Autumn Morning Moods

Sunday November 14th
It's been a curious week, meeting friends and colleagues from my old work, Jo, Vivienne, Mark, Roger.  They are all leaving, following my four year old footsteps.  Best to them.

Magic morning across the valley

Max pays attention

Sun like a bubble pop yellow up it floats

Bonfire biking

November 6th - pinging day

Left Max on guard

Went out for an 18 mile ride round the Layton Loop

Light fantastic everywhere

Nearly home

More pictures here

Nabster Blaster

Thursday 21st - in or out?
Brief debate about venue - Beacon Scar or Park Nab?
Seeing as the wind was getting up we - being hardy types - headed for the least sheltered and most exposed option......

(c) Simon Caldwell

with thanks

It was hoolified up top, although Norm reported wind free climbing - hang on that can't be right.

5 TR routes done - an HVS 5a claiimbed, plus a visit to dogsville.

Belayer gets blown about

Lake Fever

Wednesday 13th
Outdoor day, late start (bulldog blues) then plan A into action, up onto Hartsop and some messing about on Gill Crag.  Last there in July 1999. Hopes for repeat rays not fulfilled.

Dropped a rope for Norm to wander at will up the sweeping slab in the sinking mist.  Picture shown courtesy considerable artistic license.

4.6 miles, 400 metres ascent and descent.



Tuesday 12th October

Headed west to catch some rays, arrived at Howtown in the late misty morning.

Walk from there to Glenridding, Steamer back.  Six miles or so.

 Sun burning it off

Lakeland at its most fantabulous


No commentary possible

Glenridding pier

More stuff at Lakes 2010

Three blokes and a bird

It's October, the forecast is mixed, so what better plan than to head up to the high moors to the most altitudinous and exposed crag in the North East?

 

Took cover from sudden squall  in thoughtfully built shelter.




Had to abandon after one short warm up route, utterly failed in that objective, the wind having upped to typhoonic proportions.

It's no Healaughing matter!

A quick regroup and plan B was in place, a life threatening walk across the pheasant infested moorland - the shooters were out in force, but by the time we got close they'd given up their own ghost, anything they hit was blown clean to Barnard Castle.

Except for the one that Peter despatched with mercy aforethought.

.

.



Thompson wins mad hat challenge.





All in all 8 miles round with a brief interlude in the Punch Bowl, Feetham

Trail trials

Left car at Bowlees and bussed back to Middleton in Teesdale (Alston Garage upper Teesdale minibus service). Hudeshope valley and over the moor to Newbiggin.  Followed D&S Times route up Hueshope back and over the moor back to Newbiggin.  Several deviations to avoid horses, cows, bulls etc.

Looking up Teesdale

Walk - 5 miles, 255m ascent

Looking ahead - thinking back

Tophet Wall. Late September 2002. Arrived late, losing the sun, wind getting up. First pitch felt straight in at the deep end after an extra long walk in via Grains Gill. Made the moves, belayed, and upwards and onwards. Led the hand traverse, felt comfortable with the exposure. Peter led the last pitch, all flapping goretex and whipping ropes.

Unforgettable.

October 2006.  Great North Road P2. Colin on belay. "It's up there". Climbed up, small holds, getting smaller, gear in, close to limit, climb down. Look at Colin. He looks back. I gather myself and climb, up past the gear, out over the drop, up under the roof, flap in a wire, useless! Grab a cam, ram it in, clip it and breathe. Breathe some more. Pull up and round, angle eases, more gear in! It's done! Look down and there is my Dad at the bottom of the crag, he'd come along to watch the game, just like he used to do when I was a 16 year old in the first team, sneaked up without saying anything.

Unforgettable.

Another view

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UKC Mar 30 2021