Scratchin' Round for Little Acorns - True Grit on Helvellyn's Striding Edge

Two days of solid sleep wouldn’t go a miss round here! Bang I hit the alarm. 7.32am and I can smell the bacon burning downstairs. James must be cooking. It’s Saturday and I’ve haggled two days straight back to back off work. It’s a miracle! But rest is for the faint of heart. After staying up till 1am to welcome my bros, a full 6 hours sleep later I’m back on the stuff. Bright sunshine hitting the snow on my tin roof outside. Squinting and smacking my chops. I am so dehydrated. The heat in the house is overwhelming. I walk downstairs and it looks like Hell’s Kitchen with lots of little clueless chef running around. Eggs are frying, bacon’s a spitting and the kettle’s bubblin’ over. “Who’s in charge here?” Smoke is engulfing my four foot squared kitchen as I reach inside the refrigerator and grab the OJ.

Chris, James and my bro, Spark, have come up for a weekend of excitement. I promised them water but there isn’t any. So kayaks have been replaced by the crampon and axe and we are on foot. Heading for the Hills. MWIS have predicted 45mph winds on the summit and poor visibility so I get excited, with a slight thrill that I may scare these people. Chris takes charge in the kitchen, the boy is incredibly organized, or he likes to think he is. Everyone is issued with a bun, rasher of bacon and an egg. Tea with sugar, dear? By half eight we’re on the road heading up to Coniston. Planning to walk up Red Dell Beck to the summit of Wetherlam, across Swirl how to the Old Man and then up to Dow Crag.


The snow from Wednesday has all but gone which is a real bummer. I can’t believe how fast the stuff has gone and the rivers are still bone dry! We march up Red Dell Beck and the sun slowly rises behind us, warming our backs. The brown and orange of the bracken look beautiful in the early sun. After a while we stop for coffee half way up the beck, such a great day, might as well drag it out. We weave through the boulders and do some scrambling up to Black Sails.

The view from Wetherlam is impressive as ever and we have fun at James’ expenses, as he continually cocks up the self timer on his shinny new camera. Poor lad. After soup and crackers we marched up to Swirl How and climb the rocks to the top, pulling one another up. The visibility is good and the wind that was forecast is nowhere to be seen.


Once on top of Swirl How we hop foot it over to the Old Man of Coniston and decided it’s too early to hit the Sun Inn for Ale. We’ve got to get over to Dow crag while there an hour or so of sunlight left. The boulders on top of Dow are great fun to weasel in and out of and thought of sliding down one of the snow cracks to Goats Head Tarn look appealing to the most adventurous of the group, but safety prevails, as we march south along the impressive ridge. The sunlit sea sparkles in the distance and we find a great little hill to slide down making the route to the pub faster. End of day.


Sunday’s child is slightly grim. Ouch my head. Bacons frying, well burning - James is cooking. It’s 8am, does this boy suffer hangovers? I think he may be a machine. I get up and the sky looks muggy. My brother is comatose on the floor. No way are we going to be on the hill by 9am. I get down stairs and force breakfast down and in an hour we are taking a ropey drive over to Ambleside. James has to stop the car for Chris to be sick. Ulveston’s a trip but some people can’t handle it. All the macho bullcrap is gone in an instant, he can’t drink after all. After the pit stop we head over to Thrilmere and park the car. The plan is to tackle the mighty Helvellyn from the West and climb down Swirel Edge, lap around Red Tarn and climb Striding Edge to the top again and back down before 4pm. Get back into town before the chip shop closes!

By the time we get there its 11.20am, so it’s going to be a push. We have helmets, no axes or crampons, there for sissies! We have a rope just incase, so here goes. We weave our way to the top but the icy path is a nightmare and the snow is deep and soft in places. The hangovers kick in and the pace slows to feeble OAP status. No more I want to sleep. My head screams as my body is put to the test. Has anyone brought toilet roll? No, ah that’s a bummer.


