the 2 miles to the top of Latrigg. I just had to walk out of the park and keep going up:

When I reached the summit I was hit by a short hail storm as I enjoyed the views across Derwentwater. Skiddaw was hiding behind the clouds.

I may not have had the best weather for my hike but I was very happy to have started my campaign off. Only 208 more to go!

Wainwright Challenge: Orrest Head

 

As Alfred Wainwright was inspired to hike the Lakeland Fells by a hike up Orrest Head in Windermere I thought I ought to follow in his footsteps before adding to my tally. I had to pop to Windermere to collect something so dragged my teen with me for the 2 mile walk. 

Typically it began tipping down as soon as we parked the car but it didn't stop us. Luckily most of the damage from Storm Arwen had been cleared so we could get to the top:

@lakessinglemum Not the best view from Orrest Head today #OrrestHead #Windermere #Cumbria #LakeDistrict ♬ Misty Mountains - Richard Armitage & The Dwarf Cast

A Hike up Wansfell Pike

A friend asked if I wanted to go for a hike on New Year's Eve, as I've been thinking that we need to do more walks I said yes! I checked a few circular walks on Walk the Lakes and chose one over Wansfell Pike.  With the route printed off and stored on my phone I arranged to meet my friend at NT Townend in Troutbeck (parking in Ambleside is tricky and expensive!). Then we aimed to join the route part way round and do it backwards:

There were plenty of excuses to pause and take photographs from intriguing goat hinges or glimpses of Windermere:

Eventually we realised that somewhere we had missed part of the route but with obvious tracks, signs and stiles to show that we were on an official route to the summit:

Camping at Sykeside, Brothers' Water

When a friend from Buckinghamshire said they were coming up to the Lakes this summer I knew it was a good opportunity to show off my adopted county. I suggested camping for the night and then sent a few potential sites to her from pitchup.com. From these she chose Sykeside near Brothers Water. It was a wet and misty drive up into the mountains from Kendal and I was beginning to think camping had been a bad option! Then as we descended Kirkstone Pass the vista opened up and it just looked stunning:

Before pitching our tent we fortified ourselves with chips at the Brotherswater Inn. It was a good job we did as pitching the big tent in strong winds and drizzles was a testing experience... probably didn't help that I hadn't remembered to bring all the pegs so I had to buy more. The ones from the shop were more up to scratch for the hard ground any way! It was worth it for a view like this:

Once we were set up we headed across the fields for the short walk to Brothers Water:

Langdale Gala 2018

On the first Sunday of July its the Langdale Gala at Chapel Stile which is a traditional Cumbrian event. The weather wasn't typical when we arrived:

After signing in for the fell race the first event my son took part in was the school's Cumberland & Westmorland wrestling. There was a little mix up when he wasn't in the draw for the juniors but after I'd pointed this out he ended up winning and getting £5! This was a friend's son in his first ever bout as an under 15:

The flat races then started with traditional events such as sack, sprint and egg & spoon races. My son was in the sack race:

 and then I had to head up onto the fell side for the fell races:

Due to the heat all the juniors took the lower level route. There were some disappointed teenagers that they had to only do the under 13 route:

Coniston Triathlon

On Saturday night my son and I camped out in our car at Coniston so that we were able to be in place for volunteering at 6 AM! We went to sleep with the Old Man watching over us:

I was up at 5 and made myself a coffee before waking my son and heading down to the event organised by Epic Events. It was so peaceful and tranquil in the early morning light:

Our first job was car parking and we made a great team ensuring that everyone could park safely and get their bikes off their cars:

Clough Head Fell Race 2018

On bank holiday Sunday my son was hiking up the Old Man in Coniston with school so I set off on my own to Threlkeld to film the Clough Head fell race. It was a beautiful day as I approached the fell which stands at 726 m (2,382 ft):

As it was an English Championships race there were plenty of banners at the start:

It was helpful to find some at gates as well as the paths up to the fell are not way marked (as the land is open access):

Reasons to be cheerful: Sunshine, Friends and Proud Mum #R2BC

Its Thursday so its Reasons to be Cheerful this month hosted by Michelle. I have got plenty of reasons to be cheerful this week so here we go:
1) Proud Mum #1
My son had his first outdoor athletics competition as an under 13. He was one of the youngest competitors but came out with a silver medal in the shot putt:

2) Proud Mum #2

It was my daughter's first parents' evening since changing secondary school this academic year. She missed most of the summer term due to ill health but due to her hard work her grades have recovered and she is nearly back to where she was. A glowing report and wonderful comments from her teachers!

