Euan Lawson
Howgills in November
The late Alfred Wainwright° was the one that called the Howgills “sleeping elephants”. It’s a brilliant and much-used (overused?) description. You’ve seen them for sure. If you have ever driven north on the M6 then they slumber on your right as the motorway kicks up at the southern boundary of the Lake District. They are the first hills you see. And, coming south they mark the end of the uplands. You’ve also got the option of the southbound-only Killington services that enjoy a stunning view across Killington Lake to the Dales and Howgills beyond.
It was a beautiful sunny day. But I’m going to show these in black and white this time. I enjoyed a couple of hours over The Calf°(676m) and back home via Arant Haw. There was just a dusting of snow at the tops. I think that might be my first contact with snow this year.
I took my time and ambled up, jogging down. It is amazing how much more enjoyable the experience of being out is when you dial the effort back. It’s also very obvious that very little time is gained for going so much harder. So, why not kick back and enjoy the experience? (There is a counter-argument here about the benefits of high intensity exercise but, really, it’s not worth having. No one ever mused on life during a brutal interval - unless you count wishing you were dead…)
