Waxing lyrically about ski touring

Few Britons have ski-toured to more Norwegian mountain huts than Stephen Johns has, so we're delighted he'll be giving an illustrated talk following the club's AGM at Natland Village Hall, near Kendal, on Friday 28 October.

We can promise insights into the equipment to take, Norwegian weather and navigation, and the contents of a DNT food store (not provided on the night - but there will be cake and refreshments instead).

Entry is free.

   

Rolling into the summer

Traces of snow have hardly left the Lakeland fells and we're already publishing Snowsport England's calendar of roller ski weekends - helping cross-country skiers hone their skills for next season.

There's three weekends scheduled, which cater for anyone from beginner to advanced:

• 25-26 June 2016 - Snowsport England roller ski training weekend, Hayes, London
• 20-21 August 2016 - Snowsport England roller ski training weekend, Hetton Lyons, Co. Durham
• 1-2 October 2016 - Snowsport England roller ski training weekend, Salt Ayre, Lancaster

Equipment hire can also be arranged for anyone coming to the sport for the first time. Booking details on the Snowsport England calendar of events.

The Snowsport England XC Coaching Panel is also planning the following courses (on two of the dates above) for skiers interested in becoming instructors or advancing their skills:

• Hayes – Level 1 Roller Ski Instructor course (two days); Level 2 Roller Ski instructor course Part 1 (two days).  Revalidations for Level 1,2,3 (one day, Sunday 26 June)
• Lancaster - Level 1 Roller Ski Instructor course (two days), Level 2 Roller Ski instructor course Part 2 (two days).  Revalidations for Level 1,2,3 (one day, Sunday 2 October)

For information about the coaching courses, email: xcskiinfo@btinternet.com

Cairngorms ski weekend

A fair few miles were covered on skis as 14 skiers headed north at the weekend for the club's annual Scottish trip.

John Hooson and Martin Metcalfe on the climb to Glas Maol

From the club's base just outside Braemar, there were tours on the surrounding Cairngorm mountains, including Glas Maol, Carn Liath and Morrone.

Biting winds and low cloud limited the scope for longer tours, but descents on snowy northern slopes more than made up for any temporary cold-based discomfort.

Thanks to Brian Smith for organising the weekend.

First ski tour of the season

Club member John Hooson provides an account of our first local tour of the 2015/16 season. 

Oh, and happy birthday John...

Today, Sunday 13 December 2015, I turned 52, but more importantly I spent the day ski touring on the Howgills with two other members of LXCSC - a marvellous present which money can’t buy.

The tour started from Weasdale on the north side of the Howgill Fells, near Newbiggin-on-Lune. Martin Metcalfe, club leader on the day, was joined by Brian Smith and me, with Cuddy (the dog) tagging along too. Skis were fitted at the car and the route then went due south over Ravenstonedale Common, climbing steadily to the summit of Green Bell – a chance to get ski legs back. 

A short easy descent followed by another climb brought us to Randygill Top. Here we met the only other person seen all day, before turning north and dropping steeply into the saddle of Leathgill Bridge. This 'challenged' all our skiing skills and anyone at Tom Higgs' talk the previous night will know that he’d approve.

A quick standing lunch was eaten at the col with nice views to the northwest. The final climb onto Hooksey was followed by a long and enjoyable descent back to Weasdale.

I think that this is the first time I’ve been able to ski on my birthday – terrific!

John Hooson

There will be club ski tours throughout the winter whenever there's skiable snow in the Lakes or Pennines. If you're interested in joining us, let us know or keep an eye on the message board.

Tom's talk on ski touring

Lakeland XC Club member and experienced ski tourer Tom Higgs will be doing an illustrated talk on Saturday 12 December with the title:  
Ski Touring and other experiences - don't be misled!


The talk takes place at Natland Village Hall, south of Kendal, at 7.30pm, and will last approximately two hours. Refreshments and cakes will be available at a small cost.

This promises to be an entertaining talk drawing on Tom's experiences of leading ski tours in Norway and further afield. A must for anyone interested in hut-to-hut touring.

For further information, email: Events@LakelandXCSki.org.uk

Places for the talk are limited, so to guarantee a place and avoid disappointment, just leave a message on the home page message board giving your name and the number of people interested.

Roller ski coaching dates at Preston cycle track

This autumn we’re helping Manchester Cross Country Ski Club with their roller ski coaching at Preston Cycle Track.

In return, the sessions are open to Lakeland club members (and potential club members) of any ability interested in roller skiing or enhancing their technique.

The coaching dates are:

• Saturday 24 October, 10 am – 12.30 pm
• Saturday 7 November, 10 am – 12.30 pm
• Saturday 21 November, 10 am – 12.30 pm
• Saturday 5 December, 10 am – 12.30 pm

Sessions cost £5 per person, including the hire of equipment. Further details, including how to book a place, can be found on the Manchester Cross Country Ski Club website.

Cameras roll on roller skiing

Roller ski sessions organised by the Yorkshire Dales Cross Country Ski Club over the summer are the subject of a short film produced as part of Snowsport England's GO SKI GO BOARD participation campaign.

The three-minute video can be found on YouTube - you may even recognise a few familiar faces...