Mountain Journeys - Guided Walks - Blog

Cooling down in the canyon

25/6/2020

#things-to-do-in-ambleside

Time to get in that waterfall

Whilst we know lots of the Lake District, including many gorges and canyons. We can't claim to know them all. This allows us to keep on having adventures to new places, which is so much fun. And that's what it is all about, having fun adventures in amazing places. When we find those really super cool spots we know it's time to share them with our customers. Well, after waiting far too long to check this place out, last week we finally got around to doing the full canyon descent of this amazing Gill that is on the Helvellyn range.

Having managed an initial descent and loving it, today we returned to spend more time researching the venue and how best to plan for sessions there. The planning is now all done, so time to start showing our wonderful customers the delights of canyoning, Lakeland style. So that means epic waterfalls, stunning scenery, deep plunge pools, crystal clear water and so much more.

Due to the involved and technical nature of this canyon, if necessary we will show you how to abseil in a controlled and safe manor, how to set up various types of abseil, and how to deal with very slippery rocks. This trip will be best enjoyed by those with some previous experience in a gorge or canyon, or with a climbing background.

So if you're planning a visit to the Lakes and looking for something a bit different, something on the extreme side of outdoor activities, this could be just the thing.

With easy access from the towns of Ambleside, Windermere, or Keswick, it's nice and central.

Give us a call and let's make a plan.

Mark

#outdoor-activities-near-windermere

About to get airborne on the big abseil

#adventure-days-lake-district

Entering the depths of the canyon

#extreme-canyoning-lake-district

Emerging on the other side!

A busy day at Gimmer crag

17/6/2020

#guided-climbing-lake-district

Me on Ash Tree Slabs - photo courtesy of Jim Evans

Recent days have seen a return to more changeable weather here in the Lake District. Although not quite as stormy as some places further south.

On Sunday me and Jim made it out for a mountaineering day on the Langdale crags, this was a well timed day before the rains. The outline plan being to take in as much rock as possible between the valley floor and the top of Gimmer crag, all whilst sticking to easy climbs so we could move relatively quickly as heavy rain had been forecast for early in the afternoon.

We began with an ascent of Middlefell Buttress and continued on up Curtain Wall. Above Curtain Wall a decent amount of scrambling can be found and this goes almost all the way to the Gimmer crag path.

Having already gained lots of height and all on rock, we now had an easy traverse path to reach Gimmer. We could see a few teams already enjoying the immaculate rock and I certainly couldn't wait to be back on there.

Jim was keen to climb the classic 'Ash Tree Slabs' so we headed around to the Northwest face. There was a team already on the route and this allowed us to enjoy a nice rest whilst absorbing the atmosphere of this special place. There were quite a lot of climbers around which gave a nice sociable feel to the day.

We split the climb into 2 pitches, with Jim leading the initial pitch and me continuing on to belay up on the spacious Ash Tree Ledge. Once here we needed to make a decision on what to climb next. Our objective being to reach the top of Gimmer via fairly straightforward routes. There is so much choice, but we were standing directly under the brilliant crack climb of 'D Route', so that's what we climbed, splitting it into 2 pitches so we both enjoyed time on the sharp end of the rope.
I've climbed both these routes many times but still find them utterly wonderful every time I revisit. The top of the crag was pretty busy too, I'm glad we weren't abseiling back down as there was a bit of a queue!

We packed up the climbing gear and changed back into trainers before continuing our quest to the top via yet more delightful scrambling. When truly topping out on this crag the summit of Loft crag is reached and this gives superb views of Pike O'Stickle and Harrison Stickle.
All that was left was an easy walk back to the valley, topping up our tans along the way.

We are now open and can offer the fully range of activities. Whether you're a complete beginner looking for a taster session or a seasoned climber / hillwalker with a particular objective in mind. We'd be delighted to arrange the perfect day for you.

All the best

Mark

#climbing-course-langdale

Jim cruising up D Route on Gimmer

#activities-ambleside-lake-district

Packing up at the top of Gimmer - photo courtesy of Jim Evans

#climbing-course-lake-district

Pike O'Stickle from the top of Gimmer crag

Rock Climbing - Langdale

13/6/2020

#outdoor-activities-ambleside-lake-district

Enjoying the good rock and amazing backdrop at Kettle crag

More climbing adventures this week. My first visit to Kettle crag in Langdale was back in 2012 and was with a couple of good friends. It was early in the climbing season, March time, so we likely had jackets on that day too.

