February 2010 in low light

 

I can melt the snow off the roof of a Welsh Bothy

Two weeks into February: hardly picturesque
Kentmere over the perfect peak of Ill Bell, after a slog through the snow onto the long top of High Street and the descent over the lump of  Mardale Ill Bell the afternoon had to be cut short because time was running out.  Cutting short is not a decision that bodes well for the coming fell running season.  Back down the dale through the freezing fog from Staveley to the home of tobacco and snuff was enough to bring on hypothermea in a brass monkey.

A week later, and Coniston Old Man becomes another casualty having to be abandoned a hundred feet under the summit in the dark.  Sirius and Mars assist the headlamp on the descent.  Must re-commission that ice axe from behind the trainers.


On the second Sunday: What are these/ So wither'd and so wild in their attire

Crashed into the Winter League racing over Fell Head in the  Howgills regretting not having entered.


A cold but peaceful bike ride up Longsleddale, past sleeping sheep, had to be cut short, yet again.

 

No sheep has suffered in this picture

  
Three days in the mountains Wale - or Cymru 

 

Into Snowdonia via Mynydd y Cwm

Easy enough start, on  the outskirts of Snowdonia, with heavy snow forecast for 'mid-day'.  Okay, since when can we forecast Western Britain to the hour?

 Typical Wales, Mynydd Rhyd Ddu

After an officious Landrover driver checked out the intruder to the summit on Mynydd Rhyd Ddu, I rescued our car and a delivery van from an ice covered 25% gradient using that ice axe to get to some tarmac and turf.

 

End of a winter's day in Snowdonia, Moel y Dynlewyd

Leaving Llyn Dinas' dark surface an hour before dark, according to my forecast, an anxious ascent of Moel y Dynlewyd preceded by a jog down wearing a silly smirk on my face.  The smirk was wiped off when an expensive headlamp failed an the way to the bothy.

  

Sustainable heat source at a Welsh Bothy

Another Day another van

Five kilometres of deepening snow all the way up to Carnedd Wen

Day two starts easily enough but was kicked into touch after an energy sapping furrow ploughed up and down Carnedd Wan which would be a doddle in Spring, Summer or Autumn.  Just about to set off for the bothy when a delivery van stops and asks the whereabouts of an address.  Not to be seen on the 1:50 000, he drives off to find a phone signal.

Exit through Shropshire and the Mynds (and the third van)

Easy hills sit in the land of A Shropshire Lad where the sounds of clanking farm machinery replace the mewing buzzard.  Today, it's a builder's van, leaning precariously and smelling of a burning clutch, that I provide directions for: back down the hill to a farm that is on the map.  It's a good feeling to put something back into this hill wandering.  Mind you, driving up nearly to Pole Bank on Long Mynd  leaves a guilty feeling: should have cycled this lot in the Spring.

Last weekend in The Howgills

 

Snow clouds crawling over Wild Boar Fell 

Having rolled up for a Winter League race, the course is three times around a circuit.  Not for some of us.  Off up to the Calf in winter conditions than can just about cancel out the automatic camera flash.

 

Wild Boar Fell under the cloud from Calders

Back with the ravens and tracing steps because the ice axe is under the stack of trainers.