April Snow

Again the day started with being picked up by Ed and his silver fox (a trusty Volkswagen Fox), then taking the trip to Greggs for our normal second breakfast - a bacon bap and a flat white. After completing our ritual, we got to our first problem of the day as we arrived in Patterdale: finding some parking. Our usual spot was taken by a pile of rubble, and after looking in the paid car park filled of ramblers we went to the church for their 2 hour parking spaces. Might have to remember that for my next confessions.

All packed and ready, we set out to complete our plan for the day which was to run CP5 to CP8 of the Lakes Sky Ultra, which would quickly take us up to Striding Edge, where we would then drop down into the valley again, up Pinnacle Ridge and back down to Patterdale

Making our way up the start of the Helvellyn horse shoe track to get up to Striding Edge, we were met with snow, firstly starting of as little white bits flying through the sky, but the higher up we got, there was nearly a proper snow blizzard! We made slow progress up the hill until we got to the hole in the wall, but just before reaching there we stopped to get the last of the cover from the increasing wind before getting onto the ridge to quickly get a warmer jacket on and a quick drink. We also decided at this point that instead of going on to the wet and snowy Pinnacle Ridge, we would just continue around the horseshoe and go down Swirral Edge. Check out the snow, that we did not expect at the end of April!

We continued on what has been called Britain's best mountain day out, and make quick progress on the amazing scramble that Striding Edge is. It's pretty easy and fun ground that continues for ages. I'd definitely recommend it! For those who are out of their comfort zone, it provides some chicken lines as well which is pretty good and makes it easy to see how it gets so much traffic. The traffic is something we experienced too!!! For it being mid-week, and a day with a bad forecast (and snow!), we ran into multiple groups - some quite large - and some which commented on not only our scrambling style, but the fact that I was still in my typical summer attire of shorts (year-round attire for me I guess).

We passed the largest of these groups as we started to go down Swirral Edge, which provides for really fun and slightly sketchy scrambling when trying to go down it as quick as possible. Again this was just a super fun scramble, and it's understandable how popular it is.

From here it was plain sailing running back which was mostly down hill, except a little up hill to get to the hole in the wall.

Back in Patterdale after our 12,5km takeing 2;45hrs, we made our way to Ambleside to check out the climbing shops and another little Greggs pitstop before going to Keswick and letting Ed into Needlesport to lighten his wallet...