What's on in Wasdale - new years eve 2011

I thought it may help any new year visitors to the valley to see what's happening tonight in the various hostelries - should you be up for that sort of thing. And I may as well throw in some of my favourite Wasdale photos of the year, just for the hell of it.

...like these two of Wasdale at different ends of the day


Wadale skyline - dawn, November 2011

 

Wasdale Screes sunset, July 2011

 So, what's happening on New Years Eve in Wasdale?

The Wasdale Head Hotel has a pre-booked function but the main bar is also open as usual with food available

Nether Wasdale has a choice of two excellent pubs -

• The Strands Hotel is having a James Bond themed casino night for charity with pre-booked food only but the bar is also open as usual.
• The Screes Inn has a choice of a special New Year's Eve dining menu or buffet food and for entertainment have live music, cocktails with a vodka & ice luge.

The Bridge Inn at Santon Bridge has it's usual food menu and the bar is open with  music and New Years Eve festivities 

And finally, The Irton Hall bar, close to Santon Bridge, is open and has a New Years Eve quiz and fireworks on the lawn.

...and if you're still up for partying on New Years day (lots of folk round here are!) then Gosforth village square can get distinctly lively, even frisky, from the afternoon on - good luck and take care out there!

...and as promised here's a few more of my favourite Wasdale photos from this year

Ok - it's another sunset but they're hard to beat aren't they!

Overlooking Piers Ghyll, Scafell Pike, October 2011

Wasdale late evening sky, June 2011



Misty Wasdale morning, February 2011


...and finally, from early December, a snowy Wasdale scene



Wasdale Screes emerging after a snow storm

....thanks for taking the time to get this far .....and best wishes from Wasdale for a great 2012 !



Great Gable remembrance day - 11.00am, 11.11.11

A tradition has grown up over the years for people to visit the summit of Great Gable on Remembrance Sunday to observe two minutes silence at 11.00 am beside the Fell and Rock Climbing Club War Memorial. As this year was a 'once in a hundred years' opportunity myself and some friends decided to break with tradition and visit the memorial on Remembrance Day itself for two minutes silence at 11.00 am on 11.11.11.

The weather was fair, but with a real gale blowing and producing white horses on Wastwater we knew it would be 'interesting' on top - the image below shows the clouds whipping across the summit.

We went up the Beck Head route - steep but quick - and the wind really was something as we got higher - I think the expression is 'impeding progress'.

So we paced ourselves to arrive just before 11.00, having frozen up there before while waiting around. A small group of about 20 people had gathered and a simple silence was observed.

                                    The Fell And Rock Climbing Club Memorial, 11.00 am, 11.11.11

The summit was totally shrouded in scudding cloud which, together with the wind, added to the occasion but didn't make for great photography. We made our way down towards Styhead and the old packhorse route back to Wasdale Head - and of course as we looked back up at Gable the cloud had cleared - win some lose some.

                                                       looking back up at Gable

Then all that remained to do was visit the Wasdale Head hotel for 'refreshments' and possibly the best view of the day

                                                     

Wasdale Show 2011 - an ode to terrier racing

Ok, so this is a bit late - sorry, but life's hectic. Anyway, Wasdale show took place on Saturday 8 October and it's fair to say the weather was not ideal (misty, wet and cold) but that didn't dampen the spirite of the brave attendees and participants.

                                    This shot captures the show and conditions - but not the

                                     spirit that shines through no matter what the weather

BBC Countryfile was filming at the show to present a  prize for a photo taken by Whitehaven’s Derrick Young at the show last year. I think the photo was of the shepherds crook competition and as imitation is the sincerest form of flattery my version can be seen below ...

The Countryfile feature will be aired on 13 November - must tie a knot somewhere to remind myself.

     Moving on, here's in a plug for the excellent

       West Cumbrian  Hartley's Ice Cream who were at the

 show as usual, struggling somewhat with the weather

 but nontheless brightening peoples' day as usual         

Of course the show had an excellent selection of activities to entertain people - hound trailng, fell running, vintage machinery, dog show (and of course the beer tent) - but as usual the highlight of the day was the incomparable terrier  racing - I still don't believe this hasn't been picked up by Simon Cowell as the next X Factor.

Anyway, here's a few snippets of the racing activity  -

               This little dog caught my eye before the racing started

                      - and when the owner said they were going to enter him

                          into the racing I knew  there would be some classic moments

           - more on this later!

  Putting the dogs into the traps - this is where

 trust between owner and dog plays an 

important part in retaining all your fingers

.....and the racing attracts a field from far and wide...

