Winter in the Lake District...
I'm Dreaming of a White Christmas....Easter.
It's that time of year again. Robin Ashcroft relishes the prospect of a Cumbrian - mountain - winter in all of its glory. Article reproduced by kind permission of the Cumbria & Lake District Magazine.
From the end of November there's a sense of anticipation that winter may once again descend upon Cumbria. The difference it makes - when it happens - to the Lakeland mountains is profound. They take on an altogether different stature, which isn't purely in the eye of the beholder. For not only do become an altogether more serious proposition, but they also host a much wider range of possibilities. At the risk of stating the obvious, any trip under full winter conditions, becomes full blown mountaineering and such classic walking rounds as Helvellyn by Striding Edge and Swirral Edge or Blencathra via Sharp Edge Hall's Fell Ridge are an Alpine proposition. And if the freezing level descends further and the snow falls on the area's forests and plateaus the Lake District takes on a Nordic atmosphere.
While there's an undeniable link with Christmas and snow, it's unlikely that the best of whatever a winter will bring, will fall at the festive season, but it does happen. And there's no doubting that it can be a powerful, almost spiritual experience. Once the formal celebrations are out of the way, calm seems to descend and people feel a profound drive to connect with wild, high and wooded places. There's a definite sense that the longer festival of pagan times - to see you through the year's darkest days - is more appropriate to the soul than the three day Christmas our Victorian ancestors invented to accommodate the Industrial Revolution. Not least, because there is a real joy to be found around the Yule Fire in a mountain pub, with pint in hand as the dark descends. No doubt the Lakeland pagans of old would have approved!
Despite winter not yet being in full flow, tremendous conditions often descend on the fells during the Twelve Days of Christmas. For a mountaineer Helvellyn's Brown Cove Crag is best known for its scrambling lines, but given a covering of snow they become superb "mixed" climbs. Readily reached from the Thirlmere road, you enter a place of wild, mountainous situations. While it's always worth going for an early - alpine - start, on one occasion we hadn't, and the experience of being high and committed to a climb as dusk descended on the "Fourth Day of Christmas" was profound. With some hundred or more feet of climbing still to go, our situation may have turned serious, but the deep pink of alpenglow on the snow fields of Helvellyn's flank was stunningly beautiful and lifted our spirits, giving us a sense of being on the edge, and very definitely "out there". It is sights and moments like that, which are so precious and inspiring.
Helvellyn really is Lakeland's winter mountain - our very own alp. For the skier it has huge potential and a day's downhill, skiing courtesy the Lake District Ski Club's tow, at Raise is quite something. There's a sense of unreality - could this actually be England? The snow however, is often of very high quality and if it isn't, then there's the camaraderie of the club's hut. Although take note - it is members and guest only (but we're a pretty welcoming lot and we don't go in for "black-balling").
It is however, the ski tourer - of either the Alpine of Nordic persuasion - that will get the best out of Helvellyn. A full traverse of the ridge is a stunning trip, requiring skill, judgement and stamina - a south-north traverse gives the best going and a good descent from Raise. For an introductory trip, a walk-in from Greenside and then a tour over the Dodds has much to recommend it. And if you don't fancy "skinning"* on the uphill sections then for some modern kites provide efficient uplift!
Helvellyn isn't the only mountain in Lakeland with ski touring potential, but the more easterly the location, the better the snow cover tends to be. Skiddaw, Blencathra and High Street all hold it well and their rounded contours are more suitable for skis than the rugged tops of the Central and Western Ranges. This shouldn't however, preclude other fells and good days can be had on the Coniston Fells, the ground to the north of Langdale and even the northern slopes of Great Gable - although the latter probably falls within the remit of ski mountaineering, rather than touring. To take it a step further, and if you want "Ski Extreme", then there's the north face of Helvellyn, by the southern flank of Swirral Edge. Just make sure you know what you're doing and that your edges are well tuned!
Further along Helvellyn's North Face there are the Red Tarn Gullies - and for the winter mountaineer they present a good progression from Grade I to Grade III. On the other side of Striding Edge, in Nethermost Cove there's another Lakeland classic winter climb. At Grade I/II Nethermost Gully is technically straightforward climb, but deserves consideration and respect, for a large cornice does build up and at some stage it will collapse, avalanching the gully.
