The Outdoor Fox

Its Official winter is here! The temperature is low, snow is on the ground and the news full of gloom and doom! Civilization as we know it will end because of a wee bit of white stuff! But some of us are made of sterner stuff so the last Wednesday of the year found a bunch of instructors gathered at  Mauds Newcastle for 9:30 sharp! Hardly an Alpine start but all eager for the hill except Blue Mark who did not arrive till 10:30! Some excuse about helping ladies get their cars  out of ditches! This was to prove ironic later in the day! His lateness was tampered by the fact that he brought Hazel! So at 11 suitable geared we start the walk in from the happy valley car park! It was cold and gray but we where all in a state of excitement that only cold and snow can bring! Good progress was made, well except for me I was always struggling at the rear! The col was soon reached, hiding in snow hollows, snow ball fights and the making off Snow Angels soon followed! Then the  walk round to the Slabs began! This was a bit harder, the wind picked up and was blowing spindrift into all nooks and crannies. I arrived at the base of the slabs hoping for shelter, my hands cold, my energy levels low and a bit stuned to find Johnny P and Green Mark gearing up for an ascent at the wall end of the slabs. Well done Johnny and Mark for getting organized so quickly in less than perfect conditions and what an introduction to winter in the hills for Mark. Me …. All I wanted was hot calories and a break! Watching the others dig a snow hole to eat their lunch in provided the entertainment! Fortunately the weather improved! I soon struggled with getting my crampons on and went scrambling about taking pics of the incredible pair.  All too soon it was over! Those new to snow did their obligatory ice axe brake practice while I stated back early knowing they would soon  catch up. But what a journey back to the car. Sharp cold, still air, blue skies and a golden sunset. A silence that crashed into your ears only to be broken by the crunch of snow. What a day and what a finish! View the images by clicking here or on the image below.

The day dawned! That might be a bit of an over statement. WE the brave souls or mad fools depending on your point of view had all celebrated the New Year till 4:30!!!! So a while was spent stumbling around looking at each other wondering how we had got to this! Eventual on the stroke of noon well maybe 12:30ish with the look of condemned man we all staggered down to the shore. The air was cold but thankfully the wind and waves had calmed! The hangers on all stood about happy in the knowledge that the wettest they where going to get was the hot shower that awaited them when they got home! They where bless their cotton socks offering words of encouragement :- like you must be mad, get on with it you wusies and other forms of endearment not suitable for a family web site! Then suddenly the shout came and before we had time to think the fleeces came off and we where running and in my case stumbling into the water! Yes your right it was cold. Not in the sense that we general know it but in a painful way that was unexpected. My legs had the sensation of having lots of pins stuck into them! A lot of frolicking, some swimming and all too soon it was time to get out! So much thanks every one for the support and so far the total for Clic Sargant is getting close to £300. Great effort and much thanks to Green Mark, Pete Gamble and my son Luke. Good one guys and yes its on again next year as it was surprisingly enjoyable!Click here or on the picture below to view the gallery.