Crimbo scrambles

Merry Christmas!

Ah, the wonderous season of Christmas- presents, tons of food and copious amounts of alcohol- I love it. Despite being non-religeous (I believe in facts), Crimbo is about the solstice and family get togethers (great sunset from Flask Edge).

Anyway, did a fantastic walk on Christmas Eve with Jake and Dobbo from Castleton, up the Winnats Pass and along the Great Ridge, descending and climbing Win Hill Pike then walking down to Bamford to get the bus home.

Because of the fog we didn't see a thing (except for a few people on Mam Tor) but climbed the Elbow Ridge in the Winnats Pass. Having climbed the 200ft knife-edge arete before, we had little difficulties except Dobbo (this was his first time on the ridge. After an easy climb around the first tower we emerged onto the ridge proper. 100ft of air on both sides with the 1ft wide ridge looming up ahead. Dobbo was a wee bit scared, but Jake and I loved it, slowely making our way up the arete- very easy scrambling despite the exposure.

The final tower proved dead easy- nothing more than an easy grassy scramble- even Dobbo did it.

What a Crimbo Eve!

Photos (top to bottom):

- Me and Dobbo at the foot of the ridge

- Jake climbing up the ridge

- Looking down to me high on the ridge

Recent rain getting you down?

Recently we British folk have had a week or so of wonderful, heavy rain. Yes, I know it isn't snow (thanks to global warming) and we Brits love to moan about the rain. So, if the reacent weather is getting you down, here are a few reasons i came up with to be greatful for the rain:

- if you live in the south of England, then what are you moaning about??? After all, you lot moaned when you had the drought this summer (us northerners don't get droughts as we have hills and mountains!) so you should be bloody greatful for a bit of rain to refill water reserves.
- makes a nice change from the endless heat of summer- try studying for your A-Levels in 30 degree heat!
- a nicley full river is a healthy one, lots of water for our reservoirs and vegetation
- a bit of rain keeps the townies of the hills, allowing the peat bogs to re-saturate and the tarns to re-fill
- doing work, be it homework or other, is far easier if it is vile outside.
- at least it does rain, unlike some countries like Spain or in parts of Africa where they don't get much at all.
I hope that should cheer oneself up, just need some bloody snow now!

Kinder Scout wander

View up Grindsbrook from Ringing Rodger with Grindslow Knoll (601m/1971ft) on the left, Peakland's 4th highest hill, and the slopes of Kinder on the right.

Having planned to climb Kinder (the highest of Peakland's 3 mountains) from Edale the other week, only have plans go tits-up at the last minute, I decided to get the bus out and climb it from Ladybower.
Despite having a hell of a lot of ascent and descent the day turned out rather good, having a superb bog-trot over Kinder's eastern plateau. Though just below 2000ft, it provided a grand bog trot with stunning views in all directions, only encountering crowds above Grindsbrook. Finished the day with seeing a fantastic sunset over the Great Ridge and a spooky walk through Lockerbrook Woods in the dark.

Campaign for comfy chairs during overly long lectures

Ah yes, this week i had to go to 2 days of lectures in the urban sprawl grot-hole that is Manchester on the other side of the Pennines. Being history and geography lecures they were most interesting, with the one problem- uncomfy chairs.
Now this isn't a problem usualy when i'm sat down for an hour long lesson, but for 4 hours of lectures on a wafer-thin bit of foam on wood? arrrrrrrgh! What was supposed to be a useful talk to help me with my studies turned out to be a 4 hour long tourture session with my bum in numbing agony.
So, Mr lectureer, next time we pay £25 to listen to you talk, do us a favour and give us chairs that we can actualy sit on without going through phisical hell on our rears- a bit more foam under your bum goes a long way.
Bo