A Real Mountaineers Day…!

A beautiful clear sunrise, with hopefully a hard frost on the ground.. convinced me I’d made the right decision… an attempt on ‘Y’ gully, which I believed led directly to the summit of Catstye Cam, this film clip gives a little idea of what I was to expect https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_oWQLj24qY

I headed off just after 9 a.m. from the Hotel, with clear skies above me, and distant views of Helvellyn and Striding edge, looking to be in beautiful ‘Alpine conditions’ ! Today I was to walk into Glenridding, them climb up and out of the valley, passing the Youth Hostel, and old Greensides mine, where I started to get my first glimpses of the North face of Catstye Cam, and some clues as to the gully I was looking for… I wondered whether it was the right ‘Y’ ? Two younger climbers passed me, also wondering which was the right gully, as they intended climbing it also, although no one else was to be seen !, and there was lots of loose snow plastered everywhere ! I followed the others tracks, and eventually ended up at what we all decided must be the gully, and all got our gear on…Twin climbing axes,crampons,helmet,sunglasses,gloves… and I was ready to go … I would have to go up and over the first rock buttress, drop into the gully, and hopefully follow it all the way up… not quite to be ! – I followed the others steps, for a short time, as they then traversed over another buttress to the right, as I continued to solo straight up the gully, crossing from side to side as I did, trying to get the best ground/ice/snow… too much snow, and I may slip down along with it… Ooops ! You can just make out the gully stretching down to the valley floor beneath me … although I did occasionally have time for some pictures…  I was going great guns, banging the axes in, and forcing my way up towards the summit, which tantalisingly didn’t seem to be getting any nearer, and after 90 minutes I was getting a little concerned… would I make it after all…or collapse in a heap, too tired to go on ? A bit more pushing and pulling had the summit cone suddenly nearing, and I could start to see the sunshine all around, as I topped out right at the summit, with a great roar and cheer for myself !! as I thrust my axes into the air, as if I’d summited Everest ! As I looked down from the top, I could see and hear a helicopter landing on a nearby Bealach, turned out they were rescuing a fallen climber, from further along the range  to me…http://www.grough.co.uk/magazine/2015/01/22/injured-climber-airlifted-after-fall-on-helvellyn-winter-route?printview=1 

Views from the top were fantastic, blue skies, no wind… I was on top of the world ( seemingly ) as I looked down into the gully area I’d climbed, with the hills profile silhouetted on the valley beneath me ! I just stood there, for what seemed like hours, looking round, taking in the views… fantastic with views up and along Swirrel Edge to the summit of Helvellyn… Oh, did I mention… I’m climbing them all again, way to go Jotown !! Another look down into the Gully and I was ready to move along, and get the rest of the days climbing done !

If you look closely, you’ll see my axes in the landscape…Now it was time to head over Swirral up to the summit, and hopefully more great views…not to be though, as I traversed the ridge, the icy mist swirled over Swirral ! and I was covered in it’s icy grip ! the sun being swallowed up, not to be seen again today…I was still a Happy Mountaineer though, as I posed at the trig point on the top, and then flashed across the plateau, just managing to find the exit onto Striding Edge and homeward bound …as I danced along nothing daunting me as I banged my axes into any tricky bits that tried to stop me, soon I was at the end of Striding Edge…and time to revert to normal, packing my gear away… and smiling ! All I needed to do now was get back to the Hotel, hot bath… and celebrate which I did, along with the entertaining singer in the bar that night !!

I’m just getting used to this ..