Journeys by hiking, running, cycling and touring
At one point, I considered leaving Scafell to the end of my Wainwright round, and making it my last fell. If I had done, then clearly I wouldn’t be writing this post now. But I wanted something more symbolic for my final fell and chose Haystacks, leaving me free to visit Scafell sooner rather than … Continue reading Favourite Fells – Scafell
Today's been quite special, as it's exactly one year since I walked out of the permanent job I'd had for getting on for 15 years. And I'm surrounded by reminders of how right that decision was. 12 months ago to this minute I was in a bar in Canary Wharf surrounded by about 40 colleagues … Continue reading Happy Days
Pavey Ark makes my favourites list for one main reason, and I imagine most people will guess what it is… Jack’s Rake. There, I’ve said it. Pavey Ark rises as a cliff above Stickle Tarn, and from the tarn at first glance appears impregnable. But it’s not. Jack’s Rake runs diagonally up from right to … Continue reading Favourite Fells – Pavey Ark
Bowfell has many admirers - and for good reason. Â It's great. Â This is the first of a run of favourite fells whose main virtue is that there is an interesting way up. Â Bowfell is a proper mountain, by Lake District standards, but it wouldn't quite win top prizes for beauty from me when up against … Continue reading Favourite Fells – Bowfell
This has been an incredibly hard post to write. Â I've been trying to find the words to explain what this fell means to me, and the words that have come just haven't done it justice. Â But I can almost hear some readers asking what all the fuss is about. Â After all Pike of Stickle is … Continue reading Favourite Fells – Pike of Stickle
You can't really go wrong with a mountain that looks like one - in terms of shape. Â And Harter Fell is definitely the right shape. Â Its pyramid is instantly recognisable from any angle, draws you in and summons you to the top. Â But Harter Fell is a favourite not just because of its shape, but … Continue reading Favourite Fells – Harter Fell (Eskdale)
Today I nearly became part of the food chain, when a hulking great beast tried to eat me. Â Here's how it happened... Ok, I have exaggerated slightly above for literary effect, but the story itself is true. Â I woke to an outside temperature of -2C and then it started raining. Â Great. Â An iced-over driveway meant … Continue reading Becoming part of the food chain
Given my predeliction for the smaller fells, you might be surprised to find the big one in my list. Â But then again, it's a pretty obvious choice when you look at it. Â I've got to the point now where the gap between my favourite fells is quite narrow, and it wouldn't take much for them … Continue reading Favourite Fells – Scafell Pike
Today's post is going to be a bit short, as I covered the walk itself in my Favourite Walks pages. Red Screes and I didn't get off to the best start. Back in 2006 on the day I was due to travel home, I woke early and so decided to go for a walk to … Continue reading Favourite Fells – Red Screes
Before 2010, to me Green Crag was another of those peripheral Wainwrights whose main attraction was solving the problem of knocking it off efficiently. Â That's until I visited it, of course, and discovered a fell with many of the qualities that I look for. Â To start with the views are good across Eskdale, back … Continue reading Favourite Fells – Green Crag
People must wonder how bad the other fells must be after the experience I had on Holme Fell last year which still didn't stop it being a favourite. But like so many of the smaller fells, Holme Fell is interesting in a way that many higher fells just aren't. A variety of terrain and plenty … Continue reading Favourite Fells – Holme Fell
My first ascent of Mellbreak took place last year on the day that I finished the north western fells, by making it a circular walk from Buttermere around Crummock Water, also taking in Rannerdale Knotts. Â And it's ironic that the day I started the north western fells, was also the day I first saw Mellbreak. … Continue reading Favourite Fells – Mellbreak
There are going to be some people reading this that will think I've completely flipped. Â After all Binsey isn't that high (447m), consists largely of easy grassy slopes and looks pretty harmless. Â Set aside from the main bulk of the northern fells, AW called it "the odd man out" and "like a dunce set apart … Continue reading Favourite Fells – Binsey
This week my work situation became a little clearer, and I've felt able to view a trip at the end of April/start of May as something which is going to happen. Â And in order to enjoy the spontaneity that the trip will bring, some further planning and decisions will be needed. What's also happened is … Continue reading Wild Camping planning 2
Like most of the others, I've actually only done High Rigg once, but I enjoyed the day (well couple of hours, really) so much that it's placed highly on my favourites list. High Rigg's Wikipedia entry describes it  as a bit like a model of the Lake District in minature - with "crags, intermediate tops, … Continue reading Favourite Fells – High Rigg