It was my birthday and I had been to work as usual and both Karen
and I had gone to bed. Then at 01:37, the telephone rang and the
disembodied voice provided by BT for SMS message delivery via voice
calls started. There was a DCRO call out to Gautries Hole. I could
here the rain hammering down so guessed it would be weather related.
After taking a couple of minutes to wake up and get out of bed, we started getting suitably dressed to be outside in the cold and rain. Next
was getting other kit together quickly such as caving gear, hot
drinks and some quick food.
I tapped in a reply to the SARCALL SMS notification system on my mobile phone and
pressed “send” so that the reply message would get sent once I
was in an area with mobile phone reception and then walked down Main
Street to get the Xtrail and then park outside the house and start
loading our stuff in.
We drove to the RV point (the usual car parking layby for P8) via
Ashford in the Water and the A623 via Sparrowpit arriving to join
other vehicles already there after a travel time of 35 minutes at
02:14. After checking in, I sent a text message to my line manager at work to
say I would not be in in the morning.
The incident involved a group of 3 cavers who had been on an evening digging session and after the heavy
rain, the section of cave between them and the entrance had sumped.
Their wives initiated the call out
after they hadn't arrived home as expected.
Three cave divers had been called out and had dived through to find the digging team with no problems, just trapped by the sump.
The decision was taken to bring the diggers out through the sump.
Karen was manning (womanning?) the radio in the DCRO vehicle and I
set off for the cave with two air bottles in case they were needed by the divers. The path around the
depression containing the entrance to the cave was very muddy and
required care to prevent falling and adding to the number of
casualties. It was also tricky finding the cave location in the dark despite it only being a short distance from the road.
A small number of us were waiting by the entrance and I could here water
flowing inside. After what seemed a relatively short period, the first caver arrived after having been brought through the sump.
Myself and two others accompanied him, after he had been given
one of the team Mountain Equipment insulated jackets, back to the
parking space so that he could check in and get changed out of wet
caving gear. The process was repeated for the remaining two cavers.
Soon all the DCRO kit used was also back at the vehicle and after
checking all the kit had been retrieved and everyone had been logged
as leaving the incident, we set off for home after 04:20.
By the time the car was unloaded and a few things put away, we
managed to be back in bed for 05:15.
I stayed at home having taken the day off from work and getting up
at 09:30, while Karen had been up at the normal time of 07:30 and
managed to spend a normal day at work.
Wednesday, 8 January 2014
Sunday, 5 January 2014
Kinder Scout
Another return to Kinder. I know its not very imaginative, but I
always enjoy walking on Derbyshire's highest location. This time I
parked in the layby near Upper Booth and walked across the fields to
Edale. I managed to slide on muddy grass as I stepped of the paving
slabs to let a couple coming the other way get past and ended up with
a muddy knee, sleeve and one cheek of my bum! I also managed to
slightly bend the end of one walking pole but managed to straighten
it again by carefully bending it while it was stuck in a gap in one
of the field walls.
When I reached the junction with the start of the Pennine Way coming for Edale and the route up Grindslow Knoll, I washed off most the the mud in a small stream next to the path.
Repeating a section of yesterday's walk, I started up Grindslow Knoll, only this time it was quite a bit colder (just around freezing point) and the air was clear and drier so I was nowhere near as warm as yesterday.
As I was walking up the steeper stepped section of path near the top, I head an odd squeaking noise and paused to have a look around. I then spotted a large skein of geese flying in several “V” formations flying overhead from the direction of Grindsbrook Clough and the odd noise was their continuous “honking” as they flew!
At the top of the Knoll, I stopped again, like yesterday, but instead of to cool down, this time it was to put on a Mountain Equipment Shadow Hoodie fleece jacket as it was so chilly and I had now reached a windy section, Up to then there had been hardly any wind and I was walking uphill so just the Paramo Aspira smock I was wearing had been warm enough.
I also had a quick hot drink from my flask and then continued.
Reaching the top of Grindsbrook Clough, I turned left to follow the large stone slabs forming the pathway and headed in the direction of Crowden Clough to the west. I saw several runners heading along the path at the top of Crowden Clough and met on who asked if we were at Crowden Clough – it must have been some sort of event.
Continuing on, it became very windy and streams if mist were blowing across the plateau as I made my way through the natural sculpture park called The Woolpacks and near the large rock outcrop called the Pagoda I found a small bench-like clump of mossy grass by some boulders which was mostly sheltered from the biting wind and I sat there to eat my sandwich and have a hot drink. I put on my Paramo Torres gilet to keep warm and ended up leaving it on afterwards until I reached the top of the footpath down Jacob's Ladder.
