Arrangements for Saturday 2 May

As promised (see earlier post re Final Day) here is my best estimate for times / distances / meeting points for Saturday:

Start: Tom Gill National Trust Car Park (pay & display unless you are an NT member) on the main Ambleside – Coniston road (usual way to Tarn Hows), MR 322999. Starting at 10.00 and climbing Holme Fell (1040’)

From the summit of Holme Fell we go roughly NE along the ridge and rejoin the main road at Oxen Fell High Cross (MR 328018). We should be here around 11.15 but if you are planning on joining here please (a) be sure to let me know and (b) be there early, in case we are ahead of schedule.

Next we climb Black Fell (1056’) and then go along the north ridge to Skelwith Bridge, arriving around 12.45. Those joining here should arrive by 12.30 and loiter around the road junction to Great Langdale / Elterwater / Raw Head – no doubt you will meet other members of the afternoon party!

On to Loughrigg (1101’) involving a climb of around 1000’, after which the paln is to walk to Elterwater, where I expect we should arrive at The Britannia around 3.00.

I hope the above is clear. I am now planning to return to Lakeland this afternoon (Thursday) to do Grey Friar and get a dawn start tomorrow before the bad weather comes in, so if you are unsure of any details you can ring me on my mobile, or if I am unavailable Howard Spensley has agreed to take questions (!). I can’t really put mobile numbers on the Blog so if you don’t know them, apologies but you should have been in touch earlier. Those people who have been in touch will get an email with these details.

The Far Western Fells

Day 36 – Wednesday 29 April. Philip Bailey got up early and made an heroic drive to meet us near the Kinniside Stone Circle at Ennerdale Bridge. The heroic bit was the last five miles over the Cold Fell road which at that time of the morning is used as a rat-run by hundreds of Sellafield workers. How his wing mirrors survived we’ll never know!

Today was to be another long walk. After 15 sodden miles yesterday we were promised another 15 today, and were hoping that the rain would keep off. The early sunshine didn’t last long, and by the time we reached the summit of Grike (1596’) the chances of another soaking looked high. After the nearby Crag Fell (1710’) - where we congratulated ourselves on two summits before 10 am - and a brief encounter in the pine forest with a local training his Hound Dog (looks like a fox hound but they race over the fells. Nothing to do with, uh, Elvis as far as I know), we started a long, long plod, following a stone wall which runs all the way to Haycock and beyond. Not only is this wall taller and generally more massive than the average, it’s superbly built – months and months of hard work must have gone into it.

It’s nearly 3 miles to the top of Caw Fell (2288’) where it was feeling decidedly bleak and remote as we dined on tongue sandwiches, and a further mile to the highest point of the day and my last 2500-er, Haycock (2618’). The stony top was so cold and windy that there was no chance of lingering to admire the view.

We retraced our steps over Caw Fell and continued down the western ridge where it became clear that we would have a long descent (although the gradient was easy, the ground was surprisingly rough and bouldery, making progress slow) before our final ascent, to Lank Rigg. Worm Gill Beck was too big to cross, but just upstream was the confluence of three streams and by fording them (well, tippy-toeing over boulders) one at a time we managed to get across with dry feet. It was a steep slog up to the summit area but finally we were at the 1775’ trigpoint for the final top of the day.

A long walk out followed over easy ground; once back at the cars we had to contend with the Sellafield traffic in the opposite direction before reaching the safer main roads and a long journey home for a final day off. The rain had held off and today’s 5 brought the total to 206, with 8 to go. But the weather forecast doesn’t look good…

Photos: 1. Ennerdale Water, Pillar and Steeple from the summit of Grike, where 2. Mike and Philip pose for the camera; 3. Lonely Caw Fell with Red Pike (Buttermere) behind; 4. Lank Rigg, included because I wouldn't be surprised if no-one has bothered to take a photo of it before.

Small Earthquake in Lakeland – No Casualties Reported

Ulverston was the epicentre of an earthquake at 11.22 am on Tuesday, measuring 3.7 on the Richter Scale. Rumours that this was caused when I jumped for joy on Kentmere Pike, having completed fell number 200, are completely unfounded, as I didn’t reach the summit until about 3 pm. However, one of Mike’s Scotch Eggs fell out of his rucksack and rolled down the side of Froswick at about this time, and could well have started the whole thing off when it reached the bottom.

You Can’t Get Wetter Than A Kentmere Walker…

Day 35 – Tuesday 28 April. Today’s agenda was an extended Kentmere Horseshoe – the usual eight tops plus Gray Crag and High Street for good measure. Joining us was Anne Sweeney from the Rosemere Cancer Foundation. Anne is a keen runner, doing marathons and other long-distance races, and seemed a little puzzled when I said the 14½ mile round would take around seven hours: I think she was expecting to run round in under two hours!