What I remember from back then wasn't how good the climbing was, but what a jaw-droppingly gorgeous view there was. Now don't get me wrong, the climbing is great, with ultra grippy rock and most routes offer plentiful protection. But the climbing is still overshadowed by that view, it just is!

So 8 years later here we are back at Kettle crag and thankfully nothing has changed. I was climbing with a small group of friends and we were all enjoying it. The venue had been chosen based on a slightly unsettled weather forecast and strong winds. We hoped for some shelter and for the most part go it.

A couple of the friends there that day, were getting back into lead climbing. Whilst both climb fairly regularly, they don't lead climb quite as much as they may want to. This left me with some free time to take a few photos and generally bimble around and be a bit lazy.
Both led a really nice V'diff graded climb called 'Stonechat'. I climbed the route too and whilst I wasn't enthusiastic about it before setting off (it looked a bit mucky), the climbing was really good and all on clean and solid rock. Never judge a book and all that!

At the top of the climb was a spacious grassy ledge and here we discussed the merits of setting up an abseil as our descent method. It was decided we would climb the same route again (with a different leader), or climb a route very close by. This meant a descent by abseil would make a lot of sense at it avoided a walk down some very steep ground.
With so much excellent protection on offer for the abseil, we ended up using 4 anchors, which did feel like overkill. As the abseil rope needed to be retrievable as we would be needing it to climb the next route, we couldn't incorporate it into any of the anchors and slings were needed to equalise these. 4 slings to be precise! Luckily we had plenty. I've included a photo of the set up below.

We packed up and headed back to the cars at just the right time, there was light rain falling as we reached the roadside. The weather forecasters had got it spot on today, we are thankful for that.

Kettle crag is a fantastic single pitch climbing venue and has a mountain feel to it. It was, to the best of my knowledge, the first of the Pike O'Blisco crags to be discovered and climbed on. However, because it is out of sight from roads and many paths, it does seem to get forgotten, and that is a shame. It isn't an ideal place for complete beginners to climbing, but those who have climbed a little before and don't mind a slightly longer and more adventurous approach walk (only 35 mins) this place should be added to the list. So if you're planning to come out climbing with us this summer and have already spent some time on rock, this venue would make a good choice for a full day of climbing.

We've got a bit more rain today, but looks set to be sunny again later :-)

Thanks for reading

Mark

#rock-climbing-ambleside

Sam cruising up another great route at Kettle crag

#setting-up-an-abseil-lake-district

Rather than walking to the base of the crag, we set up an abseil this time

Buckbarrow crag, Longsleddale

10/6/2020

#rock-climbing-course-ambleside

Me on pitch 3 of Sadgill Wall - photo courtesy of Iain Gallagher

For a few years now me & Iain have been saying we'd get out climbing together on a day off. Well it's taken the Covid restrictions to bring it about, but yesterday we finally made it out for that climb.

It seems that Buckbarrow crag in Longsleddale has been a venue on both of our lists for a while, so it seemed appropriate to eventually go and have a look at it. My interest had in it had been re-ignited after reading through the recently published Rockfax guidebook. This hails the route as a bit of a classic and well worth it.

I had forgotten how long the valley of Longsleddale is (The long valley of the river Sprint). The narrow and sinuous lane seems to go on for many miles. Still, the scenery is pretty and the traffic light.

The ground between the bridleway and the base of the crag didn't appear to be too steep, but wow it was a really lung buster! We took a breather before sorting the gear in preparedness for the climb. As neither of us had been to the venue before we both took time to study the guidebook thoroughly too, paying particular attention to the descent options. I would urge any climber to do the same when visiting a venue they don't know.

Our chosen route was Sadgill Wall - Severe 4a

I led the first pitch, which felt more difficult than expected, but provided some fine climbing with exposure building very quickly. Protection for the leader was only just adequate so I was glad to reach the safety of the belay stance.

Iain led through and cruised up pitch 2, this also gave some fine positions and excellent climbing that led up to an airy stance.
From this stance pitch 3 looked sensational and I couldn't wait to get started on it. With Iain poised for photos as well as belaying, I set off across a large slab, traversing rightwards with dramatic exposure. The holds were all massive and protection good, meaning I could fully enjoy the experience. Near the top of the pitch I had to climb a section of steep heather / bilberry! This will be better in a month when fruits appear on the bushes.

The final pitch of proper climbing was then left to Iain and he chose a variation finish. This was likely about the same difficulty level as the original route but took us on more of a tour of the upper crag. What was left was a delightful traverse across a series of huge pinnacles and the climb was in the bag.