As I was finishing lunch, there was a light snow shower and the wind seemed to increase. So I packed everything up and continued on my way following the path below Edale Rocks and then down Jacob's Ladder.
When I reached the bottom of the stepped section of the path just above the old packhorse bridge, I saw there mountain bikers coming down the bridleway section which this short section of path provides an alternative. The guy in the lead was walking wheeling two bikes along and a second guy was carefully walking slowly behind while the third followed slowly on his bike.
I asked the first guy if the guy walking had come off and he said that he had and had broken his cycling helmet so it must have been with some force. I asked if he had been knocked out at all and he said he hadn't and was happy to continue slowly.
I polished off the last of my hot chocolate from my flask and made my way back to my starting point.
When I reached the junction with the start of the Pennine Way coming for Edale and the route up Grindslow Knoll, I washed off most the the mud in a small stream next to the path.
Repeating a section of yesterday's walk, I started up Grindslow Knoll, only this time it was quite a bit colder (just around freezing point) and the air was clear and drier so I was nowhere near as warm as yesterday.
As I was walking up the steeper stepped section of path near the top, I head an odd squeaking noise and paused to have a look around. I then spotted a large skein of geese flying in several “V” formations flying overhead from the direction of Grindsbrook Clough and the odd noise was their continuous “honking” as they flew!
At the top of the Knoll, I stopped again, like yesterday, but instead of to cool down, this time it was to put on a Mountain Equipment Shadow Hoodie fleece jacket as it was so chilly and I had now reached a windy section, Up to then there had been hardly any wind and I was walking uphill so just the Paramo Aspira smock I was wearing had been warm enough.
I also had a quick hot drink from my flask and then continued.
Reaching the top of Grindsbrook Clough, I turned left to follow the large stone slabs forming the pathway and headed in the direction of Crowden Clough to the west. I saw several runners heading along the path at the top of Crowden Clough and met on who asked if we were at Crowden Clough – it must have been some sort of event.
Continuing on, it became very windy and streams if mist were blowing across the plateau as I made my way through the natural sculpture park called The Woolpacks and near the large rock outcrop called the Pagoda I found a small bench-like clump of mossy grass by some boulders which was mostly sheltered from the biting wind and I sat there to eat my sandwich and have a hot drink. I put on my Paramo Torres gilet to keep warm and ended up leaving it on afterwards until I reached the top of the footpath down Jacob's Ladder.
As I was finishing lunch, there was a light snow shower and the wind seemed to increase. So I packed everything up and continued on my way following the path below Edale Rocks and then down Jacob's Ladder.
When I reached the bottom of the stepped section of the path just above the old packhorse bridge, I saw there mountain bikers coming down the bridleway section which this short section of path provides an alternative. The guy in the lead was walking wheeling two bikes along and a second guy was carefully walking slowly behind while the third followed slowly on his bike.
I asked the first guy if the guy walking had come off and he said that he had and had broken his cycling helmet so it must have been with some force. I asked if he had been knocked out at all and he said he hadn't and was happy to continue slowly.
I polished off the last of my hot chocolate from my flask and made my way back to my starting point.
Saturday, 4 January 2014
Kinder Scout
Karen had been having pain from a bruised heel and as it was still
playing up she decided to continue taking it easy so again I returned
to Kinder Scout. I repeated the walk I did on New Years Eve: up via
Grindslow Knoll down via Ringing Roger.
The weather forecast had bee for yet more wind and gales but these failed to materialise although it was misty on the top of the plateau.
I left the car park in Edale and started up Grindlow Knoll and found it fairly warm and sweaty. Although it was still cool at around 5 or 6 degrees Centigrade, with the mist the air must have been very humid, plus I was moving fairly swiftly up hill.
I stopped on the lee side of the Knoll to have a breather and cool down and also a drink from my flask. As I was sitting there on piece of insulating pad I always carry in my rucksack, I heard some voices and three walkers: two men and a woman appeared out of the mist following the path skirting the Knoll on the Grindsbrook side.
One of the men asked if I could read a map and pointed at Kinder Downfall on his map saying that was their destination. He then pointed at another location and asked if that was where we were. I didn't pay attention to exactly where he was pointing as I could see it was nowhere near Grindslow Knoll so I corrected him and showed him where we really were. They had followed the route up Grindsbrook from Edale and turned sharp left to get where they were.