Here we have Holly from Hackney (white, with black ear)

with her human , David, and

Skipper from Hampshire with his human Nick

- and just in shot it's that little local dog I mentioned before....



...and thereby hangs a tale (tail?) - because as Nick was trying to put Skipper into the trap they discovered a dog that hadn't left the trap in the previous heat - and of course it was 'that' little dog, clearly a little timid and perhaps not cut out for terrier racing. 

... that trap did seemed to be jinxed, as once Skipper was put in the trap and the race started he came out of the gate backwards - nil point, and a long way back to Hampshire.

...and finally, an action shot from one of the heats

- notice the dog on the left leaving that jinxed gate

 and not looking like a winner.

So well done to all those involved in making another memorable Wasdale show. It's always on the second Saturday in October so make a note in your diary for next year - and don't forget to bring your terrier.

A trip to Gosforth Show (Wasdale show's big brother)

The 134th Gosforth Agricultural Show took place on 20 August - this year blessed by lovely sunny weather (until the end - more on that later!). I like to make time to visit the show when I can - it's a great day out, you can catch up with  loads of people and it provides comforting continuity in an uncertain world.

The Wasdale fells bring a brooding presence to the showground - surely one of the most impressive backdrops in the show calendar

Gosforth is the home base for Wasdale Mountain Rescue team (rather handily adjacent to the Horse & Groom, one of the villages five pubs) , so the team are always present (unless there's a call out!)

....and another regular that makes the show so familiar is the local Hartley's Ice Cream van - if you are brought up in West Cumbria this is the benchmark for ice cream excellence against which all lesser marques falter - try some if you get a chance!





So, onto a selection of the many things that, together,  make up the character of this classic Lakeland agricultural show......

....like this amazing contraption, a state of the art seed broadcaster from the 1870s - did the work of many men and formed part of the great agricultural revolution - respect due to its maker, Thomas Corbett of Shrewsbury, the Steve Jobs of his generation?




..... and the dog show, with tense owners and dogs wondering what's going on....

....and, of course, tractors everywhere


 - some big, bright and leading edge

  


....some less so

....and some to get steamed up about ...   

















...and then there's the livestock - too many to mention, but here's a couple of notables

....a cracking bull

...and a majestic heavy horse













.....but sadly I then had to leave before the highlight of the show (for me anyway), the terrier racing - I'll have to wait till Wasdale show for that.

....so finally, back to the rain that I referred to at the beginning of this blog, which came on suddenly at the end of the day, just in time for our barbecue back home in Wasdale....

 - a classic end to a perfect day

It started in the pub....

It was yesterday evening. I'd  just strolled up to Wasdale's Parkgate Tarn to see if the water lilies were fully out (they weren't) and decided to pop into the local, early doors,  for a pint and a chat on the way back home. It was an excellent pint - with peanuts - perfect complement - and as I had my camera......

                                                Perfect complement after an evening stroll

.....and as it was such a lovely evening I then decided to go part way up Middle Fell. There were some great views, so here they are.....

                                             Wastwater Screes from Middle Fell - late evening

The sun then started setting quite quickly, and the shadow of Middle Fell started working its way up the screes.....

Middle Fell's shadow on the Screes - Scafell behind

Of course the camera couldn't resist a shot of the Scafells.......

....and then as I headed down the fell, chased by midges and the deepening shadows I had to take one last shot as the fading sun  lingered on Englands highest peak.......

....and that was it really - the end of another great Wasdale day.

An afternoon on Fleetwith Pike - and a meeting with a REAL working dog

Today I had the pleasure of spending a sunny afternoon on Fleetwith Pike (1 July 2011) -  I do get out of Wasdale occasionally.

Time was against us so I took the cowards way out by driving up to the top of Honister pass, parking by the excellent Honister slate mine. The first encounter of the day was with a real working dog - Tokai and his master Glenn Duff were toiling up the old tramway carrying supplies for tomorrows 10 peaks race - rather them than me.

                                    Glenn Duff and Tokai ferrying supplies for the 10 peaks race

Moving off the busy path to Great Gable we headed up to Fleetwith Pike and other people simply disappeared, leaving us in isolation on this lovely walk - funny old world. The views were just magnificent -long distance up to Scotland and across to Skiddaw and, closer up,  the Ennerdale fells and theWasdale giants (Great Gable, Scafell, Pillar, Kirkfell) .

                                Scafell in the distance framed between Great Gable & Kirkfell

For me, who spends so much time looking at the classic Wasdale view of Great Gable,  it was strange to be looking at the reverse of this great mountain - and to see just how close Wasdale was after spending over an hour driving from there to Honister.