Now to get back down!
This involved a steep down climb followed by some scrambling up to the level ground above the crag. From here we picked a route to zigzag downhill, crossing various gullies and taking in some very steep grass, to finally reach the bags and our lunch.

There was time for another shorter route, so we ticked off a single pitch VS climb on Low Crag which lies to the right of the main buttress. This certainly packed a punch and made for a grand finish to a great day out.

Cheers Iain. Hopefully we'll get out for more of the same soon.

We are very much open again and taking bookings. All our activities are available and we can operate them with social distancing. If you are planning a day visit to the Lake District this month, or a longer visit later in the summer, please do get in touch so we can plan some fantastic activities for you.

Thanks for reading

Mark

#rock-climbing-lake-district-buckbarrow-crag

Buckbarrow crag viewed from the bridleway

#adventure-activities-lake-district

Iain on the final section of pinnacles

#climbing-instructor-lake-district

Just finished belaying at the top of another fine climb

#outdoor-activities-ambleside

Almost back at the base of the crag after a long walk down

Sour Milk Gill, Grasmere

6/6/2020

#gorge-scrambling-sourmilk-gill-grasmere

Below the main waterfalls

There are a couple of well known Sour Milk Gills in the Lake District, one that tumbles out of Blueberry tarn into Buttermere and the other originating from Easedale tarn and forging a route to Grasmere.

It was the later of these that gave us yesterdays adventure. A Gill we have walked alongside many many times and occasionally scrambled small sections of it, but we had not scrambled the full length of the rocky stream bed until yesterday. And all this came about as a last minute thought. I had been due to climb with local friend Jim, but the day had started off very wet, so uninspiring conditions for climbing. We agreed to 'have a think about it' and hopefully make something of the afternoon should conditions improve.
By late morning I was itching to get out and Kate seemed keen to fit in some exercise too. I started to think of what we could do as a team of 3 starting from home and on a potentially damp day. A Ghyll scramble is always a bit wet anyway, so thought that would work well, but where? Grasmere is easy enough to cycle to on the mountain bikes. A plan was forming.
We took in a good chunk of off-road terrain to reach Grasmere then continued up into Easedale, with a wet river crossing en-route!!

With the bracken now growing quite high and plenty of other natural objects around, it was easy to hide the bikes, although we did lock them too. Leaving these only minutes from the start of the scrambling route felt really good. Although we had endured a passing shower, the weather was now rather wonderful, with blue skies ahead, it was short sleeves all round.

Keeping to the dry rocks gave excellent friction and good sport was had. The damp or moss covered rocks required extreme caution as they were very slippery. The stream bed had loads of good quality solid rock and a number of fine cascades to be climbed. All of these were good fun and relatively straightforward. This isn't a good Ghyll for swimming, but there is one pool we encountered that would be okay for swimming, in fact Jim did contemplate the idea.

Escape from the Ghyll was always easy as the main path to Easedale tarn runs alongside and the Ghyll has an open aspect. A short, steep climb on impeccable rock gives a good finale before a sudden change of angle. We found a good picnic site near here whilst deciding on the next plan of action.
Whilst enjoying lunch, we learnt from Jim about the 'Guides hut' at Easedale tarn. Don't be getting excited, it's no longer there! This was once a refreshments hut on the shores of Easedale tarn, if visiting have a look for the huge boulder near to the outflow, this was the sight of the hut. Everyday is a school day :-)

With the afternoon racing by, we called it a day and took a leisurely stroll back to the bikes for the ride home. One thing lockdown has made me consider much more is how and where I travel. If possible it'll be on a bike. Although I think for climbing days I'm still far more likely to use the car due to the weight of all the equipment.

With the Lakes looking set to reopen to overnight visitors from early next month, it's good to have a few ideas for what to do. We can well recommend a walk to Easedale tarn, and if wanting to spice the walk up, Sour Milk Gill is to the right of the main path and gives some fun scrambling. If you're unsure about scrambling or about where to walk / what to do whilst in the Lake District, we'd be delighted to help with ideas and can arrange fun and adventurous days out.

Thanks for reading

Mark

#sourmilk-gill-grasmere

Kate enjoying good friction on the drier rocks

#adventure-activities-ambleside

The weather forecast said rain, but we had sunshine :-)

Equalising climbing anchors....this is a long one!

