Walk 97 done. Plus, a plea for your support

Joe on Hugill Fell’s summit, looking towards Potter Fell

When the British weather wants to it can come up with some very fine days indeed. Yesterday, 23/5/15, was one of those days. Sunshine, warmth and wonderful visibility combined to make the straightforward walk 97 a highly worthwhile experience for both myself and Joe, who came with me. Three summits bagged — High Knott, Hugill Fell (pictured) and Reston Scar. So as of today I have bagged 306 of the 330 Wainwrights, so have 24 to go. (Joe has now bagged 25 of them.) I hope to be finished in September.

Calder Valley search and rescue team (image from http://www.cvsrt.org.uk)

Before then — from 25th July to 6th August — I will be in Tanzania, climbing all 5,895 metres (19,341 feet) of Kilimanjaro. I am doing this on behalf of the good people of my local Calder Valley Search and Rescue team (see www.cvsrt.org.uk).

After several years’ walking I have learned to appreciate the importance of search and rescue teams. No one expects to get into trouble on the hills, but it can happen to anyone, and then search and rescue teams can be all that stand between life and death. Yet all the teams are made up of volunteers and supported entirely by donations. It can cost around £30,000 – £40,000 a year to run these services. Please support me in this foolhardy quest and help raise money vital for the provision of search and rescue around Hebden Bridge and the Calder Valley. I hope to raise at least £1,500 through my efforts. You can visit my sponsorship page at https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/drewdoeskilimanjaro … many thanks in advance!

Some proper climbing for a change… Walk 96

Climbing South Rake: one of only two spots where I felt comfortable enough to get the camera out…

Many of my walks in the last couple of years, since I started on the Outlying Fells, have borne no resemblance to ‘mountain climbing’ — which is not to say they have been unsatisfactory.

The trip I made this weekend, however, was a definite exception, thanks to hauling myself up the face of Dow Crag via the route known as South Rake. Having embarked on a second round of Wainwrights, I want to try routes that I didn’t do the first time, particularly if they sound interesting or adventurous — and South Rake definitely was that. Read about it on the walk 96 page.

The walk also took in the outlier that is Walna Scar, which means that I have now bagged (for the first time) 303 of the 330 Wainwrights and have 27 to go.