The first hour’s climb to the summit of Yoke (2309’) was easy going and the weather was grey and cloudy. This was very definitely the best the weather would be all day. A few spots of rain arrived as someone kindly took a picture of the three of us displaying a Rosemere T-shirt at the top.

As the rain set in we tramped over Ill Bell (2476’) and Froswick (2359’), getting gradually wetter. By Thornthwaite Crag (2569’) with its massive summit cairn (more like an obelisk) it was beginning to truly lash it down. Anne, used to being out in such conditions but not for so long, was putting on a brave face but must have been wishing she’d chosen a different day.

We had to do a two mile there-and-back detour to get Gray Crag (2286’) – it’s on quite a narrow ridge and I guess the views are quite good when you can see them – all we got was mist and cloud. It stopped raining. For ten minutes, then started again even more heavily and from this point on it never stopped. Tramping along the old Roman Road to High Street (2718’) I couldn’t help thinking that the weather must have been much warmer two thousand years ago, otherwise the Romans wouldn’t have bothered. Global warming?

From Mardale Ill Bell (2496’) there’s a long drop to Nan Bield Pass, where three ladies thought we must be fit young men. Well, you can’t see anything when your glasses are covered in rain. I never cease to be amazed at the number of people wearing shorts in these conditions. Swimming trunks would be OK if it were 20° (C) warmer.

A stiff climb followed to Harter Fell (2539’) followed by a route march (Get us off this hill!) over Kentmere Pike (2397’) – number 200!! - and Shipman Knotts (1926’) before we arrived back at the car like three drowned rats. At least we had the consolation that 10 more were in the back and only 13 left to do!!

Photos: 1. Me, Mike and Anne Sweeney from the Rosemere Cancer Foundation, Yoke Summit; 2. Froswick from Ill Bell; 3. Mike prepares to read a sermon at High Street summit; 4. Harter Fell - how much wetter can it get?

The Final Day

There’s still some uncertainty about this as the weather forecast for the coming week isn’t promising, but I’ll do my best to stick to the ‘plan’. I know quite a few people want to come on Saturday, with some doing the full walk consisting of three tops, 7½ miles and about 2000’ of ascent, whilst others may wish to join near Skelwith Bridge and just do Loughrigg, which will halve the amount of climbing and give a walk of around 3 miles assuming, naturally, that either option will end in Elterwater, where a visit to The Britannia would be as inevitable as … well, er, increases in taxation. There is a third option, to pick up the walk near High Arnside, thereby including Black Fell but missing out Holme Fell.

Full details, including starting/meeting points and timing, will be posted on this Blog on Thursday 30 April, so please check here first, as I can’t guarantee that you’ll be able to contact me by phone. Please DO NOT set off without checking, in case the schedule has been changed for whatever reason.

The start time will be accurate but times of any rendezvous (e.g. Skelwith Bridge) must of course be approximate. PLEASE let me know either by email or placing a comment on the Blog, if you intend to come so I can have an idea of numbers. This is very important. IF YOU DON'T LET ME KNOW YOU'RE COMING, I CAN'T LET YOU KNOW IF IT'S POSTPONED. There are a few other rules:

You must:

1. Make a donation to the Rosemere Cancer Foundation if you haven’t already done so (many people have of course, thank you!);
2. Be fit enough to complete the walk or section that you choose (but we won’t be going fast, don’t worry);
3. Bring suitable clothing and be able to get back to your car if you have to cut your walk short for any reason;
4. Be at the start or rendezvous in plenty of time, because we will absolutely not wait for late-comers.

Keep your fingers crossed for good weather this week and Saturday!

A High Level Tour of Wastwater

Day 34 – Sunday 26 April. With Mike back in Clitheroe, Ian Hardy came up once again to join the walk, which today was to start with a ‘promenade’ over the top of what has been voted the Best View in England – the screes of Wastwater, which plunge precipitously into the deepest lake in England.

On the ascent to Whin Rigg (the peak at the south end of the screes) the views aren’t as good as you might think, with much of the lake obscured by the shoulder of the fell, and at the 1755’ top there was still a bit of cloud, but this soon cleared. The walk along the edge of the screes is one of extreme contrast – grassy moorland to the right, fearsome drops and rock cliffs to the left, with superb longer distance views too, across to Yewbarrow, Pillar, Kirk Fell and Great Gable. At one point a promontory gives the most vertiginous views, enough to make you nervous as if standing on a cornice. You wouldn’t want a 7.5 earthquake to come along while you were standing there!

After 1½ miles the higher top of Illgill Head is reached at 1983’ after which there is a delightful grassy descent to Brackenclose and the north end of the lake. To save over two miles of boring road-walking we took the car to Greendale (Postman Pat was nowhere to be seen). Passing an ice-cream van at the Nether Wasdale junction we promised ourselves one when we got back, and set off up the slopes of Middle Fell (1908’), which has superb views of the Scafells and Mickledore from the top.

