2011: A hill walking year! (part three)

With the arrival of the warmer months there were increased opportunities for walking. However, while home was often basking in the heat (as the London based newspapers were keen to remind everyone) the journeys north saw a deterioration in the weather. Having said that I never experienced the torrential downpours that started the year in North Wales.

August
The beginning of August saw the opportunity to backpack across the central area of the Lake District. Another early start saw me catching the 5.40am from Euston to Oxenholme and onto Windermere. A cooked breakfast in Booth's by the station and a bus to Grasmere for the start of a three day hike. The first day took in Helm Crag, Gibson Knott and High Raise before finding a nice secluded area to camp with fantastic views across to the Pike of Stickle. The second day took me past Angle Tarn where a small group was still encamped and up to Scafell Pike via Broad Crag then down Broad Stand to the Esk and around Great Moss and passing through the col between Long Crag and Low Gait Crags to my overnight camp beneath Bowfell. Needless to say the view from the top of Scafell Pike was non-existent and a handful of weary walkers sheltered  in the lee of the cairn before descending into bright sunshine a few hundred metres below its summit. The final day took in Bowfell and a descent to the Dungeon Gill by The Band. With careful timing it was possible to indulge in a little refreshment at the hotel before catching the bus to Ambleside. A successful trip with three full days walking, two wild camps and all the bus and train connections worked perfectly. A few days walking around Malham area of the Yorkshire Dales National Park concluded the month.

Sunset over the Yorkshire Dales

September
Another trip to the Cairngorms occurred at the beginning of the month. Meeting up with Steve B we walked out from Glenmore Lodge to Bynack More and after observing the footpath repair work currently being undertaken we headed down to the Fords of Avon. Here the Emergency Refuge had been completely rebuilt a few weeks earlier and we managed to find two dryish patches to erect our tents, using the refuge for a place to chat & enjoy a brew. The next morning we headed along the north shore of the Loch to the Shelter Stone and up to Loch Etchachan where we saw a solitary Terra Nova Quasar. As we ascended Ben Macdui the winds increased and we both lost our footing to sudden squalls. As we finally reached the ski centre we saw the first person we had seen since midday the day before. We had had the hills completely to ourselves, but the day was not over yet. As the light started to fail we passed a herd of reindeer in the lower carpark and then headed off to find a dryish spot to pitch our tents. Easier said than done! The final day started early and within a couple of hours we were back at our cars ready to drive into Aviemore for a delayed cooked breakfast before the long drive home.

Fords of Avon Refuge

After a short rest I spent a week in the Brecon Beacons leading walks for a group on a walking holiday. They were a great bunch who came for a weeks walking and socialising in a new part of the country, During the week a variety of walks were offered including the waterfalls walk and one across the Black Mountains. My boots having died in the Cairngorms I managed to find a bargain in one of the many outdoor shops in Brecon and christened them on a 10 km hike up Corn Du, Pen-y-Fan and Cribyn.