Scrambling - Deer Knowl

11 September 2016

The initial plan was to go back to Alderman Rocks and try variation 2 or 3 of a scramble from a week ago but then I changed my mind and went for Deer Knowl on Bleaklow North instead.

This was yet another sunny weekend this year. I honestly don't know why people complain about the British weather. It's yet another summer which I end up with a suntan.

We parked in a little car park on B6105 at the southwest corner of the Woodhead Reservoir and followed approach description from the guide book. This time I did not have problems with route finding. The path becomes fainter closer one gets to the rocks and then it dries completely. This is not a problem in good visibility as the rocks can be easily identified by matching with the photo from the Cicerone guidebook.

Getting very close to the start of a scramble

The idea again was to practise our ropework skills. I kind of expected the place to be a bit forgotten and it did look like this judging from vegetation and a lot of loose rock.

Nevertheless, we exercised gear placement and setting up belays as much as we could. The route apart from the initial crux (pictured in the book) is not very difficult but there is a lot of loose rocks so one needs to be careful not to dislodge something that could hit a partner below. Since this is a northern part of Bleaklow despite absolutely clear sky and warm day belayer could get a bit chilly, especially when waiting for ages for a beginner to set up his anchors. We did make a few mistakes but the good thing is that we realized what we were doing wrong and also the route is quite forgiving.

Magda waiting for me at the top of the route

At the top, we sat for a while contemplating the views and sunbathing (it is cheaper to do this in Britain than going to Spain and you can do this much more frequently as people go to Spain only once a year usually?) whilst having a snack.

View towards Crowden

The descent route is not obvious. We turned west and then started coming down on a grassy/heathery slope. Care is necessary as it is very easy for an injury by falling in one of the holes in the ground obscured by heather.

Comparing this route to Alderman Rocks I would say the latter is closer to a climbing route and it is easier to place gear as there is no loose rock there. The Deer Knowl, on the other hand, feels wilder despite the proximity of Woodhead Pass. The access is slightly more difficult, the route is not being used very frequently and you end up on Bleaklow plateau so don't expect any sort of welcoming committee ;)

Scrambling - Alderman Rocks

Sunday, 4 September 2016

Shortly after our scrambling course with Graham Uney I rushed to buy my own gear and was eager to start using it. I knew I had to carry on practising otherwise anything I had learned would have evaporated quickly. I wanted to find a grade 2/3 route somewhere in Peak District, not far from where Magda and I live. We went for Alderman Rocks listed in 'Scrambles In The Dark Peak' Cicerone guide.

It's a short, easily accessible scramble which I thought would be good for practising building up belays etc.

The day was supposed to be mainly dry with a murky start so we didn't set off until 10am. We took all the climbing gear, snacks, something to drink, waterproofs just in case and then as I was driving and almost reaching the car park I realized that I had forgotten our guide! Magda didn't realize what I was talking about at first and was thinking that I forgot to bring Graham ;)  Turning around, driving back home for half an hour, picking up the guide, driving back for half an hour just to reach the same point but at least we had the guide with us.

We parked in Binn Green car park on A635. The Alderman Rocks are visible from there.

There is a steep path leading towards the start of the route. One of my weaknesses is route-finding and on this occasion, it became apparent again. The key to establishing the start of the route was locating the 'Great Slab' climbing route. I regretted not having a climbing guide with me as I suspected it would have supplemented the scrambling one.

In the end, we managed to find a start of option 1 route and (I must admit awkwardly) started climbing up. The route is not really difficult and I would not be surprised seeing a climber free soloing it with ease, but for beginners like us, it makes a good playground.

Start of a route normally used as a climbers descent route

Trying to match the description from the guide book with reality

After getting to the top and sorting out all the gear we first stopped to admire the views around Chew Valley. It is actually possible to see Wilderness Gullies from there which are other very good scrambles in the area. Then we walked to the obelisk visible in the distance.

