A Lakeland Adventure

Helen Burgess

    The plan was simple; go climbing.

    Guide books were looked at and routes identified. It was going to be awesome…WE were going to be awesome.

    I was so excited to be going to the Lake District with other psyched AMC members. I was going cragging!!

    However, our adventure was to be of a different kind…..

    It started beautifully. SO many rainbows…..

    We collected Gwen and Connor’s kit from Windermere YHA and went onto Baysbrown camping to put up our tents and grab a coffee.

    Jamie, Owen and myself headed off up to Pavey Ark scrambling. Still defiantly in cragging kit we headed up Stickle Mill Gill (grade 1) onto the East Rib of Tarn crag (Grade 2) on up to Crescent climb (Mod)

    By this time it was WET and raining.

    Stickle Mill Gill
    Crescent Climb (note the RUNNING WATER…)

    We valiantly ascended Crescent Climb to Jakes Rake.

    With only 90 minutes of daylight left; tea and biscuits firmly in both Owen’s and my thoughts……Jamie enthusiastically set off up a wet Gwynnes chimney (D).L

    Luckily it was too wet (yay!) so we happily retreated to the van for a sociable night around the fire, making plans for cragging the next day

    By now we were now a group of Charlie, Simon, Steven and Andrew, Julian and Anne, Gwen and Connor, Jamie, Owen and me!

    Plans were made…

    Day 2
    Plans were changed.

    Andrew and Steven headed off to Ravens crag for a mainly dry climb of Pluto (HVS) and Bilberry Buttress (VS).

    Julian and Anne headed off to Stickle Mill Gill scrambling……

    The rest of us decided on Pinnacle Ridge, a CLASSIC grade 3 scramble up the side of St Sunday crag.
    It was a great day out!!
    Atmospheric ,mist, drizzle and zero visibility on the top of Fairfield. But we had Charlie and his incredible navigation skills, so we did not care.
    Jamie, Gwen and Connor on the Pinnacles of Pinnancle-Ridge
    Gwen having a lovely time.

    We finished the day off at Stickle Barn for food to make plans for cragging on Sunday.

    Owen and myself TOTALLY CONVINCED we would be ticking routes at Raven crag…..

    Day 3….Sunday.

    Another day not cragging…..

    But instead we went for Scramble link ups!! Thank you Simon for the book/routes.

    Conniston route- The Bell (grade 1) Low Water Beck (3S) Brim Fell slabs (2) RAven Tor (3 or 1) 470m of scrambling….

    470 m of it WET

    some of it an actual waterfall….

    Charlie leads off up Low Water Beck…..
    Steven’s smile says it all…..as does mine.
    Simon on Raven Tor scramble
    Snacks at the top…

    Thank you to Charlie for some brilliant navigating and everyone for high levels of wet enthusiasm…..

    Day 4-Monday.

    By now I had given in to the fact that every day I would wake up everyday and go and get wet, scrambling up sometimes scary pitches, possibly roped together with Owen……sorry Owen.

    So while Steven and Simon ate Burgers on the M6 we headed to the Duddon Valley for yet another link up!!

    We actually linked 5 scrambles, walked 15 km with a total ascent of 1100M. So yes, like the book said a low level day of 6 hours….NOT.

    Charlie on the last scramble of a LONG day.

    We democratically voted not to do this one as we were very tired by now. But then immediately felt bad and did it anyway…..
    Van snacks on the way home having finally got fuel at Asda in Kendal…yay!!

    Owen tucked up in bed to sleep on the way home (a definite advantage to getting a lift with me) While Jamie and I bravely soldiered on.

    Thanks to everyone who came.

    We had an adventure of a different kind to the one I wanted, but thats what its all about right….

    We had fun, even if it was wet and at times definitely sketchy….

    All references to people are entirely true and any mistakes made are entirely my own.

    I really want to go cragging next time though….. 🙂

    Helen x