An easy climb straight up next to the waterfalls. We also pointed out now that this wasn’t a two hour stroll. Rob, our lucky mascot, had provided sun for the third time in the lakes on our training walks.

We set off upwards from the start and Mark began to feel the effects of a night on the wine. At halfway he decided he was going to die and this type of training wasn’t helpful.

Halfway there and no snow to be seen. A bit of encouragement and Mark made it up to the top where we stopped for lunch admiring the scene across the lakes and the snow behind us.

Following lunch we decided to cut short the full walk due to the amount of snow and the time of day, it would have been too dangerous in the ice to walk the full route. We did however get a fair bit of snow training in and walked in thigh deep snow up to one of the lower summits where the view was fantastic.

The trip down was fairly straight forward and we made good time. This training was good as it gives us a good idea of what the conditions will be like in Iceland.

Mark has vowed to give up weekend drinking following this walk!!

A family holiday in the Isle of Man and the chance to make it to the top of the highest peak on the Island, Snaefell. A mountain railway takes you all the way from the great Laxey Wheel up to the summit.

That would be easy. I abandoned the rest of the party (my wife, my son and in laws) and decided the twenty minute train journey wasn’t enough and I would do the two hour walk instead.

You start the walk at Laxey (see the wheel to the left) and head up a sharp hill to start the off road walk. It was a sunny day and t-shirt and shorts were essential.

Looking up to the summit

The path levelled out and there was not a soul to be seen. I made it to the two thirds way point and stopped for a drink and to wave to my family on the train making it’s way up the mountain.

I carried on and made it to the main road that traverses the tops past the summit. At this point, with the wind picking up, thick fog taking over, I was beginning to wonder why I hadn’t just driven along this road and parked four fifths of the way to the summit.

I carried on for the last half a mile in thick fog with my compass and map out knowing that whilst I was going up hill I was going the right way.

The Summit

I eventually arrived at the railway track that carried the mountain train to the summit. Ten minutes later I was at the summit.

As you can see, another summit and no view.

The joys of walking!!

Dow Crags

On the 17th September I decided to do something more challenging than before, so with my friend Dean we set off for Coniston. Given that the weather had been so bad it was a very pleasant surprise to find it sunny. So we left Coniston village and walked around the back of the Old Man of Coniston to go up Dow Crags. This is a nice walk which few people do, once on the summit we were rewarded with great views of the surrounding hills. So rather than coming down we walked over Goats Hawes to the summit of The Old Man of Coniston, the highest of the mountains in this group. From the summit we carried on along the ridge to Brim Fell. From here we dropped down to Levers Water and had a pleasant stroll back to Coniston. It was a long day, but a very pleasant day out. Both Dean and I were stiff at the end of the day but it was far better than being in the office.

Dean on the Summit of Dow Crag

The Old Man of Coniston

Me on the summit of The Old Man

Kevin & I at the summit

Again I have been very bad on keeping up my reports on my training. Fortunately I am better doing the walking than talking about it. So on the 31st August Kevin and I went up Whernside. We had a great walk and surprise surprise it did not rain all day, just from the summit down.

On the 5th of September I went back uo Moel Famau again for a quick walk as this hill is not too far from where I live.

Trainspotter delight!

The walk was pleasant and we managed to stick to just t-shirts. The summit played hide and seek behind lowering cloud.

Chris surveys the scene

A great walk along the ridge to our destination.

The rain started as we broke out our lunch and we had a rainy descent to the car and the end of our trip. (Another three hour training session!)

However, he soon discovered that having a child sat on your shoulders whilst climbing a hill isn’t the best idea.

Mark’s wife came to his rescue with the delivery of his walking gear to the start point.

A brisk walk to one end of the Chevin and a loop round to take in the vista over Otley.

All completed in thirty minutes at pace which we considered a good light workout.