On the shores of Thirlmere

On a recent trip to Grasmere we had a bit of time on the journey back so we decided to explore a bit of the scenery around Thirlmere. This is a beautiful part of the Lakes that we always seem to just drive through as we head between the northern and southern parts of the national park. The fells above Thirlmere, in particularly Bleaberry Fell, don't get a good write-up from Alfred Wainwright either, so it's not been top of the list of places to walk.

A quick look at a map revealed that a walk up to Harrop Tarn should be a nice easy walk. We parked up  close to the shores of the lake and headed up the steep wooded slopes away from Thirlmere. This was actually hard work, the stone steps were extremely slippery and recent or ongoing forestry work meant climbing over felled trees on a number of occasions!

But once we gained a bit of altitude the going got a bit easier, and this became a very scenic woodland walk. The trees cleared as we neared the tarn, and the views from here of the water and surrounding fells were incredible.

Looking back, we had a fine view over the Helvellyn and Fairfield ranges when looking eastwards over the A591.

This was a great place to linger for a while and enjoy the views, but with the old issue of not having time on our side we were soon headed back down the wooded fellside using the forestry commission tracks which were far easier to walk along than the treacherous path up! I noted a path headed over to Watendlath and that feels like a walk we will be doing at some point too.

As we neared Thirlmere we were greeted to an incredible sight of clouds billowing in through Dunmail Raise and slowly drawing over the water. Our walk along the road southwards back to the car meant that we had this spectacle ahead of us all the way back to the car and it really was a special scene.

Lyke Wake Walk Jan 15

One again the appeal and draw of the North York Moors took hold of us, and a few weeks ago, Claire, Dave, Jimmy and I decided once again to do a Lyke Wake Walk in January. Last January (after an awful walk!) we had more or less agreed to stop these mid-Winter crossings but somehow your mind never stops playing tricks on you and so before we knew it, we were driving up to a very dark mast in Ravenscar in January 2015, ready to meet our partners in crime.

Once again we were crossing unsupported, and I have to be honest, this is the best way I can imagine doing it. I have to stress that we are well equipped, we know what we are capable of and what our limitations, and are aware of how much food and drink we will need. Having done numerous crossings in all weather conditions over the past year we are familiar with the lay of the land too. If you are new to the LWW, or have a larger party then I cannot recommend going it alone - this link is a good guide to some of the preparations that can be done!!

Conditions were pretty favourable - it was cold enough for the ground to have a decent covering of frost, but not uncomfortably so. There was an icy wind on the fell tops, which meant we skipped a couple of traditional snack breaks, but on the whole the weather was OK apart from a brief moment.

We set off towards Coalmire Plantation in fine spirits, looking forward to the night ahead. There is always something magical about night-time walking, and in Winter there is very little chance of anyone else being around so it can be a tranquil experience too.

Fortunately the steep steps up to Live Moor were not fully iced over so the first hurdle was soon overcome. Once we reached the more exposed ground we were hit with freezing blasts of wind, and so we didn't linger at the trig point on Carlton Bank. A quick  walk down and back up saw us warm up with the sharp pull up Cringle Moor. Here again the wind was very cold, but not too strong as the narrow ridge and its sheer drop down to the north can be a bit unnerving.

The next challenge was probably one of the toughest of the walk - the rocky steps down from Cringle Moor were covered in snow and ice and pretty treacherous and made for slow going.

With this in mind we decided to follow the plantation path around the side rather than risking the potentially very slippery Wainstones. This normally very muddy section was cold enough to be pretty solid underfoot and allowed us to make good progress.

The end of the Cleveland hills is a major milestone and a sign that the walk is well underway. The real apex moment here is when you pass the summit of Round Hill, as from here you have a reasonably long section of relatively flat walking over to Bloworth Crossing then along the railway track. On our last walks this has been an enjoyable section, but on this occasion we kept getting hit with icy wind blasts and it got very cold. We were really glad to find the junction which takes us off the railway path up towards Flat Howe. This recently re-opened footpath can be tricky to follow normally, but today the footpath was clearly laid out in the snow and it was actually really simple to follow with just a few muddy sections to navigate around.

