Ingleborough - Ingleton

This walk was cool! I was joined not just by Gary but by Simon too, and the fantastic three set off early morning to Ingleton for our biggest challenge yet... Getting Gary to go to Yorkshire! well that was a challenge but we were also here to climb Ingleborough which at 730 metres (2350 feet) was easily the highest place we had been.

To say it was misty up there was an understatement. we couldnt see the peak at all until we were on it! and the wind.... well 'Gale Force' doesnt do it justice on top!

We walked at a steady pace not able to see much at all really, the mist came and went in seconds and then came back again. The path on the way up was fairly steady but got harder as time went on and then you suddenly start climbing the mountain itself.

You go up lord of the rings type stone steps over ridges thinking you are there only to look up and see another ridge towering over you! By this time i was getting tired. We hadnt stopped too much to refuel with grapes, pistachios mustachios and BBQ pringles but my feet were hurting and I was slowing and so was Simon. Gary pressed ahead loving the steps and scrambling over rocks.

Its hard to describe the spookiness and desolation of a place like this, in this weather but I loved it! Gary loved it less when he reached the top in thick fog and found himself on his own!

a couple of mins later we arrived for group photos and for a slice of Gary's wifes chocolate cake!

luckily there is a wind shelter up there or else the cake could have blown back to Lancashire on it own!

The next question was 'where do we go from here?' tough SAS trained commando Gary Lunn decided the best way was to march off into the thick fog in a random direction straight off the side of the mountain. Grizzled veteran climber Simon Owen agreed ;)

Sense eventually prevailed when the reality of certain death or glory awaited and we retraced our way back to the car with aching limbs.

Top walk! and yep Gary now wants a bigger challenge! Everest will surely follow!

Pendle Hill

This was the first walk in our proper colour coordinated walking gear ;0)

Gary had pestered me so much about going here that I was beginning to hate the place! ;)

Not a bad walk, with a steady climb twisting up the side of the hill. then some steep climb and finally a steady walk on the plateau to the top. You get some great views for miles around, and then you walk down the stone steps and back to Barley village and your starting point.

Pendle Hill is 1850 feet (560m) high and an imposing sight when you drive past it. Its more of a slog than anything though with no scrambling needed. oh yeah this was Yoda and Gordon T Gopher's 1st walk out to though I am sure not the last!

Gary left Pendle wanting bigger challenges... :O)

Catbells - Keswick

This was a tough walk!!! me and Gary set off on a long drive up to Derwent Water near Keswick to walk one of the lakes most popular fells 'Catbells'.

It aint all that high at 470 metres (1450 feet) high but it seems much higher! We got a boat accross the lake which was a cool way to start and then started ascending the fell.

And ascend we did! i was knackered after about 10 mins! as not only do you climb immediately but also its bloody relentless! not a bad of level ground! all steep climb! like climbing stairs for 10 mins!

The winding path eventually leads you to the plateau of the fell but that is only half the job. Next you have another 2 smaller 'tops' of the hill which require careful walking and scrambling. Not easy when its wet,misty and slippery. And then you see the daunting final peak! me and Gary looked at each other as if to say 'is that possible?' it looked almost vertical! these little ants were climbing up it so I tried to be braver than I was and tiredly pressed on..

By the time you are at the top you have only walked about a mile and a half and only walking for less than an hour but in that time you have climbed over a thousand feet from the lake.

The hill is bloody crowded too! too many people around, and Gary was like a kid in a sweet shop climbing and scrambling to the top.

After that it was a steep descent down and an easy walk back through the woods to the boat. probably little more than 5 miles in total walked but my feet hurt and I was pretty knackered!

The pictures tell you all you need to know!

Hampsfell - Grange over Sands

This was a nice fairly easy walk up a small hill on a rare good day this summer.

Not too hard work but a great place with some superb views over to the mountains of the Lakes and accross the bay towards Arnside.

And as you can see plenty of rocks including some that make good photos :)

The top of the hill has a tower known as 'hampsfell hospice' and has a viewfinder to show you what hills you are looking at. Sitting on the slopes looking down at the scenery is so relaxing I didnt want to leave :)