Thursday 10th February - Birkrigg - again...

No matter how often we walk on Birkrigg, the weather, seasons or just moods make it different every time. Only a few days ago I doubt I could have stood up straight on on the 136m high top; a month ago there was anything up to three feet of snow by the trig. point and this morning it was shrouded in fog. However, the fog ran out to sea with the tide and the sunshine soon broke through. The recent storms have done a great job of clearing the air so that the views extended from Walney and Piel Islands and the Irish Sea to the west, Great Orme to the southwest, Morecombe Bay to the south, the Yorkshire peaks to the south east, the Howgills, Helvellyn and Coniston fells closer to home to the east... I know it's tough, but if nobody goes to look at it, does the view actually exist?

South Walney, Piel and a great big sky over the Irish Sea

Bruce scooting about in the old bracken, Coniston and Helvellyn Fells beyond

Humphrey Head and the Yorkshire Fells

Sunday 6th February - Hmmmm.....

"Winds from the SSW at 58mph, Sea State Rough" was all we needed to know; a blip in an approaching weather system meant that this lot was arriving early and a day of towing and rescue practice off Roa Island was quickly abandoned and the sea kayaks stayed at home!

From Rampside, Piel Island in the distance

A change of kit and with the river boat on the car, it was off to Greenodd to hook up with the Duddon CC lads who would be looking for a river to paddle instead. With all the rain of late, and everything except the Esk being well up, the options were plentiful. So we paddled the Esk; the middle / lower section not even the upper... maybe another day!

Chris entering in the rapid leading into the gorge above Boot village

Under Dalegarth Bridge

Tuesday 1st February - never look a gift horse, etc.

I've had a few lucky hits with the Freecycle website, but when I saw an offer of a "family size tent and inflatable dinghy", thoughts of rafting the Leven for a giggle were at the front of my mind.

And the aforementioned dinghy will certainly serve it's purpose one summers day when there's a drop of water under Backbarrow. However, as my old mate Lloyd might say, "now who would live in a house like this....?"

Beggars can't be choosers, but no complaints from me; Result!

Monday 31st January - Walney Wildlife

And I'm not, necessarily, referring to the seals!

It's great seeing folk enjoy playing in the outdoors, more so when it's a mate and even more so when your mate's eyes are "out on stalks" for all the right reasons.

A quick trip out of Roa Island, past Piel Island and across to Walney; falling tide, nothing much of a breeze, cold and calm. Not that bad a day for Paul's first visit - and the seals were waiting to say hello...

Are they creeping up on us?

Nah - they're only little'uns anyway...!

Sunday 30th January - Hypothermia Assessment?

Turning up to observe a UKCC L2 assessment on an overcast, breezy morning, and having noticed fresh ice forming on Windermere suggested that it was going to be a brave bunch of volunter "clients" and two very cold candidates doing their thing at Waterhead.

Soon everybody was organised; a mixture of SOTs, sea kayaks, river kayaks and canoes, paddlers from 3* to total novice, two groups and off you go. One of the candidates was clearly phased by the variety of craft and range of capabilities; he was going to struggle!

Two 45 minute coaching sessions later, during which a friendly yachting family produced tea and cakes for Steve and me, we set off on a short journey to the mouth of the Brathay. I blagged a spare canoe so could tag along and watch Sue trying really hard to paddle our 16' barge solo and join in the various games as best she could. Good on her for sticking with it and picking up on several questionable "top tips".

By the time it came to the rescue drills everyone was thoroughly chilled and Steve made a good call in pushing the candidates straight into the more testing rescues and roll demonstrations. Much more and there would have been real casualties to have pulled from the water! Funny how this guy didn't seem to feel the cold though...

Greylag goose making the water look almost warm

Friday 28th January - Well, it was free!

It's not often we take a trip to the South Lakes Wildlife Park, but they weren't charging for access during January and they do support various conservation groups, so why not...

Thursday 27th January - Trim'n swim on Windermere

Steve had admin. to catch up with, sadly meaning that he needed someone to take his BTEC group canoeing for the day. Hard to say no when the sun's shining and the only other pressing alternative is to spend the day writing COSHH assessments.

