Catbells, Lake District.

[Fisherman]

Just back from our favourite campsite Braithwaite Village, a CCC site in the Lake District. Three nights Friday, Saturday, and Sunday for £75. But I am posting here about what happens when folk underestimate a hill. Yes Catbells is a small hill at only 451M. It’s one of Englands most popular hills, and it deserves more respect than it gets from many who walk and scramble to its summit, and back down again.
The final part of Catbells is challenging due to its hard rocky steep and in wet conditions slippery surface. With inappropriate footwear, casual attitude, and alcohol added to the mix we witnessed someone badly twisting their ankle. I helped him off the hill with the aid of our walking poles a walk that should have taken 45 minutes took over two hours. We got him into a friends car and he was taken to hospital.
From what I witnessed on Saturday I am amazed there are not many accidents on this hill.

 

[r4dent]

Well said.

To quote Keswick Mountain Rescue:
"Catbells
Despite being ‘one of the great favourites, a family fell where grandmothers and infants can climb the heights together’ (Alfred Wainwright),
Catbells is surprisingly tricky in it’s upper reaches.
These rocky steps have been the cause of many incidents with minor slips causing lower leg injuries as the most common injury.
The high number of people climbing this popular hill inevitably means that there will be more callouts here."

Local Accident Blackspots - Keswick Mountain Rescue

keswickmrt.org.uk

 

[Tonybvi]

Years and years ago I used to go drinking with George Fisher who had an outdoor equipment shop in Keswick as well as being leader of the Keswick Mountain Rescue Team. Some of the stories he told after a pint or three about the antics of some of the folk they were called out for were almost unbelievable.

 

[barryd]

Before I became arthritic we used to stay in a lovely cottage just below Cat Bells regularly. I would often hike up there on a morning. Stunning views from the top but it was quite a steep scramble up from the bottom end of the lake where the cottage was. Not an easy walk from memory but a rewarding one.

 

[caledonia]

Just back from our favourite campsite Braithwaite Village, a CCC site in the Lake District. Three nights Friday, Saturday, and Sunday for £75. But I am posting here about what happens when folk underestimate a hill. Yes Catbells is a small hill at only 451M. It’s one of Englands most popular hills, and it deserves more respect than it gets from many who walk and scramble to its summit, and back down again.
The final part of Catbells is challenging due to its hard rocky steep and in wet conditions slippery surface. With inappropriate footwear, casual attitude, and alcohol added to the mix we witnessed someone badly twisting their ankle. I helped him off the hill with the aid of our walking poles a walk that should have taken 45 minutes took over two hours. We got him into a friends car and he was taken to hospital.
From what I witnessed on Saturday I am amazed there are not many accidents on this hill.
View attachment 118129View attachment 118130View attachment 118131View attachment 118132

One of the reasons I do my walking climbing far from the madding crowds. Walked Ben A,an with my son and his girlfriend just after new year as it not far from here. There was one couple and she was seriously overweight and carrying one of those yappy wee dugs that should be on a key ring. We were on the way down and they were on the way up when she slipped on a bit of ice and hit the deck with an almighty thud and the wee dug flew up in the air. I think she was more embarrassed than hurt but her poor wee man took the brunt of her embarrassment as she shouted “don’t just fukin stand there get the dug” could easily have been a helecopter job

 

[Fisherman]

One of the reasons I do my walking climbing far from the madding crowds. Walked Ben A,a with my son and his girlfriend just after new year as it not far from here. There was one couple and she was seriously overweight and carrying one of those yappy wee dugs that should be on a key ring. We were on the way down and they were on the way up when she slipped on a bit of ice and hit the deck with an almighty thud and the wee dug flew up in the air. I think she was more embarrassed than hurt but her poor wee man took the brunt of her embarrassment as she shouted “don’t just fukin stand there get the dug” could easily have been a helecopter job

I witnessed something far worse on Saturday Cal, something that really needs sorting out. A woman carrying her baby on her front up a hill. What possess people to think this is a safe thing to do. Even worse I have seen babies carried on their backs. I once slipped heading down Ben A’nne and my rucksack saved me from a back injury. My flask was dented, i dread to think what would have happened if I was carrying a baby on my back. As for dogs on hills, I feel sorry for dogs unsuited to climbing hills. Larger dogs tend to be capable, but some small dogs must find it well beyond what they should be doing. On Saturday I witnessed a woman carrying her dog up the hill. I said to my wife she will find it far more difficult coming back down with no hands.
Ben A’nne is a cracking wee hill with fantastic views up Loch Katrine. Very rewarding for not to much effort. I have taken a few who have never been hill.walking up this hill. One has now done over 200 munros, but regularly does Ben A’nne.

