Saturday 30th May 2009, it was a sunny morning, there was not a cloud in the sky, no mist on the tops and not as windy as it has been recently. I followed the crowd of several parties of walkers on the steep climb up the mainly reconstructed path up to the hanging valley of Styhead Gill, but didn't follow them up the valley; I set about the task I had set myself, to climb up the steep front of Seathwaite Fell. I enjoyed my walk across the interesting, undulating summit plateau of Seathwaite Fell in glorious sunny weather, the sun was strong even though the strong breeze made it feel cool. I descended to Sprinkling Tarn to meeet the Highway to Esk Hause, and walked more directly towards the gullies and crags of Great End. I made the interesting, rugged climb to the summit of Great End, and visited the other two peaks on way across to Calf Cove. I had to finally admit that it was too cool and put on my pertex jacket, even though the sun was strong enough for a second coat of Factor 15. I hadn't seen many people for hours but now I was part of the rush, across Ill Crag and Broad Crag without visiting summits, and up to the summit of Scafell Pike; I didn't hang around before making the descent to Lingmell Col and walked back along the Corridor Route to Styhead and then made my way back to Seathwaite. Read about it

Sunday 24th May 2009, it was a sunny morning when I reached the Bruce's Stone car park near Loch Trool, but there were still clouds covering the tops. The ascent of Buchan Hill was a typical Galloway grassy slope, wet in places and a vague path that regularly disappeared; I saw several different kinds of grazing animals on the hill, but there is plenty of grass to support them all. It was proper scrambling on all-fours to get up the wet, grassy and occasionally bouldery slope up to plateau and onwards to the summit of Buchan Hill. It was an enjoyable walk along the ridge, and down to Loch Enoch before the rugged and then just steep green climb to the summit of Merrick, an easy walk across Neive of the Spit and climb up by the side of a wall to the summit of Benyellary. I followed the wall downwards to Bennan, and walked along its interesting ridge before a more strenuous walk over to Fell of Eschoncan and a steep descent back to the car park, but not as steep as I had expected. Read about it

Saturday 16th May 2009, the forecast wasn't great but it was bright enough when I parked the car at Cinderdale Common; any thoughts of wearing shorts were blown away by the coolness of the breeze when I opened the car door. I walked over to Rannerdale, the bluebells were in full bloom and full scent, before making the interesting steep little climb to the summit of Rannerdale Knotts. I walked along the ridge to the steep green climb up towards Whiteless Pike; when I reached the summit the weather wasn't quite as bad as I thought it was going to be so I carried on to the Wandope and Eel Crag. I took the route off Eel Crag directly down to Coledale Hause and then walked up the ridge by the edge of Dove Crags to the summit of Grasmoor. The buffetting I was getting from the wind meant I just wanted to get off the ridge as quickly as possible, I obviously went the wrong way again and it was a fairly tortuous descent to get to Red Gill. There is only a stream of loose stones in this gill and there was still a lot of height to lose, fortunately I was feeling fit and in no rush but it was a hard way to get back down to the car park. Read about it

Saturday 2nd May 2009, I was excited about the start of my Wasdale season, partly because I just like the place but also in anticipation of what the scrambles will be like after the winter. It was a sunny morning although when got to the Brackenclose car park the hills I had come to visit were covered by mist. The mist gradually lifted and by the time I had reached Hollow Stones the hills were more or less clear, although Lord's Rake was still cool and damp, cool enough to have to wear my gloves. Having walked to the highest point of the rake I walked back again and then clambered up onto the West Wall Traverse and onwards to the scramble up the upper part of Deep Gill before getting into the sun on Scafell. I walked over to the summit and along the ridge down to Slight Side, then I followed my secret path down to Sampsons Stones in upper Eskdale. I walked along the valley, past Cam Spout, and started to climb the steep bouldery slope up to Pen, the curious rock formations at the summit and the spectacular view of Ill Crag are unique to this rocky subsidiary of Scafell Pike. I clambered up an unlikely-looking route to the summit plateau of the aforementioned Pike, where I finally took my gloves off as the sun came out properly for the first time. I walked backed down the highway to Lingmel Col, across Hollow Stones to rejoin the Brown Tongue path back to the car park. Read about it