Jak’s Tracks

I originally created this blog to share some tips about walking in the Picos. But now, several years later, I’m planning to take a year out from work in 2013 and spend about nine months of it lollygagging around the world. I’ll blog about planning my travels as well as about some of my rambles, climbs and general adventures in the UK.

But here’s a bit about me and my trekking preferences and experience, to give some context to my observations about the walks and locations I’ll mention in Jak’s Tracks.

I’m a reasonably fit 40-year-old gal, nudging about 5’2″ in height. I’ve been into walking for about ten years now, and have been known to be dragged up some classic climbs by my long-suffering boyfriend.

In the UK, my ideal outing will be a good day out in the Lakes, or, even better, two days with a night in the hills in between. If aftore-mentioned long-suffering boyfriend is in tow, then I’m happy if there’s also some easy scrambling en route.

I go out rain or shine, summer and winter. Winter in the Lakes or Scotland with a few easy gullies… it’s the only thing that stops me regretting the end of summer!

Virtually all my holidays involve walking, whether in the UK or abroad. The highest I’ve been on my own two feet is about 5300m during a failed attempt to climb Cotopaxi in Ecuador a few years ago, and a similar height in Nepal crossing a high pass in 2010. My previous high had been the summit of Mount Toubkal in Morocco (4167m). Going from Toubkal to Cotopaxi in terms of summits should also tell you that my ambitions outstretched my abilities, but I’ve given up all that guided high-altitude stuff in favour of the satisfaction of doing a winter peak in the UK under my own steam.

Previously, I’d done a two-week trekking holiday in Cuba, and a one-week trek around Mont Blanc (not a summit attempt). I do a lot of day/weekend walks in the Lakes (the great thing about living in Preston!).