With binoculars from Fleetwith Pike summit Pillar looks a real monster - great fun spotting Piller Rock against the mass of crags

                                  Looking across at Pillar, beyond Haystacks in the foreground

But the classic view from Fleetwith Pike must be down the Buttermere Valley - seeing 3 lakes in this giant trough ( Buttermere, Crummock and Loweswater) opening out onto the Solway Plain and Solway Firth with Dumfries & Galloway and Criffel beyond (this last bit was a bit much for my camera but take my word for it!)

Buttermere, Crummock and a glimpse of Loweswater

By now it was a lovely sunny afternoon and in a radical shift from long sweeping views a Red Admiral (I think) butterfly cavorted around the summit cairn

                                                    Red Admiral (?) on the summit cairn

Heading on down to Honister you pass some fearsome drops off down to Honister bottom - with what seems like dinky cars making their way along the slender ribbon of road - man's tenuous hold on this wild landscape

Looking down to Honister bottom (with a rather odd shadow being cast - I don't look like that really)

One of the interesting aspects of Fleetwith Pike is the way that man has impacted on the area over hundreds (if not thousands) of years working the slate quarries and mines - with relics and remnants like the old quarrymens' buildings clinging improbably to the crags above precipitous drops.

                                         Room with a view - abandoned quarry building

Then, as you get back down towards Honister, man's hand  takes a firmer hold as the Honister Slate mine HQ takes centre stage - with an excellent visitor centre and experiences and, most importantly, a much appreciated tea room.

Finally, getting back to Wasdale on a perfect West Cumbrian late sunny evening I closed the circle with a classic view of  Great Gable with the late sun painting its flanks - and so to bed!

                        End of a perfect day -late summer sun on Great Gable and Yewbarrow





Whitehaven (Wasdale-on-Sea) Festival looking good

I was in Whitehaven yesterday and this weekend's festival is shaping up nicely (although the weather perhaps less so).  The festival is on all this weekend so if you've nothing planned it's well worth a visit.


 .....and here's a few shots to give a flavour.......

                                                       The harbour in festive mood

....and apart from the things you would expect to see there were also some unusual things going on

                                                mobile 'rock nun' belting out some classics


...but back to the expected, there are some tall ships on show and a host of other activities

....but behind all the festivities Whitehaven is still a working port, and long may it remain so

An afternoon on Wasdale's less visited fells

I recently spent an afternoon on Wasdale's less visited fells - quite a revelation. Weather conditions made for some great views and I saw the Scafells in particular in a new light.

Middle Fell, Haycock and Seatallen are not on everyone's 'must do' list - but they should be as they offer stunning views. Myself, a fellow walker and his dog set off for Greendale Tarn (where I used to camp and fish as a lad) - a haven of peace even on a bank holiday.

                                 Greendale Tarn (bit blurred - I was standing on a loose rock!)

From Greendale Tarn we headed up to the col between Middle Fell and Seatallen, aiming for Haycock. It was here that I saw an amazing view of the Scafells - looking like something out of Yosemite.

                         The Scafells from above Greendale Tarn, looking across Yewbarrow.

I think it was something to do with the weather, light and clouds - but they looked damn impressive. It also gives a very different perspective of Scafell Pike, with the top looking totally symetrical as if it has just dropped out of a huge blancmange mould.

Further up towards Haycock gives a different perspectivee on Great Gable too - not the classic pyramid so well known from the National Park logo and as seen in Britain's Favourite view.

                                        Great Gable from between Middle Fell and Haycock


Then on up to Haycock - surprisingly high for a less known fell (2618 feet) and a fairly steep slog. From the summit there are huge views - down into Ennerdale and little visited Blengdale, across to Skiddaw and Blencathra, the Coniston fells and of course back to Wasdale - an amazing viewpoint.

Looking back to Wasdale from Haycock, showing Wastwater and it's Screes, with Greendale Tarn just visible in Middle Fell's embrace.


From Haycock we headed for Seatallen,  looking grassy and serene across the col - but it involved losing a lot of height then another slog back up more steep slopes - it was worth it though - more great views as the evening sun picked out the Scafells.

Scafells  from Seatallen

It was getting on a bit now, so time to head for Nether Wasdale and the pub - sharpish! It's a bit of a hike from Seatallen when you're thirsty, but a good incentive. There are two great pubs in nether Wasdale - the Screes and the Strands - a nice quandary.....

                                               Best view after a long afternoon?

Ends