One Tough Old Man

[7daysinaweek]

Monday being forecast a beautiful day, myself and Mrs 7days decided to head up to the Lakes, we are fortunate that we can be into Windermere from our door in about 80 minutes on a good run. We had decided to go to Coniston, walk up "the old man" and take a swim in the one of the high lakes called "the doup", brrrr!

Setting off at 9 it was a pleasant run and took about 2 hours. The drive up to the car park was steep and with 'foot to the floor' we parked up safely. We made the start and the weather was fantastic, with views "to boot" along the entire route. It was a little tough going in parts for the both of us as we are more swimmers than walkers. At times I was blowing like and old billy goat. There were many people along the route going up and coming down, after an hour or so we started to ask people who were on the way down had they passed a 'body of water', yes came the answer, "about twenty minutes away". So after another 20 minutes ask another, about twenty minutes, this went on for what seemed like an age. It bought to mind the old saying that nuclear fusion is only 20 years away!', and has been for the last 50 years. We had tried several attempts to get the full route and distance up on the phone, but it was hit and miss with the signal failing.

About halfway up we got a spectacular view of the top that could have been likened to Everest, minus the snow in anyone's eyes. The clouds whipped and dragged across the top, getting stretched out like huge reams of cotton. What a sight!

A little further we came upon the old slate workings with the defunct cabling for the carts and the dilapidated slate buildings, very interesting it was, and what a harsh environment it must have been to work in.

So with a last push we came over a brow and we had arrived. A few had ventured into the water and busied themselves in the margins, myself being the brave one donned my wetsuit and Mrs 7days being the 'nesh' one wore a swimsuit only.  😁 We are well acclimatized to swimming in cold open water and this was to say the least was very refreshing. Swimming from the bank the margin was sandy but in a very short distance dropped away steeply into water that was 'black and cold' , we appeared to be the only ones who ventured out. So after about 30 minutes and a couple of laps we had had enough as we had the walk back to contend with. Coming down was easier than going up for sure and when we got back to the car we had a good signal again, even though we never made it to the top, we came shy of a quarter of a mile and we had to get back as we had booked a meal in Windermere at one of our favourite restaurants. So back to the car and after a clean up and clothes change we made it just in time as the drive from Coniston to Windermere was a little over an hour. Windermere was 'stuffed', we have the foresight to book as it always turning people away at the door.

Mrs 7days chooses the same meal when we go and I opted for the same as her this time having a delicious carbonara accompanied by a small glass of wine then it was homeward-bound which was agreeably uneventful. Getting home at around 8pm and we 'splurged' on the couch.

Happy days! 😃

[mel b3]

What a fantastic day out 👍.

I'd be worried about giving myself a heart attack when I hit that cold water😢.

[figgy]

Well-done, my wife and I walked it few years ago but carried on accross onto other cells and a ridge walk, instead of staying up high we dropped down the side to Levers water had lunch and swam, there was only my wife and I in view. Very peaceful.

I've marked the location with arrow you can see the path, it's a lovely horseshoe walk with fantastic views. The oath runs where the search bar on Google maps is in the picture.

Edited June 2, 2021 by figgy

[7daysinaweek]

10 minutes ago, mel b3 said:

What a fantastic day out 👍.

I'd be worried about giving myself a heart attack when I hit that cold water😢.

 

It was Mel.

The pictures are deceiving, it is easily a couple of 100 yards wide at the shortest point with the surrounding rim much higher up. Unfortunately Mel, that is how people get into difficulty in cold water, they plunge in and pass through the few feet of warmer (if I can say warmer) water then they hit the cold or panic getting out of their depth among other factors.

We acclimatise in a local quarry that is about 70 feet deep at its deepest point and it is ground spring fed, we had our first 'dip' in mid-April, a 'barmy '10 degrees considering your adult average swimming pool temp is 27-29 degrees. 🥶

That said we both wear wetsuits but even then they only give a limited thermal protection. You would be surprised how quickly your body acclimatises to the cold water after a few swims. We went today and it was like bathwater at 15 degrees. Then at the cafe had my usual bacon bap with a mug of tea. Nom, Nom, Nom!