4/6/2020

#equalising-rock-climbing-anchors-using-a-sling

As still this is a fairly unconventional anchor set up for the UK, but more popular overseas

On Tuesday I’d been out climbing with a friend at Upper Scout crag in the Langdale valley. As it’s a venue I visit regularly I was looking for ways to keep my mind active whilst climbing these very well known to me routes. I spent time placing protection in places I may not usually, trying to using different pieces of protection, and creating belay anchors a little differently. Going the extra mile you might say. Time was also spent covering some of the self rescue scenarios that may arise whilst climbing, fairly straightforward techniques, but as with everything, practice is a good thing and time well spent honing these skills further.

Something I find newer climbers struggle with is tidying slings neatly when dismantling a belay anchor. The biggest problem here is the knot used to equalise the protection by creating a ‘master-point’. These knots, usually either an overhand or figure of eight, can be difficult to untie and it is common for climbers to resort to actually using their teeth! The teeth method isn’t ideal and we think it’s best to avoid it, especially so in the Covid world we are currently in.

Last year an article was published on the well known climbing website UKC (link below) showing an alternative method of creating a master-point when equalising anchors. I watched the video links and read the article, feeling unsure initially but really wasn’t sure why I was unsure. What was being shown made perfect sense and the physics prove it. Instead of tying a knot in the equalisation sling, a larks foot or girth hitch (same thing) is used and the locking karabiner that this is attached to becomes the master-point. For many climbers there is a tendency to stay away from the larks foot as it is associated with a weakening in the sling / rope. This is true, it does weaken the sling or rope, all knots do and by quite a lot. In the case of a larks foot, it could be up to a 50% reduction in strength, sounds a lot right. But let’s remember how strong a sling is, typically between 24-30kn (think of this similar to 2.4 – 3 tons of static load), or to be blunt, extremely strong. After the rope, our slings will often be the strongest part of a climbing rack, and hugely stronger than a DMM Wallnut which is typically about 12kn.
Cloves hitches are something that most climbers use every time they climb, the angles they put onto a sling are quite similar to that seen in a larks foot, and we accept the clove hitch as okay to use, but so many question the larks foot. I’ve done so myself in the past, why?
The answer for me was because I was told by other climbing guides and instructors, and older climbers that a larks foot is bad. The end! No, not quite actually….

There was never any convincing science forthcoming with these statements, yet I accepted it as so many of us do, not wanting to be the one that questions. So when watching the video, I felt somewhat disappointment in myself for not questioning more. We are all on a continuous learning curve and questions can make this more progressive.

Petzl are a world leading climbing and caving equipment manufacturer and along with the Alpine guides of South Tyrol, they highlight the benefits of the larks foot equalisation method. It’s all backed by scientific evidence using drop tests, so not just hearsay. That’s enough for this method to make it into my little toolbox of tricks.

This doesn’t mean it’s the ‘new’ way and only way going forward. I’ll certainly still being using a wide variety of other methods, some of which will be explained below.

I had used this method whilst out climbing on Tuesday, simply to demonstrate it to my friend, but also as an efficient way of climbing, it really is more efficient. After publishing a photo of it online a good friend got in touch to ask about it and we discussed things in more detail. I wasn’t able to fully answer all the strength questions and this led me to delve back into it, revisiting why it is such a worthwhile technique to know.

The physics, forces and strength ratings are beyond the scope of this blog post, so for those wanting to know more, the following links are both worth looking at:
https://www.alpinesavvy.com/blog/try-a-girth-hitch-at-the-master-point
https://www.ukclimbing.com/forums/gear/ortovox_safety_academy_part_2_abseiling-709758

As mentioned above, there are many ways to safely attach to a climbing anchor, I’m now going to explain a few and offer some pros and cons for each. Ultimately the anchor choice will be based on what the rock presents you with and what your aims are at that time. So knowing a wide variety of methods is invaluable, it’s also important to know what is best for each application. If in doubt it is worth considering having a day of instruction and we would gladly help with this.

#overhand-knot-climbing-anchor

Fig 1: a common sight is the figure of 8 or overhand knot to equalise the anchors

Using a sling to equalise anchors:

This method is favoured by guides the world over and with good reason. It is easy to manage, helps keep the belayer out of the belay system, can be very efficient, makes changeovers more straightforward.
But what about the downsides? Yes there are a few. The biggest being that a sling is a completely static piece of equipment, so in the event of a fall, higher forces will be exerted onto the protection and the climber. This most be carefully considered before using this method. More equipment is also needed, as at least 1 sling per belay will be required.

The first method with the sling is one many climbers will know and use. The sling is clipped into 2 pieces of protection and equalised using a figure of eight knot, this creates a master-point (see figure 1). This is straightforward and quick to make, but can use up a length of sling very quickly, so a 120cm long sling will only be enough if protection is quite close together. If carrying a 240cm sling this can help if protection is further apart. Having only 1 knot to release makes this method quite quick to tidy up afterwards.