View towards Dove Stone Reservoir in Chew Valley

Memorial plaque on the way to the 'summit rocks'

On our way to the car, we returned to the start of the scramble and tried to locate the other two options listed in the guide. I was struggling to find them to be honest but I am planning to come back, most likely with a climbing guidebook this time.

Scrambling Course - Lake District

Monday-Tuesday, 22-23 August 2016

Magda bought tickets for Cumbria Vegan Festival which was to take place on 20th August. I decided to extend the trip to The Lakes by booking a scrambling course with Graham Uney. My aim was to practise basic ropework, learn how to build belays and abseil so that I would gain enough confidence to tackle grade 3 scrambles. On top of this, we planned to spend a night at Priest's Hole. The last thing did not pan out due to horrible weather but at least we visited a couple of good pubs in Windermere with our new friends.

On Sunday, on our way from Windermere to Chapel House Farm campsite in Borrowdale, we stopped in Keswick and did a bit of indoor climbing in the King Kong Climbing Centre. The place was a bit crowded and smaller than I imagined but we managed to get some exercise before the course. We had to hire shoes and belay device but we had our own harnesses which we brought for the course.

We have never been to Chapel House Farm campsite before. I picked it up due to the fact that we would meet our instructor not far from there. Campsite offers great views of the mountains surrounding Borrowdale. 

View towards High Knot from Chapel House Farm campsite

We were lucky enough to arrive after the Saturday flash flooding has gone away otherwise we would have struggled to get to the campsite. The evening was dry but it was raining at night and in the morning.

Chapel House Farm campsite

On Monday we met with our instructor Graham Uney. We knew Graham from our winter skills course. The plan was to set off from High Lodore Farm Cafe and spend a day at Shepherd's Crag. We scrambled up the Jackdaw Ridge learning mainly about building belays but also basics about climbing gear. Magda and I were swapping leads so that both of us would learn. Even though the morning was wet (earlier we were preparing our breakfast inside the tent) the rest of the day was sunny and dry. Jackdaw Ridge is a very nice scramble where you are surrounded by trees for most of the route and then you come out to the flat point at the top of the crag. From there you can admire views towards Derwent Water and can see the top part of the Little Chamonix climbing route.

Me on top of Shepherd's Crag

View toward Derwent Water. Flooding visible.

High Lodore Farm Cafe car park from above

I have never done abseiling before but was keen on learning this skill in case of having to retreat off a route. We practised on a crag nearby. Sadly I don't remember the name of the crag and only know it is being used by beginners.

After abseiling down to our own surprise we managed to climb back up to the top and this was a moderate climb rather than a scramble! There is hope for us after all.

Magda abseiling

Plan for the second day: Cam Crag Ridge in Langstrath. We met around 9:30am in Stonethwaite and set off south to Cam Crag along Stonethwaite Beck. After the pub, we passed the Stonethwaite camping site which looked much quieter than busy Chapel House Farm. We shall use that campsite next time. We also passed Tilly's Barn which could be worth considering in colder months.

Cam Crag offers various options for scrambling. This is why the Cicerone guide grades this route as 1,2 or 3 scramble depending on the particular variant chosen.

Looking at the start of Cam Crag scramble

The weather was excellent allowing great views towards Bowfell, Crinkle Crags but also Skiddaw and Blencathra. 

Bowfell in the far background

View towards Blencathra and Skiddaw

Pike of Stickle in the background

It took us about an hour to get to the start point and Graham provided us with lots of information about climbing gear, climbing shops and wildlife. We also heard about a secret cave hidden somewhere in the Langstrath valley. We ought to try to find it one day.

We came across quite interesting plant we had no idea about earlier. It is called Sundew and it eats midges. We definitely need more of these plants!

Sundew - a carnivorous plant

The scrambling was good. We were trying to pick rather more difficult sections but stayed within scrambling grades. 