He was surprised at how far out he was from where he thought he was! He pointed at the green dashed line following the original route of Pennine Way heading for Kinder Downfall and asked where that path was.
I explained that there was no path, that the line was only showing the route of a Public Right of Way and showed him the symbol for a path on the ground (black dashed line). He was happy with my suggestion of following the path from the top of Grindsbrook Clough on the slabs a or well-worn path following the plateau edge heading for the top of Jacob' Ladder seeing as they weren't confident at map reading nor had a compass and it was misty! They decided to do this and at the junction of the path which heads towards the Downfall, they would decide wheter to walk tot he Downfall and back to return to Edale via Jacob's Ladder or just go straight back to Edale via this route leaving the Downfall for another day.
I continued on my way around the top of Grindsbrook Clough and along the edge path heading towards Ringing Roger.
At about Noon, I stopped in the lee of a boulder to have lunch, then proceeded again towards Ringing Roger and then down back to Edale.
The weather forecast had bee for yet more wind and gales but these failed to materialise although it was misty on the top of the plateau.
I left the car park in Edale and started up Grindlow Knoll and found it fairly warm and sweaty. Although it was still cool at around 5 or 6 degrees Centigrade, with the mist the air must have been very humid, plus I was moving fairly swiftly up hill.
I stopped on the lee side of the Knoll to have a breather and cool down and also a drink from my flask. As I was sitting there on piece of insulating pad I always carry in my rucksack, I heard some voices and three walkers: two men and a woman appeared out of the mist following the path skirting the Knoll on the Grindsbrook side.
One of the men asked if I could read a map and pointed at Kinder Downfall on his map saying that was their destination. He then pointed at another location and asked if that was where we were. I didn't pay attention to exactly where he was pointing as I could see it was nowhere near Grindslow Knoll so I corrected him and showed him where we really were. They had followed the route up Grindsbrook from Edale and turned sharp left to get where they were.
He was surprised at how far out he was from where he thought he was! He pointed at the green dashed line following the original route of Pennine Way heading for Kinder Downfall and asked where that path was.
I explained that there was no path, that the line was only showing the route of a Public Right of Way and showed him the symbol for a path on the ground (black dashed line). He was happy with my suggestion of following the path from the top of Grindsbrook Clough on the slabs a or well-worn path following the plateau edge heading for the top of Jacob' Ladder seeing as they weren't confident at map reading nor had a compass and it was misty! They decided to do this and at the junction of the path which heads towards the Downfall, they would decide wheter to walk tot he Downfall and back to return to Edale via Jacob's Ladder or just go straight back to Edale via this route leaving the Downfall for another day.
I continued on my way around the top of Grindsbrook Clough and along the edge path heading towards Ringing Roger.
At about Noon, I stopped in the lee of a boulder to have lunch, then proceeded again towards Ringing Roger and then down back to Edale.
Tuesday, 31 December 2013
Kinder Scout
Yesterday was again wet and windy but I was on holiday from work
and at home so it was a day spent indoors. Today Karen decided to
also have a rest day so I had a walk on Kinder Scout. Up via
Grindslow Knoll and down via Ringing Roger.
It was still showery and very windy and I suppose with the bad weather together with it being New Years Eve, I only saw half a dozen other people out walking.
It was still showery and very windy and I suppose with the bad weather together with it being New Years Eve, I only saw half a dozen other people out walking.
Sunday, 29 December 2013
Travel Back Home
As the weather was still wet and windy, we had breakfast and
settled up with the B&B owner (£35 each per night). As the
parking outside was restricted to certain hours, once we had packed
the car we relocated I to the main town car park and then had a
wander around various gear shops as well as have a snack in a café.
After this, we set off for home around lunch time.
After this, we set off for home around lunch time.
Saturday, 28 December 2013
Dow Crag from Walna Scar Track Car Park
An improvement in the weather luckily with a lot less wind and no
rain despite a misty start on the tops. We drove to Coniston and at
first tried two road turnings before choosing the right on leading up
a steep lane ending at a metal field gate.
Through the gate is a rough car parking area at the start of the Walna Scar track and we parked here and got our walking boots on at the same time as several other walkers.
While the crowds made for the track leading northwards presumably all intent on the summit of the Old Man of Coniston, we followed the Walna Scar Road track westwards.
As we gradually gained height, we could see more and more of Coniston Water behind us and also into the far distance where the sun was glinting off the sea. The tops of the surrounding mountains were mostly hidden in mist and there were occasional breaks in the cloud allowing the sun to light up the cwm between the Old Man and Dow Crag highlighting the old quarries on both sides.
