Sam's Wainwrights

Sam's work have challenged their employees to walk the Wainwrights between them, raising money for the air ambulance as they go. Sam isn't a fell walker (We ride racehorses together - that's how we know each other) but she fancies doing her bit and Breeze and I offer our services as guides.

I suggest Sheffield Pike as a good Fell to break yourself in on, and as no-one else from British Gypsum has claimed it yet, we can add Hart Side in as well, meaning that Sam will be able to put her name on two Wainwrights.

We meet at Glencoyne.

Don't think I've ever been on the fells with anyone in white trousers before! Trust Sam to be different!!

Originally we were going to do this walk on Tuesday, but the forecast of gales and lightening made us postpone it to today. Not my favourite day to be on the fells (Saturday), but I was very happy that we'd had made that decision. Today was looking awesome and we've only just set out.

There are a lot of photos on this walk - this way Sam can easily take copies of any she wants.

Heading into Glencoyne. Sam has brought two of her dogs along, Rum (this one) and Turkey 

And of course Mummies Little Princess is with us

It's getting really warm as we climb steadily up Glencoyne

By now the path was really icy. Little did I know before now, that Sam is terrified of ice. But she gritted her teeth and faced her fears and steadily worked her way up

Sam's fiance Mark was with us too - well in theory - although at this point he was waiting ahead in the sun

With Turkey

Breeze meanwhile was having a ball. I think she had been up Sheffield Pike about 5 times by the time we got through the icy section. But she did come and see if we were OK from time to time

Spaniel coming through

The sun shines out of Breeze's arse you know

As we approached Nick Head, the snow was knee deep and that would remain the theme for the majority of the walk

It doesn't slow Breeze down though

Sheffield Pike Summit

Sam's First Wainwright

Sam proving that white trousers are good camouflage

Rum had never seen deep snow before. From 

Looking back at Sheffield Pike when we stop for some lunch

Lunchtime panarama

Mark spots a group of Red Deer Stags on the slopes of Birkett Fell

Walking over Glencoyne Head. It was hard going, Knee deep often thigh deep. But what amazing conditions

Sam, Turkey, Rum and Breeze on Hart Side, second Wainwright of the day

And again on Birkett Fell, not a Wainwright, but one thrown in for good measure

We followed the wall down to the balcony path

Then made our own way down to the dam (Just seen in the bottom of the valley), That's Sheffield Pike where we were earlier

Mark finds a stone which has been carved into a made to measure seat

From here we retraced our steps back past Seldom Seen cottages to the van.

We had walked roughly 7.5 miles. As an introduction to the Lakeland Fells, I really don't think you could get better.