Walking Forum

Regions - Trip reports, destination advice, recommended routes, etc. => Lake District => Topic started by: April on 19:27:17, 06/11/18

Title: TR A wet and windy day at Aira Force Sat 3 Nov 18
Post by: April on 19:27:17, 06/11/18
It was another day walk for us on Saturday, a low level walk, the weather forecast was atrocious for the fells with rain and strong winds that would continue overnight. Not weather we would want to be camping out in. We got the bus to Aira Force and the plan was to walk up by the waterfalls then on to Dockray, along the Old Coach Road and leave it for Newsham and Threlkeld to get the bus. It was raining a little when we got off the bus but the wind was quite calm in the woods. We had Lady with us this weekend, Beefy's daughters dog.

The autumnal colours on the way up to Aira Force
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4892/43919909970_c176a850f6_z.jpg) (http://)

Aira Force
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1957/45012532614_34838b4cba_z.jpg) (http://)

More colours on the way up by the beck
(https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1937/45012438664_165de6dbbf_z.jpg) (http://)

As soon as we left the woods further on from High Force the wind and the rain got worse and it was heavy rain now. I didn't take any photos for a while, the camera was put away. We sacked the idea of going along the Old Coach Road when we got close to Dockray, the wind would be even worse along there. We took the footpath toward Ulcat Row, hoping to find some shelter for some lunch. We got almost to the road at Ulcat Row before we found somewhere and deployed the storm shelter. We had a quick stop to eat some food.

We were quite wet and I have to say I am disappointed with the Rab Downpour jacket. It does let in water and it is not that waterproof. It might be showerproof but it doesn't handle heavy Lake District rain. My top was wet near my neck like last time, my hair was wet and my arms were wet at the bottom. The jacket had absorbed a lot of water and was very heavy with all the rain. I wish I'd got another Marmot Precip in hindsight. I thought I was buying a better jacket paying more for the Rab one  :(

We retraced our steps to Aira Beck, with the wind right in our faces going back. In hindsight we should have turned around at the footbridge after High Force, staying where it was sheltered in the woods. We wouldn't have got as wet and had a nicer day. We stopped for another break in the Aira Force car park sheltering under one of the buildings. We decided to walk to Glenridding as the next bus was in an hour and a half, too long to wait. There were no views at all as the cloud was as low as the lake, an awful day really.

The camera came out when we got close to Glenridding. The trees were magnificent here, amazing autumn colours and the rain wasn't as heavy in the woods.

Trees near Seldom Seen
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4895/43919654360_6c85667ff6_z.jpg) (http://)

Almost at Glenridding
(https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4809/31865749098_b2f6ac6065_z.jpg) (http://)

Our route was Aira Force bus stop - Aira Force - High Force - Ulcat Row - High Force - Aira Force bus stop - Glencoyne Car Park - Glenridding 12.9km with 321m ascent. A wet miserable day but the colours on the trees near Glenridding made a nice finish to the walk.
Title: Re: TR A wet and windy day at Aira Force Sat 3 Nov 18
Post by: beefy on 19:33:58, 06/11/18
Fantastic pics Ape O0
Those trees are splendid :)
They should have called it the RAB let down jacket  ::)

Title: Re: TR A wet and windy day at Aira Force Sat 3 Nov 18
Post by: Ridge on 19:40:06, 06/11/18
Lovely autumn colours but sounds like a hideous day.
Title: Re: TR A wet and windy day at Aira Force Sat 3 Nov 18
Post by: Rob Goes Walking on 19:48:33, 06/11/18
Sorry your jacket let you down April, mine too let me down though I think it fared better than yours by the sound of it.

Nice autumn photos regardless.

Is that picture of Aira Force a picture of a specific fall called Aira Force? When I was there someone told me the whole watery bit was called Aira Force as I was looking for a specific fall (and didn't find it).
Title: Re: TR A wet and windy day at Aira Force Sat 3 Nov 18
Post by: Dovegirl on 20:11:12, 06/11/18
Beautiful autumn colours April    :)    but what a shame about the weather
Title: Re: TR A wet and windy day at Aira Force Sat 3 Nov 18
Post by: pdstsp on 22:17:50, 06/11/18
You've made a rainy day look great with those pictures, April. 
Title: Re: TR A wet and windy day at Aira Force Sat 3 Nov 18
Post by: April on 08:36:15, 07/11/18
They should have called it the RAB let down jacket  ::)

It should  >:( Or Rab (not actually any use in a) Downpour.