We paused to take photos and crossed a small packhorse bridge over a stream before starting up a steeper section of path.
Although there was a lot less wind than yesterday, there was still quite a bit of cold wind so we made use of a small abandoned quarry next to the path to sit sheltered from the wind and have a hot drink from our flasks.
Continuing afterwards, we reached a shallow col and a crossroads formed by two paths. Taking the right-hand choice brought us up towards the summit of Brown Pike and the start of a ridge geading towards the top of Dow Crag.
As the ridge bore the full force of the wind and there was some shelter offered by a small circular wall and again we sat in the lee of this rough and low wall to have another bit of hot drink while we saw the mist move around the side of the Old Man opposite us.
We continued along the ridge wearing extra insulation as the wind was very cold and quite a bit stronger at this height being careful to not approach the edge too closely as the wind was blowing in that direction and below were very high cliffs and gullies.
We passed another summit at Buck Pike and after a similar distance reached the highest point of the ridge and the more rocky summit of Dow Crag.
After balancing across boulders and rocky slabs the path continued northwards and then north-east dropping down to the col at Goat's Hawse. We found a well-sheltered spot next to the path part way down and sat there to eat our lunch.
As we were eating lunch the mist gradually lifted revealing the whole of the Old Man opposite Goat's Hawse.
After lunch we dropped down to the col and then made our way down the rocky steps forming the start of the path descending to pass close to Goat's Water and views of the large and dark cliffs on the side of Dow Crag.
As we were walking towards the lake of Goat's Water we noticed that every now and then the string wind would blow some of the water from the surface of the lake and then whip a cloud of water across the surface.
After passing the lake, the path eventually rejoined the Walna Track Road and we retraced our route back to the car park.
Through the gate is a rough car parking area at the start of the Walna Scar track and we parked here and got our walking boots on at the same time as several other walkers.
While the crowds made for the track leading northwards presumably all intent on the summit of the Old Man of Coniston, we followed the Walna Scar Road track westwards.
As we gradually gained height, we could see more and more of Coniston Water behind us and also into the far distance where the sun was glinting off the sea. The tops of the surrounding mountains were mostly hidden in mist and there were occasional breaks in the cloud allowing the sun to light up the cwm between the Old Man and Dow Crag highlighting the old quarries on both sides.
We paused to take photos and crossed a small packhorse bridge over a stream before starting up a steeper section of path.
Although there was a lot less wind than yesterday, there was still quite a bit of cold wind so we made use of a small abandoned quarry next to the path to sit sheltered from the wind and have a hot drink from our flasks.
Continuing afterwards, we reached a shallow col and a crossroads formed by two paths. Taking the right-hand choice brought us up towards the summit of Brown Pike and the start of a ridge geading towards the top of Dow Crag.
As the ridge bore the full force of the wind and there was some shelter offered by a small circular wall and again we sat in the lee of this rough and low wall to have another bit of hot drink while we saw the mist move around the side of the Old Man opposite us.
We continued along the ridge wearing extra insulation as the wind was very cold and quite a bit stronger at this height being careful to not approach the edge too closely as the wind was blowing in that direction and below were very high cliffs and gullies.
We passed another summit at Buck Pike and after a similar distance reached the highest point of the ridge and the more rocky summit of Dow Crag.
After balancing across boulders and rocky slabs the path continued northwards and then north-east dropping down to the col at Goat's Hawse. We found a well-sheltered spot next to the path part way down and sat there to eat our lunch.
As we were eating lunch the mist gradually lifted revealing the whole of the Old Man opposite Goat's Hawse.
After lunch we dropped down to the col and then made our way down the rocky steps forming the start of the path descending to pass close to Goat's Water and views of the large and dark cliffs on the side of Dow Crag.
As we were walking towards the lake of Goat's Water we noticed that every now and then the string wind would blow some of the water from the surface of the lake and then whip a cloud of water across the surface.
After passing the lake, the path eventually rejoined the Walna Track Road and we retraced our route back to the car park.
 |
| Walna Scar Road heading towards Brown Pike |
 |
| Tiny shelter |
 |
| Summit of Brown Pike |
 |
| Summit of Buck Pike |
 |
| Summit of Dow Crag |
 |
| Old Man of Coniston from Dow Crag |
 |
| Cliffs on Dow Crag |
 |
| Goat's Water |
Friday, 27 December 2013
Easdale Tarn from Grasmere
As we were both taking a break from work between Christmas and the
New Year, Karen and I decided to spend a couple if days in the Lake
District.
