2023-04 - Lake District

Mileage: 13 activities, 163.7 km, 4.3 km↑ (DLOG)
Description: Lead my 77 year-old father through valleys and over fells. I had feared that the hike over (instead of around) Blea Rigg might be too strenuous for him, but he joyfully proved me wrong.

2023-04-18 Thirlmere - Keswick

Walking, Leader / Supervisor, 5-8 hours Quality day Flagged
12.1 km, 280 m↑, 400 m↓
Partially cloudy / Gentle breeze (DLOG)

Location and role: England, Lake District. Connected sections of long-distance trails. Lead my father, aged 77.
Activity and conditions: Roads, paths and pathless ground. Beautiful weather.
Decisions and experience: Completely modified prescribed (simple) route. Walked over pathless hill ridge instead. Recollected learnings from walking with my father and adjusted them to his increased age. He was still incredibly fit!

2023-04-19 Keswick - Grange

Walking, Leader / Supervisor, 3-5 hours Quality day Flagged
11.7 km, 200 m↑, 210 m↓
Partially cloudy / Moderate wind (DLOG)

2023-04-20 Buttermere - Whinlatter Forest

Walking, Leader / Supervisor, 3-5 hours Quality day Flagged
9.6 km, 200 m↑, 220 m↓
Clear - sunny - good visibility / Moderate wind (DLOG)

2023-04-21 Keswick - Stonethwaite

Walking, Leader / Supervisor, 5-8 hours Quality day Flagged
15.5 km, 380 m↑, 380 m↓
Partially cloudy / Strong wind (DLOG)

Location and role: England, Lake District. Connected sections of long-distance trails. Lead my father, aged 77.
Activity and conditions: Roads, paths and pathless ground. Pretty strong wind.
Decisions and experience: Tried to walk over Catbells in high wind. Decided to leave ridge due to some risk of being blown off, and because the route included some light scrambling.

2023-04-22 Stonethwaite - Dungeon Ghyll

Walking, Leader / Supervisor, 5-8 hours Quality day Flagged
15.0 km, 390 m↑, 390 m↓
Light rain - good visibility / Moderate wind (DLOG)

Location and role: England, Lake District. Connected sections of long-distance trails. Lead my father, aged 77.
Activity and conditions: Bad paths in valleys and on hills. Rather rainy.
Decisions and experience: Path was newly “improved” by adding “flagstones”, thereby making it slippery and very strenuous to walk. Decided to call taxi transfer and delay pickup time by two hours. When we descended from Stake Pass, my father became exhausted. He slipped and one of his walking poles broke. I encouraged him to take a break and eat some chocolate. We still talk about this day - and I am proud of my father!

2023-04-23 Skelwith Bridge - Coniston

Lowland Walking, Leader / Supervisor, 5-8 hours Quality day Flagged
13.4 km, 330 m↑, 330 m↓
Overcast / Gentle breeze (DLOG)

2023-04-24 Coniston - Hawkshead - Latterbarrow - Outgate Inn

Walking, Leader / Supervisor, 3-5 hours Quality day Flagged
18.9 km, 490 m↑, 470 m↓
Overcast / Gentle breeze (DLOG)

2023-04-25 Hawkshead - Windermere

Walking, Leader / Supervisor, 5-8 hours Quality day Flagged
13.2 km, 290 m↑, 270 m↓
Partially cloudy / Moderate wind (DLOG)

2023-04-26 Windermere - Ambleside

Walking, Leader / Supervisor, 5-8 hours Quality day Flagged
12.6 km, 510 m↑, 550 m↓
Overcast / Gentle breeze (DLOG)

Location and role: England, Lake District. Connected sections of long-distance trails. Lead my father, aged 77.
Activity and conditions: Roads, paths and pathless ground. Steep descent from hill top. Beautiful weather, yet again.
Decisions and experience: Learned that descending was pretty bad for my father’s knees, although he could ascend hills to a remarkable extent. Adjusted future routes accordingly.

2023-04-27 Ambleside - Stagshaw Gardens - High Sweden Bridge

Walking, Leader / Supervisor, 3-5 hours Quality day Flagged
11.8 km, 380 m↑, 380 m↓
Overcast / Moderate wind (DLOG)

2023-04-28 Ambleside - Grasmere

Lowland Walking, Leader / Supervisor, 3-5 hours Quality day Flagged
10.2 km, 210 m↑, 190 m↓
Overcast / Gentle breeze (DLOG)

2023-04-29 Grasmere - Dungeon Ghyll

Walking, Leader / Supervisor, 3-5 hours Quality day Flagged
9.3 km, 480 m↑, 420 m↓
Overcast / Moderate wind (DLOG)

Location and role: England, Lake District. Connected sections of long-distance trails. Lead my father, aged 77.
Activity and conditions: Paths and pathless ground on hills. Followed map and description of Wainwright. Best weather for walking.
Decisions and experience: Asked my father to choose our route according to his knees. He selected one of Wainwright’s paths on Blea Rigg. I mistook animal tracks for paths and had to relocate. Also found out that the compass in my iPhone is mostly useless. This was one of the greatest hill days I ever had!

2023-04-30 Grasmere - Ambleside

Lowland Walking, Leader / Supervisor, 3-5 hours Quality day Flagged
10.4 km, 120 m↑, 150 m↓
Light rain - good visibility / Gentle breeze (DLOG)