3) Outdoor Fun in the Lakes

Anniversary Waltz and Teenager with Altitude Fell Races

On Saturday morning my son and I sat off far too early for a drive up to Stair near Keswick for the last ever Anniversary Waltz and Teenager with Altitude Fell Races.  These have been held since 1997 and have helped raise thousands of pounds for the Motor Neurone Disease Association. Sadly Steve Cliff died from MND this year so this was the last ever race.

The Teenager with Altitude (TWA) started above the village with a first ascent up Causey Pike then 15.4 miles with 7,600 feet of ascent before finishing back at the village. We set ourselves up to capture the 300 runners who had signed up to this gruelling race:  

It as wonderful to hear the respectful applause and then cheer on the runners at they took a steady start to the run:

It made for a colourful spectacle as they wound their way up the fell side:

There was an hour gap before the Waltz was starting which was just as well as it took nearly 20 minutes to cross back through the village and reach the foot of Cat Bells where the race would start. This is the short race with a mere 11.5 miles and 3,600 metres of climb!

Reasons to be Cheerful: Appreciation, Lake District and gardening #R2BC

Is it Thursday already? Doesn't seem like 2 minutes since the last link up! I will have to be more organised next week when I am back in charge.... Here are my reasons to be cheerful this week:
1) Feeling appreciated
Whilst its sad my contract came to an end at the lovely school I have been at since December it was lovely to be shown how much the children and staff appreciated me:

2) A still and sunny Fell Foot

After the previous week's wind and snow it was heavenly running at our parkrun this week:

3) Gardening

Starting the New Year with a parkrun and a cold dip!

Last year I meant to get up on New Year's Day and run Lancaster parkrun but in the end decided I wasn't safe to drive there after celebrating the new year... This year my home parkrun at Fell Foot had its first ever New Year special. In order to ensure that I was fit to go I volunteered to tail walk so that I had to make sure I could get there!

Despite the celebrations of the night before there were 150 of us undertaking the 5 km event (and some of them went on to Millom afterwards to do another!). As I was walking I managed to capture many of the runners on camera:

By the time we finished only the volunteers were left but two of us mad mums still went in the water. It was a chance to try out my action camera underwater:

I will have to be brave and go in the water again and improve on my filming!

#CountryKids A trail run to Easedale Tarn

As part of Great Landscapes Week The Friends of the Lake District have been laying on all sorts of free activities from basket weaving and bushcraft to yoga and trail running. When I saw that there was a taster trail run to Easedale Tarn that my son was allowed to take part in I quickly signed up! We met up in the centre of the village and met up with the trail leader, Wayne from Jogging Pals, to get a briefing and do a warm up. Then we headed out through the village and the grounds of Allan Bank:

There was very much an emphasis on the social aspect of the run as that is the main part of the ethos of Jogging Pals. The two 10 year olds led the way like a pair of mountain goats whilst the rest of us came along more steadily as we were chatting as we went. Every so often we would pause so that everyone had a chance to recover and regroup:

The boys were a lot more sure footed and fitter than the rest of us as we tackled the increasingly steep and rocky trail up the mountain side:

Reasons to be Cheerful: Fresh Air and the Mad Hatter #R2BC

Thanks again to Michelle for being this week's hostess with the mostest! We welcomed old friends and new to the linky last week and we would love to share the cheerfulness far and wide. Here are the main reasons I am smiling this week (not all fitness related this time...):

1) Mad Hatter

As a teacher when you find something that hooks your children you have to use to motivate them in other areas. They all loved the Mad Hatter's Tea Party on Cbeebies so I decided to base this half term's English around the story. This morning I therefore donned this hat to get into character as we planned a Mad Hatter's Menu:

2) Exploring the Lakes

We had a super time on a hike on Sunday with the Wonderful Wild Women. Even in the wind and rain being up in a beautiful part of the country in good company put a huge smile on my face:

3) Pokemon Go

We are still doing our best to fill our Pokedex and my son was very happy to hatch a Snorlax this week. I love how a computerised game gets us out and about and clocking up long walks:

4) Proud Mum

My son got a new PB in the chest push at athletics training on Monday and he is really hoping to pass this new 6 m effort soon! My daughter also clocked up her longest ever non stop run of 2 km and wants to run a Fell Race this weekend for the first time. 

Please do join in and share your happy posts this week.

#CountryKids Exploring Waterhead and Galava Roman Fort

A friend has come up to Keswick for the Convention so we arranged to meet at Ambleside today for lunch. The easiest place to do this was at Hayes Garden World where we had lunch on the terrace with Mr Tod for company:

We then parked up at Waterhead (lucky that it didn't take long to get spaces!) and the children wanted to paddle in Windermere:

Of course we hadn't come prepared so they just waded in and got their bottom halves wet: