Tuesday, 5 February 2013

A bit of Scottish

I have long envied the Scots for their rich language, especially in connection with weather. Not being a dyed-in-the-tartan highlander I would normally feel guilty using their words and feel obliged to let that remain the privilege of those so entitled.

However on Monday last I made a foray into the Lakes to bag Stony Cove Pike, another Marilyn. Albeit ascent was from the top of Kirkstone Pass at 454m, it is still over a thousand feet of climbing to reach this summit - note the change from metres to feet; the latter always sounds more impressive, and it is quite a tough little climb at that.

Very strong wind prevailed with hints of rain. Visibility was like peering through butter muslin.

Looking at the photos afterwards and recollecting the trip I wondered if my exploits in Scotland over the years would be enough to allow me to use the word dreich.

Here are a few more:

mochie - warm and damp

 smirr - very light rain (I suspect that stuff that has more penetrating capacity than WD 40)

 snell - biting, cold, sharp

 For friends of Gibson: this post is to wish him well and we all hope to see him blogging again.

Lang may yer lum reek!


Stony Cove Pike from St. Raven's Edge - the summit is well beyond the skyline hump. The paths were semi-frozen, so not so much gloop wallowing as of late
From S/C Pike summit - zoom to Thornthwaite Beacon; the pillar well visible on the horizon

From S/C Pike - Froswick, Ill Bell and Yoke the western part of the Kentmere Horseshoe. Kentmere Pike in background left

Brotherswater and the bottom end of Ullswater

No! It wasn't coming for me. Red Screes in the background

Looking down to The Kirkstone Pass Inn and my car. The slope is much steeper than it looks here

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5 comments:

  1. afootinthehills5 February 2013 at 11:22

    Thanks Conrad. This is an incredible coincidence: Lynne and I are having coffee discussing The Scots Language and Billy Kay's 1996 book 'The Mither Tongue'. I think your Scottish credentials are sufficient to allow you to use 'our words'!

    My absence from blogging may well be short-lived since I'm already missing the friendship of those, like your good self, who have been so generous with their comments.

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  2. Sir Hugh5 February 2013 at 14:43

    Afoot - that sounds encouraging.

    ----------------------------------------

    I have had a comment from Gimmer who had difficulty in posting so here it is:

    For some reason my ID is not working so I cannot post to your blog. Herewith what I was trying to say!!

    'Feet' are a human scale measurement - dating back to pre-Roman concepts - with a direct relation to limb dimensions and effort.
    Metres are, by contrast, a mathematical construct derived originally from global 'data' unrelated to individual human or other animal experience.
    Thus one can quite naturally 'step up' a foot, but never a metre (unless a gymnast - or rock man well supplied with holds, cracks and/or good runners and a doughty second) so I wholly applaud your usage - both as a blow for nature and for history!
    I'm sure the bible or shakespeare would have had a word for it - if metrics had been 'out' then!

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  3. Anonymous5 February 2013 at 22:34

    A bit of favourite for a short day with altitude this one. But preferably not when it's dreich. I'm guessing it wouldn't have been very busy?
    Had a very quiet walk myself on Tarn Crag on Saturday in superb weather.
    Mark

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  4. Sir Hugh5 February 2013 at 22:43

    I saw two parties of two and one of three.

    Memory Map tells me there are 8 Tarn Crags in Cumbria.

    If you mean the one in Long Sleddale that is where I had a bit of an adventure a month or two back. See my post:

    WEDNESDAY, 10 OCTOBER 2012

    "A day of good and bad bits (River Sprint 3)"

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  5. Sir Hugh5 February 2013 at 22:45

    Gimmer - I always knew you were a conservative.

    ReplyDelete