Lakeland Splendour
13th April 2014
Went up Old Man of Coniston, Brim Fell, Grey Friar, Great Carrs, Swirl How and then back to Dow Crag, on a wonderful spring day. It was clear, though a cold northerly wind meant I had to keep wrapped up.
The hills were full of Easter visitors. This weekend and the following week will be busy.....this represents a sudden change to my new world as I have been enjoying (and got too used to) the hills full of only myself. However, I stayed to minor paths and ways, which ensured my day was relatively quiet.
It does amaze me how many different ways you can climb the mountains and how few people go off the main paths to explore. This is good for me as I can find solitude in busy areas, even on bank holidays. Wainwright has often been criticised for attracting people to the mountains and for making these popular routes even busier. They further argue his guides have been a contributory cause to the erosion of the Fells. Forgetting the irony and hypocrisy of these critics (as their diatribe is often found in Walking Magazines) they seem to ignore that Mr Wainwright offered many ways up the hills, often stating that busy routes should be avoided, plus he championed the idea that walkers should experiment and find their own routes. Unfortunately, few seldom do, the critics included.
However, I have (due to AW's guides) discovered new ways into the mountains, plus been inspired to 'develop' my own. Some are too steep, rocky, unclear, but some can be complete gems, opening up the Mountain in a new way whilst allowing me to enjoy peace and solitude. The lakes will always be popular and we should enjoys beauty with a sense of responsibility. So spread your horizons/ambitions, look for the new and novel as there is a lot more to the lakes other than Helvellyn, Stridding Edge and the Langdales (beautiful though they are).
Back to today - Saw lots of wheatears, which i take as a promising symbol as last year (due to a very poor spring/winters grip held long) there was very few up in the fells. Added to this, two days earlier I saw a single Swallow, flitting across a high tarn, south of White Pike (nr Broughton Mill). There must be few insects for this early, hungry visitor, so hopefully the High Pressure forecast for the week will cause a flourish of hatching, it's a long way from Africa to South Cumbria, (s)he must be peckish!
The hills were full of Easter visitors. This weekend and the following week will be busy.....this represents a sudden change to my new world as I have been enjoying (and got too used to) the hills full of only myself. However, I stayed to minor paths and ways, which ensured my day was relatively quiet.
It does amaze me how many different ways you can climb the mountains and how few people go off the main paths to explore. This is good for me as I can find solitude in busy areas, even on bank holidays. Wainwright has often been criticised for attracting people to the mountains and for making these popular routes even busier. They further argue his guides have been a contributory cause to the erosion of the Fells. Forgetting the irony and hypocrisy of these critics (as their diatribe is often found in Walking Magazines) they seem to ignore that Mr Wainwright offered many ways up the hills, often stating that busy routes should be avoided, plus he championed the idea that walkers should experiment and find their own routes. Unfortunately, few seldom do, the critics included.
However, I have (due to AW's guides) discovered new ways into the mountains, plus been inspired to 'develop' my own. Some are too steep, rocky, unclear, but some can be complete gems, opening up the Mountain in a new way whilst allowing me to enjoy peace and solitude. The lakes will always be popular and we should enjoys beauty with a sense of responsibility. So spread your horizons/ambitions, look for the new and novel as there is a lot more to the lakes other than Helvellyn, Stridding Edge and the Langdales (beautiful though they are).
Back to today - Saw lots of wheatears, which i take as a promising symbol as last year (due to a very poor spring/winters grip held long) there was very few up in the fells. Added to this, two days earlier I saw a single Swallow, flitting across a high tarn, south of White Pike (nr Broughton Mill). There must be few insects for this early, hungry visitor, so hopefully the High Pressure forecast for the week will cause a flourish of hatching, it's a long way from Africa to South Cumbria, (s)he must be peckish!