 

[izwozral]

Striding Edge up to Helvellyn seems to be a 'must do' for folks irrespective of their capabilities and prepardedness. Last time I did it (years ago) a fella was so frightened he was bum shuffling across the knife edge bits. Probably safer for him to do it that way given his obvious vertigo, but, he left one hell of a traffic jam behind him.
He wasnt very popular!

 

[runnach]

One of the reasons I do my walking climbing far from the madding crowds. Walked Ben A,an with my son and his girlfriend just after new year as it not far from here. There was one couple and she was seriously overweight and carrying one of those yappy wee dugs that should be on a key ring. We were on the way down and they were on the way up when she slipped on a bit of ice and hit the deck with an almighty thud and the wee dug flew up in the air. I think she was more embarrassed than hurt but her poor wee man took the brunt of her embarrassment as she shouted “don’t just fukin stand there get the dug” could easily have been a helecopter job

I remember that Cale, when she landed, it registered 5 on the Richer scale.

 

[caledonia]

I witnessed something far worse on Saturday Cal, something that really needs sorting out. A woman carrying her baby on her front up a hill. What possess people to think this is a safe thing to do. Even worse I have seen babies carried on their backs. I once slipped heading down Ben A’nne and my rucksack saved me from a back injury. My flask was dented, i dread to think what would have happened if I was carrying a baby on my back. As for dogs on hills, I feel sorry for dogs unsuited to climbing hills. Larger dogs tend to be capable, but some small dogs must find it well beyond what they should be doing. On Saturday I witnessed a woman carrying her dog up the hill. I said to my wife she will find it far more difficult coming back down with no hands.
Ben A’nne is a cracking wee hill with fantastic views up Loch Katrine. Very rewarding for not to much effort. I have taken a few who have never been hill.walking up this hill. One has now done over 200 munros, but regularly does Ben A’nne.

It’s a cracking wee hill. I do it with the dog most of the time at dawn or dusk for the best views and it’s not busy. Been up there for the bells at Hogmanay. You can see fireworks from Edinburgh and Glasgow.

 

[Fisherman]

It’s a cracking wee hill. I do it with the dog most of the time at dawn or dusk for the best views and it’s not busy. Been up there for the bells at Hogmanay. You can see fireworks from Edinburgh and Glasgow.

You know the part just before the steep section, there’s a large boulder there. I have twice witnessed weddings taking place there, with the minister standing on the large boulder. Once the ceremony is finished the bride and groom and those fit enough head from there to the top of the hill. You also see a lot of Polish people doing the hill. Yes it does get a bit busy at times. Also I am not keen on the new path, I preferred it the way it used to be, mud and all.

 

[saxonborg]

Striding Edge up to Helvellyn seems to be a 'must do' for folks irrespective of their capabilities and prepardedness. Last time I did it (years ago) a fella was so frightened he was bum shuffling across the knife edge bits. Probably safer for him to do it that way given his obvious vertigo, but, he left one hell of a traffic jam behind him.
He wasnt very popular!

Saw a similar thing on Sharp Edge on Blencathra , one of a group of 3/4 lads froze at a difficult section and it took an age to get him moving again, fortunately there weren’t many people coming up behind.

 

[Fisherman]

Saw a similar thing on Sharp Edge on Blencathra , one of a group of 3/4 lads froze at a difficult section and it took an age to get him moving again, fortunately there weren’t many people coming up behind.

What’s important is they are not put under any pressure. Patience is required, as well as consideration for others. There’s nothing wrong with being scared, as a matter of fact it’s healthy sometimes to be so. I have more time for those who show fear, than idiots heading up hills totally ill equipped and unprepared. My wife froze whilst on a red Cullin on Skye. I managed to squeeze past her, and pull her through a rock opening. But fear is a strange thing at times. We all have our irrational fears and phobias, and sometimes we don’t fully appreciate them till we are put to the test. You may well find that the lad involved overcame his fear after that experience. And that’s one other reason for showing patience to help him overcome his fear. But obviously it may have put him off doing hills for good. A few moments patience and consideration can make all the difference.

