Jan 27th Brown Cove Crags

Yet another trip up onto Brown Cove Crags today for a look at the snow conditions and have some fun running up and down the easy gullies.
 The snow was a little soft, but made for an easy and enjoyable ascent.
A ferocious tail wind helped us up!  But made it difficult to stand up the top!

 I love it when the conditions get a bit wild, I think it always adds some extra drama to the day...

Helvellyn Gill

Melt water streams running under the snow

Left Parallel Gully

A small cornice at the top of Left Parallel Gully

"I said....... CLIMB WHEN YA READY!!"

Right Parallel Gully

Right Parallel Gully

Jan 20th Yorkshire Dales

A photographic trip into the Dales to capture some winter images proved very successful.

Click on the page link for all the images.....................................>>>>

An isolated and abandoned farmhouse on the skyline above Langstrothdale.
 

Welcome to Richmondshire

Jan 17th Helvellyn

A stroll up to Brown Cove Crags and Helvellyn showed that the snow was not as deep as I had expected.  There's a thin covering of powder right down to the road, but nothing solid for a climb.
Some ice has formed and the turf was starting to become more solid, though not fully frozen yet.
It was well below freezing all day, but became very cold on the summit with the strong wind chill and as the cloud came in it became positively arctic.

North to Skiddaw and Blencathra

Brown Cove Crags

Broad Gully

Some ice had formed on the crags

Brown Cove and Swirrel Edge

Swirrel Edge

Swirrell Edge

Helvellyn summit and Striding Edge

Helvellyn, Striding Edge, and Red Tarn

Jan 12th The Old Man of Coniston

A great forecast for the weekend, but no snow and ice for climbing, so we set off for a walk over Wetherlam, Black Sails and the Old Man of Coniston.
Distance: 7.6 miles
Height gain: 3500ft

The ground was frozen at about 550m after a sharp frost the night before.

Wind blown frost

Gill Cove above Levers Water

Looking East from Furness Fell

North Gully on Hen Crag (probably)

Across to the Old Man from Furness Fell

North from Wetherlam summit to Bowfell

The Prison Band and Swirl How

Towards the Old Man and Dow Crag

Lets hope the forecast for some snow and cold temperatures is right and the gullys and crags are good for some climbing soon.

Jan 9th Brimham Rocks sunset

With the weather becoming colder and more settled, I was hopeful that tonight might be a good opportunity to take some star trail shots, but as the sun set over the horizon and the cloud started to build it became apparent that this was not the night.

Brimham Rocks  (2 secs@f5.6,  iso100)

I was however rewarded for my efforts with a superb sunset over the rocks from my favourite vantage point.  This image was taken about 20mins after the sun had disappeared below the horizon.
I've taken many images from exactly this point, it always seems to come up with goods if there's a good sunset.
The juxtaposition of all the rock formations fall in just right place to give a perfect silhouette again the big west facing sky.

Don't you just love it when a plan comes together!!...........Tee hee

Jan 5th and 6th Striding Edge and Blencathra

Over the weekend a trip to the Lakes didn't present the photographic opportunities that I'd hoped for.

Saturday we walked from Glenridding past Lantys Tarn up onto Striding Edge and Helvellyn.
We were shrouded in cloud all day, and a chilly wind on the summit meant we didn't hang around too long.

Grisedale and St Sunday Crag 5th Jan

Striding Edge from Swirrel Edge (not 5th Jan!)

 Sunday was much of the same with a trip up Blencathra via Halls Fell Ridge,  the rocks on the ridge were treacherously slippery and great care was taken on the exposed bits near the top.
The camera stayed firmly in the bag.