navigation skills – Page 6

Hartsop above How, Hart Crag, Dove Crag, Little Hart Crag and High Hartsop Dodd, 11th August 2013

I parked up at the FREE Cow Bridge car park in Hartsop at just after 9.30. I got going quickly or rather I didn’t as immediately on leaving the car park it’s a near vertical climb to get up the first couple of hundred metres through old deciduous woodland. A good warm up and a fast height gain which brings you out nearly on the top of the ridge. The path winds its way along the ridge with some knobbly bits to either circuit or crest. I did a mixture. The first Wainwright is Hartsop above How which is really just a high bit on a ridge but it’s in the book.

There were a couple of showers along the way but so brief that it wasn’t worth getting the hard shell or anorak out (Cath laughed at me last week for calling it an anorak!) Towards the end of the ridge there’s a short section of scree and then it’s a quick move across to reach Hart Crag. By the time I got there I was in the full force of the wind and it was chilly so I ended up wearing t shirt, merino long shirt, soft shell, hard shell, buff over my head and gloves. Wet, wind and cold.

I didn’t stop long on Hart Crag and carefully levered myself down the somewhat treacherous big lumps of rock and across to Dove Crag. At this point I actually saw some people. There were some people behind me going along the ridge earlier but even though we’d said hello they became spots in the distance before long. A quick lunch sheltering behind a rock and then on to find the wall or fence to follow down to Little Hart Crag.

The fence turned out not to exist except for the uprights but they were still there slowly rotting. I basically followed them all the way to Scandale Pass at which point I went up onto Little Hart Crag, where I had a wee thinking that I was quite alone as had seen no-one coming in any direction. So I was a bit surprised when a couple and a dog turned up shortly afterwards. I asked the woman to take my photo so that Brothers Water was in the background but as you will see, she didn’t manage to do this and it’s just as well I had my iPhone to piddle around with! By this time it was very hot and sunny and I was back in just my t shirt.

Little Hart Crag is at the top of High Hartsop Dodd so I just got going along a nice grassy path which ends in a truncated spur and is thus very steep to descend but fast. The couple with the dog went off the hill at top speed.

At the bottom there was a field to cross and I’d been wondering what the large brown thing was. It turned out to be a sleepy bull so I was glad that the hopeless photographer’s dog had not upset it.

Then it was a quick walk along a good flat gravel path by the side of Brothers Water and back to the car by about 3.15 and home by 5.30.

Please visit Map and Compass and learn how to interpret a map with me and my navigation partner, Cath.

P1020182 — I think this is an example of sedimentary rock, any geologists out there?

P1020185 — Clear water tarn on Little Hart Crag

Hellvellyn via Striding Edge and Catstye Cam 3rd August 2013

Cath and I met up at Glenridding car park. We set off at about 10.45 after I’d done some pfaffing about. The car park still costs £7 for the day.

We went up to Hole in the Wall which doesn’t dispense anything and has possibly been filled in as can’t say I even noticed it. This is the point for starting Striding Edge. The first part is a inevitably quite gentle and just starts to ease you in to a bit of exposure, we stayed to the right just under the ridge. We saw a young man in jeans who was clinging to the path and obviously very terrified. We gave some words of encouragement but we didn’t see him later on so I reckon he’d backtracked which would probably have been the right thing to do as he wasn’t in a particularly terrifying spot when we saw him.

Mostly we stayed to the right on the path just below the ridge. At one spot you have to make a move down and most people were just doing this in their stride but we stopped to weigh it up and Cath was getting a bit anxious. Instead of following the crowd I moved to the left and got to a steady spot and I think this encouraged Cath to do the same as she soon followed me. We hadn’t liked the look of the drop to the right. Some guys were being helpful and making suggestions but we didn’t really follow them. We reckoned on making our own decisions and doing what was right for us.

The next tricky spot was soon after where we had to get down a narrow gully. I like doing these but Cath felt a bit less sure so she told me and one of our new friends to stay at the bottom to spot her. Just when her foot was at my eye level I started to move away but she told me and the chap that we were to stay in place, so we did! I told Cath that she had girl balls and this seemed to help!

That was the worst of it and we next took a path that went round the side of the big outcrop that most people were going over. This was a good route and we climbed up easily. After that we were practically at the top. Once we got to the shelter, a man came round and sold us cake for the British Horse Society which I didn’t even know existed. The lemon drizzle cake was just the ticket at that point. It was pretty cold and breezy on the top which meant the photos were a bit bonkers, and no-one there at that time to take one for us.

Next we went down Swirral Edge which seemed nothing like as scary going down it as it had going up it last year. There wasn’t anyone on it this time which helped. Then along and up to Catstye Cam where we were the only people. It’s quite a small summit so this was just as well. Then down off the top and back along a good path all the way to Glenridding via the Youth Hostel which looks great and is in a good location. Cath said it was nice as she’d stayed there with Lee earlier on this year.

We got back at about 5.30, went and had some not so nice cake in the wrong cafe. I’d forgotten Fellbites. But the tea was fine and just what was needed.

A Quality Mountain Day with a fab companion!

P1020162 — Intrepid Cath on the top of Striding Edge

P1020166 — Looking back along the Edge from the top

P1020167 — Despite appearances I am not about to punch Cath in the head!

