Threading the Needle, 11th March 2012.

With the prospect of little in the way of winter climbing (at our level !), myself and Ian decided on some easy-ish scrambling in the Lakes. The forecast was also a bit better further south and so we headed for Seathwaite with The Climbers Traverse, a "threading of the needle" and Sphinx Ridge. The walk via the alternative path alongside Taylorforth Gill was pleasant but sweaty in the unusually warm weather, and the Climbers Traverse was equally enjoyable. The low cloud came and went as we approached Napes Needle and we finally got a view of our route between the needle and the crag behind. The way up between the Needle and the main crag needs some squirming and grunting to get up before a brief rest on some blocks before the tricky (in the wet) downclimb.    

As it turned out, it was damp in the shaded side of the needle and together with the very polished rocks we didn't fancy trusting our boots on the greasy rock. We had put harnesses on in case of this so all we had to do was get out the 30m roped, place it round one of the blocks and abseil down.  

Ian abbing down through the gloom on the other side of the needle. We then made our way around the face of the crag to the Dress Circle for a well earned cuppa!  

Sadly there were no views of the Scafell's to be had through the cloud and there was only just a view of Napes Needle itself.

  Somehow I managed to draw blood, either on the way up through the needle or on the abseil down! 

 Sphinx Rock through the cloud and Sphinx Ridge behind it. There are various descriptions for getting onto the ridge, but in the past, in good weather I have tackled it direct from behind the Sphinx. Most guides have it as a grade 2 scramble, however today it proved really awkward and needed a bit of a cheat by pulling on some gear as we climbed up to the right of the slab into a notch in the first tower!? I can only guess I went left up the more exposed slab to the left the last time I did it? Obviously the more direct route is harder ,maybe Diff or V-Diff? 

 We did see a (very small!) brocken spectre further up the ridge though.

After the enjoyable scramble up Westmorland Crags, we were rewarded with a cloud inversion over Styhead and Wasdale, with the Scafell's in the distance.

Looking over to Langdale with Harrison Stickle and Pike of Stickle and Windermere behind.

Some of the locals down in Seathwaite.