mountains Archives - A family day out

Twixmas walking in Keswick, Lake District

I love the days between Christmas and New Year. Not for the Christmas TV, piles of chocolate or Boxing Day sales. Instead it’s the call of the mountains.

As in previous years I’d booked a short walking holiday with Country Adventures. This year the destination was Keswick in the Lake District.

Keswick YHA

Our base was Keswick YHA. At the welcome meeting on the first evening it was great to see familiar faces from previous trips and meet new ones. Joe, the leader, talked through the walk options and the format of the break.

I shared a dorm room with three other ladies from the trip. However if youth hostels aren’t for you, Keswick is packed with hotels and B&Bs. It definitely has the feel of a holiday town about it. We ate out in town both nights; there’s plenty of options to choose from and I can recommend the Fellpack.

Day 1 – High Seat

Our first walk was a 10 mile route via Walla Crag, Bleaberry Fell and High Seat.

For me, the weather can make or break a walk. Purists might roll out the ‘no such thing as bad weather only unsuitable clothing’ saying but I beg to differ. I’ve been soaked enough times (in suitable clothing) to know I don’t like walking in rain.

I was therefore relieved when the drizzly stuff that accompanied our walk out of Keswick towards Walla Crag eased off.

Once up on Walla Crag the weather started to improve and we were treated to views back over Derwentwater, its islands and the surrounding fells.

We met another group of walkers at the stile which crosses the stone wall. With typical English politeness each urged the other to go first so it took twice as long as it needed to.

At Bleaberry summit we stopped in the small sheltered area for lunch number one (one of the benefits of walking). Another couple, fully kitted out in walking gear, surprised us by asking which fell they were on. Closely followed by another couple asking the same question!

The boggy bit between Bleaberry and High Seat - about to get boggier! — The boggy bit between Bleaberry and High Seat – about to get boggier!

Between Bleaberry and High Seat the ground gets boggier. Over the years I like to think I’ve perfected my bog walking technique. Move quick, step lightly and when you need to make landfall choose the brown reedy sections. It’s not always successful but I’m pleased to say it worked well on this walk.

I thought we’d escaped any further rain but the presence of a rainbow behind us suggested otherwise. Sure enough the rain clouds caught up with us as we reached the summit of High Seat. Fortunately a rocky platform provided some shelter and the opportunity for lunch number two.

The shower blew through quickly and we started a lovely descent from High Seat. The sun even made an appearance.

At the foot of the hill we reached Ashness Bridge. This is evidently the most photographed bridge in the Lake District. Probably something to do with it being next to a car park! Cynicism aside the backdrop of Skiddaw makes for a great photograph, particularly with the fading afternoon light.

Our route home took us under Falcon Crag and down and around the shore of Derwentwater. Dusk fell quickly and it was dark by the time we reached Keswick.

Day 2 – Causey Pike

Joe offered two walking options for the second day. An 11 mile walk with 3400ft of ascent taking us over Sail & Causey Pike, or a slightly shorter lower level option. As I hail from the flatlands of Oxfordshire there was no hesitation, I chose the higher option.

Setting out from Braithwaite, the first couple of miles took us along a well made track into the Coledale Valley. Our path was an access route for Force Crag Mine, whose abandoned buildings sit at the head of the valley. Lead, barites and zinc were mined here until its closure in 1990.

We diverted off the mine track to cross stepping stones across a ford and started our climb uphill. Looking back down to the mine we could see two large pools which I’ve since discovered were for water treatment. It turns out the environmental impact from the mine was one of the worst in the UK as metal polluted water used to flow into Coledale Beck and onwards. It’s hard to take this in when you’re surrounded by the grandeur of the mountains; somehow you always think of pollution as a city problem.

Onwards and upwards. Climbing into the mist. And the wind. In equal measure of hating rain I love walking in the wind! There’s nothing that makes you feel more alive than wind whipping across your face. It was a day to blow the cobwebs away.

The first summit, of Crag Hill, arrived in a blur of mist and cairns. We stood beside the trig point for the obligatory group shot. Although the barren plateau could have been anywhere!

From Crag Hill we picked our way down the rocky path, on towards Sail. As we descended the mist slowly cleared and we were able to glimpse the valley below. It’s a fabulous section of the walk, even if the wind was doing its best to take us off our feet.

