THE advantage of clambering up Lake District mountains in January is peace and quiet - escaping the hectic run of summer ramblers.

But the big disadvantage of heading upwards in winter is, of course, you may not make it. Low cloud can suddenly make those craggy peaks invisible and therefore elusive, forcing walkers to turn back. That was the fate of my excursion up England's highest mountain - Scafell Pike at 978 metres last month.

After an hour of walking in the drizzle, we realised as we looked at the looming giant rock that it was too chancy. After all, it claims the lives of many more experienced walkers.

I did make it up the easy Old Man Coniston mountain (803 metres) the day before . . . but only just.

The sun shone as we set off from the small village of Coniston for the Old Man in the south lakes. As we ascended, Coniston Water began to appear as the commanding views unfolded. There is a well-worn path up to the peak, but we broke away as the weather turned bleak and we wanted to make it before time ran out. We trudged up a steep heather-clad part of the mountain, which was stubbornly hard work. We then began to wonder if sticking to the path might have been quicker, as the top was still out of sight after a long stretch of puffing.

Numerous breaks to "take in the views" were necessary on my part - an excuse for a sneaky rest. Eventually the heather turned to rock and we knew we were getting closer. Soon we were immersed in cloud but could still see 50m in front - enough to keep going. When I spotted the cairn - marking the summit, I was surprised to see a family there already with a young child aged about five. A group of men were also toasting their arrival. It was nice to have the company, and I appreciated how it was relatively quiet compared to the summer when the summits heave like nightclubs.

I was feeling chuffed with our achievement when out of the mist a ghostly figure appeared. A rake thin man - who looked in his fifties - had just run up the mountain in shorts. He stopped briefly and then took off across the ridge and soon disappeared into the clouds.

It is clear that the Lake District mountains are for everyone - thrill seekers and children alike. A trip in the summer guarantees easy rambling and well-stretched legs. However, a winter visit, gives you the rare chance to savour those sweeping views exclusively for the most part.