After initial part where we practised using all the gear, the scrambling could be avoided and one could simply choose to walk on grassy slopes. We obviously went for scrambling, this time without a rope. 

Upper sections of Cam Crag scramble

We turned towards the valley of Combe Gill for our return route. We stayed well above the beck and then walked to where we camped on our first night i.e. Chapel House Farm campsite. As we were getting closer to the campsite I recognized a ridge that appears on the cover of the Cicerone scrambling guide for north of Lake District. It turned out to be the Intake Ridge, excellent grade 3 scramble which has been added to my to-do list.

After coming back to Stonethwaite everyone was up for a cold drink. Water drunk straight from a stream earlier provided only brief refreshment. 

Free food

For us, it was a very good and useful two days. At last, I felt confident enough to buy scrambling gear and start using it properly which I did the same week.

Is this supposed to be some kind of irony?

Krótki wypad rowerowy - Trans Pennine Trail

Niedziela, 14 Sierpnia 2016

Ten dzień wydawał się odpowiedni na wycieczke rowerową. Szybko zaplanowałem trasę: Monk Bretton - Elsecar - Wortley - Oxspring - Silkstone Common - Worsbrough - Monk Bretton. Oceniłem dystans na około 60 km, głównie po szlaku Trans Pennine Trail. Dzień miał był ciepły, z lekkim zachmurzeniem, ale bez deszczu. Spakowaliśmy zaledwie kilka batonów energetycznych, dużo wody i zabraliśmy trochę pieniędzy na wypadek wizyty w pubie.

Początkową część trasy znamy bardzo dobrze ponieważ jeździmy tą drogą dość często. Nigdy jednak nie pojechaliśmy dalej niż Elsecar Heritage Centre. Tym razem w Elsecar zobaczyliśmy lokomotywę w akcji.

Elsecar Heritage Centre

Wyglądało na to, że przegapiliśmy żniwa. Widoki jak ten mimo, że piękne zawsze przypominają mi o zbliżającej się jesieni.

Widok w kierunku Wentworth

Czysto z wygody korzystam z aplikacji ViewRanger i map OpenCycle, ale mam też papierowe mapy ze szlakiem TPT. Co ciekawe sztywne trzymanie się szlaku zaznaczonego na mapach OpenCycle prowadzi na zapomniane ściezki.

Część szlaku TPT tuż za Elsecar podążając w kierunku południowo zachodnim

Za Elsecar zaczynają się górki i na asfaltowych fragmentach mogliśmy osiągnać zawrotne prędkości nawet do 50 km/h. Z górki oczywiście. Przerwa przed kolejnym podjazdem okazała się potrzebna.

Krótka przerwa w Bromley

Pomyłka w nawigacji doprowadziła nas do Wortley gdzie zatrzymaliśmy się na piwo w Wortley Mens Club. Nie żałowałem tej pomyłki. W Wortley same korki. Cieszyłem się, że z nich uciekliśmy wyruszając do Oxspring. Po drodze napotkaliśmy dość długi tunel. Świetne echo.

Początek tunelu gdzieś pomiędzy Wortley i Oxspring

W Oxspring skręciliśmy w prawo i poruszaliśmy się w górę wzgórza. W kilku miejscach musieliśmy nieść rowery, po części dlatego, że byłby to za stromy podjazd a częściowo dlatego, że nasze rowery nie nadają się na zbyt kamieniste ścieżki.
Napotkaliśmy kolejne ładne miejsce przy moście Willow Bridge.

Rzeka w pobliżu Willow Bridge

Stąd kierowaliśmy się już w kierunku Silkstone Common. Gdy dobrneliśmy do szczytu wzgórza, po minięciu pubu The Travellers Inn oraz farmy zdałem sobie sprawę, że dojechaliśmy już do tego miejsca kilka lat temu. Dotarliśmy do niego wtedy ze wschodu a nie zachodu jak tym razem. Wiedziałem, że stąd do samego Worsbrough będzie już z górki. Zatrzymaliśmy się na chwilę w znajomym miejscu przy znajomym drzewie.