Soon enough we were on the roads headed towards the bogs and marshes of Rosedale Moor. At this point the snow started coming in hard and I think all our moods sank a little as visibility was getting poor too. Approaching the bog is always highly anticipated, but with the fog coming in and it was nowhere near getting light, we were quite apprehensive this time round. Soon enough we were in the marsh with the mist swirling around us. Every footstep was tentative as with the powdering of snow there was no way of knowing if the next piece of ground would be solid, liquid or just bog! We made very slow progress through this section, but knowing that the especially bad section is probably only a mile, we eventually made it through and headed up across the moors to Shunner Howe and with daylight fast approaching our spirits were lifting.

Traditionally I have found the section across Hamer Moor past Blue-Man-I-Th'-Moss tough going but this time it was actually pretty straightforward with the path well laid out in the snow. Blue Man himself looked dapper with a dusting of snow on his shoulders. Before we knew it we had made it to Roman road, and would soon find out if we would need to detour should the stepping stones of Wheeldale Beck be under water.

As luck would have it the water was low and we were very pleased to use the stones before heading up towards Simon Howe. Somehow I always forget this section, by now the walk seems to sneak in extra miles here and here when you're not looking! Finally we were starting to get glimpses of sunshine and things were warming up a little.

From here it is a straightforward walk over to Fylingdales, over the NYM Railway line and across the busy Whitby-Pickering road. The section up to Lilla Cross involved the usual stream hopping to get across Little Eller Beck, and sadly along this section the saturated ground won out and I got wet feet. My boots did great up until there though with a couple of full dunkings earlier in the walk - not as bad as Claire who at one point was up to both knees in bog!

From Lilla Cross the route is very straightforward and although we were glad that this clay path was nice and solid for the most part, for me this remains the dullest part of the walk, with a badly eroded path that goes on and on!

Claire's nemesis was up next - Jugger Howe. I personally don't mind this as it engages muscles that have been resting for a while, but it is a tough one at this stage in the game. Dave and Jimmy had pulled ahead here and by the time we caught up with them on the track towards the A171 they seemed quite contented, resting on bales of heather - I think given another five minutes they would have been asleep...

After crossing the road we were all pretty tired but there is that final haul up to the mast and Lyke Wake stone which needs to be done. For me this was a case of putting my head down and waiting for the finish to arrive! Although I do love this section of the moor with the fresh sea air, and the prospect of finishing another Lyke Wake crossing.

We completed in just over 18 hours which was pretty good all things considered and overall I think this was the most blister/ injury free that we as a group have completed the walk. Once again I loved this Winter walk and whilst it's not for everyone, it shows that the North York Moors is a brilliant adventure playground open 12 months of the year!

A Whinlatter Wander

A couple of years ago, we did a circuit of the fells above and around Whinlatter, but missed out on Whinlatter Fell itself. Recently, a spare sunny afternoon in the Lake District provided us with the ideal opportunity to bag Whinlatter.

We have been to the forest often enough, having done Go Ape a couple of times, and followed some of the forest paths, so I was looking forward to tackling the fell, although from reading various walk write-ups, navigation wouldn't necessarily be straight forward.

We parked up at the visitor centre, which was rammed with trail cyclists and Go Apers, heading away from the masses up towards the fell itself. We weren't completely on our own, as the Gruffalo trail was also proving popular with the younger visitors!

AW has a good old moan about the forestation that has taken place on Whinlatter, but for me it feels like the surrounding environment has accepted the spruce trees with grace and dignity and it is an enjoyable Lakeland experience. BUT the forestry commission paths all look alike and as you are surrounded by trees with the occasional glimpse over towards Keswick, it can be quite disorienting.

However once you are out of the forest, Whinlatter takes on a character of its own. Standing somewhat in isolation, it is a quiet backwater of the Lakes, despite being a short walk away from all the action. The heather-clad slopes offer fantastic views of the surrounding North-Western fells.

As it is a fairly gentle ascent, without too much hard work you soon reach the twin peaks of Whinlatter and Brown How, which is a short distance away. The summit ridge makes for fun walking, easy on the feet but with interesting terrain and those unbeatable views.

