Tag: Nuttalls

Far Eastern Fells, Lake District, Outlying Fells2 Comments

A Far Eastern Odyssey

Matthew

All Change

The rain is falling outside, but otherwise all is quiet as I have the house to myself. Soon the family will return from their afternoon out and in a few hours time the long Jubilee weekend will be over, and it will be time to head back to work. And it’s likely to be an intense and busy few weeks. My current client project really gets going in earnest this week and this starts to cast doubt on the feasibility of taking two weeks off at the start of July to do a coast to coast walk. Continue reading “A Far Eastern Odyssey”

Lake District, Southern Fells, Wild Camping5 Comments
Bemused sheep

My first wild camp – Part 3: Drawing the Line

Matthew

I woke (yes actually woke, thereby signifying that I’d actually slept!) early and stuck my head out the door to see if there was any sort of sunrise going on.  Not much happening of interest, so I had a lie in.  Sleep had come courtesy of no musical wind, a better set of nocturnal sartorial arrangements and I guess out of sheer tiredness.  Mind you, I’d slept again in double base layers and a zipped up down jacket, and put my Skins on for a bit of downstairs warmth.  I’d still been cold, but by not moving about too much I’d managed. Continue reading “My first wild camp – Part 3: Drawing the Line”

Lake District, Southern FellsLeave a comment
Stockley Bridge

Favourite Fells – Seathwaite Fell

Matthew

Some say that it’s the wettest place in England.  Many would say that it’s not a great fell.  All I know is that it is one of the places I most dream of being in the Lake District. Continue reading “Favourite Fells – Seathwaite Fell”

Lake District, Western FellsLeave a comment
Yewbarrow

Favourite Fells – Yewbarrow

Matthew

Quite simply, Yewbarrow is the best fell in Wasdale.  But before you Great Gable or Scafell lovers shoot me down, let me explain my reasoning. Continue reading “Favourite Fells – Yewbarrow”

Eastern Fells, Lake DistrictLeave a comment
Helvellyn

Favourite Fells – Helvellyn

Matthew

I suppose it was inevitable that Helvellyn would come out as one of my favourite fells.  My first mountain experience took place there, and it’s my most visited fell (jointly with Skiddaw).  Now Helvellyn is not what I call a beautiful mountain, (although individual parts of it are), and it’s mainly the quality of the walks on the mountain, and its close neighbours, that propel it to a high spot on my list. Continue reading “Favourite Fells – Helvellyn”

Lake District, Southern FellsLeave a comment
Lunch perch at Lingmell's summit

Favourite Fells – Lingmell

Matthew

I reckon few have Lingmell in their top 10 fells, so why do I ?  It’s quite remarkable considering it’s the most recently climbed fell on my list of favourites and has had to compete with the likes of Scafell, Bowfell, assorted Langdale Pikes etc.  All of which it has beaten. Continue reading “Favourite Fells – Lingmell”

Lake District, Southern Fells1 Comment
Symond's Knott

Favourite Fells – Scafell

Matthew

At one point, I considered leaving Scafell to the end of my Wainwright round, and making it my last fell.  If I had done, then clearly I wouldn’t be writing this post now.  But I wanted something more symbolic for my final fell and chose Haystacks, leaving me free to visit Scafell sooner rather than later. Continue reading “Favourite Fells – Scafell”

Lake District, Southern Fells1 Comment
The Great Slab

Favourite Fells – Bowfell

Matthew

Bowfell has many admirers – and for good reason.  It’s great.  This is the first of a run of favourite fells whose main virtue is that there is an interesting way up.  Bowfell is a proper mountain, by Lake District standards, but it wouldn’t quite win top prizes for beauty from me when up against many others.  But it’s a good climb and a great viewpoint – at least assuming the weather is playing ball. Continue reading “Favourite Fells – Bowfell”

Central Fells, Lake DistrictLeave a comment
Pike of Stickle from Langdale

Favourite Fells – Pike of Stickle

Matthew

This has been an incredibly hard post to write.  I’ve been trying to find the words to explain what this fell means to me, and the words that have come just haven’t done it justice.  But I can almost hear some readers asking what all the fuss is about.  After all Pike of Stickle is just a slightly rude-looking bump and many would argue isn’t even separate enough to really count as a fell in its own right.  And you know what, in many respects you’d be right. Continue reading “Favourite Fells – Pike of Stickle”

Lake District, Southern FellsLeave a comment
Harter Fell from Green Crag

Favourite Fells – Harter Fell (Eskdale)

Matthew

You can’t really go wrong with a mountain that looks like one – in terms of shape.  And Harter Fell is definitely the right shape.  Its pyramid is instantly recognisable from any angle, draws you in and summons you to the top.  But Harter Fell is a favourite not just because of its shape, but also because of its value as a view point to take in Eskdale. Continue reading “Favourite Fells – Harter Fell (Eskdale)”

Lake District, Southern Fells2 Comments
Scafell Pike

Favourite Fells – Scafell Pike

Matthew

Given my predeliction for the smaller fells, you might be surprised to find the big one in my list.  But then again, it’s a pretty obvious choice when you look at it.  I’ve got to the point now where the gap between my favourite fells is quite narrow, and it wouldn’t take much for them to shuffle about.  So I hope no one is offended that their favourite fell (and there will be people out there who have this as their favourite, I’m sure) doesn’t even make my top 10.  It’s purely that other fells more in tune with my preferences have gradually pushed it down the list. Continue reading “Favourite Fells – Scafell Pike”

Eastern Fells, Lake District2 Comments
The walk up the Red Screes ridge from Ambleside

Favourite Fells – Red Screes

Matthew

Today’s post is going to be a bit short, as I covered the walk itself in my Favourite Walks pages.

Red Screes and I didn’t get off to the best start. Back in 2006 on the day I was due to travel home, I woke early and so decided to go for a walk to pick the fell off before breakfast. 6am saw me heading up the Kirkstone Pass road out of Ambleside which I stayed on for a short while before taking a footpath on the left.

Later I wished I’d read Wainwright’s instructions more carefully or even just been more alert to distance covered on the ground v the map. Continue reading “Favourite Fells – Red Screes”

Lake District, North Western FellsLeave a comment
Looking back over Causey Pike

Favourite Fells – Causey Pike

Matthew

Causey Pike makes it into my top group of fells for one reason.  She looks good.  I know it’s shallow of me, but there you go.  My first sight of Causey was in April 2007, when I descended from Robinson into the Newlands Valley for two nights staying at Little Town, in the middle of a trip that hadn’t gone well.  From the farm, I looked across the valley at Causey Pike, almost in disbelief.   Continue reading “Favourite Fells – Causey Pike”

Eastern Fells, Lake District, North Western Fells, Northern Fells, Southern Fells, Western FellsLeave a comment

A Lakeland Round (2011): The Stats

Matthew

Not everyone is interested in the stats, so let’s keep the analysis in a separate post. Continue reading “A Lakeland Round (2011): The Stats”

Eastern Fells, Lake DistrictLeave a comment
Striding Edge

A Lakeland Round (2011): Day 10 – Wednesday 13 July

Matthew

Making up for yesterday

Despite me saying last night that I’d do today’s original planned walk and tack yesterday’s omitted walk on the end of it, I never thought I’d actually do it. But I have the aching feet to prove it…. Continue reading “A Lakeland Round (2011): Day 10 – Wednesday 13 July”