Next up we incorporate clove hitches at the anchor points (see figure 2). This allows us to use more of sling, unlike in the above method where we can only use 60cm of a 120cm sling. The slack section of sling between the 2 anchors is redundant and there must always be at least a small amount of slack in this section. Using the whole of the sling means we can effectively use anchors that are further apart and still maintain an acceptable angle between the protection. You’ll also notice we have added the DMM Pivot belay device to this set up. Using a sling to create a master-point allows for easy use of these devices.

#dmm-pivot-belay-device

Fig 2: here clove hitches are added and help utilise more of the sling

The knotted sling in figure 3 is more controversial but certainly used around the world. 2 knots are added to create a master-point. However, should 1 anchor fail the sling will suffer some shock load, this being somewhat reduced by the knots, but they don’t completely take away the risks. This method should only be used on totally trustworthy anchors, for example a couple of bolts. An advantage of this system, especially so on bolted climbs, is that the sling is left with the knots in for the entire route and can be despatched quickly at each belay station, thus saving time. On long Alpine climbs being efficient can be extremely important.

#using-knots-to-aid-equalising-a-climbing-anchor

Fig 3: this is more appropriate for a bolted spot route rather than trad climbing.

Next up figures 4 & 5 show master-points created using a clove hitch and a larks foot (girth hitch). These are very similar and achieve the same result. A locking karabiner becomes the master-point, this must be in the locked position to be considered safe. The advantage of either of these systems is in their efficiency, particularly for the climber left to clear the belay system. It also allows more of the sling to be utilized by the anchors, thus potentially reducing angles between the anchors (smaller angles are generally a good thing as the forces are more evenly distributed).

#using-a-dmm-pivot-belay-device

Fig 4: The South Tyrollean anchor method

#using-a-clove-hitch-to-equalise-a-climbing-anchor

Fig 5: As above but with a clove hitch in place of a larks foot

Figures 6, 7, and 8 show slings employed to attach 3 and 4 anchors. The slings used are 120cm and 240cm. When equalising with a larks foot at the master-point up to 4 anchor points can be used whilst still keeping the angles between each piece at an acceptable level. If an overhand knot were to be used instead, a 240cm sling would be needed. These are more bulky to carry, can be a handful on a windy day, and are more expensive to purchase.

#using-a-sling-to-equalise-3-climbing-anchors

Fig 6: 3 anchors equalised with a 240cm sling

#using-a-120cm-sling-to-connect-trad-climbing-anchors

Fig 7: 120cm sling equalising 4 anchors

#how-to-connect-4-climbing-anchors-using-a-sling

Fig 8: 240cm sling equalising 4 anchors

So far we have focused on using slings to equalise anchor points. There many be times when we prefer / it is better to use the climbing rope, so now let’s explore some of the ways we can use the rope to safely attach to anchors.

A common method of doing this is by using clove hitches and attaching these to a karabiner on the climbers harness. A bite of rope is clipped through each anchor point and brought back to the harness where it is clipped into a locking karabiner using a clove hitch for each. The clove hitch is a preferred method due to its ease of adjustment. But a figure of eight or overhand knot will also work, just take more time! See figure 9.

#equalising-climbing-anchors

Fig 9: Using the rope to connect to anchors. This is often a great choice.

Many of us use half ropes to climb with and figure 10 shows a method of belaying with these. In this example we use one of the half ropes to attach to the anchors and we make a master-point between these. This allows us to give a direct belay using a device such as the DMM Pivot.

#direct-belay-method-using-half-ropes-climbing

Fig 10: Direct belay using half ropes

When using the rope to equalise anchors, it is still possible to incorporate the larks foot or clove hitch master-point and this is shown in figure 11. Again, the advantage being an easier to release system as hitches don’t become ‘welded’ together in the same way a loaded knot will.

#using-a-dmm-pivot-in-guide-mode

Fig 11: Direct belay using the DMM Pivot and larks foot to equalise the anchors

There have been a wide variety of examples shown here, all of them work and are safe if used correctly and appropriately. Choosing which system to use when and why can be tricky and that isn’t an area we are going to discuss fully in this post, but will offer a simplified view of how I often make decisions about anchor attachment:

1) Block leading / 1 climber does all the leading - in this case I find it more efficient to create equalised anchors using a sling or multiple slings. This tends to mean quicker, more efficient changeovers at each stance. This method generally uses less karabiners too.