From Sail we followed the relatively new zigzag path down and on towards Causey Pike. Many walkers call this an eyesore; I rather like it.

There’s a short scrambly section to get off the summit of Causey Pike. It’s a straightforward scramble if you’re walking up the fell although a little more interesting descending it on wet rock.

The only downside to this walk was the 4 mile traipse back into Keswick. It was a perfectly good route but for me the walk is finished once you get off the hill. There was one saving grace, a cafe, serving Rolo brownies. It was dark once more by the time we left the cafe; I so look forward to long summer days again.

Day 3

Joe offers a third shorter day of walking but unless the trip is closer to home I leave early to beat the traffic. Although I’d much prefer to be in the mountains than on the M6!

More info

I walked with Country Adventures. The trip cost £235 including YHA accommodation and breakfast but excluding packed lunches and evening meals.

Joe gets a lot of repeat business (almost everyone on the Twixmas trip was a previous customer) which is a testament to his professionalism. If you enjoy mountain walking in a small group without the hassle of map reading check out his trips for the coming year.

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My 2018 top five – and the future of this blog

Another year over. Time to reflect on the year gone by and to think about what 2019 will bring. I love looking back at what we’ve done and deciding on my five favourite things of the year. In no particular order they were:

1. Running an ultramarathon – 100km Race to the Stones

Race to the Stones Copyright: Sussex Sport Photography

This wasn’t particularly enjoyable but running 100km along the Ridgeway from Lewknor to Avebury was a huge achievement. And one I’ll never repeat! Given that I swore I’d never run another marathon I’m not entirely sure why I decided to run an ultra instead. I guess I like a challenge. It was hot, it was very long and my toenails have only just grown back. But I did it!

2. Driving the Hardknott and Wrynose passes, Lake District

It’s a strange turn of events when I count a day sitting in a car driving the Hardknott and Wrynose passes as one of my favourite activities of the year. Despite our incredible summer we managed to coincide our Lake District holiday with a week of rain. All of our wet weather clothing was, er wet, so I decided on a driving tour, taking in the famously steep passes. Fortunately the drive wasn’t quite as hairy as I expected. Instead, the passengers were treated to great scenery (I could only watch the road), waterfall walks and a spectacularly located Roman fort.

3. Exploring Worm’s Head, near Rhossili, Gower Peninsula

I loved everything about our day exploring the tidal Worm’s Head. How can I fail to enjoy a day with all of my favourite things in? Rockpooling, scrambling over jagged rocks, watching seals and eating sandwiches with an incredible view for a backdrop. A fabulous day.

4. GR221 walks in Majorca

This is is the year I finally made it to Majorca. And it was everything I expected. From the moment we left a grey, cold UK at Easter and flew into the warmth of sunny Palma I knew I’d love the island. Things that I remember? The smell of the citrus groves, incredible mountain walks, a Tardis of an apartment (with its own lemon grove) and freshly squeezed orange juice. It was one of those holidays where every aspect was perfect. Even the teens loved it!

5. George Ezra at Truck Festival, Oxfordshire

I’m not much of a festival person but when it’s local (as in, I can sleep in my own bed) and features my kind of line up (read, suitable for middle aged person) then I make an exception. I didn’t actually buy a ticket but volunteered for a few hours and got to watch George singing one of my favourite songs on one of those hot sunny weekends. Pretty memorable.

Blogging in 2019

Regular readers will notice two things – I don’t blog as often as I used to and the kids don’t feature as much. They’re both teenagers now; one is in their GCSE year, the other is Xbox obsessed. We still go out and I’ll continue to write about our walks, holidays and day trips. But I’ll be focusing less on family attractions and more on ‘grown up’ activities, sometimes without the kids.

What will I blog about? Well, I’m still working through my UK bucket list so I’ll be posting about these trips; in fact I have a couple to still write about from recent months. And, in a little over 12 months, I have a big birthday coming up and am planning a year of mini adventures so I’ve plenty of ideas up my sleeve.

How about you? What are your plans for 2019?