There was a stiff NE breeze across the lake and a couple of paddlers were initially struggling to hold a course...

It's a trim thing!

Saturday 22nd January - Now you see it, now you don't

High water at near enough 13:00 to make no odds meant that Duncan had plenty of time to get over for an 11:30 meet at Roa Island. The plan was to paddle out past Walney and give Duncan a chance to do some rescue practice in the overfalls that start to rip just after high water.

"Men plan, God mocks" is the saying though and as I drove through Barrow in 20 metres visibility, I had the feeling that the fog might just present us with something to think about...

Barrow RNLI Station at the end of the causeway!

As it turned out we used it as an excuse to get in some very useful navigation practice. Tidal flows at Springs between Roa and Walney can get up to 4 knots and we were well out of sight of anything (navigationally) useful for plenty of time, but still hit Sheep Island right on the nose!

By this time the fog was thining and the sun starting to break through; time forb lunch on the NE point of Walney before heading back. The ebb was starting to give it large as we left Walney, and even more so at Piel Spit which, when it combined with the bow wave from one of the windfarm crewboats, gave us a good metre high standing wave to surf fron Piel to the Spit buoy! Great fun, but just too much fun to warrant getting the camera out!

Duncan cranks across a Walney eddyline

A grand end to a grand day

Friday 21st January - half a Leven is better than none!

Paul H organised a cheeky afternoon splosh and so it was that he, Rob, Chris and I jumped on above the Brickchute at 14:00 on a bitterly cold, but bright winters afternoon. After realising that they only wanted to paddle down to the woodyard, we determined that we would play lots - like really play lots - to make the most of things.

Well, we all love the Brickchute wave, but at today's level it was a case of drop-in, side surf, wash off. I really should have left it at that, but OH NO - I'll chuck myself into the big hole to the left. The one with the boat-length tow back and no outflow to sneak into (or is that out of ?)...

After several (as in panting like stink) minutes of sculling, attempted spins, far-too-shallow blunts, a good few "green cyclone" moments, but mostly getting a solid kicking, I quietly asked the rest of the guys - who seemed to be quite relaxed and enjoying the show - if (a) anyone had a line and (b) if so, would they kindly pass me an end of it and try pulling like ****?

They did (have lines), they didn't (fancy passing me an end, etc.) so it was down to me to take it like a man and - eventually - bounce my sorry ass out of the hole. There is a moral here somewhere; it definitely includes keeping your paddle tucked tight when being roller-blinded (see evidence below).

Otherwise a good couple of hours which I cannot show any photographs of as my laptop has given up the ghost, along with the photos that I'd downloaded onto it. OK - there's another moral in there as well....

Entitled "Ouch!" for reasons best known to myself...

Wednesday 19th January - I guess it had to happen at some time!

Had planned to have a lazy-ish day finishing installing the pump on the sea kayak and kneeling mats in the canoe, but a text pinged in just after 9. Liz was looking for somebody to run the Leven and given the amount of rain down over the weekend it would have been churlish to refuse!

A quick run to the shops (under instructions to produce tea for three), TP for a big tin of full-fat EvoStick and a walk with the boys left me just enough time to chuck my kit in the car, boat on the roof and make Newby Bridge for 11.

Surprisingly the flood relief gates were open so we (Liz, Sally & yours truly) jumped on the magic roundabout and off we went. And all went swimingly well, right up to my line under Backbarrow Bridge...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=njpC_XHQ_Mk

Way too far right and not pointing anywhere near left - no wonder I ended up in the boily mess under the bridge. No excuse for missing 2 rolls either, other than desperately trying to grab my new camera which was wedged into my BA pocket - succesfully as the video and photos prove!

Liz attacking her line below the big weir

Sally styling it all the way

A lovely run in the sunshine with plenty of water; can we have lots more please?

Back home the canoe received its new kneeling mats and the dogs got another quick blast over Birkrigg before I sorted my kit and got tea for three on the stove... the sea kayak pump can wait until another day!

Walney 1 windfarm from Birkrigg