28th & 29th March - Paddlefest at HPP

Two days of contrasts. Saturday - blowing a hooley, rain, sleet and time playing on the water, but not in the usual kind of boat that you'd associate with the National Whitewater Centre. Sunday - sunshine and relative calm; me in a canoe (yes - a canoe).

Saturday morning and Andrew took off going through as many demo playboats as he could get his hands on, while Sue and I were on for some sea kayak coaching, Sue in a 15' Easkey and me in my new toy, a 16' 10" Sirroco, the boat that I had only collected days before and, no, I wasn't aiming to be on the whitewater course! We spent a couple of great hours with Doug Cooper working on strokes edging and turning with Sue demonstrating her extreme edging technique (splash! - sorry, no camera!) and me doing my utmost to stay upright despite being pushed ever harder by Doug. After the session we popped into one of the show tents and bought Doug's book on Sea Kayak Handling from the man himself. Maybe next time we'd do things in a different order...

In the afternoon Sue took on a WWS&R session; very bravely as she'd been in the water at the start of her morning session and, wearing a wetsuit and neo top, had been wet all day. The highlight of the training was a trial swim and throwline rescue on the WW course - just as the heavens opened with some very heavy sleet. Sucking it all up, Sue headed for the wet stuff. Defensive then agressive swimming, take the line and onto the bank, slipping and sliding, but out of the water and she was ready for more. Instead, I had a word and pulled her off the session - hypothermia has no place in training and Sue's determination to complete the course was taking her in that direction!

Another fine day at HPP Paddlefest (photo from the 'net)

Back to the campsite, showers and into Nottingham for the cinema rounded the day off; fortunately the film was so good (Gran Turismo with Clint Eastwood) that we all stayed awake - just.

Sunday morning arrived as the worst of the weather left - the dogs were rather unimpressed that the water in their bowl had frozen overnight though. Not that they bothered much during the night, what with Bruce snuggled up at our feet and Dougal on top of our sleeping bags, bouncing every time one of us rolled over! Sue determined not to get wet at all, so Andrew and I had a blast in some demo boats (I have some serious thinking to do having had a shot in a small Habitat 74 - yep, the small one! - I'm liking it a lot, but have bought two boats this month already...)

Ain't she sweet, just floatin' down the creek... the Habitat 74

Hmm - it's the same colour as my Mamba so maybe nobody would notice if I did a trade? Not quite as tempted to think about buying an open boat, though me and the youth did have a blast playing in a double - once we worked out which was the front..

All too soon the weekend came to a close and it was back to Ulverston for an Indian and early(ish) night. A good weekend, Paddlefest and the National Student Rodeo rolled into one with plenty of exhibitors and a few bargains to be had. Maybe we'll be back next year, though doubt we'd get to see such a good movie...

Saturday 21st March - Whoap and the hound that howled

Sunday 8th February - A walk for the dogs!

Saturday 7th February - A walk with the dogs...

Despite winter having arrived several weeks ago, today was the first chance that we'd had to make the most of some amazing conditions - and the sun shone as well!

An early start saw us away from the fell gate and up into Boulder Valley in bright sunshine and not a whisper of a breeze. From the top of Boulder Valley the view across Levers Water to Swirl How and Wetherlam was fantastic...

Swirl How and Wetherlam across Levers Water

... but we cracked on, contouring above the tarn until the path to Levers Hawse crossed ours where we declared a coffee break.

We followed the Levers Hawse route for a while then hung away left up into the cove below Brim Fell and up behind Raven Tor; the snow firming up to solid neve and slicked with the occasional patch of water ice.

Sue in Gill Cove


Kicking up toward Brim Fell Rake (skyline, centre)

Probably not Dougal's favorite place in all the world (red dot marks the spot)

Sunday 1st February - Liverpool CC and the usual suspects

Paul realised that he could come out to play despite his shifts and, so it was, that the two of us turned up at Newby Bridge to meet with a team from Liverpool Canoe Club, bright and early(ish), keen to get out after last weeks aborted plan. Once coffee was drunk and cars, kit, boats and bodies rearranged, we were off to the Leven with Mark, Keith and Helen from the 'pool.