Magda włazi na drzewo

Dzień zamienił się w piękną słoneczną niedzielę.

Szlak TPT w pobliżu Silkstone

Szybko dojechaliśmy do Worsbrough, zajrzeliśmy do domu naszych znajomych, którzy byli na wakacjach, nakarmiliśmy ich kota i pojechaliśmy do domu. Urządzenia elektroniczne wykazały, że pokonaliśmy 59 km. To dla nas całkiem dobry wynik. Lepiej niż poprzedni rekord 44 km z Barnsley do Leeds. Ciężko powiedzieć jak to wyszło czasowo bo były długie przerwy, ale myśle, że było to około 3 godzin samego jeżdzenia rowerem i chodzenia.

Muszę znaleźć następną ciekawą trasę, wyczyścić rower, naoliwić łancuch i spróbować znów pobić rekord.

Short Cycling Trip - Trans Pennine Trail

Sunday, 14 August 2016

For some reason this day felt like a cycling day. I decided to do a circular route that goes like this: Monk Bretton - Elsecar - Wortley - Oxspring - Silkstone Common - Worsbrough - Monk Bretton. Distance estimated to be around 60km. Most of it on Trans Pennine Trail. The day was warm, a bit cloudy but dry. We packed only a few energy bars, plenty of water and took some money in case we fancied popping into a pub on our way.

We know the first part of the route, south from Monk Bretton quite well as we cycled this way number of times. We have never gone beyond Elsecar Heritage Centre though. This time we were lucky to see the locomotive in action.

Elsecar Heritage Centre

It looked like we had missed the harvest time. Views like this, although beautiful always make you realize the autumn is on its way.

View towards Wentworth

For convenience, I was using Viewranger and OpenCycle maps but I also had a paper version of TPT in my backpack. Sometimes sticking religiously to the route given in OpenCycle maps leads to some forgotten tracks.

Part of TPT trail shortly after leaving Elsecar heading southwest

The terrain after Elsecar became a bit more hilly and on-road parts we were able to reach mind-boggling speeds of almost 50 km/h. Coming downhill off course. Break before tackling yet another hill was inevitable.

A quick break in Bromley

A mistake in navigation led us to Wortley where we stopped for a pint in Wortley Mens Club. I did not regret my mistake. Roads around Wortley were a bit busy. I was glad we got out of the Sunday afternoon traffic as we headed towards Oxspring. We came across quite a long tunnel on our way. Great echo.

At the entrance to the tunnel somewhere between Wortley and Oxspring

In Oxpring we turned right and followed up the hill. In places, we had to carry our bikes, partly due to steepness of the hill and partly due to the fact that our hybrid bikes are not suitable for stony paths.
Willow Bridge in Oxspring Parish was another picturesque spot we encountered.

River near Willow Bridge

From there we kept pushing towards Silkstone Common. As we got to the top of the hill, after passing through a farm and leaving The Travellers Inn behind I realized a few years back we reached the same point by cycling from the east rather than west. I knew that from there we would hardly have to use the pedals right until Worsbrough. The breaks would come into use instead. We stopped for a while in a familiar spot near a very familiar tree in Stubbin Wood.

Magda climbing a tree

By then the day turned into great sunny Sunday.

TPT train near Silkstone

We quickly reached Worsbrough, popped into our holidaying friend's house to feed the cat and headed home. In total, we did 59 km this day. Not bad for us. Better than the previous record of 44 km cycling from Barnsley to Leeds. It's quite difficult to say how long it has taken us, as there were a few longish breaks. Maybe 3 hours of actual cycling and walking? I guess one could say it's cheating but  I don't have anything against trips like this especially when the weather is nice.

I need to come up with another interesting route now, clean the bikes, oil the chains, wait for another nice day and have a go at beating the record again.

