I came across Dan Mazur a number of years ago when two intrepid explorers, Rob Gauntlet and James Gauntlet were hatching their plans to scale the mightiest peak of all - Everest.
At the time, Rob and James were pupils at Christs Hospital School in the leafy depths of West Sussex. They invited Dan Mazur to a fund raising presentation evening and there he was - one of America's foremost Himalayan Mountaineers and as he said, more akin to an accountant than a mountaineer. However, I am are when you planning an expedition accountancy skills are important.
Dan was up on stage, dressed, as far as I can remember in brogues, cords, shirt and tank top - topped off with glasses. When I go to lectures by mountaineers they are usually in something at least 'outdoorsy', but with Dan it was a different image.
However this didn't detract from an wonderful evening of him talking about his exploits in the Himalaya and other greater ranges, the tales of mind over matter, body against nature to achieve his dreams and to help other achieve theirs, through work for a number of charities and taking commercial clients to the mountains.
Dan Mazur runs a commercial climbing company called Summit Climb and even has a fairly good entry in Wikipedia, something that one day, someone will do for me!
I' like to think I'm not obsessed with the man, but he does shine out - I am kept up to date with his and Summit Climb's adventures through his amazing and itchy feet inducing (and sometimes vertigo inducing) pictures on his facebook pages.
One day I'd like to think I'll be out there climbing with Dan or Summit Climb, being in the pictures, rather than just watching them from the comfort of my little office in Horsham.
Come and read my blog about travel accessories, walking gear, tips on outdoor gear, info and reviews. There is a smattering of advice posts on what outdoor gear you may want and outdoor gear you need. Hey, I sell outdoor gear, 'course I'll blog about it!. Will couple this with other interesting snippets on the outdoors as and when it pops up. Keep checking back and thanks for looking at the Walk and Travel Blog. Gareth Sear
Showing posts with label mountains. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mountains. Show all posts
Monday, 26 October 2009
Sunday, 19 April 2009
Walking in the Lake District
Lake District Easter 2009
Why don’t I live closer to this beautiful place? I always have to battle through the M25, M6 (the M40 isn’t usually too bad) event at midnight. It’s ridiculous - we live in a country full of people wanting to go places. Hmmm…. I was one of them. Shouldn’t complain really.
We are staying at Ennerdale YHA Barn, basic, rustic, but lovely. I sometimes wish I could live with such simple pleasures. Why do I need a plasma TV? Paved driveway? Ensuite bathroom and fitted kitchen? Lots of questions, but that it what beautiful places do to you. Get you thinking about life.
Today’s walk was wet. It was bound to be it’s the Lake District. Wettest part of the country. Out the barn down the track and up, up, up. So steep, past the lowing black cattle that looked like labradoodles and were subsequently named cowadoodles. Hard work up the steep hill and out onto the ridge along to Haycock. The wind was howling around us as the clouds closed in, bringing the cold and rain in as we followed the undulating ridge across Scoat Fell towards the high point of Pillar at 892m.
Summit was gained and we split into two teams one fitter than the other who went on to tackle Kirk Fell, skirt around the Gables and up to Haystacks. Me being a rather unfit walker who suffers with knee ache decided to drop down with the old folk to the Ennerdale Plantations, past Black Sail Hut for the long slow slog on the metalled track back to the barn for a much needed cup of tea and seaweed crackers. Seaweed crackers? Don’t ask.
The next day saw the sun breaking in through the windows, past the cracks in the towels that were masquerading as curtains. Porridge and tea down us we were ready to head out for a glorious day in the hills. Rucksack packed and off we went, back up the metalled track, only to come back down it again later. Not a great start to the day.
Off to the east of the track and straight up, up , up to the ridge line. Now this was a way to get the lungs working first thing in the morning and stretch out the un-exercised legs after yesterdays six hours. A 600 meter climb to the top of Red Pike. Then a rest. Well deserved and well needed to allow my heart rate to return to normal. The views, as ever, in the Lake District on a sunny day, were tremendous, one way down into Buttermere, (which I think is the most beautiful view in the Lake District), the other way the view was showing us the wet and windy ridge of yesterdays walk.
Our ridge was to the South, towards the towering cliff face of Great Gable, the summit glowing in the sunshine, waiting for us to tread it’s flanks and peak. The route to the summit was up and down much more than we anticipated, across High Stile to High Crag and down to rugged tops of Haystacks, past Innominate Tarn, the final resting place of Alfred Wainwright, perhaps the most famous of the Lake District writers and fell walkers.
With the sun still beaming down on us, we skirted under the peaks of Brandreth and Green Gable and took the path up to Windy Gap on the eastern flank of Great Gable. Another fifteen minutes and we topped out on goal of the walk, as the sun was slowly dipping toward the west. Dropping off the North West flank, back down into the valley, following the streams that lead into the River Liza, we took a very leisurely stroll under the watchful eye of the two ridge lines we just walked. Back past the Black Sail Hut, back down the metalled track, back to the single shower on the barn at Ennerdale, closely followed by a well deserved curry in Cockermouth.
The Lakes in the rain, the Lakes in the sun, the Lakes at Easter. Where is there a more beautiful place in England?
Why don’t I live closer to this beautiful place? I always have to battle through the M25, M6 (the M40 isn’t usually too bad) event at midnight. It’s ridiculous - we live in a country full of people wanting to go places. Hmmm…. I was one of them. Shouldn’t complain really.
