Hang up the skates...

Time to hang up the skates as far as natural ice goes for this season.  Had a creaky skate in a limited area on the Lower Manorburn last night.  The ice was deteriorating rapidly and probably won't last another day.

Some great ice this season but an early finish!

One for the road...

 With the warm temperatures we decided not to go ice hunting last weekend but today was surprised to find enough ice for a skate on the Lower Manorburn - in the shaded area of Rush Cutters.
The ice was in better condition  than a week ago (although less ice)  - around 60 mm, hard and dry and good to get a skate on natural ice again (despite the few bits of leaf litter on the ice).  Could be the last this year!!

Wet Ice!

Foggy Manorburn

Despite the rain there is still ice on Coalpit and the Lower Manorburn.  Coalpit is about half covered and 80mm on the shady side.   Lower Manorburn has ice in a lot of the middle basin - skate-able in Rush Cutters but not sure how much further out.
Despite the water it was a smooth skate on water covered ice. Weather does not look promising though....

Coalpit still going.....

The Wing

Yesterday I was lucky enough to get a bit of wind on Poolburn at the end of the skate.  Was good to

finally get the Kitewing out for the first time this season

Ice under pressure...

GPS Track of the first loop today - 21km

Poolburn turned on a big day today.  Headed up there early today - just a light frost.  There was more ice than two days ago - locked in and thicker around the edges.  Had a fabulous skate on hard, slightly bumpy ice.  Initially the pressure cracks were safe to cross but on the way back on the first big loop I had to walk around one that had begun to thaw as the temperature rose.  It was the first time I have observed a thaw - lots of noisy cracking and pieces breaking off as the ice became unstable around the crack.  I finished the last hour with the kitewing as the wind had come up.  Temps were up as I left and the ice surface was starting to soften and crackle.  May be the last for Poolburn this season.

Pressure cracks

Kitewing

Barbed wire can't hold back ice...

Ah the best.... Poolburn sensational again....

I have been watching the weather closely for the last two weeks hoping that Poolburn might get a refreeze.  Based on all I had observed I decided today would be the day to check it out again.  I thought some of the ice pack would be there but trying to calculate when the edges would come back was the tricky bit.
Managed to organize a couple of free hours and got away very (very!) early this morning (I must thank my wife Christina for being so long suffering with a skating fanatic......) and was pleased to find Poolburn was skate able again.  There had been a big thaw at the edge (2m out) but enough frost to lock it in.  Had to pick an entry point carefully (not the usual spot) but once on the ice... what a skate!  Round the island(s) and into the long arm.   Hard ice and only slightly bumpy in places.  Again Poolburn turned on a fantastic skate.

If you are heading that way go early and skate with the frost but check the ice carefully first.  Ice pack - approx 80mm - edges (to about 2m out) vary from 10mm -50mm (ish). Take something in case you need help to get onto the ice (and safety gear).  Keep clear of rocks and edges - the thaw spots. Days are warmer and the ice changes quickly as temps get up.  There are a few pressure  cracks that can be crossed if you pick your spots.  Road is dry it with the frost but getting quite rutted at the top.

Might be the last we see of the ice.......

Lovin' it!

shmooozing...

Nice to get to the Lower Manorburn early this morning to find the ice reset over night.  Able to skate further out on smooth hard ice.  The ice was still creaky and felt 'old'
Great to have an early morning shmooze around on the ice (can't think of a good word to describe that  smooth feeling of lazily skating in arcs on smooth ice!).
Weather cool and foggy with only a mild frost - not good for the ice.

Ice as yesterday - but more water appearing at either end of the basin and from the middle to the other side The skating area is getting smaller - some part have ice but is not safe at all.

Skating area shrinking fast - some places unsafe