@figgy 

Good man Figgy, more power to you elbow for you and your wife, I bet the views are wonderful up at the very top. You are certainly 'brave souls'. I do not like heights so walking them ridges would have me terrified and in some sense I am glad we never got up there after reading your comment. 😱

Many thanks for plotting the map and now looking at it, we have worked out that we could see a small bit of what we thought was Levers water on the way up in the distance and your map now confirms this. I have just shown Mrs 7days and we have decided to go back and swim at Levers water.

Many thanks for posting up.

atb

7diaw

[Mice!]

Certainly is a nice place to visit mate, but no chance I would have gone up on the Bank holiday Monday,  we lounged in the garden and avoided any traffic jams.

Been a good few years since we've been up the old man, it would certainly have this old man blowing now, probably while the kids skipped and sang their way up.

Great pics by the way.

[mel b3]

8 hours ago, 7daysinaweek said:

 

It was Mel.

The pictures are deceiving, it is easily a couple of 100 yards wide at the shortest point with the surrounding rim much higher up. Unfortunately Mel, that is how people get into difficulty in cold water, they plunge in and pass through the few feet of warmer (if I can say warmer) water then they hit the cold or panic getting out of their depth among other factors.

We acclimatise in a local quarry that is about 70 feet deep at its deepest point and it is ground spring fed, we had our first 'dip' in mid-April, a 'barmy '10 degrees considering your adult average swimming pool temp is 27-29 degrees. 🥶

That said we both wear wetsuits but even then they only give a limited thermal protection. You would be surprised how quickly your body acclimatises to the cold water after a few swims. We went today and it was like bathwater at 15 degrees. Then at the cafe had my usual bacon bap with a mug of tea. Nom, Nom, Nom!

@figgy 

Good man Figgy, more power to you elbow for you and your wife, I bet the views are wonderful up at the very top. You are certainly 'brave souls'. I do not like heights so walking them ridges would have me terrified and in some sense I am glad we never got up there after reading your comment. 😱

Many thanks for plotting the map and now looking at it, we have worked out that we could see a small bit of what we thought was Levers water on the way up in the distance and your map now confirms this. I have just shown Mrs 7days and we have decided to go back and swim at Levers water.

Many thanks for posting up.

atb

7diaw

 

I live in the black Country,  and it's littered with stories of men diving into the canals on hot summer days , after a shift in the rolling mills and foundries , and having heart attacks when they hit the water.

I take a dip in the stream every day when we're at our woodland . Even in midsummer,  the water running from the top of the mountain , is so cold that it makes my nuts ache 😊.

[WalkedUp]

Looks like a very invigorating walk. There was a great interview last week on Radio 4 with a scientist specialising in physiological response to cold water immersion. 

[JohnfromUK]

43 minutes ago, WalkedUp said:

There was a great interview last week on Radio 4

It was "The Life Scientific" with Jim Al Khalili (presenter) I believe.  The interviewee was Mike Tipton.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000w9t5

[7daysinaweek]

9 hours ago, Mice! said:

Certainly is a nice place to visit mate, but no chance I would have gone up on the Bank holiday Monday,  we lounged in the garden and avoided any traffic jams.

Been a good few years since we've been up the old man, it would certainly have this old man blowing now, probably while the kids skipped and sang their way up.

Great pics by the way.

Surprisingly the traffic was OK, however as you say it if we had gone straight into Windermere it would have been slow-going.

Mrs 7days and myself cannot keep up with our children now, it is them that have to stop for us. Younger minds in older bodies springs to mind.

By the sounds of it you made the most of the day even if it was within your own confines.

6 hours ago, mel b3 said:

I live in the black Country,  and it's littered with stories of men diving into the canals on hot summer days , after a shift in the rolling mills and foundries , and having heart attacks when they hit the water.

I take a dip in the stream every day when we're at our woodland . Even in midsummer,  the water running from the top of the mountain , is so cold that it makes my nuts ache 😊.

Ahh, good man.

It does not matter how short the dip or the depth, it is about having the freedom to make a personal choice. Our lives have become so busy that we appear to have forgotten to look inwards. That can only be a good thing in my opinion Mel, taking a few minutes out just to sit and ponder even if that does entail 'cold testes'.  In some ways Mel that is what shooting is about for me, it blows out the cobwebs.

