A good day (6 hours) kicking steps up striding edge. Started in Patterdale, walked in and up to Hole in the Wall at the base of striding edge.
Good winter conditions with deep snow all the way. Strong winds with gusts and rain on the way up, gale force winds at the summit, dropping off to easy winds and gusts on the way down swirrel edge. En route back we practised ice axe arrests.
Learning points today were navigation in whiteout conditions, scrambling grade 1 in winter - making decisions to help downclimbing on dangerous and slippy ground.
Also ice axe work was great fun and useful.
Area :
Eastern Fells
From the Kirkstone Pass to the M6.
