Journeys by hiking, running, cycling and touring
Bowfell has many admirers - and for good reason. Â It's great. Â This is the first of a run of favourite fells whose main virtue is that there is an interesting way up. Â Bowfell is a proper mountain, by Lake District standards, but it wouldn't quite win top prizes for beauty from me when up against … Continue reading Favourite Fells – Bowfell
This has been an incredibly hard post to write. Â I've been trying to find the words to explain what this fell means to me, and the words that have come just haven't done it justice. Â But I can almost hear some readers asking what all the fuss is about. Â After all Pike of Stickle is … Continue reading Favourite Fells – Pike of Stickle
You can't really go wrong with a mountain that looks like one - in terms of shape. Â And Harter Fell is definitely the right shape. Â Its pyramid is instantly recognisable from any angle, draws you in and summons you to the top. Â But Harter Fell is a favourite not just because of its shape, but … Continue reading Favourite Fells – Harter Fell (Eskdale)
Given my predeliction for the smaller fells, you might be surprised to find the big one in my list. Â But then again, it's a pretty obvious choice when you look at it. Â I've got to the point now where the gap between my favourite fells is quite narrow, and it wouldn't take much for them … Continue reading Favourite Fells – Scafell Pike
Today's post is going to be a bit short, as I covered the walk itself in my Favourite Walks pages. Red Screes and I didn't get off to the best start. Back in 2006 on the day I was due to travel home, I woke early and so decided to go for a walk to … Continue reading Favourite Fells – Red Screes
Before 2010, to me Green Crag was another of those peripheral Wainwrights whose main attraction was solving the problem of knocking it off efficiently. Â That's until I visited it, of course, and discovered a fell with many of the qualities that I look for. Â To start with the views are good across Eskdale, back … Continue reading Favourite Fells – Green Crag
People must wonder how bad the other fells must be after the experience I had on Holme Fell last year which still didn't stop it being a favourite. But like so many of the smaller fells, Holme Fell is interesting in a way that many higher fells just aren't. A variety of terrain and plenty … Continue reading Favourite Fells – Holme Fell
My first ascent of Mellbreak took place last year on the day that I finished the north western fells, by making it a circular walk from Buttermere around Crummock Water, also taking in Rannerdale Knotts. Â And it's ironic that the day I started the north western fells, was also the day I first saw Mellbreak. … Continue reading Favourite Fells – Mellbreak
There are going to be some people reading this that will think I've completely flipped. Â After all Binsey isn't that high (447m), consists largely of easy grassy slopes and looks pretty harmless. Â Set aside from the main bulk of the northern fells, AW called it "the odd man out" and "like a dunce set apart … Continue reading Favourite Fells – Binsey
Like most of the others, I've actually only done High Rigg once, but I enjoyed the day (well couple of hours, really) so much that it's placed highly on my favourites list. High Rigg's Wikipedia entry describes it  as a bit like a model of the Lake District in minature - with "crags, intermediate tops, … Continue reading Favourite Fells – High Rigg
Causey Pike makes it into my top group of fells for one reason. Â She looks good. Â I know it's shallow of me, but there you go. Â My first sight of Causey was in April 2007, when I descended from Robinson into the Newlands Valley for two nights staying at Little Town, in the middle of … Continue reading Favourite Fells – Causey Pike
For some reason I seem to have talked myself into covering a top 20 of fells. Â And I was going to cover the lower ranked in the top 20 in batches, so that I could quickly get to eulogising about the very special ones at the top of the list. Â But as I sat down … Continue reading Favourite Fells – Helm Crag
Ok, after the chat on Twitter last night when I announced I was working on a post about my favourite fells, I imagine a few people will have come over here to see the list. Â Well I'm sorry, I'm going to disappoint you. Â At least for the moment. It would be too easy simply to … Continue reading Favourite Fells…
I really don't know how to say this, and not feel pathetic, so I think I'll just come out with it: Â I've NEVER wild camped. Â No, not once. Â The nearest I've come is a deserted camp site, which I'd love to count, but don't really think I can. I've always wanted to do it, have … Continue reading Planning my first wildcamp
The title's probably a touch dramatic, but in my post New Year's zombie-like state of mind, it seemed to do the trick. Â Of course, if you believe the Mayans we've just had our last New Year's Eve parties (no loss there really) as the world is due to end sometime this year. Video by CGP … Continue reading A Day of Judgement