Nine Standards Rigg 662m (2172 ft)
9 miles
326 m (1070ft) of ascent
The ascent was from Ravenseat via Whitsundale and back via Coldbergh Edge.
The previous week had seen rainfall in the Lake District thirty miles to the west exceeding all previous records, washing away bridges and making hundreds of people homeless. Similar conditions had prevailed in the region of Nine Standards, so this was one of the muddiest walks I can remember.
It was bitterly cold on the tops. I was wearing a pair of Outdoor Research “Verglas” mitts purchased from Rock and Run the day before which made life bearable. The rain held off and this was a quality walk; it was nostalgic for me as most of the walk followed the route of Wainwright’s Coast to Coast Walk which I did in April 1990. The views from Nine Standards are incredibly extensive.
The highlight was the sight of the mysterious Nine Standards cairns a few hundred yards to the north of the trig point, and I unashamedly enclose herewith Wainwright’s description which I am sure will be more pleasing than my own ramblings.
Never apologise for "ramblings" - you force the reader to wonder whether he/she is wasting his/her time. The headline for this post must surely rate as "cognoscenti". I think the rationale bit should be elsewhere. I'd have liked to see a photo of the Verglas mitts, and a more technical assessment of their worth, especially if, as I suspect, they were costly. "A quality walk" is lazy, tells me nothing. Other than that it's perfect. Happy imminent septuagesima (sort of)
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