Yesterday, not having visited the summit of Arnside Knott for some time, I decided to see if it was still there.
The Knott at 159m. happens to be semi-famous for being the lowest in the Marilyns hill list (all the hills in Great Britain that have a clear 150m. minimum drop in all directions from the summit) There are at the moment 2011 Ms listed. One or two folk have climbed them all, a massive achievement considering there are a couple that are more or less rock pinnacles sticking up out of the sea in the Outer Hebrides. I have visited 428 of them including all 175 in England.
I think I have been up the Knott several hundred times during the last twenty two years. All such repetitions conform to the cliché that "it is different every time." Today was no exception firstly from my own devising and secondly pure serendipity. Frustrated with my reduced walking ability I searched for a new twist and decided on a blow by blow photo record every few hundred yards or so and the results you can see below (if you can stick it out.). On this occasion there is no doubt that "click to enlarge" is worthwhile to get a better impression and provide more interest to the often repetitive nature of the photos. Why do photos rarely convey the steepness of steep ascents? Any budding professional photographers out there with suggestions?
As I topped out and closed in on the trig point I found a husband and wife team nestled in a shady spot chatting away on their radio to someone on another hill in South Wales. I learned more than I thought I knew about this interesting pass-time, and would you believe it has a direct link with my pursuit of Marilyns. Radio Hams use the Marilyns list to set up a basis for list ticking. They aim to tick off as many Marilyns on the list as possible. To qualify they must make contact with at least five other radio hams from each summit visited. I think there is also a system of additional points to be earned as well. My acquaintances today had already clocked up nine contacts but were apparently in no hurry to depart. We reminisced about several other hills we had mutually visited in the Yorkshire Dales ands The Lakes. There you go: different every time.
---------------------------------------------
If you are interested, the Marilyns list can be accessed HERE amongst many many other hill lists and league tables and other information. A must visit site for anybody afflicted with outdoory list ticking.
-----------------------------------------
Blogger strikes again! Click on second photo to enlarge, it doesn't seem to work on the first. Also with the slideshow the photo of my radio ham couple does not appear but it does down below.
 |
| Top of Hollins Lane, up to Silverdale Road |
 |
| Still going up - steepish |
 |
| T Jct. with Silverdale Road - take a left |
 |
| Silverdale Road, and below |
 |
| Silverdale road towards the cemetery on left amongst trees top of photo |
 |
| Cemetery gates left, and chapel - used for Arnside Parish Council meetings |
 |
| Turn right opposite cemetery through gate onto track for The Knott |
 |
| Through the gate, and ... |
 |
| ...take the left fork |
 |
| climb gently for a while |
 |
| Then take a left for steeper climbing |
 |
| Take a left to climb even steeper. |
 |
Here to climb to The Knott you can either go right up the field*or, as I did, left to climb through trees. * the field is known locally as The Golf Course which I think was latterly one of the facilities of a private school in Arnside closed years ago. It is now a popular venue for sledging in winter
|
 |
| Left fork to the trig hidden in trees, often not found by many visitors. Right fork to what many think is the summit and the best view. That left fork amongst many other paths didn't exist when I came to Arnside twenty odd years ago |
 |
| Topping out and below the wander to the trig. These paths didn't exist when I came to Arnside twenty odd years ago |
|
| A pleasant and interesting couple I chatted with for ten minutes or so. They are radio hams. The trig is thirty yards away to the left |
 |
| Here and below, the popular viewing area which many people think is the summit - distant views of The Lake District - the trig is more hidden in the trees |
Following your excellent photos I'm at the top now how do I get down?
ReplyDeleteBC - Phone for The Mountain Rescue
ReplyDeleteBC - I hope you've got your bivvy bag.
ReplyDeleteHave they got planning permission for the radio mast or is the council meeting in the cemetery for rather obvious reasons? Read their minutes and you will soon see why so many of us think that.
ReplyDeleteThe radio mast was not permanent and was just held up on a post, we take it home with us and leave no trace.
DeleteAnonymous - as you are unidentified I have no clue as to where you are coming from with your comment: humorous, political. serious? Who are the "many of us?"
ReplyDeleteCan we assume that the breathing was not too much of a problem, as you appear to have survived, but, as, apparently, one objective of this expedition was to test it out, is there an 'opinion' as a result ? ie when are you next at 3000' !
ReplyDeletegimmer - My walks are now in two categories: one to monitor progress or not of my breathing, and otherwise to go for a walk for enjoyment with the freedom to change the route at a whim or stop and have a rest, and likely stopping to take photos, and on longer ones to have coffee and a sandwich. This walk was in that second category. Breathlessness has remained fairly constant and is as much a problem as ever, but frustration and the urge to plod unfamiliar territory has motivated me to go beyond the monitoring version. For any incline at all it is noticeable and such as the steep climb up to the Knott I just take minute steps slowly and stop to rest if needed.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeletegimmer - replied by email.
ReplyDeleteComment removed. by me after amicable and more detailed discussion with gimmer.
ReplyDeleteI'm in the middle of reading an extraordinary book (well , extraordinary to me) by Simon Winchester, not someone whose works I would normally read) about the origins and genesis of the OED. Hence . . . 'amicable' - meaning, derivation and possible alternatives over its history, please - not a word normally associated with me, I'm told.
ReplyDeleteCertainly I didn't feel that way after spending two days trying to organise a Schengen visa for a distant relative only to be thwarted by the website refusing to allow the task to progress . . . .
Gimmer - yes, I read it a long time ago, perhaps fifteen years? I've just excavated it from my bookshelf which unfortunately is not classified and it took a fair bit of finding. I can't remember too much detail but I do know I was mightily enthralled by it. Compilation of a dictionary is a subject that fascinates me in its own right, but this human story takes that to a whole new dimension.
ReplyDeletegimmer - I have looked at Simon W's website. I see this book has been re-named: The Professor and the Madman. He has written many other non-fiction books on a range of "off the wall" subjects, but seems to be well respected, even having an OBE. I have also read his The Map that Changed the World.
ReplyDeleteHi, Natalie here one of the couple you spoke to at the top, apologies for taking so long to comment. It was absolutely great to meet you and we loved our conversation, if only we could meet people like yourself on all our walks. And what an inspiration you are. Keep doing what your doing and if we ever do the walk again I can only hope we bump into you again. Take care
ReplyDeleteA comment to treasure.
DeleteNatalie - thanks for your comment and welcome to the blog. I think that anonymous comment was somebody just trying to be humorous.
ReplyDeleteThat's me Conrad,. Not sure why I was titled anon.
DeleteBC - Indeed!
Delete