26th / 27th October - Lightweight in Dovedale

First time out (in anger anyway) in the one-man tent that I brought back from the US.

Parked at the Low Wood carpark, up into Dovedale and camped above Dove Crag; limited choice but made the most of some tussocky grass and found water before leaving the path, quite high up. Good night, quiet, dry and a decent breakfast. Up over Fairfied and St Sunday Crag, knocked Arnison Crag off on the way back to the road and car - steep, slimy descent through woods though!

Saturday 13th October - 7 hours for a curry!!

Tanked down to John and Becs after work on Friday to celebrate Becca's birthday; 7 hours of driving (good old M6) followed by a curry! Saturday morning - rain was going sideways as we (Pete, Becca, Bec & YT) scooted over to Betws y Coed witrh the intetion of meeting the Dallaways for a days cragging. As we were still an hour away at the appointed time, we decided that the meeting was off, replaced by coffee and retail therapy in ByC...

After coffee and cakes it was off to Oggy Cottage and a couple of hours waddling up and down Milestone Buttress before a damp drive back to Kilnver and a night out with Nige and Bex

6th / 7th October - Cragging in Coniston

Friday night and Ian's on the phone; a team from BCC are staying near Coniston for the weekend, climbing rather than kayaking, and how do I fancy joining them... As soon as I'm off the phone, the rack is going in the bag and tent in the boot of the car!

An early take-off saw me hooking up with the guys in Ambleside at 9:30 rather than Langdale (which, as on any bright summers day, was full!) and we were soon off to Coniston and Walna Scar. Sweating under blazing sunshine, we split into teams under C Butress; I led Ce and Bec up the Ordinary Route while Ian and John did Murray's. After an easy descent (via Easy Gulley!) and lunch we swapped routes and I found myself leading Murray's, with a long run-out and scant pro. on the top pitch. Steady tiger; less haste next time please! Best part of the day on the hill was bathing my feet in Goat's Water while eating an orange that had been buried in my rucksack - heaven!!

Dow Crag from Goat's Water (Photo from UKC)

After a pub dinner and several pints of local brew, Nige dropped me back at Bowmanstead Hall (no room in the B&B with the others) where I listened to a disco in the next field (wedding or somesuch) until the wee small hours, then slept like a log until the alarm at 9. A quick call and we met in Ambleside for a brew and tour around the gear shops before settling on Langdales Raven Crag as Sundays venue.

By the time we arrived parking was, once again, the problem, solved by parking way down the valley and hoofing in on the fellside from the NDG. Eventually we found a route that was clear and up I went, this time with Bec and Bex. Never simple, we ended up with two more ropes crossing ours and a simple trip up Holly Tree Traverse turned into a several hour game of patience and skipping! Never mind; a good weekend, totally unexpected and good to be on warm rock with good mates.

Raven Crag and the ODG below (Photo from UKC)