Top Tips From Our Mentoring Group On How To Stay Positive During Lockdown

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WRITTEN by CHRIS & ANNE ENSOLL with contributions from some of our mentees

During lockdown we’re doing regular Zoom chats with our mentoring group, and we recently asked everyone to share what they are doing to stay positive and outdoor-focused during this difficult time.

Red Screes

Red Screes

Chris Ensoll

Living where I do in the Lake District, I can drive a few miles up the road and walk into the mountains, either on my own or with another person. Red Screes from Kirkstone Pass is the nearest spot, and the great winter conditions that we’ve been having have been good for winter climbing and for ski touring.

Lathan Ball

Well, I’m currently sitting at my desk gazing out at a bright blue sky which has put me in a very positive frame of mind! My daughter, Lucy, will soon be back from work so a short walk will be next. Staying positive has included lots of local walks exploring Scout Scar, Cunswick Scar and other nearby places. Alfred Wainwright described the walk along Cunswick and Scout Scars in his book, The Outlying Fells of Lakeland, as a walk above others: a pleasure every step of the way. With their sweeping and far-reaching views over Morecambe Bay and the Lake District I cannot disagree with this statement.

Part of my plans with the move from Cardiff to Natland in Cumbria is to launch and grow a small business providing guided walking and photography courses and holidays. I have spent much time preparing for this. This has included completion of my Mountain Leader assessment with Chris, painting and decorating ready to accept visitors, and developing websites and marketing material. This is very different from my science background and has proven to be both challenging and enjoyable. It has certainly kept me positive about the future. I am now tinkering with my websites Mountain Explorer and ThreeSixteen.

I am also looking at my own mountaineering action plan suggested by Chris. With regard to completing the listed targets I have chased my usual mountain partners about a trip to Skye and am now waiting for a response. In the short term I will be venturing into the Lake District with Lucy and in preparation we have purchased a local scambling guide and planning our days out. It is easy to keep excited looking at big mountain routes together on Bowfell, Dow Crag, Great Gable, Pillar and Scafell. Living in more normal times Lucy would have gone from university to Uganda where she has spent the last three summers working in an orphanage - so having this time together is special.

To help brush up old skills I have watched a few short videos on BMC TV and Chris & Anne’s tutorials page. I have also checked my climbing equipment and the next task is to practice my rope skills in preparation for those mountain days.

I have also taken the chance to do some reading. I can certainly recommend Nimsdai Purja’s book, Beyond Possible, which describes his ascent of the 14 8000m peaks in seven months. After finishing this amazing story I was a keen follower of his successful winter K2 climb and it has me thinking about a visit to the Greater Ranges – although my first visit wouldn’t include a winter attempt on K2.

On a completely different note, I have always fancied growing my own vegetables. The beds are now marked out and if lockdown lasts much longer I will be outside digging – if I didn’t get outside I would just go crazy!!!! 

Lathan Ball

Lathan Ball

Alistair Iveson

What I'm currently reading in lockdown:

I've also discovered a surprising interest in geology so am also reading;

Alistair Iveson

Alistair Iveson

 Michael Bennett

My 'staying sane' activities have included running and walking - trying to do something every day, and exploring some of the local paths that are often overlooked in favour of more mountainous places further afield.  The effect of this has been that my mileage for January 2021 has dwarfed any previous month for which I've kept records, and we are only 3/4 of the way through!

I also spent a fair bit of time in earlier lockdowns compiling lots of quality mountain day-type routes to get my teeth into, between Scotland, the Lake District, Snowdonia and other bits of Wales, so I am hoping to get stuck into those in due course.  I recall that I have planned about 50 or 60, so that should hopefully get me through the Mountain Leader award if I go in that direction.

The mentoring Zoom meetings are really useful to stay in touch.

Michael Bennett

Michael Bennett

Dave Pratt

During this lockdown I'm furloughed, and I've managed to finish (yesterday), all the painting in the house. This has given me great pleasure right now because I hate painting and it's taken me from the first lockdown till now to finish, I literally have painted everything including doors and all woodwork...thankfully it's over!

To stay fit I've been going for power walks over the dunes during the day and at night, I load a backpack with 12kg and walk over the dunes.

I also go on my rowing machine and weights which gives me another workout fix, alternating the days gives a good balance, cycling is in there too. Normally I would be at the gym four times a week.

Looking at different scale maps of certain areas of the UK and Europe helps me stay focused and I plan for future wild camping/trekking trips (quality mountain days).

I don't anticipate going overseas this year due to Covid. I'm going to concentrate on passing my Mountain Leader with Chris.

Reading is very relaxing, my favourite book is The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying' by Sogyal Rinpoche, although at the moment I'm reading Geology in the Lake District National Park by Phil Davies

The Zoom meetings have been enjoyable and helpful with ideas about books of flora and fauna. This is helping with my focus on passing my Mountain Leader.

Meditation is also a good way of keeping a clear healthy mind, this I do no matter where I am.

Dave Pratt

Dave Pratt

Tom Hiley

Cerebral Exercise & Escapism

Physical Exercise

  • Dog walking on local paths

  • Finger boarding

  • Road biking/turbo trainer

Planning

  • Climbing holidays - a week in Scotland and a week in Wales

  • Projects with walking clients in Snowdonia

Tom Hiley

Tom Hiley

 Jill Leader

Thanks for arranging the Zoom meetings, it’s good to hear about other people’s plans.

I find a certain amount of routine gives a structure to the day, so I start with Wim Hof Breathing followed by a cold shower, it really is a good way to start the day. I like to do exercise daily and if I have a future event then that gives me extra incentive to run and I’m hoping the Howgill marathon in May will go ahead, I prefer to run off road on the Scars near to Kendal. As you mature you have to work harder at your fitness and injury prevention and I want to be in the fells for many years to come, so doing strength and core work is also important.

As I also want to do my Mountain Leader assessment, I have all the different aspects of that to work on and try to forget the frustration of not feeling comfortable going into the high fells at the moment.

Zooming my family and meeting up with my friends is also very important to have a laugh. Doing some volunteering as a telephone befriender and as a retired nurse hopefully soon a vaccinator makes me feel I’m doing something useful.

Jill Leader

Jill Leader

 Charles Eggleston

 For Lizzie and I our focus has been to have a daily “to do” list so at the end of the day you know you’ve achieved things. So exercise, chores, work etc all go down on the list. Ticking off small things may sound a little silly but it’s good psychologically.

We also have a set of longer term targets such as climb all the Ken Wilson classic climbs with our friend Tom Hiley by the end of the year, and go up to Nordkapp but these are Covid dependent. At least you have good things to train for, save for and look forward to. 

We both talk about it if we are having down days but normally resort to exercise to make us feel better! 

Charles Eggleston & Liz Cowell

Charles Eggleston & Liz Cowell

 Arthur Davis

 I enjoy reading and planning trips which may or may not happen.  They often do.

Talking to friends, but I need to prompt myself to do this.

I do enjoy your Zoom meetings - positive, interesting, enthusiastic people talking about the outdoors.

Arthur Davis

Arthur Davis

How about you?

Leave a comment below and tell us how you’ve been keeping yourself positive and outdoors-focused. We’re looking forward to hearing from you!