A lot has happened since I last wrote. I am the wrong generation to understand the need to for the constant update on Social media and as a result I am 20 Wainwrights ahead of where I was last time I wrote. Looking at the list I felt quite emotional at the thought that the challenge has already delivered so many wonderful experiences, and it’s hard to keep up. I have met so many incredible people out in the mountains sharing their achievements and motivations for being there. The Spin-A-Round challenge is delivering so much more than I could have hoped for.
June 2019
Ullock Pike, Long Side and Carl Side walking with Bheinn my son trying to remember when I was last up here. 27 years ago having taken the bus from Bassenthwaite to Keswick Mark and I had walked back along the ridge. He grumbled at the price of the bus all the way, pointing out it was cheaper to fly to Venice than get a bus for 7 miles (it was in the days of the 1p air fares). This time there was no grumbling, but the realisation that we had walked in the wrong direction last time and missed the glorious views. Oh! and the ice cream at the Sawmill cafe.
Grike with friends giving my first “extreme” spinning lesson.
July 2019
Burbank and Gavel – walking home from a drop off 5 miles from home and appreciating the privilege to live were we do.
Lank Rigg – a Sunday stroll from home watching the local sport of hound trailing and wondering at the cacophony of bridsong as the dogs disturbed the birds from their pastime on the fellside.
Binsey – the smallest option after dropping my father off at the newly opened Carlisle Airport and had wasted too much time in the garden centre letting the day slip away.
Scafell Pike, Lingmell – Mark’s birthday with great friends and energetic teenagers learning the dangers of the fells and celebrating everybody’s summit victory. The hubbub at the top of the pike is like no other mountain I have ever experienced.
Bannerdale Crags and Bowscale Fell – totally alone on a Saturday evening, after an afternoon spinning with friends at ground level.
Armboth Fell, High Tove, High Seat – while Bheinn hiked Walla Crag with Scouts I met people who “KNEW” me from social media – Result!!! and had a run to the Mary Mount with 15 minutes to spare for a pint before we had to meet Bheinn from his Scout’s walk!
August 2019
Loft Crag, Pike O’Stickle, Harrison Stickle, Thunacar Knotts and around to Pavey Ark the LANGDALES the greatest names in the Lake District and the greatest classic mountains in a rare burst of August sunshine.
Followed by Holme Fell the 2nd from lowest Wainwright summited. I opened my phone to take the obligatory selfie on the top to discover a list of crazy emails and messages about love and loss and business failures, flood and holiday baby-sitting arrangements possibly falling apart all needing to be dealt with.
Oh how I wish I had left my phone behind and done it like we used to (just heading to the hills), and how I wish I had written my blog more often as there are so many tales to tell. But I am learning and am perhaps not too old to embrace the social media age. I have mastered Instagram, the clue being in the name “Insta” so for further adventures and more uptodate accounts I am much better at keeping up my social media at wildwoolworkshopennerdale Instagram style………….