Lake District January 2004

I’d missed out on the autumnal Lake District last year; there were only a few decent i.e. sunny days and I only saw them from a distance from a few web site photos. There simply wasn’t enough clear sunlight to encourage me, or rather reassure me, that it would be a worthwhile trip. So after a few months of that, a determination to see some snow to make up for lost photographs last year (and probably my best walk ever), at the first hint of blue skies and sun I was off up there. There was snow, I knew that, and now all I needed was clear skies and sunshine.

Well it didn’t work out like that. There was indeed some sun and other walking web sites showed it nicely: from people resident in the area, able to set off on daily on-the-spot weather appraisals. I went because of this, but not until the following day. The plan was to return to one of my favourite B & Bs in Grange-in-Borrowdale for 2 nights, and as I was driving up I veered off over to the Langdales and decided to ascend up to Pavey Ark. It only takes about 4 hours so it would extend the fun to another area and provide a first class minor/en route romp. As it turned out this was the best day, and it was not exactly spectacular. Thick grey clouds were like a heavy blanket and although I enjoyed the walking, the familiar scenery and the unfamiliar snow, blue skies would – I know – have made it really spectacular. These were the best photos I managed from this trip; I quite like them but they do not capture the kind of beauty I wanted:

This was about the best sun you could hope for - setting below the clouds at about 4.45 pm, peeping through just a little. I had a tripod with me but the best I could do was shoot off a few hand held and automated shots and get the hell off the top because there was a viciously cold wind:

So another evening in the nice B & B with lovely open fire, and a delicatessen meal from the supermarket. Home from home.

Day 2

Ack. There was no sun, which I was relying on, and the forecast was grim indeed. Not good. Nor was there much snow up in northern Lakeland, the choice being down the valley to the Great End area, over to Hellvellyn, or the other way to Blencathra. The latter was the more modest walk so I decided on this because the grey skies did not justify any prolonged romping. After a trip into Keswick I arrived at the base of Blencathra, it was beginning to rain, and became clear that even a minor trek up to its top (about 3 hours) was not worthwhile. I spent the rest of the day driving around St. Johns in the Vale down a road I’d never been – quite interesting, because it’s a valley I don’t know very well, but this was partly just reconnaissance for future fun as much as a pleasure in itself: grey skies and rain do not a happy day make. I finished by a short amble along a path up from the Blencathra Centre, and that was it. Not very satisfying.

Day 3

Ack again. The skies were looking worse, and the forecast was the same. Time to return home, and I didn’t even consider a low level walk. I drove over to Buttermere just to have a look around; a few people were setting off in full waterproofs but the rain doesn’t inspire me very much. The air was lovely – even in the rain I enjoyed how soft and clean and refreshing it felt, but I didn’t want to be out in it. A sombre Buttermere:

Disappointing then, especially because I’d been looking forward to some snowy walking for a long time, and the fact that I just missed one of the few days where it was really possible. With such heavy rain as it was (washing the limited snow away), I don’t expect any more of the white stuff this winter.