Thanks Ridge, Dovegirl and pdstsp  :)

Is that picture of Aira Force a picture of a specific fall called Aira Force?

Unless I am losing my marbles, the waterfall is Aira Force. The beck is called Aira Beck. I have never heard that the "whole watery bit" is Aira Force  :-\ There are more waterfalls further north up the beck. High Force is nice too.
Title: Re: TR A wet and windy day at Aira Force Sat 3 Nov 18
Post by: pleb on 15:54:31, 07/11/18
More great colours O0
There is some good news...............................I didnt get wet!  ;D ;D :P
Title: Re: TR A wet and windy day at Aira Force Sat 3 Nov 18
Post by: Innominate Man on 09:57:00, 08/11/18
Great photos & the colours are astounding.
Thanks for info on the jacket. I have a light weight Mountain Hardwear that is in dire need of replacing (very old) and have been casually looking on & off for a while: At least the Rab is off my list now  O0


I suppose if it hadn't been for the jacket, letting you down, the day would have been more bearable. The trees were at their best for you anyhow.
Title: Re: TR A wet and windy day at Aira Force Sat 3 Nov 18
Post by: adalard on 11:43:44, 08/11/18
A shame the day was such a washout but you got some excellent photos of the autumnal colours even so - and the one of Aira Force is a beauty, a great picture!  O0
Title: Re: TR A wet and windy day at Aira Force Sat 3 Nov 18
Post by: April on 12:19:22, 08/11/18
There is some good news...............................I didnt get wet!  ;D ;D :P

I am so pleased you stayed dry, well sort of  :D

At least the Rab is off my list now  O0

I think naming it Downpour is very misleading. I'd checked the reviews on Cotswold and most people said it was extremely waterproof and they were all very happy. So I bought it. I've seen since that another forum had a discussion about Pertex shield (the material the downpour is made of) - google "pertex shield 2.5 any experience?" Nobody on there has said it is any good except as a lightweight jacket to use in light rain for a short time. They all say the same - it is pants for any prolonged heavy rain. I will be asking Rab why they have named a jacket "downpour" when it is no use in a downpour  >:(

Thanks adalard  O0
Title: Re: TR A wet and windy day at Aira Force Sat 3 Nov 18
Post by: Petrolhead on 12:44:00, 08/11/18
And even more wonderful woodland shots.


Beautful work April.
Title: Re: TR A wet and windy day at Aira Force Sat 3 Nov 18
Post by: Innominate Man on 13:57:52, 08/11/18
..........I will be asking Rab why they have named a jacket "downpour" when it is no use in a downpour  >:(



Yes, the naming implies it will cope with a downpour, whereas the opposite seems to be true.
Very much in keeping with current marketing strategies - use any word or phrase in association with a product/commodity/policy (Government not excluded in this matter) and leave the public to decide if it's true or not. In reality the word associated is anything but a reflection of what you'd expect.
e.g. " New improved formula" - usually means they've found something cheaper to do a similar job !
I am straying into other territory now  >:(

Title: Re: TR A wet and windy day at Aira Force Sat 3 Nov 18
Post by: April on 20:01:39, 08/11/18
Thanks Petrolhead  O0

" New improved formula" - usually means they've found something cheaper to do a similar job !

Or an even worse job  ;)
Title: Re: TR A wet and windy day at Aira Force Sat 3 Nov 18
Post by: Telluric on 14:30:05, 10/11/18
Great photos, love this time of year, just good to be out despite the weather I think.


Mike
Title: Re: TR A wet and windy day at Aira Force Sat 3 Nov 18
Post by: April on 12:27:56, 12/11/18
Thanks Telluric  O0
Title: Re: TR A wet and windy day at Aira Force Sat 3 Nov 18
Post by: clyoung on 14:38:17, 20/11/18
Lovely autumn colours  O0


I sympathise about your Rab jacket. In my case it was a Rab Spark and despite me sending it back via Go Outdoors, where I bought it, they insisted it was was working as designed. Fortunately for me I found out standing around in a downpour at the railway museum in Conwy rather than out on a hillside.
Title: Re: TR A wet and windy day at Aira Force Sat 3 Nov 18
Post by: April on 19:26:45, 20/11/18
Thanks clyoung  :)

I sympathise about your Rab jacket. In my case it was a Rab Spark and despite me sending it back via Go Outdoors, where I bought it, they insisted it was working as designed.

This is very annoying, the info about my jacket said it was waterproof, the Spark blurb also says it is waterproof  >:(