Striding Edge with KR Guided Walks

Though I've taken private clients along Striding Edge quite frequently this was a first for me with KR Guided Walks. The main difference is that with private clients there is some scope for choosing the day whereas with the KR programme you just hope for good conditions on the day fixed in the programme.

well made path up by Myers Beck

view back to Ullswater

Anyway, the forecast for last Monday was pretty reasonable and six of us plus Skye took the bus over to Glenridding. Fairly low cloud and a bit of a shower as we climbed by Myers Beck and no sign of the summit of Helvellyn as we reached Birkhouse Moor and approached the Hole in the Wall.

But as we left the footpath to follow the grassy first part of the ridge we could see views down into Grisedale and the cloud was swirling around Striding Edge giving tantalising glimpses of the rocky ridge to come.

still misty as we started along the ridge

Once we reached the ridge proper the cloud was lifting, the rock was drying and we were able to enjoy the scrambling. Some of the group were faster and more confident than others so I coaxed the tail enders while others went at their own speed waiting for the rest of us at convenient places. Congratulations are due to all - no one 'cheated' and walked along the path on the side of the ridge!!

it's like a pavement!

Skye is waiting

Bit chilly and breezy on the summit, a photo by the cairn and then a well earned lunch in the shelter- this is Skye's favourite time of the day especially on Helvellyn where he can disappear to other sides of the shelter and scrounge tit bits without me seeing and telling him off!

There we were views in all directions too though brightest and clearest down to Ullswater in the north east. After feasting our stomachs and our eyes we followed the clear path down to the west reaching the valley at Wythburn Church and catching the bus back to Keswick.

Weather in the Lake District!!!

Gill in spate at Glenridding - fortunately there was a bridge!

compare this with a sunny Watendlath

a bedraggled Skye on Catstycam

this view of Skiddaw is hard to beat

What weather we've been having - it keeps switching from glorious sunny days with fabulous views of distant hills to soaking wet days with swollen rivers and sodden feet! Throughout it all KR Guided Walk's clients have enjoyed memorable walks smiling through the rain or exhilarating in the sunshine.  Here are a few photos from this last weeks walks as illustration.

Rex crossed easily but what about us?

sunshine on Causey Pike and fantastic views

wet but still smiling returning from Catstycam

can you see Scafell in the distance?

Newlands Round with KR Guided Walks

Seems hard to imagine the heat we had on this day and it was only two weeks ago!

view down to High Snab Bank and Newlands Valley

We started by climbing the steep grass slope onto High Snab Bank. This leads to an almost horizontal ridge followed by short scrambles and a steady climb to the summit plateau of Robinson.

Skye in tarn at top of Robinson with Scafells clear in the distance

 At last a breeze and water for Skye!

Our planned route was to descend to Newlands Hause and return over the ridge of Ard Crags. Delightful though this route is we were making good time and wanted to stay high to get the best of the breeze so we headed east rather than west to enjoy the ridge to Hindscarth and Dale Head.

on the top of Dale Head

another dip for Skye

Steeply down the grass to Dale Head Tarn and it was decision time again - down to Borrowdale or up some more to take in High Spy. On such a good day the choice was clear and High Spy it was ..... and Maiden Moor.......and Catbells.

Catbells - the final summit!

 THE WHOLE NEWLANDS ROUND 16KM AND NEARLY 1200m ASCENT

Glorious Crinkles with KR Guided Walks

view across to Langdale Pikes

Many thanks to Pete and Lyn for choosing to go to Scotland to bag some more Munroes in this glorious weather.  It gave me the chance to go over to Langdale and climb the Crinkles and Bowfell on one of those days when the breeze on the tops made it far pleasanter to be up high rather than in the valley..

We took the steep but well made path up beside Browney Gill towards Red Tarn. A well earned rest gave us the opportunity to turn round and enjoy the view of Langdale Pikes with little figures climbing the crags above the Old DG.



Above the tarn the path curves west and a slight diversion to the top of Great Knott was the chance for a sit down and look at where we would be going across the Crinkles.

The route across the Crinkles ridge was super with a pleasant breeze and lovely dry rock.  Skye earned his scrambling colours by managing the Difficult Step which was more than some of the humans did! Dillbert and the rest of us took the short diversion to the right of the crag and soon joined Skye on the top. No photo of his amazing feat I'm afraid - I was too busy being poised to catch him if he fell off!

superb view of the Scafell Range

Skye enjoying the view down Langdale!

