Striding Edge, 21st October 2012.

After 8 weeks or so of not getting out for various reasons, we finally get a decent weather window and free time to do something. Lorna and Ruth game to try a grade 1 scramble to see how they would cope after all this time, so we went for the Lake District classic of Striding Edge. The car park at the Patterdale Hotel was surprisingly quiet, but we soon were amongst the crowds as we go to the Hole in the Wall with the first view of Helvellyn and Red Tarn Cove.

Lorna and Ruth (above) getting their first taste of exposure since last year. (Ruth had been to Skye a couple of weeks earlier with Ian, but found the scrambling a little easier). 

Ian and Ruth further along the ridge.

Myself and Lorna posing in our new jackets! ( I was determined to put it on, even for a short while!).
Lorna in her Montane Prism down jacket and me in  Patagonia Sheltersone jacket in a tastefull Mango colour! 

Looking down from the trig point on Helvellyn onto Red Tarn with Striding Edge to the right.

Ian and Ruth on the summit of Helvellyn. 

Lorna, Ruth and Ian starting their descent of Swirral Edge.
Possibly a ridge walk such as this was a little too exposed for Lorna and Ruth at this stage as they both said they didn't feel confident in their abilities having still not fully recovered. So they did take some of the escape paths on the ridge to avoid any awkward moves - stuff they would've almost ran over, a year ago. I think Lorna found it frustrating to get advice from (well meaning, but unaware) kids, day trippers and pensioners!