New Beginnings
New beginnings… I’ve called this blog as such because of the strange feeling I got on Friday morning, I simply woke up feeling brilliant, almost as good as new. I can’t really put my finger on whether I am actually fixed yet, or if it was just simply my mind telling my body, you need an adventure, get out there whilst you aren’t hurting!
Either way, I woke up on Friday feeling fantastic, like I’d never had a back problem. So I thought I’d go do something I’ve always wanted to do…
Normally my blog posts are a little more significant, but this adventure was very significant on a personal level, it was one which really felt like the start of a new chapter for me, with the last chapter being my horrendous injury now seemingly (after a frustratingly slow few weeks & months) at a close. I feel good; rested, recovered & full of energy – ready for adventure & to explore everything once again!
I’m a sucker for a good sunset/sunrise, so after missing Saturday nights sunset (okay I saw it from the car, but thats a little boring!) , I had to make up for it – I simply had to see the sunrise & with the weather forecasted to stay clear for the next 24 hours, I had a feeling if I was in the right place, I may just see something special.
So I rallied a buddy & off we went, leaving for Keswick at 10pm, bedding down in the van by 12pm & alarms set for 5am!
Nothing can quite prepare you for a 5am alarm (no, I don’t have kids!!), although the prospect of an adventure is always enough motivation to get out of bed. Adventure is about the only thing that could’ve dragged me out from under my cosy warm down filled bag & blankets, and into the freezing cold dark night.
At 5am Keswick was an absolute ghost town, not a soul about at that time as we made our way up to underskiddaw car park – normally I wouldn’t blame them, but today was different, today going to be special, I just had that feeling the sunrise would be worth it, so there was no way & I was going to sleep in!
Venturing out into the night, on the start of an adventure was exhilarating – heading off up a track that I know fairly well in the day, was completely unrecognisable in the dark. Only the light of a head torch & common sense of two kayakers to guide our way.*
For those who have been up Skiddaw, you’ll know it isn’t possible to get lost – hence why I picked it, yet still, the aspect of not knowing or being able to see anything was super cool!
As we ascended the steep track, due North West from underskiddaw, the dawn began to break, giving a faint orange glow from the east, slightly illuminating our path.
It was cold, yet the colours of the sun felt strangely warming. The light of dawn meant it just got lighter and lighter as we ascended out way up to the 931m trig point, the blue sky become more and more prominent & reminded us were we in for a stunning day!
We made our way to the summit for 7, just in time for the forecasted 7.12am sunrise time… then, WOW, what a sight to behold…
I have no words to describe the sheer breathtaking beauty of watching the sun break over the horizon – simply magical to witness. Something so simple, yet so powerfully captivating. What a perfect place to watch it, on top of mountain, tranquil & quiet, away from the hustle and bustle of town, no people, just able to enjoy this magical moment.
The tranquility & isolation of being alone on the top of a mountain, watching such a beautiful phenomena is a feeling that is hard to put into words… I can only hope the photos in this blog convey what I’m trying (& struggling) to describe!
As most of my readers will know, I normally get my kicks from throwing myself (sometimes attached, sometimes not) of stupid heights – however this kick was just something else, a different kind of kick, but one that made me feel so connected with myself & nature, It made me feel so alive, so ready for new beginnings.
Setting off on an adventure in the dark to watch the sunrise has been on my adventure list for sometime – so I’m stoked to get it ticked off, in such an incredible way!
Many people travel far and wide for ‘bucketlist moments’ like this – well let me tell you, its already waiting, right on your doorstep!!! If I hadn’t told you these were taken in the northern Lake District, you could be forgiven for thinking it was high up in the Swiss or French Alps!
Its fair to say the conditions matched the view, with a somewhat alpine feeling. Minus 6 degrees coupled a wind chill, leaving a frozen camelback & frozen other extremities (use your imgaination…) was the coldest I’ve been in a long time! Its fine when your moving, but when you’re a sucker for a view and a photo, you’re hands soon get bloody cold!
This adventure reminded why I love the lakes so much, after a few weeks of deliberately keeping myself away as I didn’t want to fall into the tourist trap of Ambleside or Windermere – I wanted to be adventuring. So I waited till I was able to – this is one of the many reasons I have come to love this area of the UK. It may only be small & often overcrowded, but it simply offers so much adventure!
It wouldn’t be a trip to Keswick, without a slight detour via the Borrowdale valley & the shores of Derwentwater – this is one of the places my love affair with the lakes started last year… perhaps these photos may show you why!
From the eastern shore of the lake, you can see the magnificent snow & ice capped Scafells, basking in the middy sun – probably worth noting it was still only plus 4 degrees here, although my extremities were feeling thankful for that!!
Thank you so much for reading – I hope you feel inspired to go watch the sunrise from a mountain, I promise you’ll feel EPIC for doing so!
Please also check out my article about the curse of plastics in the ocean, over on my Environment page.
*We did have a map, compass & GPS. I’m very appreciative of what the mountain rescue do, however accidents do unfortunately happen, as such I always take the right gear to try and keep me and my companions safe and out of trouble.