2) Alternate leading - I tend to employ the rope whenever alternate leading as in this case it will be slightly more efficient than taking the time to unravel a sling. As the rope is dynamic, adding this to the belay can help reduce the forces on any protection in the event of a fall.

Efficiency is an important part of anchor building, although trying to be fast and forsaking safety is not to be recommended. So these techniques should be practiced well in advance of any bigger mountain routes where time could be a factor. Seeing climbing teams spend 10 even 15 minutes at belay stances is actually not that uncommon. On a 3 pitch climb with a straightforward descent that timescale is perfectly fine, pleasant in fact. Translate it onto a 15 pitch route with an intricate and rocky descent with some abseils and we see where problems may arise. 15 stances x 15 minutes = take a torch and sleeping bag!

RRP - as with anything, getting better, more efficient, happier, and slicker, all takes time and practice. Think RRP - Regular Relevant Practice
Or even better add another R with RRRP - Recent Regular Relevant Practice

If unsure about anchor and belay systems and you’re keen to learn more about this or any other climbing related skill, or are feeling in need of some RRP please do get in touch. We would be very happy to put together a skills course focused on your climbing needs.

Thanks for reading.

Mark

Disclaimer: Anchors are a climbers lifeline and vitally important. Building and attaching safely to either trad or sport anchors can be achieved in many different ways and the most appropriate method will vary depending on what anchors are being used, the route, the climbers, and a multitude of other factors. Whilst all the techniques described above are safe if used appropriately, there will be times they could be deemed to be unsafe if used in the wrong setting. This blog post isn’t intended to be a ‘how to’ guide, it has been written to provide some insight into the various methods.
If in doubt, consider booking onto a course. We'd be delighted to arrange a bespoke course to include any topics covered here.

Exploring more mountaineering terrain on the Scafell massif

1/6/2020

#mountaineering-skills-lake-district

Long Pike scramble, high on Great End

For far too long now, I've walked past the crags of Round How whilst following the Corridor route to Scafell Pike, and not given these crags the attention they deserve. Knowing the terrain above these crags would also be satisfyingly rocky, I suspected a fine day of scrambling could be had in the area by linking a number of routes.

So yesterday that was the aim. Setting out in the afternoon with my friend Tony, who was also keen to explore these rocky knolls and Combes. We left Seathwaite at about 1.30pm and once above Taylor Gill Force opted for the cooler route of getting close to the watercourse and scrambling along the cascades of Styhead Gill, this was fairly short lived but a good choice as it helped keep us cool on this very hot day.

From Styhead we joined the Corridor Route heading towards Scafell Pike, this path leads directly below the beautifully sculpted slabs of Round How. Our scramble started at the extreme right hand end of these slabs. The rock was wonderfully grippy and solid throughout, an absolute pleasure to be on. This coupled with the truly epic scenery all around and Wasdale as backdrop, yes we did have to pinch ourselves to be sure it was all real.

The scramble finished on a small summit that revealed yet more fabulous scenery and from here we could see our onward route as well as various other rocky routes up onto the summits. We were like a couple of kids in a sweet shop!

The next route lay over to the left of the large Combe, and formed a well defined rocky skyline. After more play on the rocks around the Combe we headed over to this next route, Long Pike ridge. As is so often the case with scrambling terrain, there was much variation possible and we opted for maximum time on rock throughout. Much to our delight, the texture of the rock was very similar to what we had encountered on Round How. This scramble took in some quite exposed positions and gave us so many more fine views, including the cute Lambfoot Dubh tarn.

With a few more routes scoped out whilst ascending these scrambles, this felt like a very productive day all round. And whilst I had been feeling slightly under the weather, my energy levels had picked up and I felt fully recovered, which was a bonus.
We skirted around the flanks of Great End to pick up the descent route to Sprinkling tarn before following Ruddy Gill back to Seathwaite.

Both of these routes are well worth including into an itinerary on the Scafell range. If going for the summit of Scafell Pike then adding these routes would add at least an hour to the day. For those feeling fit and raring to go, being used to rough, rocky terrain, then getting off the beaten track and touching rock can make a great day into a fantastic day.

These are routes we will be adding to our already extensive offerings. If you're looking for a guided day out in the mountains, be it a walk or something more, please do let us know and we'll put together a plan just for you.

Note: Whilst the Lake District mountains are now open and welcome visitors. We urge everyone to take extra care if venturing out into the mountains. Be self sufficient, have enough food and water, carry spares, take a torch and a 1st aid kit. Be sure to have map & compass too and know how to use them. If you're unsure of your navigation skills we can run a course to help you improve your knowledge and confidence.