We keep going and get to the top by 12 and rest. Chocolate and rum to take the edge off. A black Labrador comes up Swirel Edge carrying his owners rack. Man I wish Pan was here to carry my bag!! Poor buggers still laid up with his pinned leg. We get helmets on and curse each other, well, they curse me, for not bringing crampons. I take the lead as James uses his ass to get down the entire way. I shout and tell him to use his legs. We are burning daylight. Fear can cripple some. Chris and Spark have more patients but even theirs break. We get down to Red Tarn and stop for soup. There are climbers on the ice and lots of people up on Striding Edge. The ice on the lake looks a foot thick. I try and crack it with a heavy rock but the thing is solid. I need to get up here and do some skating.


After a break we head up to Striding Edge and the going is good. There’s little wind and James’ fear seems disappear once I throw a rope around him. He finds his mountain legs and we all start to motor pretty quick. The ice is difficult without crampons but we all smash in steps and get to the top – no probs. The sunset on the way down was stunning! No for chips!

Peace,

Dan

Don't know why but here's a Profile Update. Merry X-mas and Happy New Year!

Ok so this profile things needs an update. 2010 has been full of ups and downs. I got myself a job in the outdoors at least, teaching in the Lakes, so thats one up! I did manage to climb Jbel Toubkal in Morroco back in Jan and Mount Blanc in September. Mount Blanc was awesome and I raised over £500 for Macmillan Cancer Support. 2010 saw my first ice climbs and record high water on the river Leven. Pan had an operation on his leg but he's getting better. What does 2011 have in store you ask? Well... I'm all set for a 5 day skiing tour of Scotland soon and I'm planning a kayaking expo in the Alps this Spirng. I'm calling the thing 80 Rivers/4O days, and I'm hoping to film in HD. Kili would be nice, and it would certainly take things up a notch. But a visit to Alaska has to be on the horizon by years end. 2011 is the big one, but will I lived to see the end... Stay tunned.

Peace,

Dan

Freezing Temperatures, 30mph Winds, Close Heart Attack and Almost Buried Alive Taking Pictures. One Hell of a Biting Winter's Day on Whetherlam.

Got up this morning, feeling like hell, but had to get up, had to get out. The snow was think, fresh, and so tempting. Gotta get out and play. Hve to get out on the hill. Packed my ruck sack and boiled the kettle. Roused my trusted side kick, Paul, out of his pit and ordered him to come with me. Get up man, lets go, the snow's here. An unforgettable day on the mountain, you're going to pass this up? Are you kidding? Get your ass out of bed, lets go!


We got in the car and put the heating on. Face full of cold air. Got axes? Got crampons? How cares, where's the coffee? I chipped off the ice and Paul stuck on The Stones, Sympathy for the Devil, bang, foot on the gas, lets go.

We got into Coniston at 10.30am, got geared up and set out. We headed up Churchbeck and the sight of the mountains in the snow was breathtaking. I love the smell of the snow, the freshness in the air, the pine, spruce, and the biting cold. Down below the beck was well frozen and icicles hung from the rock the size of frozen swords. I held in my hand the biggest icicle, the weight of kilogram or more. We got to the disused mine shafts at the bottom of the beck and noticed that the entrances were covered in ice. The going up the waterfall was tough, the snow was so deep, in areas it went up to the knee, a real slog. And I couldn't be bothered to fit crampons yet.


Paul was still struggling with his knee and the wind picked up, spin drift snow was blowing into our eyes, it was hard but once back in the sun the wind departed and we marched on up to Levers Water. The East side was frozen, the sheet looked a couple of inches thick and small broken blocks of ice bobbled around in the lake like small iceburgs. If the cold continues the lake will be covered in days just like the higher Angle Tarn below The Old Man. We bumped into a few climbers warming up sheltering from the wind with brews on the go. Good time to stop but we continues up to Swirl Hawse. We came accross a great little cave and got inside to drink coffee and stuff our faces with sweets.


Paul decied to go over the top of Black Sails and we agreed to meet in the valley of Red Dell Beck by the sheep fold. I marched on to Whetherlam. I got to the top of Swirl Hawse and the wind must have been close to 30mph. I stopped to catch some pictures but the longer I stood still the deeper the snow got. I was being buried alive in spin drift. The wind was blowing the air out of my lungs. I felt like I was going to have a heart attack. Only the second time I've really been scared on an English mountain. Bit worring.