In truth, avalanche risk was far from our thoughts, when - as eighteen year olds on a pristine January day in the 1970s - the white soaring line of Nethermost Gully caught our attention from atop Striding Edge. We'd had in mind our first winter traverse of this arête and were equipped with some gear - rope, ash-shafted ice axes, some chock-stones and few slings, but no crampons; pocket money hadn't stretched to those yet! Its line was however, compelling and soon we found ourselves traversing in to its base.
Nethermost Gully was banked out with superb nevé and we barely noticed the lack of crampons as we kicked our way upwards, drawn onwards by a deep blue sky framed by the gully walls above our heads. Sensibly, we pitched the entire route, and were glad of this as we quit the snow filled bed of this couloir, for its exposed right-hand wall, to clear the cornice that barred it exit. Scrambling onto the plateau the rush of satisfaction was profound and enjoying lunch amongst the huddle of the summit shelter, we shared our adventure with others, feeling we'd graduated as mountaineers.
Striding Edge, under full winter conditions, is a superb experience - as are all the other Lakeland edges. It is the stuff of alpine dreams and in truth is an elegant route. I give it full due, "moving together alpine fashion on a short rope"; this is a technique that tends - foolishly - to be dismissed by the British, although it is the norm on this type of terrain in the Alps. I do this partly for practise, partly because I find it satisfying (and if you get it right it doesn't slow you down) and partly for genuine safety reasons. For if you do it right, it will prevent a slip turning into a slide and a full blown fall.
Of all the rock ridges of Lakeland, the one that looks most alpine is undoubtedly Pinnacle Ridge on St Sunday Crag - the pinnacles on the final arête are ideal for weaving your rope around as you "short rope" this final section - but Sharp Edge comes a very close second. In winter conditions this is a serious proposition, also requiring a rope, but get it right and you'll have a great day.
Come February and March the days lengthen, but the colder temperatures arrive. If this happens, the place to head for is Great End. Forming the North Eastern End of the Scafell Massif its aspect and height counter its westerly location and its rugged countenance is spectacular. This was the winter playground for the Victorian and Edwardian climbers and it still a great stage for modern adventures. Central Gully is the classic line and if properly formed it goes at a good grade II; it's a delight and with the potential to round off the day with a walk to the summit of Scafell Pike.
The reality is that Lakeland winter mountaineering - even in those halcyon days of yore - is always going to be hit and miss. Some years it just won't happen, but then next year there will be snow down low enough to cover forest trails and low lying moorland. One of my favourite memories of a Lake District winter is of taking to cross country skis over Torver Common, with the deep black of Coniston Water in view.
You won't always get snow when the temperature drops, but there's usually water ice! This often forms well in eastern corries of Red Screes. Overlooking the summit of Kirkstone Pass, these mini icefalls are easily reached from the road and you can be climbing within 20 minutes. They aren't big routes - typically 2-3 short pitches - but they are accommodating and worthy of attention. In the right conditions you can grab an afternoon's ice climbing and be back in the pub enjoying a pint, by dark. There is however, another tactic and that is to drive up there after work and head off as dusk is settling. Then, with a good moon or even starlight with snow on the ground, a session on ice can conveniently be enjoyed. And it's being able to take these surprise opportunities that can make Lakeland winter mountaineering so special.
It isn't that rare for the temperatures to drop and snow to fall once we're into April - when this happens there's magic in the air. With longer days you will be under less pressure and the spring snow can be savoured. Easter time has given great mountain days, made all the more poignant as you know they won't last into May, so you're tempted to tarry a while as the sun starts to descend. So many times I've been loathe to leave a snowbound summit, lingering up there, to enjoy every facet of sunset and alpenglow. Thank goodness for head torches and the feeling of a windblown face once safely back in the pub. Then there's time to think of prospects for summer in the Alps - which is made all the more pleasant as fitness and technique have been kept nicely honed through a Lakeland mountain winter - or even of the theory, that Climate Change will produce colder winters in Britain. Now there's a thought!
* "Skins" are strips of special fabric, which stick to the soles of mountaineering skis, enabling the Ski mountaineer or Nordic skier to ascend quite steep slopes on skis.
Useful Info
Lake District Ski Club - www.ldscsnowski.co.uk
Guidebook
Fell & Rock Climbing Club Guide - Lake District Winter Climbs pb Cicerone