And finally, we are now OPEN FOR BUSINESS :-)
Initially catering for same household groups up to 5 participants and we hope to be able to extend this further by July.
So if planning a day trip to the Lake District and you'd like to try some fun activities, please get in touch, let's make it happen.

Thanks for reading

Mark

#activity-days-lake-district

Almost at the top of Long Pike

#outdoor-activities-lake-district

Long Pike ridge seen from the Combe above Round How

#guided-walks-lake-district

I can think of plenty worse places to sit and enjoy a brew

Bowfell Buttress - classic rock

23/5/2020

#approach-walk-to-bowfell-buttress-classic-rock-climb

Bowfell Buttress as seen from the Grunting Gill approach

With yet more rather splendid weather here in the Lakes, another day up in the mountains was on the cards. This time with friend and fellow Ambleside resident Jim.
We made a loose plan, simply to meet up in the Langdale valley, leaving the finer details until last minute. We both had plenty of ideas and there is certainly a lot of choice. We settled for Bowfell Buttress. A classic mountain day with all the joy and adventure that brings.
Having both climbed the route numerous times previously, we naturally left the guidebook behind to save weight. We also packed light, with a minimal trad rack and a 30m rope. This allowed us to make quick progress up to the route. To avoid walking through farmyards, we followed the track along Mickledon before crossing the beck and striking a direct line near to the aptly named 'Grunting Gill'! This was quite a lung busting ascent, but the scenery more than made up for any of that. The crag comes into view very early on, I always find this an inspiration and am able to walk much faster than normal.

We stopped off at The Great Spout to top up with fresh spring water, this was delicious and icy cold. A snack break later and we were ready for some climbing. I set off first, which as it happens, meant Jim took the crux pitches and I had a nice easy ride.
The climbing flowed well, we didn't time ourselves on the route, but it's likely we were no more than an hour and it felt like a nice relaxed pace. Enjoying the magnificent views into the Langdale valley, taking time to listen to birdsong - we think we could hear a Ring Ouzel and a Chough.

Even at the top of the buttress there was only a light breeze and this wasn't at all chilly, so we could sit and enjoy the panoramas once more. We also noticed a pair of climbers on neighbouring Cambridge Crag, although don't know what route they were on.

With no rush back, we walked over Bowfell North Top and down to Ore Gap before dropping down to Angle tarn and back into the Langdale valley.

A fine mountain day and a route worthy of any climbers attention.

We are lucky enough to get to climb many of the classic rock routes and many more besides on a regular basis. So if you're a visiting climbing wanting to have a go at any of these and don't want the hassle of route finding and logistics involved in a mountain day, why not give us a call and we can help plan the perfect day out for you.

Thanks for reading

Mark

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After a refreshing drink from The Great Spout we make our way to the base of the climb

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Saxifrage growing on Bowfell

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The view into Langdale from the top of Bowfell Buttress

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On our way to Ore Gap with the Scafell massif as backdrop

In search of the esoteric....Duddon valley

23/5/2020

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Crag search on the lower slopes of Harter Fell

Back on Wednesday we managed to fit in a family day out climbing. No ordinary climbing day, but then, they never are!
With thoughts for our rural communities at the forefront of our minds, we didn't simply want to turn up and be walking through isolated farmyards. So I contacted the farmer who's land we planned to climb near to and sought their advice. He responded quickly and politely, saying he was happy for us to park on his land and pass through the farmyard, providing we took great care to sanitise gates after use and that we don't bring dogs. As we would have Don with us this particular venue was not going to work for us this time.

So as we were taking Don with us today, we completely changed venue, by miles in fact. Heading instead to the remote Duddon valley. The lower slopes of Harter Fell have seen much forestry clearance in recent years, this work has unearthed a lot of rock. Local activists have been busy cleaning many of these buttresses and enjoying the wonderful climbing on offer. We thought it about time we had a look too.

We had two particular crags in mind. One a single pitch venue offering slab climbs up to VS grade. The other having some low grade multi-pitch climbing. Both settings looked to be idyllic.

Setting off from Birks Bridge car park armed with climbing rack, ropes, picnic, and a sense of adventure, we made our way onto Harter Fell. Both of us have walked and scrambled on Harter Fell many times, albeit quite a few years ago now. So we remembered some of the paths. We were gaining a lot of height and could see a confusing array of rock outcrops littering the hillside. Using a mixture of map, compass, pacing, and digital navigation techniques, we made our way closer to the crags. But the amount of rock was confusing, which bit did we want. After one false crag was visited we found our chosen venue and from here could easily work out where our second venue was. Phew!

