Author Topic: A winters day on the roof of England.  (Read 2502 times)

snoopdawg

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 468
A winters day on the roof of England.
« on: 11:45:53, 26/11/16 »




Brilliant winters day in the Lakes yesterday Friday 25/11. Early start from home and I was at Seathwaite for 9am. It was a change from the summer days with only 4 other cars there.The car clock temp read -5 parking up and the wind was zero. The snow level was around 1500 feet. Perfect for a winters day. It was only my second time out in a month since munro compleation and time to get back into it.
Took the valley path along to Stockley bridge and started up the path towards Styhead tarn. The path was icy in places and where there had been standing water it was frozen over and impossible to walk on. Got up to Styhead in the usual time of 1 hour and took a break at the stretcher box. I had been intending to go via the corridor route but looking at the NE shoulder of Great End and the snow levels I thought I would go directly up that. Its around 1300 feet of ascent and would be snow work all the way. The first sections are easy gradient and you come to a area where you cross to the steeper section. I had been this way in the summer and wasn't worried by the angle of ascent. The snow was good enough for foot placement and I got the ice axe just for the run off. Its a case of getting on with it and I was on the top by 11.30, 1 1/4 hours for the shoulder taking another break and then wandering across to central gully, a route I hadn't been on since my younger days.















Crossed over from Great End and took the path over Broad crag before dropping down and ascending Scafell Pike getting there at 1pm. After a further break put the crampons as I was going down to the corridor route and I knew that the northern slopes get no winter sun at all and there are several areas where the snow can bank up particularly at the top of Piers Gill. Dropped down to Lingmell col and got to the top of Piers gill. On the way down I had seen footprints by-passing this section. As I got to the top of the gill I could see that snow was banked up and that nobody had been across. I walked across to inspect but the snow was rock hard and such was the angle of the banking I wasn't keen to cross as it puts you at an odd angle and there is a 40 foot drop into the gill so I took the by -pass by climbing around the crag and dropping down onto the path. I continued on and approached the "bad step". I could see that it was plastered with ice so decided to by-pass this as well by going up a snow covered spur from the stream before the rock band that leads to the "bad step" and then dropping down and continuing to Styhead and removing the crampons. From there it was a case of negotiating the icy path back down to the car.
A brilliant day, quite early in the year for having crampons on. Did around 9 miles in about 7 hours















 


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hedgetrimmer

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 106
Re: A winters day on the roof of England.
« Reply #1 on: 13:10:06, 26/11/16 »
I'm a bit jealous actually, as I have no winter hill experience, and no experience with crampons/ice axe, so I haven't been getting out down there since the freeze. Not even sure about road conditions for driving around the region!  :-[

Glyno

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 4044
Re: A winters day on the roof of England.
« Reply #2 on: 14:50:24, 26/11/16 »
looks like you had a brilliant day judging by those photos!

karl h

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2351
Re: A winters day on the roof of England.
« Reply #3 on: 15:56:35, 26/11/16 »
Brilliant  O0
You can't beat blue sky and snow walking, nice route up as well, been that way myself but only in summer

Surfer99

  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Posts: 110
Re: A winters day on the roof of England.
« Reply #4 on: 16:10:48, 26/11/16 »
Stunning pictures, that must have been an awesome walk  O0

altirando

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2601
Re: A winters day on the roof of England.
« Reply #5 on: 19:16:57, 26/11/16 »
.Do not automatically assume you can not venture on to English hills in snow conditions without. alpine gear Hedgetrimmer.  The snow cover is often so mixed and icy that old fashioned nailed boots might be more appropriate, and the axe only usable as a walking aid rather than a slide stopper - I would hate to try braking a long slide trying to get the axe point to bite into frozen earth while you bounced from rock to rock..and a pair of poles will help you stay upright on flatter ground.

domtheone

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 1686
Re: A winters day on the roof of England.
« Reply #6 on: 19:43:19, 26/11/16 »
Fabulous O0
If they don't like you going out, they'll love you coming in!

*Money back guarantee does not cover for **** weather!

snoopdawg

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 468
Re: A winters day on the roof of England.
« Reply #7 on: 20:40:47, 26/11/16 »
Thanks for the comments. It was a great day.

sunnydale

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 9105
Re: A winters day on the roof of England.
« Reply #8 on: 19:04:39, 28/11/16 »
Excellent O0
***Happiness is only a smile away***

Ridge

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 9691
Re: A winters day on the roof of England.
« Reply #9 on: 21:06:23, 28/11/16 »
Amazing pictures, thanks for sharing.

redeye

  • Veteran Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 2551
Re: A winters day on the roof of England.
« Reply #10 on: 22:38:03, 29/11/16 »
Fantastic  O0

 

Terms of Use     Privacy Policy