Year: 2015

Gran Paradiso National Park and Valle d’Aosta (17th-26th July 2015)

For the first week of this year’s summer holiday in the Alps, Ruth and I were joined by the Patricks in Val di Rhêmes, from where we explored parts of the Gran Paradiso National Park and Valle d’Aosta. Unusually hot weather was great for walking but kept us off any snow routes!

https://photos.app.goo.gl/ezdzNPjMmivKbx9P6

Ruth, Emma and Ian at the summit of Becca Traversière

Paris (19th-21st June 2015)

I spent a weekend in Paris with a few colleagues from Rolls-Royce. On the Saturday we visited the Paris Air Show at Le Bourget, then headed into the city to explore Sacré-Coeur and Montmartre. On the Sunday, we walked from the Eiffel Tower to the Panthéon via most of the famous Parisian sights.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/ofpqtvzs6JhXMtMd6

Patrouille de France

Scafell Pike (9th-10th May 2015)

I spend a weekend in the Lake District with a few colleagues from Rolls-Royce. On the Saturday, we climbed Scafell Pike from Borrowdale, followed by pub dinner in Buttermere. On the Sunday, we visited Rannerdale to see the bluebells, followed by pub lunch in Loweswater. Then I went for a solo walk up Mellbreak before the drive home!

https://photos.app.goo.gl/d2RMzeuZpK3Ksg139

Pillar, Kirk Fell and Great Gable

Ardgour (2nd-7th April 2015)

Ruth and I spent six days over the Easter weekend bagging Corbetts in Ardgour, an area of fine remote hills we had not previously visited due to its lack of Munros! Particularly memorable were a sunny walk in the Kingairloch hills, an inversion on Sgurr Dhumhnuill, and scrambling on Garbh Bheinn. Eight new Corbetts over the course of the trip took my total to 83.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/qcr2xBo96BMaiV6e7

Looking north over Ardgour to Sgurr na Ciche, the Glenfinnan Munros and Gulvain

Kinder Scout (21st February 2015)

Today’s walk in the Dark Peak was less sunny than I’d hoped, but more snowy! I didn’t like the look of the steep snowy road over Mam Tor into Edale (my original intended start-point), so I headed instead to Hayfield for a short-ish loop of the eastern skyline. The low cloud persisted much of the way, but it was mostly clear from Kinder Downfall onwards.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/pg7fjKw9q29NFvEF8

The River Kinder, just above the Downfall

Wharfedale, Northumberland and Weardale (6th-8th February 2015)

A varied and mostly sunny long weekend based around a visit to Ian and Emma in Chester-le-Street. I broke the drive north on the Friday by bagging Yockenthwaite Moor, in Wharfedale. On the Saturday we pottered around Bamburgh on the Northumberland Coast. And on the Sunday I ticked off three more Nuttalls south of Weardale.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/DiwDTTUnmqBKwEpj9

Sunshine in the fields above the hamlet of Cray

Lake District (30th January – 1st February 2015)

With good weather forecast for the Lake District, I persuaded Ruth to let me visit at short notice for a weekend of winter walking! We enjoyed two fantastic hill days with awesome snowy views, tackling the Easedale Horseshoe on Saturday and the Newlands Horseshoe on Sunday.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/XY2Ft1pYdW8tiL8r7

Awesome views over Fleetwith Pike and (just visible!) Haystacks to Pillar