Please visit Map and Compass and learn how to interpret a map with me and my navigation partner, Cath.

Bruce and me, Leeds, 24th July 2013

On Monday I went to see the film “Springsteen and I” at the National Media Museum in Bradford. The cinema has had a refurb and it’s an even better venue now. The film was ok but I would much rather see Bruce live, so on Wednesday I did just that.

This was the first time I’ve been to a big gig on my own and given that my relationship with him is one to one this was fine!

I got to Leeds mid afternoon and parked the car easily at the top of the Merrion Centre which is bang next to Leeds Arena. It was 28 degrees and I thought that if I was going to stand in the queue for any length of time I would be roasted alive so I popped straight into Boots for some factor 50 and then into Sports Direct for a bargain cap.

I’d booked a ticket for the Badlands fan club pre-show party at Tiger Tiger. It was lovely and air conditioned. Mark Wright played some Springsteen songs, he’s a good performer but he just isn’t Bruce.

I drank a bottle of Peroni in the afternoon which was something I haven’t done for a very long time indeed. Then I was a bit chilled by the air con so I left to get in the queue for the Arena.

It was weirdly now quite cool outside and I had to worry if I would be warm enough! I got into the queue and had a chat with a nice couple from Boston Spa. They turned out to be friends with Nils!

Bruce was rehearsing so there was a bit of a wait, you would think they knew the songs by now, as it turned out he played some rare songs so these would have needed rehearsing. At last I got into the Arena and went straight up to the top. It’s very well designed so that there’s a good view from all seats, mine was right at the front of the top tier so not bad but I would have loved to be closer (some of my work colleagues managed to get much nearer, grr).

I got myself a pint of Heineken and a small veggie pizza, well designed, more like an actual pie in shape so it held the contents in. It wasn’t bad at all. As well as getting good marks for having a veggie option they also sold salad in a pot which is a first for this type of venue.

The only thing the Arena needs to sort out is that the loos didn’t have catches on them which meant that all the women coming out were having a good moan. I can’t tell you how many times I heard “there’s no catch on the door!!”

In my seat and Bruce was half an hour late getting on stage. On my left I had a man who just absorbed intensely and on my right was a couple who moved not a muscle and clapped politely. Really I don’t know why they bothered to come. Everybody around them was on their feet and joining in as per usual.

The show was one of the best I’ve seen and my highlight was If I Should Fall Behind as acoustic solo prior to Thunder Road at the end.

But still no Frankie for me so looks like I’ll just have to go again, I need to be closer to him. I have been once, at Milton Keynes on the Human Touch tour but perhaps if Bruce could just pop in for a cold beer and some home cooking then that’ll be just fine…

P1020144 — Max Weinberg, Soozie Tyrell, Nils Lofgren and Bruce

Please visit Map and Compass and learn how to interpret a map with me and my navigation partner, Cath.

Bruce and me, Leeds, 24th July 2013

This was the first time I’ve been to a big gig on my own and given that my relationship with him is one to one this was fine!

I drank a bottle of Peroni in the afternoon which was something I haven’t done for a very long time indeed. Then I was a bit chilled by the air con so I left to get in the queue for the Arena.

It was weirdly now quite cool outside and I had to worry if I would be warm enough! I got into the queue and had a chat with a nice couple from Boston Spa. They turned out to be friends with Nils!

The show was one of the best I’ve seen and my highlight was If I Should Fall Behind as acoustic solo prior to Thunder Road at the end.

Please visit Map and Compass and learn how to interpret a map with me and my navigation partner, Cath.

Canal, Pennine Bridleway and Roman Road bike ride 13th July 2013

Bit late writing this but have been preoccupied with kidneys and life.
Chris and I started at her house using the canal path to get to Littleborough. It’s a well made path so a pleasure to ride on. Chris then guided me through Eelees woods which was a footpath so we walked across to Hollingworth Lake visitor centre via multiple kissing gates which was quite a challenge.
Got onto the bridleway to commence the big ascent we sensibly planned for a very hot day! This was a bit of pushing so we stopped for lunch and to gird our loins for what was to come.
A short flat stretch then we were at the base of the big hill going up to Blackstone Edge. We wanted to stay off the road but this meant footpath and Roman Road. A stiff climb indeed which was all push with frequent stops. Totally lathered when we got to the top.
Across to the White House pub which we’d held out as a carrot to reach the top. Imagine our disappointment to find it shut! Just like the last time when we were frozen and needed hot choc. They are missing a trick that’s for sure.
So onwards passing 3 reservoirs along the bridleway, destination Gaddings Dam. To reach it there is a paving stone footpath which we only sometimes managed to stay on. Extreme cyclists we are not! See video. Once at the dam Chris parked me in a quiet spot, got into her swimsuit and into the water. She only did a short swim but said it was lovely. I thought I was filming her but had pressed the wrong button so just a still.
After Chris had changed we got back on the bikes to some quite hard paths but then soon to the road and a lovely whizz down to Chris’ house.
She came over later to our house and we had barbecued chicken and mini burgers with salad We sat out by the new shed!

Please visit Map and Compass and learn how to interpret a map with me and my navigation partner, Cath.