Four scenic walks around the Brecon Beacons National Park

My first holiday away from family was a pony trekking trip in the Brecon Beacons in South Wales. I remember eating cowboy pie, incessant rain, singing along to Karma Chameleon on the school bus (yes, it was that long ago) and plenty of red mud. I loved it. It was also the first time I saw mountains in real life. Since then I’ve climbed plenty of hills but I’ve still got a soft spot for the Brecon Beacons. These four walks from our recent holiday show all that’s great about the area:

1. Hay Bluff and Lord Hereford’s knob (Twmpa)

This is a popular route close to Hay-on-Wye. You could easily walk to Hay Bluff from Hay-on-Wye but we cheated and drove to the car park at the foot of the hill. From there it’s a steep walk to the 2221 ft summit of Hay Bluff. You won’t be alone. You won’t get lost either as the path is easily visible from the car park. Up top we discovered our first trig point of the week emblazoned with a red dragon. Oh, and a great view of the Wye Valley.

Film buffs might know that scenes from ‘An American werewolf in London’ were shot around Hay Bluff; we saw plenty of moorland ponies but fortunately no werewolves.

A lot of people conquer Hay Bluff and return to the car park. If you’ve time it’s worth extending your walk to include a nearby peak, Twmpa. It’s a lovely walk along the escarpment before you temporarily lose height to cross the Gospel Pass Road, the highest road pass in Wales. Once across the road it’s back up the hill to reach the summit of Twmpa, also known as Lord Hereford’s knob. This name was, as expected, the subject of much hilarity with the teens.

The mist descended on us, seemingly from nowhere, as we took a break on the summit. A sunny autumn day quickly turned into a chilly pea souper. And did we imagine the sound of werewolves?

From Twmpa we headed downhill towards the next peak, Rhos Dirian. We emerged from the mist and passed an unhappy girl trailing behind a Duke of Edinburgh group. Shortly afterwards we took the steep path down the side of the edge and started our return to the car park. Although it’s easy to see where you need to be (the car park is visible from quite a distance) do bring a map to ensure you take the right tracks.

2. Walk around Craig Cerrig-gleisiad Nature Reserve

View from Craig Cerrig-gleisiad nature reserve

Although a relatively short walk (4 miles) the AA route around Craig Cerrig-gleisiad Nature Reserve is full of interest. The route takes you to the summit of Fan Frynych and around the cliff edges of Craig Cerrig-gleisiad. Alternatively if you want to stay low you could simply explore the reserve’s large amphitheatre carved out by ice and landslides.

After entering the reserve we turned north and followed an undulating dry stone wall for a mile or so through dying bracken. An uphill stretch followed which took us to to a bumpy plateau and another dragon trig point.

Craig Cerrig-Gleisiad nature reserve is famous for its arctic-alpine plants and birds such as ring ouzel and peregrine falcons. In time honoured tradition we didn’t see any of these but we played hide and seek with a couple of grouse near the summit trig.

The summits of Pen y Fan and Corn Du can be seen from many walks in the Brecon Beacons including this one. We were the only people on Fan Frynych but wondered how many were on top of these rather more popular peaks. Certainly I recall a steady stream of walkers when we climbed Pen y Fan.

Start of descent from Craig Cerrig-gleisiad

After lunch we circled the top of the cliffs before tackling the downhill section. This was extremely steep and quite slippy in places. If, like me, you’ve got ageing knees you might be better off exploring alternative descents!

Craig Cerrig-gleisiad nature reserve, Brecon Beacons

3. Caerfanell Valley and Carn Pica

This was another AA walk, following the extended version of the Skyline Walking above the Caerfanell Valley route (only available in the AA book, not online). The first section, up on to and along the edge of Craig y Fan Ddu, was pretty hard going due to the bitter wind. Not pleasant at all despite the views. It was a relief to turn out of the wind.

With the wind behind us, we followed the well marked path across the moorland of Waun Rydd. It took us a while to decide on a picnic spot as most of the area is exposed and marshy but we finally found one with a view over to Pen-y-Fan. Only to discover that neither of us were carrying the sandwiches. Whoops. Thankfully we had some snacks to tide us over.

Lunch, of sorts, over we walked on to experience one of my favourite sections of the walk. The views from the beehive Carn Pica and down to Talybont Reservoir and across to the Black Mountains were stunning, possibly my favourite in the Brecon Beacons. With one eye on the view we continued along the edge of the escarpment, passing the tempting ridge route to Allt Lwyd and then traversing cliffs to reach another smaller cairn (in feature photo). From here it was possible to take a short diversion to visit the wreckage and memorial of a Canadian plane crash. In hindsight I wish we had. But we had a hangry teen, about to die of starvation, with us.

