2016 Summary

2016 wasn't too bad for me despite it started with MRI scan results arriving, which lead to my left knee ACL total rapture diagnosis. The year ended with the right knee injury. I am worried about 2017 as I won't be able to simply live in denial any more. Clearly, my knees are not strong enough for the activities I like the most.

Anyway, 2016 started with a trip to Scotland. We failed to make it to the summit via CMD Arete on the last day of 2015 but partly made up for it by walking to the top on 1st of January via tourist path. Not much snow but cold and windy. Googles were absolutely necessary. We set off late, around 11am, so we had to walk fast.

At Ben Nevis summit

Conditions shortly before reaching CMD Arete

Ben Nevis and CIC Hut

Despite living very close to Peak District I have never visited Bleaklow before. We rectified it on 30/01/2016. Cold and short day.

On Ben Nevis, I realized I would do with gaining some skills and booked basic, one-day winter skills course in the Lake District for 21/02/2016. We learned how to self arrest, walk in crampons etc. The day was very cold, windy with drizzle and wet snow. The course was run on Helvellyn but we did not climb to the top. We spent the night in Wayfarers hostel in Penrith which I recommend.

On 22/02/16 we climbed Skiddaw but sadly didn't get much chance to walk in crampons as there was not enough snow.

Last snow of 2016 in Peak District arrived on 05/03/16. Deep fresh snow. Great sunny day. We went for a circular walk from Edale via Grindslow Knoll and Jacobs Ladder.

We came back to Scotland at Easter time. In theory longer day should increase chances of completing a long walk from the hostel via CMD Arete. In practice we didn't attempt it as a friend of ours warned us about unstable snow at the end of the arete. We played it safe and climbed Stob Ban on 26/03/16 and Aonach Beag 28/03/16 instead.

View from Aonach Beag

Complete change of scenery. On Sunday 17/04/16 we grabbed our bikes and cycled from Barnsley to Leeds using Trans Pennine Trail. On this occasion, we came back by train but next time we need to cycle back home. The distance cycled was just short of 50km.

April was cold and it didn't look like spring would ever arrive. Wilderness Gully West and Wilderness Gully East are good scrambles not far from us. We did both on 24/04/16. Lesson learnt: if you are carrying a helmet in your backpack you may as well put it on.

The top part of Wilderness Gully East

April snow on Wilderness Gully West

A new bit of kit got installed in the house in May. King Kong fingerboard.

In May I booked us on a two day scrambling course in Snowdonia. On the first day (14th) we scrambled Tryfan's North Ridge and practised body belaying (short rope, single sling and a carabiner give you surprisingly many options for protecting scrambles). On the second day, we ascended the Dolmen Ridge which until now is the most challenging thing we did so far. It would be good to come back there without a guide to prove we learned something. This scramble involved using a rope and climbing rack and gave us a taste of proper mountaineering. Great route, great weather.

On Dolmem Ridge route

Just two weeks after the trip to Wales we were back there again but first, we celebrated Magda's birthday in Lake District. We camped at National Trust Great Langdale Campsite and arrived there on the 26th of May. We got lucky with the weather again as this was another weekend without a single drop of rain. On 27th we walked to the summit of Bowfell via Crinkle Crags and came down via Climbers Traverse. The following day we scrambled up Jacks Rake.

Donkey on top of one of the 'crinkles'

Approaching Jacks Rake scramble

Straight from sunny Lake District, we drove to Wales to meet our friends at a Hafod y Llan campsite. The plan was to stay for the Bank Holiday weekend but we escaped after only one night (and a walk of course). The campsite was overcrowded, with showers not working and our conclusion was simple i.e. during Bank Holidays go to remote places or...stay at home and do some gardening. Nevertheless, we had a great walk with a group of friends. We set off from Idwal Cottage, walked to Y Garn first and then across the Glyders. Visibility was great.

Looking towards Y Gar from slopes of Glyder Fawr

On 19/06/16 together with two friends, we walked the Kinder Circuit starting and ending in Edale. This is a long walk (30km) so long summer day seemed perfect for it. This was the second time I walked this route as a few years ago I did it together with Magda.

Winnie-the-Pooh and me

Just a few days later (between 22 and 27) I was in Poland in Bieszczady mountains. This should really be a separate post. Essentially every year together with a few old uni friends we do some hiking either in Beskidy or Bieszczady. These are short trips but always interesting and eventful. You need to watch out for bears and wolfs.

Early morning start from Rajskie village near the river San

Resting somewhere in the forest

View from Polonina Wetlinska

At this point, I started writing this blog so it's enough to say that for the rest of the year we wild camped, scrambled and even tried climbing. For some reason, we didn't do much cycling. The last trip of the year happened between 27 and 30 December. We stayed in Plas Curig hostel in Wales. There was no snow at all so crampons and ice axes stayed in the car. The only walk we managed to complete was the one taking you via Pen yr Ole Wen, Carnedd Dafydd and Carnedd Llewelyn. The weather was exceptionally good, it didn't feel like winter at all maybe except some frozen mud early on as we set off about 8am.

Magda with Flynnon Llugwy Reservoir in the background

Unfortunately, I twisted my right knee on an easy, grassy ground coming down from Carnedd Dafydd. Even though I know my knee is not in the best state (injured it years ago whilst playing football) I was surprised. I completed the walk including scrambling down the slabby bad step but the pain was becoming more of a problem. We stayed two more nights as planned but there was no more hill walking or scrambling for me. We drove to Anglesey but all the attractions were closed. The idea of spending New Year's Eve camping on Ben Nevis also evaporated. I am recovering quickly but being aware that there is an underlying problem with my knee I am debating as to what to do in the future. Time will show. It certainly would be very hard to give up mountains.