 

2 hours ago, WalkedUp said:

Looks like a very invigorating walk. There was a great interview last week on Radio 4 with a scientist specialising in physiological response to cold water immersion. 

Cheers for the heads-up on that walked up.

I have just listened to that podcast and I found it very informative, and learned quite a few things from a personal standpoint. Also, very encouraging science from acute intervention and a public health perspective in relation to morbidity and mortality.

I can relate to much of it both from a scientific point and also a personal one. I understand the symptoms of long exposure he talks about. In 2019, we swam Coniston end to end which is 5.25 miles, that was straight crawl and the water temp was 12-13 degrees at the time with the wind factor. It took me 5 hours 40 and me being just over 8 stone wet have no thermal protection. When I got out at the end I had a bit of a 'wobble', but quickly recovered from it. 

 

May I ask, how is the dog doing, I hope he has recovered?

2 hours ago, JohnfromUK said:

It was "The Life Scientific" with Jim Al Khalili (presenter) I believe.  The interviewee was Mike Tipton.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000w9t5

Thank you for posting up the link John, it was very useful.

[WalkedUp]

10 hours ago, JohnfromUK said:

It was "The Life Scientific" with Jim Al Khalili (presenter) I believe.  The interviewee was Mike Tipton.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000w9t5

Yes it was, I listen every week and catch up on BBC Sounds if I miss it. 👍

8 hours ago, 7daysinaweek said:

May I ask, how is the dog doing, I hope he has recovered?

I’ve just collected him from the veterinary hospital. He’s very quiet and thin, he looks uncomfortable but can stand up when needed. Suddenly looks his 11 years of age! Last week he passed for 6. 

[7daysinaweek]

1 hour ago, WalkedUp said:

Yes it was, I listen every week and catch up on BBC Sounds if I miss it. 👍

I’ve just collected him from the veterinary hospital. He’s very quiet and thin, he looks uncomfortable but can stand up when needed. Suddenly looks his 11 years of age! Last week he passed for 6. 

Animals are like humans in many ways and even a few hours of severe illness can have a significant impact, it can take a while for us to 'turn a corner', it sounds like it going to be day by day at present and here's to him making a good recovery. He is standing, and he is home with you, to an extent I take that as encouraging news albeit he still under the weather.

atb

7diaw

[WalkedUp]

8 hours ago, 7daysinaweek said:

Animals are like humans in many ways and even a few hours of severe illness can have a significant impact, it can take a while for us to 'turn a corner', it sounds like it going to be day by day at present and here's to him making a good recovery. He is standing, and he is home with you, to an extent I take that as encouraging news albeit he still under the weather.

atb

7diaw

Thanks 7diaw 👍

He seems brighter this morning, was standing already when I went downstairs to let them out. 

[7daysinaweek]

5 hours ago, WalkedUp said:

Thanks 7diaw 👍

He seems brighter this morning, was standing already when I went downstairs to let them out. 

Good news. 👍

[figgy]

7daysinaweek

Your wife and your good self will enjoy the walk. It's a ridge walk but not like striding edge.

On this walk you walk along the top and to your left it's quite flat with the remains of a ww11 plane up there. The ridge part is literally just walking a path between some big rocks and very easy and safe, views are stunning. The path down to levers water is easy going with great view of the water.

Try it it's great horseshoe walk that brings you back to where you started.

[7daysinaweek]

1 hour ago, figgy said:

7daysinaweek

Your wife and your good self will enjoy the walk. It's a ridge walk but not like striding edge.

On this walk you walk along the top and to your left it's quite flat with the remains of a ww11 plane up there. The ridge part is literally just walking a path between some big rocks and very easy and safe, views are stunning. The path down to levers water is easy going with great view of the water.

Try it it's great horseshoe walk that brings you back to where you started.

Thank you Figgy

Your information puts me more at ease, we are aiming to get back up in the next few months and will have a go at it, hopefully finishing up with a swim at Levers water.

Once again, thanks for the information.

atb

[Scully]

Sounds like a grand day out! There are some truly stunning walks and admittedly I haven’t done many of them for years. Same old story....when you can go anytime, you hardly go! 🤷‍♂️
I’ll leave the cold water swimming to you though; those lakes and tarns never get warm. 🙂