The views in all directions were fantastic particularly those across Eskdale to the Scafells and right across to the Penines and south to Morecombe Bay.

The dogs were relieved when at last we came across water and they both plunged into the tarn.

Bowfell from Crinkles

At the Three Tarns some of the group chose to sit in the sun (or shade) while Joan, Skye and I made a pack free dash up Bowfell where we could see how close we really were to Borrowdale and home turf!

Then it was a gentle descent down The Band for a well earned beer at the Old DG and a lie down under the table for the dogs.

If you haven't yet walked with KR Guided Walks have a look at our programme and come and join us

My first KR Guided walk of 2012 - the three Pikes of Ladyside, Hobcarton and Grisedale

Well not ideal weather but a group of seven braved the elements with me for my first KR Guided GroupWalk of the 2012 season.

Three Pikes is really a high level circuit of Hobcarton Gill, starting and finishing in Whinlatter Forest.  Yesterday we were soon in low cloud with a bit of rain. By the time we had climbed up to Ladyside Pike or Lady's Seat if you prefer the rain had stopped and we just got damp from the cloud - a good thing since Chloe's waterproof seemed to have seen better days!

Hobcarton Pike to ourselves

Care was needed on the scramble up to Hobcarton Pike (or Hopegill Head) since the rock was slippery in the wet but lunch was the reward. Up till then we had seen no one but as we walked along to Grisedale Pike we met a few other brave souls facing up to the cloud and increasing wind.

Then it was down over Hobcarton End into the forest and through the woods down to Braithwaite with 5 minutes to spare before the bus arrived for the return to Keswick.

a windy descent off Grisedale Pike

As Roy commented "Why don't more people come out with you? They would be guaranteed of an excellent walk whatever the conditions with no worries about route finding and knowing that they would be sure to learn something new about the Lake District. We've been coming as a family since the children were quite young; they are now in their 20s but we still find we all get our best days walking in the Lake District with KR"

He is quite right; our local knowledge means that we choose the best routes up and down; we can change the route if the weather turns; add an interesting extra bit if there is time before the bus comes; try to keep the wind on our backs and find a sheltered corner for lunch - and our dogs provide constant entertainment!

Grade C up Castle Crag with KR Guided Walks

Forecast was for showers but I was delighted to have 10 walkers for my walk yesterday.  We all enjoyed a short sharp climb from Rosthwaite into Johnny's Wood which is full of mossy oaks above a carpet of grass and bracken.  Branches overhead sheltered us from the worst of the showers which seemed to have gone by the time we emerged from the shelter of the trees to climb the grassy path through the bracken to the summit of High Doat above Seatoller.  A lowly 283m high this is a superb viewpoint.  Even today there were glimpses of Great Gable and Great End as well as a super view up Coombe Gill to Glaramara.



on top of Castle Crag

 As showers continued to scud across we crossed to the Allerdale Ramble and walked down Borrowdale towards Castle Crag where we lunched in the shelter of a dry stone wall.  Just 6 joined me in the ascent of Castle Crag on rather damp rock.  After enjoying the superb views from the summit we descended to meet the others and return to Rosthwaite in perfect time for the 3pm bus back to Keswick


returning down the waste rock that is Castle Crag!





Back together for the return to Rosthwaite



From Whiteside Pike along the ridge to Grisedale Pike

Old friends and new joined me for my KR Guided Walk up Whiteside yesterday.  With a good forecast the 77 bus over Whinlatter and round to our starting point at Lanthwaite Green was standing roon only.

A steep climb up through glorious heather over Whin Rigg and up to the Whiteside West top was rewarded by a superb view all the way along the ridge.

I love the feeling up here of being on the edge of the mountains. The coastal plain stretches out in one direction to the Solway Firth whilst in the other Grassmoor and Crag Hill are just the closest of many Lakeland Peaks.  



view along the ridge to Hopegill Head and Grisedale Pike

A bit hazy today but you could still see line upon line of ridges with Helvellyn cloud free to the east.





Lunch in a sheltered hoolow on the ridge was followed by Hopegill Head, Sand Hill and Grisedale Pike before carefully descending the ridge over Sleet How to Braithwaite



all the group on Grisedale Pike