Karl and I made a second trip to the Climbers Club hut in Grange, Borrowdale, the first was Christmas eve where we did a damp and cold Corvus, this time it was winter walking on the cards.
A early start on Sat, delayed by a lost sleeping bag (not stolen!) saw us gearing up in the morning sunshine at Seathwaite and leaving the car about 10.30 for the walk upto Great End. We overtook many groups but as expected it was heaving up there. South East wasn't complete but Central and Window Gullies were very busy. We counted 14 people gearing up at the base of the screes as arrived, put on some crampons and wandered across to Custs Gully. By the time we had left another 12 were there. Great neve took us all the way to the summit, soloing, with just a brief stop to allow three climbers to kick snow on us on their descent.
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- emerging from the gully
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- tricky last steep bit
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- alive
On the summit we were treated to magnificent views of all the lakes hills and Scottish southern hills clearly visible. It was a busy day with many teams on bowfell (including pete b with another team staying in Ambleside) and Scafell Pike – our destination, bristling with summiteers. We made our way across the plateau ticking Ill and Broad Crags and joined the masses. I estimated 1 in 8 had crampons and whilst not liable to fall over any cliffs it would have made their walking a lot easier and less slippery.
Broad Crag with poser
We descended via a Corridor Route variant, taking us behind round how, a lovely quite little cove overlooked by some knarly looking cliffs and hanging icicles beneath Broad Crag's summit. We picked up the CR and headed via Sty Head tarn back to the road arriving just after dark, or pub time as we like to call it. Swift pint then to the hut for an enjoyable evening chatting to Chris G and Martin H (both Yorkshire climbers).
The long walk had done for Karl's so a shorter day was called for on Sunday, but what a day, cold crisp frosty but clear blue skies, stunning place to be. We headed up to a stripped Brown Cove Crags, where only 2 other parties were in evidence, Helvellyn was very busy as snow condition were great. On the left hand side of the crag we found a suitable short route going up the rib between two gullies, one with plenty of avalanche debris from a collapsed cornice, not much snow low down but all frozen up. We left the sacs, I took a short rope and we made our way up the mostly frozen block, choosing the most awkward route and pitching 2 short sections. We both really enjoyed it even though short lived was entertaining and engaing the whole way up – it's given II which felt right. We downclimbed the neighbouring gully (grade I) doing some snow anchor practice, bucket seats, lowers to add to the boot-axe belay and other tricks we had used yesterday. We collected the sacs and headed down, Karl's knee giving him lots of grief, but we were treated to wonderful views and it was still light.
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- debris from cornice
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- tricky rock step
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- happy karl
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- last section over some blocks
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- click to see K in action
A top weekend out, shame Mike was being a property tycoon and couldn't join us, next time maybe