My son, Tom, invited me to join him and April to walk up Blencathra (845m). We’d attempted a previous walk to the Fairfield Horseshoe (873m) but had been driven back by high winds and driving. Theo, the Bitzer dog, joined us.

This time the weather was fine. Starting at eight in the morning, we made good progress up the mountain and didn’t see another soul until we reached the summit. April kept up a good pace. The route was obvious and the views were breath-taking (as you might expect in the Lake District). As we climbed, we took short breaks and drinks, and had some good views looking southwards.

Closer to the summit we started scrambling (using hands as well as feet). This was something I hadn’t encountered for several years (Covid, of course) and, initially, I was a little apprehensive. As we progressed along the Sharp Edge ridge near the summit, my confidence returned gradually and I was able to move more quickly. Tom later remarked that I was more confident at scrambling than I was at moving on steeper downhill sections. This was quite reassuring as my detached retina meant I found this more challenging than before.

Reaching the summit gave us all a sense of achievement as well as good views. We stopped for lunch but quickly started to cool down. If the weather had been warm and sunny, we would have encountered hundreds of other walkers at this time of year.

Up until now, we had only seen one or two other people. On the way down we came across a few people on their way up. Walking down is easier in some respects as you’re not climbing. The downside is that it is easier to slip on stony paths, especially if it’s wet or frozen. Also, because of gravity, your feet tend to move more easily to the end of your boots, which can be uncomfortable. April managed very well and complained only infrequently.

Unsurprisingly, we saw plenty of curious sheep.

Thanks for the lift, Tom and April, thanks for your company and thanks for not complaining at my slower progress. Time is taking its toll! During the pandemic I lost a lot of my fitness and stamina. Climbing Blencathra has confirmed that I am now fit enough to walk up high mountains, and to scramble again. It’s also helped to overcome the vision disability I’ve suffered after having a detached retina after a routine cataract procedure.