To get back to the car we retraced our outbound path and before we knew it we were back in the heart of Whinlatter forest, headed towards the visitor centre where a hot drink and scone was waiting with our names on them!

Uldale - Walking in the Northern Fells

Longlands - Longlands Fell - Brae Fell - Little Sca Fell - Great Sca Fell - Meal Fell - Trusmadoor - Great Cockup - Over Water

In various situations in life I find myself rooting for the underdogs. It's always uplifting to see someone or something come out on top despite the odds. I have a similar approach when picking a walk to do in the Lakes. Sure a walk up Blencathra, Scafell, Helm Crag or Coniston Old Man is pretty hard to beat. But the Lake District is also full of unsung heroes, fells which don't have the height, views, challenges and legends that the big guns do. Nonetheless they each have a charm of their own, and with such fells you also get a chance to escape the crowds.

This walk around the Back o' Skiddaw meant a chance of a quiet walk on a busy weekend. The Uldale Fells are a group of fells right on the northernmost edge of the National Park, with only Binsey beyond. As far as walking goes these fells are more leisurely than lively. Most of the walks are on grassy slopes, with the occasional steeper climb here and there but overall it's straightforward.

If anything, as they are all fairly similar in look and feel, you do have to keep your wits about you when navigating.

We parked at the small car park at Over Water and made the short walk along the road to Longlands, then headed out on our grassy climb. The walk up to Longlands fell was straightforward without much chance to go wrong and as we got higher the views behind back over Binsey, the Solway Firth and Scotland beyond opened up.

From Longlands Fell our next target was Brae Fell, which on paper looked like a short hop away, but the relatively deep Charleton Gill meant making a detour before the final ascent to reach the bulky cairn that adorns the summit of Brae Fell.

Here we left the views over Solway behind, heading "inland" into the heart of Uldale. It was a straightforward walk across to Little Sca Fell and Great Sca Fell just behind. By this point with the fells are quite similar-looking it can be disorientating, but you do get a wonderful feeling of solitude and serenity.

The next part of the walk saw us head in an almost straight line, coming down from Great Sca Fell, onto Meal Fell and then Great Cockup. The summit at Meal Fell was an interesting collection of lumps, cairns and a decent shelter and so it was here that we settled down for our lunch.

The most challenging part of the walk lay ahead as we had to cross the wonderfully Tolkienesque Trusmadoor to get to Great Cockup.

This ravine actually looked worse than it was, and the purple heather clad slopes made it all very picturesque. Once we had completed the steep climb up it was a simple walk over to the summit of Great Cockup and then down to Little Cockup.

The end of the walk was actually the hardest part, as there didn't seem to be a direct path back down to the road. We headed for what looked like a track towards the farm buildings of Stockdale but it was soon evident that this was private land, and a farmer's wife who saw us soon afterwards was friendly enough but it was clear that we had gone slightly wrong!

Apart from that this was a delightful excursion to the north of the national park and an area what we will be revisiting for sure.

Lyke Wake Walk September 2014

Well this is becoming a bit of a recurring theme isn't it?! For the third time this year, Claire, Dave and myself found ourselves drawn to this crossing of the North York Moors across land steeped in legend and history.

It would be hard to top the June 2014 crossing where we were treated to perfect conditions, accompanied by a beautiful sunset and sunrise, but this journey once again turned out to be a special one.

It was my second reverse crossing, the first time having been done in atrocious conditions back in January. This time, as we set off, once again in the dark, but with incredibly clear skies and reasonably dry conditions underfoot.

Doing the walk in reverse means that the first ten miles require more navigation than expected - what seems like a straightforward walk during the day from Fylingdales over to Ravenscar becomes a lot more challenging at night. Instead of being one simple track headed towards the mast, paths divert off to the left and right all over the place and you have to keep your wits about you. This time, Fylingdales was completely lit up and looked even more alien at night than it does during the day, but this helped simplify navigation beside Little Eller Beck and along the boundary fence of the RAF territory.

