Watch the sunrise

Weekend up the dale

We bought an Alpkit tarp recently and last weekend was our first chance to try it out. On Friday evening we parked in Starbotton and climbed up into the clag, nearly to the top of Old Cote Moor Top before finding a discreet place to roost for the evening. The following morning we went over to Arncliffe before re-crossing back in to Wharfedale, calling in the cafe in Kettlewell, climbing Great Whernside, then Buckden Pike and having dinner in the White Lion in Cray. That evening we were up on Yockenthwaite Moor just about time for sunset

On Sunday we looped round over to Gilbert Lane, dropped into Buckden, climbed over to Litton, and called in the Queens Head for a lunch-time pint. After that it was along the Skirfare back to Arncliffe and a finish by reversing the climb we did on Friday evening

All in all we managed around 30miles with 8,000feet of climb carrying eight or nine kilo mountain marathon bags, visits to two new pubs and all with only five minutes of rain!

Half a Bob

The good weather forecast for the weekend caught my eye early last weekend and Stef and I began planning a backpacking bivvy weekend in the Lakes. Plans were a bit fluid but bascially we wanted to walk as much of the Bob Grahma route as we could between Friday evening and Sunday afternoon with two nights wild-camping wherever we fancied / happened to end up at the time

On Friday tea-time we parked in Keswick, walked the disused railway to Threlkeld, then did leg two as far as Sticks Pass and bivvied not far from the ski hut below Raise. The sky was crystal clear with masses of shooting stars and the sunset earlier had been stunning

We were up and about quite early on Saturday and finished off leg two after making a cup of tea in Helvellyn shelter around 7-30am. The photo above is Catstycam and Red Tarn looking toward Ullswater and was taken whilst we waited for the kettle to boil! We continued on and did leg three as far as Pike o' Stickle by mid-afternoon. To be honest we were both a bit knackered then so we went the long but flatter way round to the top of Rossett Gill before getting to Wasdale via Sprinkling Tarn, Sty Head and the valley route down. I've long fancied the valley route down into Wasdale after reading about it in Wainwright's Western Fells and it didn't disappoint! Refreshments were taken in Wasdale including local Yewbarrow Dark Ale before we wandered up into Mosedale for the night

On Sunday we climbed up to Wind Gap, did Pillar and Kirk Fell (by the Red Gully) before taking Moses Trod to Honister. We were just finishing our all-day breakfast paninis when John from Northumberland Fell Runners, who we'd met earlier, arrived and gave us a lift back to Keswick saving us the planned bus trip

We managed 21 peaks, over 30miles and well into the teens of thousands of feet so are claiming Half a Bob for the weekend!

Bank Holiday bivvy view

This is the view we had when we woke up on Sunday morning. It's not a great photo (it was taken on my phone's camera) but it captures an idea of what a lovely morning it was. I love sleeping outdoors and especially like the 'low-faff nature' of bivvying. We must sneak out for another night before the winter!