We are staying at Ennerdale YHA Barn, basic, rustic, but lovely. I sometimes wish I could live with such simple pleasures. Why do I need a plasma TV? Paved driveway? Ensuite bathroom and fitted kitchen? Lots of questions, but that it what beautiful places do to you. Get you thinking about life.
Today’s walk was wet. It was bound to be it’s the Lake District. Wettest part of the country. Out the barn down the track and up, up, up. So steep, past the lowing black cattle that looked like labradoodles and were subsequently named cowadoodles. Hard work up the steep hill and out onto the ridge along to Haycock. The wind was howling around us as the clouds closed in, bringing the cold and rain in as we followed the undulating ridge across Scoat Fell towards the high point of Pillar at 892m.
Summit was gained and we split into two teams one fitter than the other who went on to tackle Kirk Fell, skirt around the Gables and up to Haystacks. Me being a rather unfit walker who suffers with knee ache decided to drop down with the old folk to the Ennerdale Plantations, past Black Sail Hut for the long slow slog on the metalled track back to the barn for a much needed cup of tea and seaweed crackers. Seaweed crackers? Don’t ask.
The next day saw the sun breaking in through the windows, past the cracks in the towels that were masquerading as curtains. Porridge and tea down us we were ready to head out for a glorious day in the hills. Rucksack packed and off we went, back up the metalled track, only to come back down it again later. Not a great start to the day.
Off to the east of the track and straight up, up , up to the ridge line. Now this was a way to get the lungs working first thing in the morning and stretch out the un-exercised legs after yesterdays six hours. A 600 meter climb to the top of Red Pike. Then a rest. Well deserved and well needed to allow my heart rate to return to normal. The views, as ever, in the Lake District on a sunny day, were tremendous, one way down into Buttermere, (which I think is the most beautiful view in the Lake District), the other way the view was showing us the wet and windy ridge of yesterdays walk.
Our ridge was to the South, towards the towering cliff face of Great Gable, the summit glowing in the sunshine, waiting for us to tread it’s flanks and peak. The route to the summit was up and down much more than we anticipated, across High Stile to High Crag and down to rugged tops of Haystacks, past Innominate Tarn, the final resting place of Alfred Wainwright, perhaps the most famous of the Lake District writers and fell walkers.
With the sun still beaming down on us, we skirted under the peaks of Brandreth and Green Gable and took the path up to Windy Gap on the eastern flank of Great Gable. Another fifteen minutes and we topped out on goal of the walk, as the sun was slowly dipping toward the west. Dropping off the North West flank, back down into the valley, following the streams that lead into the River Liza, we took a very leisurely stroll under the watchful eye of the two ridge lines we just walked. Back past the Black Sail Hut, back down the metalled track, back to the single shower on the barn at Ennerdale, closely followed by a well deserved curry in Cockermouth.
The Lakes in the rain, the Lakes in the sun, the Lakes at Easter. Where is there a more beautiful place in England?
Sunday, 6 May 2007
Mountain Leader Training
Has anyone out there done their UK mountain leader training? I was wondering how beneficial you found it. I'm thinking of doing mine and trying to squeeze it in before I take my Scouts to Poland trekking in the Tatras Mountains. Main reason for this is because I was on an Expedition Medicine Weekend (run by Forest Knights in the sunny West Sussex countryside) and the guy who was running it asked me if I had a lost person policy and plan, i.e. what I would do if I lost one of my Scouts when I am out. In the mountains I imagine this could be quite important. So you learn how to deal with this on a Mountain Leader Training Course? Group management - I hope so. I think I'll do some reading up on it.
I'm also thinking about what kit I'll take and there will have to be a confidence rope in my day pack as well as the usual suspects of an Expedition First Aid Kit, survival bag and a group mountain shelter.
I'm also thinking about what kit I'll take and there will have to be a confidence rope in my day pack as well as the usual suspects of an Expedition First Aid Kit, survival bag and a group mountain shelter.
Tuesday, 1 May 2007
New Outdoor Products and Poland
Life is quite exciting at the moment, my website is doing well; www.walkandtravel.com and I'm introduced some great new products! Have you heard of Rab Sleeping Bags? These down sleeping bags are are some of the best in the world and sexy as hell! The down bags that I am stocking at the Rab Quantum Range, both for men and women. They are ultralight and have an excellent warmth to weight ratio. Have a look at the Rab Quantum Sleeping Bags.
While all that is going on, I'm still helping out with running an Explorer Scout Unit in Horsham in the UK, it's coming up to summer expedition time...how cool! We are planning to go to the High Tatras Mountains in Poland and trek to the highest peak Mt Rysys over four days staying in the mountain huts while we are there. Naturally there will be some time to experience the Polish culture in Zakopane and Krakow and hopefully, if we can sneak one in, a cheeky Polish Beer. Anyone had one? Is it good? If anyone has some travel tips for Poland and High Tatras mountains it would be great to hear them.
Bye for now!
G
While all that is going on, I'm still helping out with running an Explorer Scout Unit in Horsham in the UK, it's coming up to summer expedition time...how cool! We are planning to go to the High Tatras Mountains in Poland and trek to the highest peak Mt Rysys over four days staying in the mountain huts while we are there. Naturally there will be some time to experience the Polish culture in Zakopane and Krakow and hopefully, if we can sneak one in, a cheeky Polish Beer. Anyone had one? Is it good? If anyone has some travel tips for Poland and High Tatras mountains it would be great to hear them.
Bye for now!
G
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