Biwak na dziko - Crookstone Knoll

Sobota, 6 Sierpnia 2016

Drugi biwak na dziko w Peak District w przeciągu dwóch tygodni. Słoneczne popołudnie, ale według prognozy wieczorem miały pojawić się chmury, w nocy padać deszcz i ranek też miał być pochmurny. Samochód zaparkowaliśmy na drodze Edale Road w Hope i wyruszyliśmy koło 6 po południu. Oszacowałem, że dotarcie do Crookstone Knoll zajmie nam 2 godziny. Ze znalezieniem drogi nie powinno być problemu bo byłem w tych okolicach wielokrotnie. Tak własciwie to dlatego wybór padł na tą lokalizację. Znów decyzję o wypadzie podjeliśmy impulsywnie w dniu wyjazdu.

Plan w skrócie to dojść do Roman Road, minąć Hope Cross, i skręcic na zachód w kierunku Crookstone Knoll.

Lose Hill

Gdy już prawie dotarliśmy do Kinder Plateau dało się usłyszeć odgłosy rozmowy gdzieś ponad naszymi głowami. Szybko odkryliśmy, że ktoś juz wybrał sobie okolice Crookstone Knoll na spędzenie nocy. Z pozycji swojego obozu sąsiedzi powinni mieć dobry widok na Great Ridge. Zastanawiałem się czy ich tarp przetrzyma wietrzną noc. Byliśmy na tyle daleko, że chyba nie zostaliśmy zauważeni i ruszyliśmy w przeciwnym kierunku.

Crookstone Knoll

To samotne drzewo jest chyba naszym ulubionym w Peak District.

Samotne drzewo po drodze do Crookstone Knoll

Wiatr stawał się coraz silniejszy. Rozważaliśmy zejście z Kinder Plateau nieco niżej, żeby schować się przed wiatrem, ale wtedy nie przetestowalibyśmy naszego Vango Nemesis 300. Znaleźliśmy miejsce pośród wrzosów, niedaleko ścieżki.

Pomimo silnego wiatru udało nam się przygotować posiłek i rozłożyc namiot. Sprawdziłem prognozę pogody i Met Office przewidywało wiatr w porywach do 75 km/h na Kinder Low. Nasza lokalizacja to dobrych parę kilometrów na wschód od tego miejca przez co byliśmy nieco schowani za masywem. Dzęki temu prawie na pewno nie doświadczyliśmy tak silnego wiatru, ale i tak zbyt dużo nie spałem tej nocy.

Niestety okazało się, że Vango Nemesis nie został zaprojektowany na wichury. Namiot został ustawiony tak aby stawiać jak najmniejszy opór wiatrowi, ale w ciagu nocy kierunek wiatru się nieco zmienił. Spowodowało to, że kijki zaczeły się "kłaść". Nie widać tego niestety na nagraniu, ale wydarzyło się to przynajmniej kilka razy. Nie było to coś, czego się spodziewałem szczególnie, że miałem dobre doświadczenie z Vango Mirage 200 w gorszych warunkach. Poszukiwania idalnego namiotu trwają. Mógłbym oczywiście odrazu kupić moje marzenie czyli Hilleberg Tarra, ale niestety ta cena...

Magda nagrała kilka timelapsów. Dopiero zaczyna eksperymentować i używa telefonu, który jednak sobie calkiem przyzwoicie radzi.

Zarówno my jak namiot noc przeżyliśmy. Nie spadła ani kropla deszczu, ale poranek był pochmurny i chłodny z powodu wiatru. W samym namiocie było ciepło. Nie zmarzłem w tanim śpiworze z dolnym zakresem komfortu 13°C. Wyruszyliśmy z powrotem już o 6 rano.

Widok w kierunku Win Hill

Mieliśmy przyjemny spacer do samochodu i znaleźliśmy go tam gdzie go zaparkowaliśmy poprzedniego dnia co zawsze jest bonusem!