
DofE Gold Award Assessor, Senior Instructor & Expedition Manager for Sam Sykes, supporting a mixed-sex group of 5 from a Midlands based school. Start out from Coniston Sports Social Club. Early rain soon died away and the cloud lifted off the mountain peaks. I caught the group past the half way point on the mountain. My concerns for visibility decreased after clarity was restored. Increasingly strong winds, gauged (Anemometer at the summit of the Old Man of Coniston and occasions thereafter including the summit of Dow Crag, indicated 40mph); going was difficult but safe enough to continue and wind speed and group reactions were constantly monitored. Minus 2 windchill at the summits. Increasingly remote observation as we descended to Walna Scar road and I left the group to continue to a future checkpoint and ran back to Coniston to collect & move a support vehicle to continue to support a very long and challenging point-to-point hike involving considerable elevation.
Area :
Southern Fells (Scafell Pike)
The Southern Fells Include Scafell Pike, the highest peak in England, occupy a broad area to the south of Great Langdale, Borrowdale and Wasdale. High and rocky towards the centre of the Lake District, the Southern Fells progressively take on a moorland character toward the south west. In the south east are the well known Furness Fells, their heavily quarried flanks rising above Coniston Water.