The Pikes of Langdale with new boots
The forecast was good and we headed to Langdale with the aim of going up a scramble on Pike of Stickle probably the Grey Band route grad 4 and v diff **. As we walked to walked towards Traughton Gill I had what must have looked a very comical fall as a rock gave way and I tried to save myself waving sticks about frantically in the air. I managed to get my hand down but landed no my knee and thumb! – bit shaken we scrambled up the gill where I had another fall trying to save my self from putting my foot in a deep pool, this resulted in a gash on the hand and a wet bottom! As we headed to Pike of Stickle we decided to go for something a little easier and scrambled up the excellent Main Face Grade 2 ***. A hang glider floated over head. Once at the top we decided we definitely need to do more so dropped down to the top of dungeon Gill and traversed round the bottom of Harrison’s Stickle and headed up South Central Buttress grade 3 **. Where the hang glider shouted down to us “ beat you to the top!” Lovely day weather perfect. And Roger’s EBay bargain of his Scarpa Freny’s were a perfect fit…just have to wait for some serious winter weather to do them justice now!
Deciding the route with Bow Fell and Bow Fell Buttress in the background
Bow Fell with North Gully – the winter climb in the shadow and central Buttress to the left
Pike of Stickle – Grey Band is the stripe towards the top
Traughton Gill
Main Face Pike of Stickle
On Main Face with Gimmer behind and Loft Crag above
Pike of Stickle Summit
On top of Harrison Stickle
Harrison Stickle our route south Central Buttress is on the skyline
Napes Needle and Great Gable
Always so hard to park up at Seathwaite but we found a spot and set off..second trip out in my new boots….beginning to get used to them. We headed up to Styhead Tarn. The mountain rescue were there selling cake and tea!! We traversed round the climbers traverse and passed Kern Knott and Trophet Wall and got to Napes Needle. We scrambled up the pack and down the other side…Threading the needle! We carried on towards Sphinx Rock. It was quite cold and blustery and a bit showery but we carried on and went up Eagle’s Nest Gully and Arrowhead Ridge. Grade 2 *** From the top we traversed round and went up Pinnacle Ridge on Westmorland’s Crag. Grade 2 **. Excellent scrambles but a little greasy. It started raining as we got off the top of the scramble showery at first. On the top of Great Gable I put a a bid on a pair of rock boots…….using my new app. From Great gable we went to green gable and then the weather got very inclement! Strong winds and hail in our faces…we went a bit wrong but traversed round and came down passed Base brown and down the path at the side of Sour Milk Gill. We got back to the car soaking wet!! I won my rock boots but we had a long drive home with all the holiday traffic through going to Ambleside and Windermere. A brilliant day but wet!! Pleased with my boots.
Bow Fell Buttress
Bow Fell Buttress ***VD
Oh yes an excellent day. We trundled up the Band in anticipation, definitely turn off two soon below the climbers traverse but on the route we took last year in the snow. It was probably a quicker and shorter route but less pleasant. There is a bit of a pattern emerging with us and arriving at the bottom of routes because we arrived moments after a party of 3 and man his son and son’s friend and they were so very slow!!! but and excellent route that I would like to repeat with less waiting around and when it is a little drier as it was a bit greasy. We returned along the climbers traverse a very nice path and further down The Band Roger broke his stick. I like my new boots!!!
Looking down Langdale
Climbing at Twistleton Scars
I have always found Twistleton a fairly steep and intimidating place and it still felt that way today. We headed for Amphitheatre Buttress but not long after we had sorted our selves out and started the first climb we were joined by two young women and an instructor!!
I didn’t take any photographs but we had a brilliant day – with a shaky start I ended on a high leading a delicate arête which was quite a challenge.
Routes Done
Power Cut – VD – 7m Roger lead
Cotton Tail – VD –7m Roger lead
Little Victory *– S – 7m Roger lead
Apprentice Rib* – S – My lead
Climbing in Langdale on Raven Crag
A good day all round. Our target was:- Middle Fell Buttress *** Dif 75m.
We had a bit of trouble at the beginning of the route as the chimney like polished crack was not intended for people with ruc sacs. however it was a excellent route. At the top of the climb we decided to go up the variation:- Curtain Wall Diff 20m. This was definitely worth it as it was by far the best pitch of the climb.
The couple behind us left a rock 8 stuck in a crack but we liberated it!!
Roger was so impressed with his new boots that we went to Keswick on our way home to get me some!!
Scrambling on St. Sunday Crag
Again we had a bit of bother finding the best route to the ridge we went a bit far up the valley and so had a bit of a steep climb up the fell side instead of a traverse but got here in the end. Parking was a nightmare though but hey ho….this is why we want to be in Scotland!! ( one of the reasons)
Pinnacle Ridge grade 3 *** with a bit of a mod. was so much better than we remembered. At the top we looked across the valley to Falcon Crag were we Ice Climbed last year .
Striding Edge and Hellvelyn
Falcon Crag and the gullies (number 2 and number 3) we climbed in February 2010
Hutton Roof Climbing
We what a day – nice and sunny – we thought it would be quiet as it was a Monday but were we wrong!! There was a party at the top of the crag so we headed to the Sunny Wall area and had just got our selves sorted when two families with lots of children came and made camp inches from our stuff! Then a very large party from an out door ed centre came and filled the whole glade! We decided to move to another part of the crag!! and did a few routes on sector Sycamore. Do you know I felt very good considering that it is 10 years really since we have done any proper climbing.
Routes done
Paplo – Severe – Roger lead
Solo
Imitation – Mod
Hebe – VD
Hedra Wall – Diff
T’Owd Man – VD
T’Owd Trout – VD
Climbing on Dow Crag
A bit windy today and chilly but dry. We hoped the crag would be quiet but it was a Saturday. C Ordinary Route Grade Diff was our target but as luck would have it a pair of climbers were there just before us and showed all the signs of being slow. So we headed up a Scramble up F Buttress and then tried to find our way down easy terrace but failed! so after going down the normal descent route the couple were still on the climb but had made progress so off we started.
Excellent day but Chilly
Scrambling in Langdale
We had intended to climb but as the weather looked decidedly iffy we thought it best to have a good scramble than just get to the crag and get rained off. As it was it stayed fair but Pavey Arc was a bit greasy so probably the best choice.
We set off up Mill Gill and I had forgotten how much I love scrambling as it has been a while. At the top we headed up to Tarn crag which we noted when we got home that we had been there exactly 10 years ago to the day and been up the same scramble – The Spur – grade 3 – We had just as much trouble finding the start! From the top we went past Stickle Tarn and up Jakes Rake. We looked up Gwen’s Chimney which looked wet. We last went up there with Mary as a party of three. Re visiting climbs that I have done with Mary is always brings back memories of her.
Excellent day……………. 
Brown Cove Crags 5th June 2011
I forgot the camera!
But we had a great scramble up Helvellyn Gill and Central Butress ( grade 3 **) on Brown Cove Crags. Last time we were here it was very snowy!!
Mountain Days and Photo Nights 