In late May Kendal-based solicitor David Collinson, 52, completed a novel two-week walk around the Lake District, based not on summits but on bodies of water. No mere feat?
The walk, as originally reported on UKH here was undertaken to raise money for Sheffield Hallam hospital and Cumbrian mountain rescue teams; over seven thousand pounds was raised.
© David Collinson
'I completed all [my intended route] with one or two minor variaitions because of weather conditions, mainly the wind' he says.'I had no more than three hours of really bad rain and even better, only two hours of mist.. the rest was great visibility. All went well.'
Starting and finishing in Kendal, he walked a (roughly) circular 13-day route around the Lake District, first visiting Haweswater and finally finishing with Windermere. Stats include: 220 miles; 40,000 feet of ascent; 10 classic Lakeland Passes visited e.g. Black Sail, Scarth Gap and Hardknott; 69 named stretches of water visited and 1 unnamed ('so call it 70'); 35 Wainwrights and four non-Wainwrights climbed including High Street, Helvellyn, Red Pike in Buttermere and Haystacks.
'It averages out at 17 miles a day and 3,000 feet of ascent per day but that could be over 10 hours. I was always out by 9.30am and back in at 6.00pm.'
'I am now considering a book, as I think that [my route] is a good alternative way to see the Lakes' he says. 'I climbed at least three mountains from each of the eight classic Wainwright Pictorial Guides, including the Outlying Fells. So if anyone would like to take a circular two week hoilday visiting mainly stretches of water but also climbing some mountains as described by Wainwright then this could be it.
© David Collinson
Comments