Members of the Lake District Ski Club and their guests are still on a high after enjoying themselves on a snow-covered fell for three days last week.
It was another world up at Raise on Helvellyn between Thirlmere and Ullswater where the surprisingly late skiing session took place despite there not being a hint of snow at ground level.
“We had three absolutely fantastic days skiing in May, which was a new experience for the club,” said member Gordie Oliver, of Bassenthwaite.
“We have never had fresh snow fall at this time of the year before. It was a unique thing for us.
“It was unexpected and so good too – as good as it gets up on Raise. Even the sun came out for a little while! And every day, the skiing stayed good throughout the whole day.
“To get conditions like that for three days…..It would normally be right in the middle of January, for fresh snow, perfectly soft and powdery, not May.
“And in winter, you are in the shade, even on a sunny day, and it is cold but it was lovely with the sun so high in the sky at this time of year. It looked like the Alps in the middle of summer. It was absolutely glorious.
“We were very fortunate to get a run of very cold weather with snow showers for three days. We ran the ski tow Wednesday, Thursday and Friday up until just before 5pm, which was as long as we could really before the end of it. It was freezing around the fell tops though!,” added Gordie 51, who runs Air Ventures Paragliding School.
His father was a club member in the 1950s.
The club dates back to 1936 and includes George Fisher, the climber who created the famous outdoor clothing store bearing his name in Keswick, among its founder members.
Gordie added: “Quite a lot of guests came. They heard about it on social media. They came from Yorkshire and Manchester for the day.
“For a lot of people, it was their first time there. They had a brilliant time.”