The river was at a tidy medium level; plenty of features to play on, break-outs to make, weirs and waves to keep us entertained. The drop under Backbarrow Bridge, inspected during the shuttle, was run straight from the eddy with no surprises, other than meeting another paddler, Dave, from Ulverston who hooked up with us for the rest of the river.

We were off the Leven early enough to go for more; Paul had to go but Dave didn't and so we shot across to the Kent for the usual float and drop down to Force Falls...

The first bouncy rapid on the Kent

Reappearing after Force Falls

Dave attacking the drop

Saturday 31st January - High Dam and Stott Park

So much variation in such a short walk; from the church at Finsthwate, up through the fields and woods past High Dam then across rolling fellside to the craggy little top of Stott Park Heights with the fantastic view along Windermere. In just 3 1/2 miles and a series of short ascents (only 700 ft in total) it takes in just about everything - except for a valley bottom walk - that the Lakes can offer.

Dougal raring to go...

...while Bruce and Sue bring up the rear

Altar and windows in Finstwaite church

Sunday 25th January - Almost but not quite...

Despite having made plans for a paddle and there being plenty of water about, plans changed and it was off on a mission with Sue. Not hard-core whitewater or slogging up a hillside through snow drifts, nor even finger jamming on some sheltered crag; suffice it to say that the boss eventually found the dressing gown she was looking for, though not in the right size, at a shop in Cartmel. Neither could we find the potted plant to quite match the decor in the conservatory despite searching through the entire stock of Hayes in Ambleside.

We headed off to Tarn Hows for a wander in the sunshine where Bruce hoovered abandoned sandwiches from the carpark and Dugal found - and vanished in pursuit of - yet more sheep.

No worries though, we still had shopping to do; the picture "that would be perfect for the downstairs loo" and had been playing on her mind was still there, in Poppi-red, Hawkshead, though not for long! A browse through the bookshop before continuing with my post-Christmas diet by scoffing a clotted cream tea brought our swanning around to an end and we headed home as the sun set on a lazy day in the Lakes.

Sunshine breaking through at Tarn Hows

Brrrrrruce

Sunday 18th January - Lune

There had been some huge water on the Lune prior to John, Nige and I arriving; the tide mark on the road bridge above the get-in must have been 5 or 6 feet above the bottom of the bridge, so up to 8 feet above the level show here! While a couple, or even 4 feet of extra water would have been fun, 8 feet.... well, Stangerthwaite weir might have been really interesting!

Three boats waiting for their pilots...

Saturday 17th January - Cautley Spout

Tuesday 13th January - Newlands Beck

Rain! At last; water in something other than solid form. Paul's shifts and my frustration demanded a cheeky days leave and some paddling action. Sorted.

Meeting in Keswick for a pre-paddle brew, it was clear that there was water about; the Greta was well up on the bottom step at Fitz Park so we decided to haul over to the Newlands valley and get on the beck at Little Town.

What a blast, not at all complicated by a missing spray deck, open drysuit zip, dodged strainers, upside down moments and the usual antics of an early season splash. No cobwebs left on either of us by the time we arrived at the Adventure Centre and hopped off the water, much to the amusement of some elderly walkers. Happy that they were happy!

Once off and changed, we drove up over Newlands Pass; I'd seen the b&w photo (below) on a photography site and wanted a closer look at the lower part of the beck it captured - Sail Beck. The photo shows the upper part of the beck which runs down past the top of the Pass; my thinking was that it would be feasible to drive to the top of the Pass, hoof boats cross-country down to the beck and run it to Buttermere.

Upper Sail Beck (from the 'net)

From what we could see of it, much of the beck falls steeply through open fellside with a couple of steeper drops / small falls. Certainly tight, twisty and technical, it will need some heavy rain to bring it up to anything other than plastic grinder level. It eventually disappears into a wooded steep sided valley, verging on a ravine. At least one steep, twisting slot / drop could be seen through the trees and deadwood strainers are most likely to be a problem. Definitely interesting but needs a half day with boots and bowsaws before a full on paddle methinks...