  My early years living on the fringe of the Peak District and within a short drive of Snowdonia, meant that walking was always something to be enjoyed. My first job was in Cheshire (with the Min of Ag, Fish and Food) where I joined the local climbing and caving club. Whilst in Cheshire I discovered winter climbing in Scotland which in turn led to four summer trips to the Alps where we climbed many of the classic (ie easy) snow and ice routes including the Matterhorn, Eiger west face, Aiguille de Chardonnet, Mt Blanc and Monte Rosa. Unusually for climbers at the time, we enjoyed our walking as much as our climbing.
In my mid 20s I moved Departments to Wolverhampton VAT where I did little walking but carried on skiing. Following my divorce in my 30s I applied for and got, a job with Customs in Plymouth - probably the first place I moved to because I actually wanted to live and work there. Dartmoor was on my doorstep and holidays in Scotland, North Wales, Europe and America gave me regular fixes of walking and/or skiing.
All my family (on both sides) come from the north of England and when my parents left me a bit of money I had no hesitation in buying a cottage in the Lakes ten years ago, which I would let out for seven years before moving up when I took early retirement three years ago. Today I still walk and ski with the odd gentle scramble. I have a season ticket for Stoke City (someone has to do it) and I shoot grey squirrels when they venture into my garden; this took a bit of psyching myself up for but it has to be done if the reds are to survive. I count myself lucky to live in one of the most beautiful and mountainous areas of Britain - especially as it is full of people (such as OFC members) who feel the same way about it as I do.
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Sunday, 27 April 2008 |
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 A walk with Jill Rowland, Jo Hall and Roger and Ann Hiley from Overbeck Bridge (by Wast Water) to Yewbarrow.
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Sunday, 13 April 2008 |
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 Over the weekend I joined Ann, Roger and Jo to enjoy Muncaster Fell with the return on La'al Ratty and Eagle Crag, Sargeants Crag and Greenup Gill with Jo and Ann. A fine example of how shorter, lower walks can rival the big ones.
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Tuesday, 08 April 2008 |
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 I first walked the Whiteside to Hopegill Head ridge 40 years ago and hoped that I would get to do it in winter conditions one day. I never imagined that it would be as late as April 8th when I finally completed a winter traverse.
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Sunday, 06 April 2008 |
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 As forecast we woke up to snow this morning and I opted to head for the top of Dunmail Raise to start my walk. Normally when I climb Seat Sandal from there I ascend via Raise Beck; for a change I decided to climb the western slopes of Seat Sandal keeping the beck below me to my left.
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Sunday, 23 March 2008 |
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 Like many people I woke up this morning to find it had snowed in the night. Now I like walking in snow but I have never been very keen on walking over high fells within 12 hours of fresh snow. I prefer to wait until it consolidates and walk over them the following day. So I opted today to walk High Rigg which, at 1200 ft is just 600 ft higher than my garden.
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Monday, 17 March 2008 |
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 As others have said it was a beautiful blue sky day today. Unfortunately I had things to see to in Keswick so I couldn't make a start on a walk until 11.30. We drove to Revelin Moss carpark near the top of Whinlatter Pass and took the forest track which leads to the north ridge of Grisedale Pike and Hobcarton End.
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Friday, 14 March 2008 |
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 31 years ago this month I took my father up Coniston Old Man - his first and only mountain - to celebrate his 60th birthday. The route we took up was the little used route starting by Boo Tarn.
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Tuesday, 04 March 2008 |
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 Today was very much a "got to do it before the snow melts" day. Like Sean I felt that the morning was too good to not get out on the Fells. An early appointment with my (diabetic) nurse meant that I started later than I would have wished but I still managed to walk two thirds of the Coldale Round from Stonycroft and be back in time for tea.
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Saturday, 01 March 2008 |
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 Yesterday Jill Rowland persuaded Jo, myself, Roger and Ann to join her in reducing her Wainwrights from 23 to go to 21 to go. Because of the high winds we opted not to climb high and to stay away from ridges - instead we headed to Watendlath to test out the waterproofness of our boots on High Tove and Armboth Fell.
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Sunday, 27 January 2008 |
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 This afternoon was grey and windy but quite mild. Ann Hiley, Jayne Hill, Jo and I had a short walk from the carpark near the Ennerdale outfall to the col above Anglers Crag, up to the pinnacles and then up via Revelin Crag to Crag Hill summit. The pinnacles were fascinating and we had a bit of an explore.
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