Summer Challenge 5

Week 5

The start of week 5 was dominated by the impact of Storm Floris, with winds forecast to reach over 75 mph on the highest summits and even at sea level it was probably too windy for paddling. Fortunately there were several days notice, which meant that I was able to re-arrange some of the activities.

So Sunday morning I launched on the Tyne and paddled on the north bank, to ensure I remained in Northumberland. I managed to catch the optimum tidal flow both upstream and downstream. I averaged 4.9 mph unfortunately it was yet another grey paddle. From there it was a quick drive north to be able to walk up The Cheviot before the winds picked up.

I was amazed by the Harthope Valley, such a stunning location. I hadn’t been to the top of The Cheviot since the summer of 1975, the final day of my walk along the Pennine Way. I don’t remember much about it at all, so it was a pleasure to become re-acquainted with the highest point in England’s most northerly National Park. Despite it being a lovely afternoon I only saw 5 people in total on the mountain.

The distinctive and rather large summit cairn of The Cheviot. I had the summit to myself.

Monday was a day spent avoiding the strong winds, there were branches snapping off trees and landing around the car. So I retreated to the Metro Centre in Gateshead, sheltering in a shopping centre was a unique experience for me.

On Tuesday I started to try and get the Challenge back on schedule. A drive across the moors of northern England to walk up Gragareth, in Lancashire. It was a fairly miserable experience (weather wise) but I did have the hill to myself. From there it was down to Lancaster to paddle on the canal. The Lancaster Canal is perfect for a long paddle, 41 miles with no locks. Even the swans seemed amenable

Probably the most distinctive feature of today’s walk were The Three Men of Gragareth, which I visited on my descent. I have been able to find anything about the history of this distinctive feature apart from “they are believed to be old”.

On Wednesday with the summit winds easing it was time to head to Wasdale Head to walk up Scafell Pike. Busy is an understatement. There were hundreds of people heading up England’s highest peak. Fell runners, family groups, individuals all walking up hill. I thought that it was great to see hundreds of people on the mountain, all enjoying England’s great outdoors. The only rubbish I saw was one piece of orange peel and a discarded energy drink. If I wanted solitude I would have selected somewhere else but Scafell Pike was enjoyable in a different way.

One of my favourite view from the path on Scafell Pike. The screes of Wast Water always look dramatic.

Some of the crowds on the higher slops of the mountain. So many people enjoying Englands highest mountain.

To complete the Cumbrian section of my Challenge I needed to paddle on one of the Lakes. A reasonably brisk south westerly wind encourage me to paddle from the National Trust car park at Fell Foot, to Ambleside at the northern end of the lake. A wise decision as I was easily able to maintain 5 knots. I am always amazed by the size of some of the sailing boats kept on Windermere, there were numerous 30 feet plus yachts on moorings.

Approaching Ambleside with the Fairfield Horseshoe behind. Some great memories of winter days on those fells.

To complete a lovely day we stayed with Andy and Anne Fleck, high in Dentdale. It is 40 years ago this year that Andy came to work for me in Jersey, when I ran a kayaking business. He had a impressive track record with solo circumnavigations of Ireland and Newfoundland completed and he went on to paddle extensively in Japan and the Galapagos Islands before switching his maritime skills and enthusiasm to sailing. Great to catch up.

From their house to Whernside, North Yorkshires county top, was an easy drive until a significant landslide closed the road. A 10 to 15 minute drive has been transformed into a 45 minute detour. We parked close to the magnificent Ribblehead Viaduct, although we did delay our departure until some particularly fierce squalls had passed through. We used the shorter, steeper route for the ascent, the opposite direction to most of the walking traffic but it meant that we had the wind on our banks on the summit ridge, which was pretty windy.

The summit Trig Point of Whernside. I had last stood at this spot in 1975 when I completed the Yorkshire 3 Peaks with a couple of friends from school.

Saturday marked the half way point of my Challenge. It started with a live interview on BBC Radio Jersey before heading towards the hills. I had forgotten what it was like to walk across the moors of the southern Pennines, peat groughs, disappearing footpaths and not too many people. 10 miles of walking saw us reach the County tops of West Yorkshire and Greater Manchester before rushing over Billinge Hill, the highest point in Merseyside.

Black Hill, the 3rd highest point in the Peak District and the County Top of West Yorkshire. Up until 1974 it was the highest point in Cheshire. A familiar sight to thousands of Pennine Way walkers.

I think this is Black Chew Head, it is pretty much where the 542 metre spot height was on my map. In contrast to some tops there was actually another person on the summit.

I have finished the first half of the Challenge with 34 county paddles completed and and 37 County Tops visited. Only slightly behind schedule despite losing Monday to Storm Floris. Sunday is my only planned rest day of the trip, which I am spending in Liverpool prior to starting the second half of the Challenge on Monday morning. The coming days will see plenty of kayaking, in contrast to the last 8 days where the focus has been on the mountains.

Thirty five days completed, or 50 %, of the Challenge.

Miles Paddled: This week 30.66 Running total 350.84
Miles Walked: This week 36.07 Running total 104.89
County Tops: This week 7 Running total 37
Miles Driven: This week 560 Running total 2790