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25 July 2010

Landscape has enjoyed the recent rain although the reservoirs still need to fillup. Unfortunately this means that the grass needs cutting more. Osprey chicks are now flying. Keswick christian convention is in full flow.

10/11 July

Ran Hadrian's Wall - 86 miles. 4.20am start on saturday from Bowness of Solway with a 3.36am finish in Wallsend. Lots of rain on the way which was a novelty. After months of long didtance training I can turn my attention to the Lakeland Peaks. Next race is Borrowdale at the beginning of August.

w/c 21 June 2010

Had week off. On saturday supported another successfull Bob Graham Round. This time anti-clockwise, with me supporting from Dunmail Raise back over the Helvellyn Range, Blencathra etc and finishing back at the Moot Hall. Hard work, given the 10,000 feet of ascent over 27 miles. On Monday caught train to Krby in Furness and then walked back, over three days via Coniston, Langdales and Borrowdale, on the Cumbria Way. Highly recommended.

The dry sunny weather has continued since the beginning of April so now promised a hose pipe ban if rain doesn't arrive in force.

A fantastic time to be in the lakes.

5 June 2010

Another hot day. Ran 30 miles of Hadrians Wall in preparation for the run of the whole wall next month. Rather daunting when the whole wall is 86 miles long!

1 June 2010

One osprey egg has hatched with two more to go.   Enjoyed the Lakes alive show in Whitehaven at the weekend.   Rained today but forecast is great for the rest of the week. Rivers and lakes at record low levels so some rain is desparately needed....but great ime to be on the fells.

21 May 2010

Its 8pm and still 19 centigrade! A great weekend to come to the Lakes. Keswick Mountain Festival continues over the weekend.

18 May 2010

6 weeks now with little rain. 5.30am run on the fells to Trusmadoor and then Great Cockup, Orthwaite and back. 10 mile and 1 hour 30 minutes. My favourite morning run at the moment.

16 May 2010

Training for running Hadrians Wall continues. Today ran from Home to Ambleside via Skiddaw House, Threlkeld, and the Helvellyn Range from Clough Head to Fairfield. Beutiful day again with the rare clouds being well above the summits. 6 hours and 30 miles and a fantastic run.

11 - 14 May 2010

Three mornings in a row I was out at 5.30am running on the fells. Dry, clear and the Northern Fells still really dry. Routes included Little Cockup, Great Cockup, Trusmadoor and The Knott

1 May 2010

Another dry, sunny but cold day. Ran from home; The Knott, High Pike, Currock Fell, Blencathra, Skiddaw and Great Calva. Just over 7 hours, 32 miles and a lot of ascent/ descent and one fording of a river.   Fells were dry after the month with very little rain. A great time to explore this area. Another dry week has been forecast.

25 April 2010

After saturday's hot sunshine the day starter wet but improved. Delayed my run up Skiddaw until late afternoon. Still cloudy on top with no one seen on the whole run, to and from my Dodd Wood start. Earlier in the day Dodd Wood was busy with Osprey watchers.

22 April 2010

Settled weather continues, with blue skies and day long sunshine. Still pockets of snow lingering on the fells. Weekend forecast is very good. The Ospreys in Dodd Wood have had 2 eggs and a 3rd is expected.  For more information visit their website at www.ospreywatch.co.uk If you want to try and see the ospreys the viewing sites in Dodd Wood are open.

11/ 12 April 2010

Fantastic weather continues.

10 April 2010

Confirmed that male osprey and female have returned and breeding! First eggs should appear in the next week or two.

9 April 2010

Fantastic weather. Got sun burnt head. Forecast to last a week

4 April 2010

Again weather got nicer through the day. Sunny, but windy. Ran from home to the Knott, via Longlands, onto Great Calva and then back. 12 miles in 2 hours. Despite the thaw continuing deep snow again caused difficulties on the higher fells.

3 April 2010
The weather improved through the day with sunshine and blue skies in the afternoon. Ran from home, past Dash Falls, onto Skiddaw House and then back home over Skiddaw. 17 miles in 3 hours, made harder by the deep snow that remains on the back of Skiddaw.

2 April 2010

Day started with frost, blue sky and sunshine. The cloud from the south remained above the summits although the summits remain clothed in snow.

1 April 2010

A fantastic sunny day that has cleared the snow from the lower fells but left the fells covered. Forecast good for Good Friday and Easter Day (Sunday). Room booked for saturday and sunday nights. So still an opportunity to visit.

Two ospreys have been on the nest and have begun mating. Likely to be a returning pair.

31 March 2010

Heavy snow, again!

29 March 2010   The osprey returned to the Whinlatter/ Dodd Wood area today. The osprey watch team are still trying to identify whether it is a returning female. For more information visit their website at www.ospreywatch.co.uk
If you want to try and see the ospreys over the easter weeken the viewing sites in Dodd Wood are open. We still have availability for the easter period if you wish to stay only a 10 minute drive away.

Ouse Bridge opened today following the opening of the two bridges in Cockermouth earlier in the week. Great news for the area.

26 March 2010   The ospreys have returned. Today, the first osprey visited the nest. This may be a visitor or it may be the returning female, time will only tell.

21 March 2010   Collected drift wood from shores of Bassenthwaite that has been left by the November floods. Will be great for the Woodburning stoves. Noticed a lot of dead frogs on the roads so I think this indicates that spring has arrived.

20 March 2010   Waited until later in the day to run up Skiddaw. Fresh snow on top but melting. Still large patches of snow remaining. 1.35 minutes from Dodd Wood to do the horse shoe.

13 March 2010   March has been very dry, with the snow retreating to the fell tops with the longer daylight and sunny days. Spring appears to be on its way!

28 February 2010    Snow arrived on 18 December 2009 and has remained on the hills since then. Locally thought to be a comparable winter to 1963. Prior to christmas there was a portable ski tow in the field behind us for two weeks!
Snowed yesterday and again today. Been for a walk up Borrowdale past Castle Crag, fantastic views in the sunshine with the snow capped peaks.
A great time to be on the fells. Winter climbs are in fantastic shape although there is an ever present avalanche danger.