Southport Fell Walking Club

  The Club enjoyed a wonderful day out in Shap exploring the scenic trails and miles of bracken and ferns. The weather was pretty kind considering the forecast with T-shirts and shorts the order of the day. It was only in the late afternoon when the rain came in that the walkers had to quicken the pace and tried in vain to beat the showers. There were seven walks in total that set off. Darren’s walk started off with an unplanned tour of the housing areas of Shap before continuing past Shap Avenue & onwards to Shap Abbey. Continuing onwards they followed a path to the side of the River Lowther before stopping for lunch next to a waterfall after around 2 hours walking. The next section of the walk took an eerie turn as bones and skulls adorned the forest trail which served as the starting point of their main ascent up to Hugh's Laithes Pike. Once they got to the top they found 5ft high bracken in places with wet bogs and heather concealing 2ft holes. Some very aggress...

The weather forecast for the day was certainly mixed, and on the way up the motorway it looked even more grim at times. As the last of the groups got off the coach light rain fell and the waterproofs went on for the first and not the last time. After leaving the coach at Troutbeck, the Oldham’s group made their way across a series of fields to Mungrisdale. This was meant to be the ideal warm-up before the climb up Souther Fell. However the overgrown fields and the continuous stream of broken stiles created an obstacle course which no one expected. Thankfully the paths on the fells were much more favourable and the climb up Souther Fell went without a hitch.   The views from the top were stunning, reminding everyone of why they love fell walking so much! At the base of Sharp Edge, three of the party decided they were going to tackle the ridge whilst the other five opted for the easier path up the valley. Unfortunately as height was gained, the cloud set in and the rain came ...

  It was an eventful return to Wales for the walkers from SFWC. Thoughts of an exhilerating challenge for some taking on Crib Goch were quickly banished. Due to the deteriorating weather forecast en route to Wales, the walk leaders were forced to re-assess the routes that they would take. This resulted in all the groups resorting to plan ‘B’ and two of them avoiding the impressive but difficult ridge walk of Crib Goch. Unfortunately as Geoff led his group of five up to the Y  Lliwedd ridge, as they reached the start along the top Barry suffered a heavy fall in which he hit his head, cut his right hand and bruised both legs and his hip. The wind and rain had by then set in and, assisted by Geoff and all his party, Barry was helped along the ridge. They had passed the point where turning back was not a safe or wise option. From then on they nursed him round very slowly, until just before the summit when he was struggling badly with a painful hip. The whole party became thoroughl...

 It was a pretty good day for a walk in the Lakes....well at least at low level. Up higher the temperature dropped and coats, hats and gloves were the order of the day for a short while. There were five led walks and three private ones. Mike and Martin’s group followed Grisedale Beck all the way up the stunningly beautiful valley to Grisedale Tarn – achieved by all except Mike and Martin who stood guard at the Ruthwaite Lodge!  A very satisfied party returned down the valley, and from Lanty’s Tarn descended the 250 steps to the Travellers’ Rest for a well-earned drink. Good company and beautiful scenery. 9/10 miles and 1800 ft.  Paul took his group 10 miles and 2,500 ft (with a descent of 3,500 ft)!! But an excellent walk was enjoyed by all of the group , with the weather so much better than expected. They completed all of their planned walk with their objective being High Street. The Oldham's had a slight change of plan, altering their starting point. Following the c...

It was May Bank Holiday weekend and the roads were predictably busy. But once over the Snake Pass the groups got ready for their individual drop off points.   Ian’s group were first off the coach at Hagg Farm with the target of the Roman Road to Winhill Pike, just at the foot of Lady Bower. They then went south to cross the River Derwent at Thornhill and head for Lead Mill Bridge and into Hathersage. Approx 10.5 m Pat and Steph’s group were next off the coach at Lady Bower Bridge. They crossed Yorkshire Bridge to follow the River Derwent to Leadmill Bridge and then along into Hathersage.   6 miles. From the same place Mike’s group inspected the spectacular reservoir features and then headed up the New Road to Bole Hill well below Stanage Edge Ridge and followed it round to descend through the beautiful houses of Camp Green.   7m Meanwhile the Oldhams were doing the whole 14 mile ridge walk from Moscar House to Burbage Moor visiting Robin Hood’s Cave en route. At...

What a day !  Glorious sunshine all day and miles of beautiful Yorkshire paths to follow. Gerry and Ian’s group kindly included Mike’s group since they were going in roughly the same direction and nobody knows Yorkshire better than Gerry. And so, starting from Cracoe they crossed the Thorpe and Langerton fields and down to cross the R Wharf by various precarious means. They then headed up beyond Hebden through the wilderness of mine workings to Grassington – while some continued to Yarnbury Summit. Stuart departed at the same time to follow a route on the west of Wharfdale to visit Kilnsey and return on the east side. At Rylston Geoff’s group set off for Sunmoor Hill on Cracoe Fell. Reaching all the high points they descended to the river to cross it in an imaginative and challenging styles. See the movie. Shortly afterwards Alan and Edwina left the coach heading for Ebolton Cave and Hill at Thorpe – then down to the Wharf. A smaller than usual group of Oldhams sped off from Grassi...