The rest of the night passed almost without incident. Dave couldn't resist the urge to lie down on the few pieces of tarmac crossed to gaze up at the firmament, It has to be said this was possibly the most incredible night sky I had ever seen, and just when I thought it couldn't get any better Claire and I got to see a giant shooting start dart across the skies.

Of course no LWW can be completely trouble-free. The minor incidents this time were getting slightly lost on the trek back up Wheeldale, and a short twenty minute game of hunt-the-GPS-in-the-heather, which Claire won, and for which I will be forever grateful! This happened just as the sun was rising - any earlier and we would never have found it.

With the sun rising in our backs as we hit the railway track, we had the beautiful sight of a mist-filled Farndale accompanying us for the next couple of miles. Rather annoyingly, by this stage I had developed a couple of blisters which slowed me down and make the last twenty miles of walking pretty uncomfortable.

As we headed over Bloworth Crossing up to the heights of Round Hill and Urra Moor we passed the first walkers of the day. Oddly enough we only saw Cleveland Way types, I had been expecting to meet at least one or two other groups of people tackling the LWW from West to East on this beautiful day.

A reverse crossing meant that we got to experience the views and scenery of the Cleveland Hills in the daylight. This means a slow rollercoaster ride over tops like Hasty Bank, with the walk through the Wainstones being a particular highlight. By now the blisters were causing me problems, and I had slowed down a fair bit, but the scenery was more than enough compensation for a bit of discomfort.

We had an additional voice of encouragement when the New Lyke Wake Walk Club general secretary Gerry Orchard gave us a quick call to see how we were getting on, during one of the rare occasions of having a strong phone signal!

The Cleveland Hills were bustling with activities, with plenty of people out enjoying the clear weather and the recently renovated Lord Stones site looks to be very busy which is good news for the National Park.

The last few miles of the walk seem to go on for ever on tired legs, but with a reverse crossing the final stretch crosses a variety of terrain as you come down through woodland after Live Moor, crossing farmland before returning to the wooded Coalmire plantation. The last steps as you exit the plantation have now reached legendary status in our little walking group and they don't fail to disappoint every time - an absolute killer!

All that remained was the last section of tarmac to greet the stone at the start/ end, then back to the car at Cod Beck. Minutes later we were enjoying the welcoming atmosphere in the Queen Catherine hotel at Osmotherley, toasting another fine North Yorkshire Moors experience.

The Hole Of Horcum, North York Moors

I learned about the legend of the Hole of Horcum a while back on a television programme and after having read walk reports in various magazines it has been a place I have been keen on exploring for some time.

On a recent weekend trip to Staithes and Dalby Forest Claire and I headed along the A169, turning onto the steep and narrow lane that took us through the village of Lockton to Levisham for the start of this circular walk. We were not far from Lyke Wake Walk territory and from the top of the Hole we had a great view of the ground we cover on our favourite challenge walk, from Simon Howe to Flyingdales and beyond.

Starting off in the picturesque Levisham, our walk headed onto a path through woodland, skirting the top of a fairly steep valley. The path was quite overgrown in places, but easy enough to follow.

Although we had glimpses of the valley below, it would be some time before we had clearer views ahead and so this is a good build up as you anticipate the glory of this natural amphitheatre.

Coming down the side of the valley, we started the impressive walk that takes you right into the heart of the Hole of Horcum, and it is a very impressive place to be. Either the legend of Wade the Giant who scooped up a giant hole in the ground, or the forces of nature have dug this huge hollow ground that engulfs you as you walk through.

A short steep climb along a heather-clad path brings you out onto the side of the main road, and from here you have fine views over Lyke Wake Walk territory, and a look into the Hole of Horcum behind.

From here we followed the route of the Tabular Hills Walk as it forges its way through the North York Moors.

Although it feels bleak and barren as it can be here, the path is actually a journey through man-made history, with lots of signs telling you of iron age barrows, bronze age dykes, mounds, ditches, Dundale pond and other ancient monuments.I am always amazed at how man's efforts to conquer the landscape inevitably are reclaimed by nature.

From here it was a short walk back along a lane to the top of Levisham village and our waiting car.