The approach walk had been over some very rough, tussocky ground. But the views and peace this valley offers more than made up for that.

After a picnic we set about to do some climbing. Not paying much attention to the route details, we simply picked lines that looked appealing - this is generally my preferred way - and thankfully the rock rewarded us greatly. The friction was superb on this super rough seemingly untouched rock.
Whilst protection on the climbs was quite reasonable, it took an age to find decent belays at the top of the crag. But after much digging out of cracks, some quality placements were located. We left all this in place to safe time on the following climbs and to enable abseils back to base.
After about 5 routes on the slab it felt like we had done all that was here, so decided to explore the neighbouring venue.

The information we had showed 3 multi-pitch climbs all graded 'Severe'. They looked okay from below so we thought let's do all 3 then go home.
The first climb was great fun but very easy, more like a Diff. The second climb was slightly more tricky, giving a move or two that needed some thought. The third route looked to be covering very similar ground, so we decided not to bother as it was getting quite late in the day.

The Southwest slopes of Harter Fell offered us a secluded and idyllic venue to climb in peace all day. We didn't see another person whilst at the crags. It is far easier to aim for the honeypot climbing and walking venues and be guaranteed good climbing with easy access, but let's not forget there's lots of amazingly good esoteric climbing out there. These venues allow for far easier social distancing, so well worth considering in the current climate. You may also be surprised at just how good these places are.

The crags visited were: Upper Buck crag slab & Upper Buck crag. Details for both and many more can be found on the FRCC website. Although do feel free to ask us too.

Our opinion is, if you're looking for lower grade single or multi-pitch climbs in a stunning setting and want peace and quiet, give these a try. If looking for harder climbs, there are plenty of other crags on Harter Fell that tick that box too, certainly up to around E5/6.

And to reiterate: The Lake District is welcoming visitors again. We know many of you need some time in the countryside, up on the mountains, or on the crags. We know how important mountains are to many people. So please visit if you want to. Be considerate to the rural communities, avoid farmyards as much as possible. Be self sufficient by bringing food and water with you. A few more car parks are re-opening but check ahead as some are still closed. Many public loos are still closed too.
All accommodation is still closed and no overnight stays are allowed.

We are now offering activities on a 1:1 basis. We will social distance in line with government guidelines and keep all equipment as clean as is practicable to help ensure yours and our safety.

Thanks for reading

Mark & Kate

#outdoor-activities-lake-district

Enjoying some newly discovered rock in the Duddon valley

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A sunny spot below the crag

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Some great views over to Coniston Fells from the top of the crag

On rock from the valley floor to the summits: A return to rock

16/5/2020

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Enjoying the wonderful rock on Thorn Crag, Langdale

Yesterday we ventured back out onto rock for the first time since lockdown. This was a wonderful moment, there's no doubt about it. The day was chilly so the plan was to stay on easy terrain and keep moving to keep warm.
So for starters it was the Langdale classic 'Middlefell Buttress'. We climbed this in short pitches so we were both able to be moving most of the time. At the top of the route Kate couldn't find her mobile and after a good search, concluded she must have dropped it on the ledge below! I set up an abseil to go and have a look. Lots of searching later and I gave up, returning to Kate her face said it all. It had been hiding in her pocket the whole time :-)
So onwards we went, finishing this section with an ascent of Curtain Wall followed by some easy scrambling to reach the path towards the Langdale Pikes and our next route.

Thorn crag was next up. A grade 1 scramble of really high quality gave us loads of fun in increasingly great conditions.
By the time we reached the top we were in T-shirts and sunbathing, winner.

The descent path lies near the summit and this allows a swift descent back to the valley, stopping off to wash our hands in the cascading waters of the Dungeon Ghyll.

This route is one of many mountaineering style link-ups in the Langdale valley, we know loads of them. If this could be what you're looking for and want to make sure you make the most of your time here in the Lake District, please get in touch and we'll put a plan together just for you.

Subject to government restrictions, we hope to be offering activity days again by the beginning of June. Number of participants may be limited, but we often operate a 1:1 ratio anyway, so not much change there.

Thanks for reading

Mark & Kate

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Raven crag, Langdale

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Kate nearing the top of Middlefell Buttress

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Post abseil for a mobile phone retrieval!

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Taking precautions in a Covid world. A thorough wash in flowing the stream