We had done this twice before in recent years, only we were joined by Keith and Pete Collins on those occasions. Pete and Keith were staying in the Peak District at the same time to go digging in Water Icicle Close Cavern.
As on those previous trips we stayed at Claremont House, a bed and breakfast accommodation in the centre of Ambleside. Unlike those previous trip, the weather wasn't very good.
Anyway, we set off from home in the morning and after 2 and three quarter hours parked in the village of Grasmere. The weather was extremely windy with frequent showers so the route would remain at low level and make use of the landscape to gain shelter from the south-westerly wind.
Leaving the car parked in a small car park belonging tot he church which had an honesty box for payment of car parking fees, which we did, particularly as it was cheaper than the main “pay and display” car park in the village, we followed Easedale Road bringing us to the start of a bridleway. The bridleway brought us along Easedale Beck which flows out of Easedale Tarn, which was our destination for the walk.
It was a very easy and pleasant walk (if you ignored the rain showers!) and largely sheltered from the fierce winds. The picturesque waterfall called Sour Milk Gill soon was in view and our route took us close by.
Sections of the path were paved with steps made from rough rock as the ground steepened and as we neared the tarn, we were exposed to the full force of the wind which wasn't only very strong, but was gusting quite a lot.
As we paused in the shelter of a large boulder by the outlet of the tarn we saw a couple out walking with a dog on the opposite side of the beck. They were looking at trying to cross the beck using large stones in the beck's bed but appeared to be hesitating.
They saw us and waited for us to cross, probably to see what would happen! We waited for a lull in the wind between gusts and Karen started stepping across the 4 metres or so of beck while I hurried across behind wishing I had me walking poles like Karen!
Luckily we made it without falling in and set off back towards Grasmere on another path on this side of the beck.
After a few hundred metres we found a good sheltered spot by a large boulder as had a short break to have some hot drinks from flasks and then continued onwards.
We met a bridleway which the path joined at a T-junction and followed this back to join another small road joining Easedale Road back in the village and on the way passed some miserable looking Herdwick sheep sheltering by some drystone walls.
Back in Grasmere the first thing we did after changing out of our boots was find a café to warm up and have a coffee!
We had done this twice before in recent years, only we were joined by Keith and Pete Collins on those occasions. Pete and Keith were staying in the Peak District at the same time to go digging in Water Icicle Close Cavern.
As on those previous trips we stayed at Claremont House, a bed and breakfast accommodation in the centre of Ambleside. Unlike those previous trip, the weather wasn't very good.
Anyway, we set off from home in the morning and after 2 and three quarter hours parked in the village of Grasmere. The weather was extremely windy with frequent showers so the route would remain at low level and make use of the landscape to gain shelter from the south-westerly wind.
Leaving the car parked in a small car park belonging tot he church which had an honesty box for payment of car parking fees, which we did, particularly as it was cheaper than the main “pay and display” car park in the village, we followed Easedale Road bringing us to the start of a bridleway. The bridleway brought us along Easedale Beck which flows out of Easedale Tarn, which was our destination for the walk.
It was a very easy and pleasant walk (if you ignored the rain showers!) and largely sheltered from the fierce winds. The picturesque waterfall called Sour Milk Gill soon was in view and our route took us close by.
Sections of the path were paved with steps made from rough rock as the ground steepened and as we neared the tarn, we were exposed to the full force of the wind which wasn't only very strong, but was gusting quite a lot.
As we paused in the shelter of a large boulder by the outlet of the tarn we saw a couple out walking with a dog on the opposite side of the beck. They were looking at trying to cross the beck using large stones in the beck's bed but appeared to be hesitating.
They saw us and waited for us to cross, probably to see what would happen! We waited for a lull in the wind between gusts and Karen started stepping across the 4 metres or so of beck while I hurried across behind wishing I had me walking poles like Karen!
Luckily we made it without falling in and set off back towards Grasmere on another path on this side of the beck.
After a few hundred metres we found a good sheltered spot by a large boulder as had a short break to have some hot drinks from flasks and then continued onwards.
We met a bridleway which the path joined at a T-junction and followed this back to join another small road joining Easedale Road back in the village and on the way passed some miserable looking Herdwick sheep sheltering by some drystone walls.
Back in Grasmere the first thing we did after changing out of our boots was find a café to warm up and have a coffee!
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