A YEAR IN ULLSWATER ....

The Ullswater valley is beautiful at any time of year. The seasonal moods of the lake and the fells are beguiling and stunning in all weathers. Here's a snapshot of our year in Ullswater.

February 2008:
Thanks to the help of our friend, Graham, we achieved our ambition of climbing Pinnacle Ridge on St Sunday Crag. We had done a "reccie" a few weeks before from St Sunday Crag - and from the top it looked daunting. From the Grisedale valley, Graham took us on a not very distinct route from the valley bottom to Pinnacle Ridge. OK, we took the easy option in some places, but we still got to the top!!

June 2008:
Ullswater Country Fair is held on the last Sunday in June each year on King George V Playing Fields at the end of our lane. We organise the senior fell race each year - a 2 mile dash up and down Arnison Crag with about 1000 ft of climbing. The record is a very nifty 13 minutes and 38 seconds held by Phil Davies of Borrowdale.... pretty impressive!

In 2008 we also hosted the Junior Uphill Championships for the first time. Over 100 youngsters from all over the country took part and really enjoyed the uphill courses which finished on Arnison Crag.

There were three courses for under 8s/under 10s, under 12s/under 14s and under 16s/under 18s. And they all went uphill and came down with some prizes!!

December 2008:
Over the Christmas week we enjoyed some wonderful settled weather. We grabbed the opportunity to do one of our favourite walks - St Sunday Crag to Fairfield to Hart Crag and down over Hartsop over Howe.

It was sunny in Glenridding and Patterdale. But Thirlmere and the Windermere valley were covered in mist. We witnessed rolling clouds "climbing over" Helvellyn and Fairfield and their neighbours. It was wonderful!

February 2009: This winter has been fantastic - excellent snow, settled weather systems and sunshine. We couldn't resist the chance to go up Helvellyn with some friends.

We took the route from the end of our lane up to the Hole in the Wall where crampons and ice axes were definitely needed. Red Tarn was nearly frozen over and the gullies leading up to Helvellyn were alive with ice climbers. We decided to tackle Swirral Edge!

The snow was in superb condition and the climb was certainly made easier because of our crampons and ice axes. All six of us made it to the summit and marvelled in the views.

We then descended into Glenridding via the "zig zags" into Keppel Cove, taking time to admire snow boarders and one downhill skier who skied one of the northern gullies of Catstycam - and was in control the whole time!

November 2009: This November has proved to be a month of biblical proportions! Keswick and Cockermouth made the national news because of the flooding. The Ullswater valley also experienced its share of flood waters.

The steamer pier appeared to be marooned in the middle of the lake; the road between us and Glenridding was flooded - the only way was via Lanty's Tarn or in a tractor; the lake reached the end of our lane and for a few days we could almost boast lakeshore frontage!

At the end of November it stopped raining and we got snow! We headed up to Blencathra and did Halls Fall Ridge for the first time.

It was overcast on the way up but the sun broke through as we reached the summit of Blencathra. The snow was superb and the views stunning. We also experienced our first ever brocken spectre. For a few minutes we had our very own rainbow coloured halo. It was a magical moment.

Christmas 2009: The Lakes experienced a beautiful white Christmas which just seemed to go on and on. Snow topped hills, blue skies and sunshine. It was the stuff of Christmas cards and was absolutely stunning.

On the Sunday we walked over Lantys Tarn into Glenridding. The tarn wasn't quite frozen but the snow was amazing. We enjoyed the views down the Grisedale valley and of the High Street range. We could have been in the alps!

May 2010: In May our running club had a 30th anniversary get-together at Easedale Tarn. We were given a grid reference and told to make our own way there. People came from all directions!

John set off from Grisedale Lodge and went via Grisedale Tarn. Resisted the lure of a pint in Grasmere and then carried on up to Easedale Tarn where a hardy gang of about 12 were gathering. And despite the pictures, most came back sun tanned!

April 2011: We chose the only two wet and windy days in April to have a go at the Yorkshire Etape. A lovely 112 cycling route from Grassington in the Yorkshire Dales via Hawes, Tan Hill and Kirkby Stephen. You're supposed to do it in one day. We opted for the more luxurious version with an overnight stop in Kirkby Stephen. Turned out to be a wise choice.

We set off in sunshine and got to Hawes for a coffee stop . No rain at this stage but plenty of waterlogged roads. Our bikes had a proper clean. And then we headed to Tan Hill. Driving rain, gale force winds and arctic conditions. We were blown off our bikes and at one point were "pushing" our bikes which were horizontal to the road. Challenging n'est-ce pas??

Were we glad that we were staying overnight in Kirkby Stephen where conditions were slightly more humane and there was a good pub just down the road. Felt like we'd earned our glass of wine.

And the next day? Still head wind. How is that possible when you're going in the opposite direction? One of cycling's many condumdrums. Got back to Grassington in glorious sunshine!

August 2011: Helvellyn is easily accessible from Grisedale Lodge - but not an easy climb. However this didn't deter my nieces, Megan and Becky, who are from the flatlands of Lincolnshire.

Armed with rucksacks of sandwiches, drinks, maps and enough wet weather gear and warm gear to kit out an army expedition we set out in sunshine.

We headed along the Grisedale Valley and then up to the Hole in the Wall. Still warm and sunny at this point. It got windy when we got to Red Tarn.

But we found a good spot for sandwiches and some serious carbo loading and then set off up Swirral Edge. It was still windy but the girls weren't going to turn back - even if aunt Christine wouldn't have taken much persuading!

More sandwiches and flapjack in the shelter summit and we were ready for the downhill section. Just had to prevent the sheep from pinching all our provisions!