We've had a busy couple of weeks with social commitments and travelling organised around university work and lectures. I've spent so much time staring at a computer screen that I'm getting square eyes (just like Mum said I would!). The most annoying part of having deadlines is that I've missed getting out and enjoying the winter conditions here in the Lake District.
I had a chance to get out on Friday morning but I was shattered after working on an assignment late the previous night. I have to apologise to Francis for crying off at late notice, so if you read this, sorry! Francis runs a great company called Adventure Today - if you are looking for a friendly, relaxed day in the hills or rivers give him a shout!
This weekend Ross arrived up with a soil pH testing kit, a guide to British Upland Plants, a results table and a slightly haunted look on his face. This could only mean one thing - Dissertation data collection! He is writing a 10,000 word project comparing the vegetation on a glacier in Switzerland to that found in a Lake District valley. Gripping Stuff...
Saturday morning saw us heading off to Haweswater, arriving at the study site in Blea Water around 1130. Conditions weren't perfect, with the ground still too frozen to collect soil samples everywhere Ross wanted to. Once we got into the routine of the study time passed quickly and we managed to enjoy ourselves. It was great to be out in the hills again after 7 days inside working.
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| Haweswater |
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| Counting plants is difficult here! |
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| A blurry Blea Water (camera didn't like the cold) |
A positive point of being on the internet for days on end was that I found or was sent some really interesting blogs. The Adventure Cycling Guide gets into the meat of preparing for a cycle tour, with lots of tips about what to bring and what bike to get. I found a few of these really detailed sites which are really useful but don't offer much in the way of inspiration. If anything they tend to put me off by talking about buying things I don't have!
Much more welcome are blogs like Ness Knight's which focus more on the journey than equipment. It's great to hear about people doing similar things as it gives a little confidence boost; 'if they can do it, so can we!' Anyone getting outside and doing something a bit out of the ordinary gives me a flash of inspiration. Cue a solo 24hr run around Snowdonia, Donegal's hardest climb, Mont Blanc Ultra Marathon and the Jungfrau Marathon. I've become a bit running-mad lately! Can't forget the Coniston Triathlon. A possibility this year?
Since we started publicising the expedition more, information and pointers have arrived from all directions. Thank you to everyone who has read the blog, sent us a link to a website or just wished us luck. It helps massively and it's fantastic to find so many people interested in our mad, silly idea!
All comments are welcome, be it a good luck message, a nice campsite in Spain or a friend in Morocco. How about donating to a good cause? Our JustGiving page is set up to send donations directly to Alzheimer Scotland. They do fantastic work such as trying to provide a Dementia Nurse in each local authority area in Scotland.
Thanks for reading,
John