Instead we walked downhill to the second scenic treat of this walk, a series of waterfalls. The Brecon Beacons are well known for their waterfalls, particularly those at Ystradfellte. The ones on this route are a quieter alternative although given the size of the Blaen-y-Glyn car parks I’m guessing this is not always the case. The path follows the Caerfanell River, with some added diversions around fallen trees or particularly boggy bits.

At the largest waterfall we turned into the woodland where we discovered the walk had a sting in its tail. It was a very steep trek up through a section of felled forest back to the car park!

Caerfanell waterfall, near Talybont-on-Usk, Brecon Beacons

If, after the walk, you’re looking to appease hungry children (or adults) I recommend the Old Barn Tea rooms. Follow the signs from the car park; it’s bigger and busier than you expect given their apparent remoteness. Oh, and they have great coffee.

4. Climbing the Cat’s Back up Black Hill

For our last walk we drove back to England. This walk is in Herefordshire and just outside the Brecon Beacons boundary but as it was recommended to us by the National Park visitor centre I’m including it here. Particularly as it was my favourite walk of the week.

We reached the start after a long, mostly single track, drive from Hay-on -Wye to the picnic site signposted near Llanveynoe. As we hardly saw another car on the journey it was a surprise to arrive and find the small parking area full. Fortunately another walker was just returning so we were able to use his space.

Once out of the car there’s a short, but steep, uphill section to the ridge. The path is clear and up top the vista is wide ranging. Flat green English countryside, aside from the Malverns, on one side of the ridge. The harsh moorland of the Black Mountains on the other. And dark storm clouds in front of us. Can you guess how this walk ended?

I’ve seen this route described as Herefordshire’s Striding Edge. As someone who isn’t too keen on exposure this worried me a little. Fortunately this is infinitely easier than Striding Edge. It’s a fun ridge route without the fear of death that, for me, spoils Striding Edge.

The route is called the Cat’s Back as it evidently looks like one of these from afar. We checked this out on the drive home but I’m not convinced. At the end of the ridge we found a huge cairn, just look at its scale compared to my teenage son!

Black Hill summit trig is a little further on. A good photo stop as always but on this route it’s the ridge that’s the star of the walk.

Our return was hastened by the ominous storm clouds blowing our way. With a forecast of possible thunderstorms, I decided to get off the summit sharpish so we galloped across moorland to reach our descent route. This took us down through the Olchon Valley which, on a fine day, would have been a great place to explore. A pity our descent was marred by hailstones.

We reached the bottom just as the hail eased off. The final part of the route runs along a road with derelict stone buildings on either side. Despite our soaking we’d had a great walk and I was almost tempted to head up the ridge for a second go!

Do you have a favourite walk in the Brecon Beacons?

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A circular drive over the Hardknott and Wrynose passes, Cumbria

If you’ve already read my post about things to do in and around Coniston you’ll know we spent a day driving over the Hardknott and Wrynose passes. The mountain scenery, challenging road conditions and smidgeon of danger made this one of my favourite drives in the UK; justification enough for a longer post with added photos!

Our adventure started from our holiday cottage in Little Langdale with a drive via Coniston to our first stop in Broughton-in-Furness.

Broughton-in-Furness

The town of Broughton-in-Furness is a world away from busy Lakeland towns such as Ambleside and Keswick. It’s a quiet market town, devoid of walking gear shops, twee tea rooms and tourists. Indeed its main claim to fame is that it’s home to best selling author, Richard Parsons. Never heard of him? Neither had I but if you’ve a teen in the house you’ve probably got one of his CGP GCSE revision books!

Despite the low key atmosphere of Broughton I rather enjoyed our short wander around the town. There’s free parking, a tourist information centre (I have a thing about always visiting these) and most importantly, a great bakery. Yes, we visited for cake.

Duddon Iron Furnace

From Broughton we drove to Duddon Iron Furnace. Built in 1736, this charcoal fired furnace was used to make pig iron. Unbeknown to us the site was closed for safety reasons and appears to have been for some time. That said, we could still view it from the bridleway which runs alongside. A little disappointing but still worth stopping for.

After leaving the furnace we retraced our route slightly and drove up the Duddon Valley towards Ulpha and on to Birker Fell Road. Leaden clouds and torrential showers obscured our views making me glad, for once, that I was in a car and not out on the mountains.

