A Sunday in Lakeland

We've had two Sundays on the trot (pardon the pun) in Lakeland with Martyn and Helen. Tussock is up to seven Wainwrights bagged nowith and he loves the fells. Stef and I are just thrilled to be back out on the hill at last

Steve Birkinshaw's Wainwright challenge

Like many of my friends I've been following Steve Birkinshaw's attempt to firstly do all the Wainwrights in as short a time as possible this week, but also ideally to break Joss Naylor's long standing record of 7days 1 hour 25 minutes. Steve's tracker has made crucial viewing and his blog has been kept up to date superbly by members of his support team

Steve is on his last dozen or so tops now and should finish tonight, before midnight, in Keswick. There'll be a lively atmosphere in town (its the Dark Peak group BG tonight and probably the most popular weekend of the year for that challenge), and I'm highly tempted to go along to see this epic run come to its conclusion

Anyone wanting to donate to Steve's chosen charities, the MS Society and the Sampson Centre can do so here and here

A weekend in Langdale

I've probably been to Langdale more times than any other valley in Lakeland; partly because it's relatively close to 'home' (be it Derbys or the West Riding), and partly because I love it. Stef and I went over on Friday evening to stay at Millbeck Farm for the weekend. The farm has both sheep and cattle and is situated brilliantly right underneath the Langdale Pikes. Sue, the landlady, was very helpful and we have already booked to go back later in the year!

On Friday evening we just had time to check in and then nip for a pint or two to the Stickle Tavern. On Saturday we walked round the vast majority of the skyline from Chapel Stile up to Silver Howe, on over Blea Rigg to the Pikes, picking up the BG route with added peaks and went round the head of the dale as far as Pike O'Blisco. We called at the Old Dungeon Ghyll for tea and got back to the farm at 9-30pm, which meant we'd been out around 11hours in total and bagged 13 Wainwrights

Yesterday we climbed up to Thurnacar Knott, over High Raise, then went over to Sergeant's Crag and Eagle Crag (two new Wainwrights for us both) before coming back over Stake Pass (and the ODG again for soup and a pint)