 

[barryd]

It happened to me once near the top of Holy Isle off the Isle of Arran. We had got ourselves onto a not very well worn path around the side of the summit facing Lamlash and I just froze. It was pretty much an impossibly steep drop 1000 ft to the sea below and I suddenly became convinced I was going down it. I remember handing my way around the side shitting myself for a good ten minutes until we got past this section. Its an awful awful feeling.

 

[Fisherman]

It happened to me once near the top of Holy Isle off the Isle of Arran. We had got ourselves onto a not very well worn path around the side of the summit facing Lamlash and I just froze. It was pretty much an impossibly steep drop 1000 ft to the sea below and I suddenly became convinced I was going down it. I remember handing my way around the side shitting myself for a good ten minutes until we got past this section. Its an awful awful feeling.

The Mullach Mor is a stunning wee hill Barry, done it three times now, first time I did it the island was uninhabited. I came off the hill and the guy who was supposed to row over from Lamlash never appeared and I was left stranded on the island, no mobile phones or anyway of contacting the mainland or Arran. I was considering my options when I heard footprints and the lighthouse keeper took me in for the night. He contacted the island next Morning and the guy who had took me over appeared. He had got drunk the night before.

Oh and it’s only 890 feet high Barry.

 

[barryd]

The Mullach Mor is a stunning wee hill Barry, done it three times now, first time I did it the island was uninhabited. I came off the hill and the guy who was supposed to row over from Lamlash never appeared and I was left stranded on the island, no mobile phones or anyway of contacting the mainland or Arran. I was considering my options when I heard footprints and the lighthouse keeper took me in for the night. He contacted the island next Morning and the guy who had took me over appeared. He had got drunk the night before.

Oh and it’s only 890 feet high Barry.

1030ft according to Wiki and a few other sites Bill.

Holy Island, Firth of Clyde - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[Fisherman]

1030ft according to Wiki and a few other sites Bill.

Holy Island, Firth of Clyde - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Sorry Barry, I was thinking of Dun Dubh on the clauchland hills Barry. Yes the Mullach Mor is 314m and you have to walk everyone of them, the same for Goatfell and most of the hills on arran. My favourite hills are these Barry. The views with loch Tanna in the foreground and goatfell in the distance are spectacular. We start off at mid Thundergay, finish in Pirnmill then walk back the coastal road. Here two shots I took from the top of the Mullach Mor on the holy isle.

 

[barryd]

Great photos Bill. Sad though that ill likely never get up any of these hills again.

 

[Fisherman]

Great photos Bill. Sad though that ill likely never get up any of these hills again.

That’s a real shame Barry.

I found the shots from the hills on the west of the island, my favourite hills on Arran.

 

[saxonborg]

What’s important is they are not put under any pressure. Patience is required, as well as consideration for others. There’s nothing wrong with being scared, as a matter of fact it’s healthy sometimes to be so. I have more time for those who show fear, than idiots heading up hills totally ill equipped and unprepared. My wife froze whilst on a red Cullin on Skye. I managed to squeeze past her, and pull her through a rock opening. But fear is a strange thing at times. We all have our irrational fears and phobias, and sometimes we don’t fully appreciate them till we are put to the test. You may well find that the lad involved overcame his fear after that experience. And that’s one other reason for showing patience to help him overcome his fear. But obviously it may have put him off doing hills for good. A few moments patience and consideration can make all the difference.

Our group hung about for a bit to make sure that he was able to continue with his fellow walkers. Have had the same fear doing the Inaccessible Pinnacle on Skye, I didn’t want to climb it but our leader an experienced climber cajoled me by saying if I found it difficult he would lower me back down- never happened- so managed the ascent and the abseil down from the summit, what a day!

 

[caledonia]

Our group hung about for a bit to make sure that he was able to continue with his fellow walkers. Have had the same fear doing the Inaccessible Pinnacle on Skye, I didn’t want to climb it but our leader an experienced climber cajoled me by saying if I found it difficult he would lower me back down- never happened- so managed the ascent and the abseil down from the summit, what a day!

Never done the In Pin but have been there on a damp drizzling day and seen the que of cold Munro baggers waiting to “bag” it