I sucked it in and marched on over to Whetherlam but by now it was 2pm and I was worried about the time and finding Paul. I had to be working bar by 5pm so I had to motor and get my ass and Paul's off the hill before sun down. After summiting and admiring the view of the white covered Lake District I headed back over to Black Sails and stood on the edge of the crag. Spin drift was blowing and the sun was blinding me. I still didn't have my crampons on, and I couldn't be bothered to waste time fitting them up. Huge gamble.

I skirted around the summit and found a nice passgae down. But in snow things are different. The snow was really deep in places. Some steps I sunk to my waist. Worried that I was going to fall through the snow and into a deep gill at any moment I slowed down. Spind drift was really wipping rounf now. Like twisters in the desert, massive spirells of snow were flying hundreds of feet into the air. My heart was racing now as I could see snow coming blowing with rage. Cracks started to appear in the snow and I scared myself thinking about the risk of avalanches! Bollocks, get a grip, don't think about it and get your ass down, find Paul!


I manouvered my way down slowly and looked out for Paul but couldn't see andything. I got down into the Red Dell Beck shorly afterwards, about 2.30pm, and picked up the stream. Follwing that I could see the Sheepfold and kept a close eye out for Paul coming from the East. I shouted his name but now reply. I was getting more concered about his knee and light was fading fast. The sun was only on the tips of the mountains soon to fade. I kept plodding along and then I herd a voice.

Dan, Dan!

I turned and there he was, phew. Relief I found him. Two lessons learn't in winter, try not to split up and make time for crampons! We had a laugh and a joke on the way back. What a day on the hill. Could have been the Atlas or the Alps. I can't wait for the weekend. Winter scrambles me thinks!

Peace,

Dan

Get Yer Ya-Yas Out Winter's Here!

Thank the Lord, Winter is here and the Lakes are blanketed in snow, what a treat. A Winter Wonderland. A place to play, get lost, indulge, party and let off steam. While the rest of the country grinds to a standstill I throw away the paper, turn off the news, stick on some Bobby Dylan, "Girl From The North Country" me thinks, and get out onto the hill.

I headed to Coniston as early as I could, Thermos, coffee, soup and sweats in my sack. Nothing but the icy air blasting my face and the sun bright in the sky. What a morning. I made my way to Walna Scar and bumped into some city boys unloading all their juck, ra ra-ing away about the performance of the A3 up the snow road, gits, almost knocked me down. Got to chuckle though, probably be a job for Mountain Rescue later in the day, when the cloud from the East comes to.

I've been up the Old Man a few times now, I pretty much know the place like the back of my hand but I haven't been up this one in winter conditions yet and it looked stunning. Black Rigg, Whetherlam and Blake Rigg looked fantastic in their winter coats. I couldn't wait to get up there. As I got higher following the Scar road I could see Stoney Cove Pike and Fairfield covered in thick cloud. The snow is going to be here for a while yet.

At Brown Pike I headed North above Blind Tarn towards Dow Crag. Lots of ice climbers out today, I could hear their heavy metal clunking and hammering away. On top the wind really picked up and I was beaten with spin drift, I don't know why, but I really wanted a white out, I really wanted to get lost!

After starring at the spectacular view of the southern peninsular and the sparkling sea I headed back down a little to Goat's Hawse, the tip of the Dow and Coniston horseshoe. I just couldn't get over what a great day it was. Total snow day, fantastic, great to be up early and not a soul around. I got to the top of the Old Man at eleven and sat and had some soup, perched in a sheltered spot below the summit cairn I was protected from the sharp wind and could even sit and read a few pages of my book! Geek, nah, it's Hendrix, Room Full of Mirrors!! Read it!

After warming up I got some pics and headed down, trying to run with the odd slippage here and there. Didn't bother with crampons today, the snow is pretty deep in places, at times I went as deep as my knees! I scared myself a little, totally forgot about all the cave systems. Remember the pits and large holes, beware, bloody quarries!!

What a morning!

Peace,

Dan