Friday 14th December - Autopilot; the Leven, again!

Sunday 9th December - Copeland posse meet the Leven

"Meet at the garage at 10" read the text and so it was that, after a minor rebellion (well, I was not going to the weir at Workington when there was water in the rivers!), it was off to the Newby Bridge cafe for a brew before a good run down the Leven with members of the Copeland Canoe Club.

A good trip with about 8 of us on the water and for the club members, their first run of the river right down to Heversham.

1st / 2nd December - High water in North Wales

An early (and I mean early!) start saw us passing Leyland at 6:30 am; far too early to even think about a Tesco's Fat Bob Breakfast! Phone calls and texts to and from assorted mates told us that we were going to be an hour early at JJ's and so it was happy campers that settled for full Welsh breakfast in Llangollen.

The usual BCC suspects were milling about in the car park when we arrived at JJ's and before long we were off, together with Nige and Dave Clift, down the A5 to the get-on for the Conwy. A good blast, at good level and within the hour we were carrying boats up the muddiest of muddy tracks to the car. As we were stowing them on the Astra, we were offered home made flapjack by Sophie, as we later discovered, whose dad runs a watersport centre near Landeck. Contact details were exchanged, and of whom more in later posts...

Off again, and at speed, to Pont Cyfyng and the Afon Llugwy with Dave's battlebus making the shuttle fun (try turning that beast around in the small car park in Betws y Coed!!). On the river and we were off again; big and bouncy level, hititng the eddies hard and plenty of surfing to be had all the way to the drop at Forestry and the must-make eddy above Swallow Falls.

Dave rippin' up the Llugwy campsite wave

The portage around the Falls is straightforward, but getting back down to the river calls for ropes, teamwork and some luck if falling ass over head down 50 feet of near vertical mud is to be avoided! Once back in the boats and one of my favorite sections of river in Wales was in front of us. At good levels, the continuous grade 3 boulder gardens lead to Bench Falls (sticky, ups the grade to 4 - just) and then time to get out again - or take your chances with the grade 6 "Mincer". The final section, from the Mincer down, runs at grade 4, under the Miners Bridge and into Betws y Coed; a perfect finish, 100 metres away from the Pont y Pair chip shop. Heaven, and plenty of salt and vinegar please : )

Andrew ready to boof the drop under Miner's Bridge

A quick trip round the gear shops landed me the bargain of the weekend award (replaced my recently lost Asolos with a pair of returns in Rock Bottom for £40!) before hauling it back to the Goat at Corwen for beer, beer, Christmas dinner and more beer while we listened to the rain falling non-stop into the wee small hours. Sunday could be a day of promise...

Dave decided that our read and run, scouting from the cockpit approach was not as relaxing as it might be and so Sunday's dastardly trio was Nige, Andrew and me. Thinking on our feet we determined that the Afon Ogwen would definitely be "on" and that a short detour would let us see what the Nant Gwyryd looked like as well. As it turned out, the wind and sleet was the real issue, not the water level or the paddling! A gentle start then full-on grade 4, tight and technical speedier than a fast thing on Nitrox blast led to the carry around Llys Falls (would go, but needs more water than we had) and then gradually easing off to the bridge above Garth Farm Falls. We were whipped by hail laden arctic winds while inspecting the drop until I uttered the immortal "Sod this, I'm off" and headed carwards with my boat on my shoulder. Decision made and we were off through the Nant Francon to the Ogwen.

High on the Nant Gwyryd

(Photo from UKRGBS)

There are just too many good things to say about the Ogwen; from the Gunbarrel to the Gorge, it really is one of the best rivers at its grade (4). Suffice it to say that as we packed the car at around 2:30, ready to head back North, it was with beaming grins and more than one "must do this again soon" exchanged with Nige!

Andrew powering through one of the many holes in the Ogwen Gorge

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)

End August to December 07 - Big gap to fill in!

Loads to write up in this "window" as well as a bit of walking & climbing to fill in throughout 07; really must get it organised, but where's the time??

11th / 12th August - Low Reay, Windermere paddling

A weekend camping at the NT site (never again!) on Windermere, paddling with a mixed group, mostly teenagers... Six boats on the car roof, plus every stitch of spare kit I own, camping kit and rock gear (just in case!). It took longer to organise and clear away afterwards than the weekend lasted; might have been better to have booked 'em all into OB somewhere! The sun shone and all had a hoot, so what the heck : )

4th August - bouncing along on the crest of a wave..

Surf's up at St Bees!!

27th / 28th July - Wild camping and Wainwrights

More rain, but still we wandered upwards... with So, Kate, Angela and Muzz, we left the van at Bridgend and followed the path up below Angletarn Pikes to Angletarn where we pitched 3 Vaudes; one for each year, 05 to 07! The rain that had been falling since early afternoon carried on well into the wee hours resulting in the evenings conversation becoming more of a shouting match between tents and against the sound of the rain.

"Tweaked" panorama of the Helvellyns from High Street

Before breakfast I made a quick dash over The Nab and Rest Dodd; back to eat and strike camp before we headed up toward the High Street Ridge. Kate and So had had enough by the time we were under Satura Crag and decided to bale out, arranging to collect the van and meet later at pub by Brotherswater. Angela, Muzz and I carried on, over High Street, Thornthwaite Crag and Gray Crag before dropping down to Hartsop and along the road to the pub.

Me and Muzz heading to Gray Crag, Rest Dodd in the distance

Threshthwaite Cove from above Hartsop