Across a marshy saddle and up heart-poundingly steep slopes to the flat grassy top of Seatallan (2266’) – feeling more like a Pennine moor than a Lakeland mountain, where the views now included the Ravenglass and the coast. Which reminded me that earlier in the morning the Sellafield nuclear plant was bathed in its own little area of sunshine whilst everything else was in shade, which looked rather eerie! The big Calder Hall globe has gone now, so what with this and the demise of the Clitheroe Cement Works chimney, what’s happening to all our industrial monuments? Should more be Listed?

It’s nearly all an easy downhill stroll to the craggy top of Buckbarrow, at 1410’ the top of an impressive rock escarpment facing the Screes. Anticipation was growing as we returned to the car but then … the ice-cream van had gone! And not even 4.30 pm! So there was nothing for it but to head for home and get a cool pint of milk from the filling station at Greenodd.

I managed to take some photos on my phone, so I hope the quality is OK. 1. From the top of the Wastwater Screes; 2. Ditto; 3. The Scafells and Mickledore (that's the gap like a missing tooth) from Middle Fell; 4. Mr Hardy at the summit of Middle Fell, looking very happy because he should really have been painting the pergola.

Thunder In The Hills!

Day 33 – Saturday 25 April. Seathwaite, at the southern end of Borrowdale, is a favourite place for walkers to start the ascent of Scafell Pike, and you’d better get there early if you want to find a parking space. From Cockermouth we took the scenic route past Crummock Water and Buttermere, and left a car at the National Trust car park in Seatoller: there was an NT person at the car park trying to persuade people to join and save the parking fee. Talk about being in the wrong job - this Happy Harry would have had no trouble passing the interview for the Gestapo.

It was sunny but the wind was strong. We followed the crowds for a while over Stockley Beck, but then left the main path to head up for the summit of Seathwaite Fell (1970’) – something fewer than 1 in 500 do, I would guess, as there is only the merest hint of a path. At a short rock pitch in the gulley we were following, I stretched on to a projecting piece of rock and just at the worst moment it broke off, giving me a jolt and a grazed elbow.

From the windy summit we turned south, past Sprinkling Tarn, to rejoin the pedestrian motorway, where the hordes streamed along in every garb imaginable, including T-shirt, shorts, and no sign of spare clothing. Considering the weather forecast gave thundery showers pm, one wondered…

At 2984’, Great End is the highest Lakeland mountain under 3000’, but it didn’t seem to take long to reach the top – in fact it took almost as long to decide which of the three cairned mounds was the top! Satisfied, we headed on down, and whilst having a bite to eat I looked across at nearby Esk Pike and suggested we should do it today rather than next Friday after Bowfell. The logic was that a match won is better than a game in hand, as you never know what might happen. On the other hand, if we took the time to go up, it would probably rain before we got back, but if we didn’t do it, it would be fine all afternoon and we’d regret the decision. Head or tails? Heads.

So we took what turned out to be an interesting path up to the top on what turned out to be only a 45-minute add-on. As we were standing on the rocky 2903’ summit, who should appear but Roger Spensley from Clitheroe, out on a solo walking day, getting away from the stresses of work and organising the forthcoming Round Table National Sporing Weekend! So after the usual pleasantries we walked down to Esk Hause together and started the short climb to Allen Crags (2572’).

It was at this point that a few spots of rain appeared, and as the view down the Langdale Valley opened up, it looked very black indeed. On with waterproofs. By the summit it was hailing heavily, with flashes of lightning and long crashes of thunder. Roger left to head back to the Old Dungeon Ghyll; we carried on towards Glaramara as it got worse and worse.

At one point we sheltered behind a large boulder until the lightning passed over to our other side. Last night I’d discovered my first blister so had started the day in my lighter summer boots, which aren’t waterprof, so of course by now my feet were sodden. We met a couple emerging from a storm shelter that they carried with them – I bet there weren’t too many of those on the fells today! It’ll probably be another twenty years before they use it again!

The route to Glaramara (2560’) seems never ending, with lots of ups and downs, but if you think that’s bad, wait till you try to get to Rosthwaite Fell (Bessyboot). 1¾ miles of absolute torture, over undulating, craggy, sometimes boggy ground, with no line of sight and some of the most difficult navigation of the 214. The heavy showers came and went, but it must have taken over 1½ hours to cover the distance, and I was getting a bit of earache about Esk Pike as Mike wanted to get back to Clitheroe this evening! We finally reached the 1807’ summit in sunshine and the fine weather continued as we made our way down to Seatoller. The ground was slippery though, and I had one slip resulting in a heavy bum-landing. Fortunately the Gestapo had left the car park as we reflected on an eventful day with another six tops done – total 186, 28 to go. Getting nearer…

Photos: 1. The bridge over Stockley Beck; 2. Summit of Seathwaite Fell; 3. Sprinkling Tarn and Great End; 4. Tarn at Leaves from Rosthwaite Fell.