Carlisle & District Rambling & Fellwalking Club

Walk & Event Reports

Sunday 19th February 2017

A Walk

Skiddaw

9 Miles Grade 1

Leader: Lauren Sarasini

Report by Peter Flynn

Photos by Peter Flynn, Chris McKay & Pete Rutland

Great for the club when there are 45 people on the coach.  10 brave souls ventured on the A walk up Skiddaw.  Of these,  Bruce, Chris, Katharine,  Lesley and Sue had never been up before .  Whatever the time of year Skiddaw makes its own weather,  and so it was today.  We started through the woods near the Ravenstone  Hotel and soon made it onto the ridge.  The surface was wet mud and rather slippery in parts,  but no one had any serious problems and we made it in one piece to Ullock Pike.  This is where the sun started playing games with us.  It was thick mist nearly all the way up,  but then we were tantalised by brief glimpses of the sun,  and on the steep path from Carl Side to the summit,  the mist cleared sufficiently for about 5 minutes for us to see the valley about 1000 ft below. The main surprise was a “white bow”.  This is a rainbow produced in fog rather than rain,  and apart from faint colours on either edge,  it is circular and white. (It can be caused by moonlight as well,  but this was very much the thick mist.)  As usual the summit was icy cold with a very strong wind,  but a few yards down the east side and it was calm and pleasant.  We had lunch there,  and then off to Little Man and down to Keswick.  No matter how many times the ascent of Skiddaw is made,  the steepness and,  at times,  difficult terrain,  always make it into a challenge and an achievement.  Many thanks to Lauren for leading the walk.

Peter