The inaugural trip for the newly combined Fire and Ice group saw a ‘long weekend’ dash to the Lake District, not the most accessible playground from the southwest but rarely a disappointment for the 5.5 hour investment in travelling time each way!

This trip centred on Ambleside as our base staying at the YHA standing on the shoreline at the northern tip of Windermere. The accommodation whilst not ‘luxury’ was more than adequate with excellent facilities and a great breakfast to set you up for a day on the fells.

The first day’s objective was a Lakeland classic and hailed as one of the ‘must dos’, The Fairfield Horseshoe. The route starts from Ambleside Car Park (by the Fire Station!) after a short road walk a path leads through an area of parkland quickly picking up the path up over Heron Pike and onto Great Rigg. Views across Rydal and Grasmere dominate to the west and beyond to Scafell in the distance. From Great Rigg on to Fairfield where the views open across Helvellyn and St Sunday Crag. The route is completed by taking the path around to Dove Crags and down over High Pike and Low Pike back into Ambleside. This round comprises about 11 miles with 1000m of ascent.

A club rule was proposed at this point and I move it be included into the club constitution as a matter of urgent business. The first order of business upon completion of a route is the location of a Hostelry (preferable pre-planned) for a recuperative draught of the brewers labour, regarded as essential for the replacement of carbohydrate and vitamins.

Ambleside is well serviced with amenities to satisfy both hunger and thirst and no undue problems were encountered in over indulging on either account.

The second day saw an initial deterioration in the weather conditions so the plan was adapted to a route over Place Fell, which rises out of Patterdale (reached from Ambleside via Kirkstone Pass) on the southern tip of eastern shore of Ullswater. This route offers magnificent views across Ullswater to the west and the rolling fells and valleys to the east. This round can either be completed by catching the Ullswater steamer back to Glenridding or following the lakeshore path back to the start point, which unsurprisingly delivers you to the Patterdale Hotel. We recommend at least one measure of High Pike Ale and a wicked piece of Tiffin cake.

Another evening of ‘plenty’ in Ambleside rounded off another fine adventure in the Lakes.

The day of departure presented the most taxing of climber’s conundrums, when tackling the ‘North Face of the High Street’ which gear shop do you start in and having to pace yourself. Fortunately the discovery of a fine coffee emporium punctuated the morning with the appropriate pause to remember this country’s fallen this being Remembrance Sunday.