Stanley Force Waterfall

The rain stopped temporarily as we approached Dalegarth. Having seen very few visitors on the route so far I was surprised to suddenly see so many wandering beside the road. We soon realised our arrival coincided with that of the tourist train service from Ravenglass.

River Esk, en route to Stanley Ghyll Force

We didn’t have time to ride on the train but took advantage of a break in the weather to walk to Stanley Ghyll Force. The round trip to the waterfall takes about 45 minutes from the car park at Trough House Bridge. The path runs beside the River Esk and as we walked sun glinted through the trees and water drops sparkled on the ferns and mosses. It’s amazing how quickly a sliver of yellow can brighten your day.

Bridge on walk to Stanley Force waterfall

The route crosses a couple of bridges; at the third and final bridge before the waterfall there’s a sign warning visitors to take care. The remaining section of stone path is slippy and there’s a steep drop into the river but it’s worth walking these last few minutes to the viewpoint. You’ll be rewarded with a Timotei-esque waterfall which drops 60 ft into a deep pool. Spectacular!

Retracing our steps we spent time discovering oodles of fungi around Trough House Bridge before rain hurried our retreat to the car. Time for a reviving (non-alcoholic) drink at the Woolpack Inn before our drive over the Passes.

Hardknott Roman Fort

Even if you’re not keen on continuing over the Pass it’s worth driving as far as Hardknott Roman Fort. There’s a small parking spot a few minutes after the cattle grid; alternatively you could park at the cattle grid and walk up. The steep road will give you a flavour of what’s to come…..

Hardknott Fort lies exposed to the elements, bordered by the rugged mountain landscape and overlooking the Eskdale valley. It’s hard to imagine how tough life would have been for the 500 strong cavalry who were stationed here to protect the Pass. Particularly as they were thought to be from the rather more agreeable climate of the Dalmation coast!

The low walls of the fort were partially restored a few years back. Together with the information boards these help visitors interpret the site. It’s possible to identify the location of granaries, lookout towers and garrison headquarters. There’s even a bath house; I just hope it had the famous Roman central heating.

One tip for future visitors. If there’s a stream running down the road when you arrive then change into walking boots. I didn’t and my feet soon discovered the bog surrounding the fort!

Hardknott and Wrynose Passes

The Trip Advisor reviews for Hardknott and Wrynose Pass are five star but mostly recount how terrifying the drive is. Split tyres, vertiginous drops and scary encounters with cars on steep bends. Indeed, our first experience of the Pass was talking to a breakdown truck driver who’d come to Langdale to recover a car whose tyres had burst. Was the Pass really so terrible?

Er, no. Whilst the warning signs are ominous – 1 in 3 gradient, sharp bends, steep drops and unsuitable for caravans – it’s still possible to enjoy the drive. And the five star reviews are justified.

Of course you’ll need to keep your wits about you and your eyes on the road. Don’t get distracted by the scenery. Watch out for the sheep. And for road users coming from the opposite direction. Make sure you give way to those coming uphill.

You’ll also need a decent car. I was relieved to be driving a nifty hire car rather than our 14 year old Ford. Otherwise I fear we’d have been calling out that breakdown truck.

Hardknott was, for me, the harder of the two Passes. The road felt steeper and the bends sharper. I was tempted to stop and photograph the ‘Well done’ sign painted on the road at the end of Hardknott Pass but for obvious reasons it wasn’t practical to stop in many places. And that’s why the Passes look like a doddle in most of my photographs; I could only take them where it was safe to pull over.

Once over Wrynose Pass the road drops down towards Langdale and there’s the opportunity to get out of second gear. Although we had an interesting moment when we met a car midway between passing points. I was relieved we weren’t on the exposed side of the road!

Blea Tarn

Our last stop of the day was Blea Tarn, a National Trust jewel of a lake. Its views of the Langdale Pikes are classic photograph material and we couldn’t resist taking rather a lot. That said, our teens decided they’d had enough of scenery for the day and remained in the car. How could they miss this?

Our 40 mile driving tour ended back in Little Langdale. Our tyres and brakes were intact, our photos numerous and we’d even managed to stay mostly dry. A successful day out for all.

More info

We followed the Coniston-Duddon Valley-Eskdale drive outlined on the Lake District drives website. Highly recommended.
The Passes are closed in winter conditions. Don’t attempt them in snow or ice!