Happy New Year

Looking out to Hartsop-above-How with St. Sunday Crag in the background.

We went for a bit of a ramble this morning to get 2010 off to an energetic start and for some general CV fitness. Hopefully I can improve on this, and my sport specific fitness, throughout 2010 with further training on the wall and at home for climbing, and for paddling I suppose it's just time in the boat that is needed. I had planned on a long walk (9.3 miles with 987m of ascent), but these plans were changed as we started out on the path from Hartsop up to Hayeswater Reservoir.

Hayeswater Reservoir with The Knott, to the left, and High Street behind.

The plans changed for many reasons: lethargy, which does somewhat go against what I just said about improving on fitness, but for the past two weeks I haven't felt 100%, and I'm still struggling to shake off a cold that I've had for a while now. The main reason for the change in plans however, was the weather and the conditions on the high fells. It wasn't what the forecast had predicted; there was a lot of low level cloud and this would probably have meant that there was a white-out on the tops. This would have been made worse by the slight breeze, which was whipping up the fresh-pow that had fallen over night.

Dove Crag, Hart Crag and Fairfield.

We decided that once we had reached Hayeswater Reservoir we would turn tail, retrace our steps and head back to where we started. On the descent the cloud did seem to lift, but this alone would not have improved our chances up on the tops; even if there was not a white-out there was a high chance the going would have been incredibly tough without specialist equipment like crampons and such like.

Blencathra from the flanks of Great Mell Fell.

Once back down at the van we headed over to Keswick for some retail therapy before returning to Carlisle where it is now snowing heavily, so it probably would be even worse at 828m on the top of High Street.

Good lines, stay safe and see you on the wet stuff...
Iain