Plan
====
The idea was to spend eight days (seven nights) in the Lakeland
hills, climbing at least one hill from each of AW's seven guidebooks.
Mission accomplished (but I almost gave up a couple of times)!
My planned trip was for 86 miles, with 22,720 feet of ascent. I was
carrying 53 lbs at the start, including food for eight days and a litre of
water. (This weight was my weight on the hill less my body weight, that
is it included all my clothing and items stored therein, as well as the
pack.)
Please read on....
Friday
======
The forecast was very iffy, but Friday turned out to be a wonderful
day, with cloud, blue skies, sun, a *bitingly* cold wind, and a dusting of
snow on the tops. Left the car in the Wasdale valley and headed up Middle
Fell. This was very slow progress at first with the heavy pack. I
normally estimate that I can do three miles an hour on the flat, but I now
felt I was doing more like one! But I soon got used to the extra load.
Had lunch on Middle Fell out of the wind, and then headed down
towards Haycock. The original plan was to do Seatallan, but I was a bit
concerned about finding good camping in these slightly tricky conditions,
so I left it out. Had to change out of my Tevas as I left the top, as my
feet were exposed to the biting wind for the first time! Then over the
boggy ground to Haycock, and up Gowder Crag; I never see why AW makes a
fuss about Gowder Crag, as it's an extremely easy scramble, even with a
heavy pack.
The plan was to descend along the wall to the col with Scoat Fell,
and then drop into Great Cove for the night. This would have involved
descending into, and camping in, the teeth of the gale; really not on. So
I contoured round to Scoat Tarn and camped there. Put my footwear and
socks out to dry in the sun; everything was frozen when I took it in
later. Uh oh....
Saturday
========
Cloud was just brushing the tarn when I woke after a cold night. I
hadn't planned to cope with these conditions; I would normally have had an
extra fleece or two. But it was just about manageable. An easy day was
planned: the ridge via Scoat Fell, Pillar, the Gables, Brandreth and
Haystacks.
Lying in the sleeping bag about 0900, I heard something icy hit the
tent, and looked out to see that it was snowing fairly hard! So I packed
quickly. Going along the ridge (and particularly the scrambly descent by
Black Crag) was out in the wet slippery snow (and with no proper winter
footwear). And I didn't fancy going over to Ennerdale via the Haycock col
in mist and snow, either. So I slogged down past Nether Beck to the road.
The snow was very tenacious, turning to pretty continuous rain only low
down. Then along the road beside the lake.
I stopped for lunch at a memorial seat, and thought very seriously of
giving up, given the weather conditions. But the car was a good walk
away, and I thought I should at least see if I could get over Black Sail
pass to get to Ennerdale. If I couldn't, then I would abandon the trip,
as I couldn't get out of Wasdale!
So I headed for the pass; the heavy rain finally stopped about 1500.
Fortunately, the pass was (just) clear, and I descended easily into
Ennerdale. Camped at the head of the valley; the original idea was to
camp on Haystacks, but the mist was brushing the top, and I thought I'd be
warmer in the valley.
Sunday
======
Awoke to find the mist had settled at valley level. But the day
improved. Climbed beside the beck to the Haystacks/Brandreth col; the
mist was quite thick, but there wasn't too much wind, mercifully. Then on
rather carefully to the top of Brandreth, and over the ridge to Grey
Knotts. The cloud started to lift here, and I got my first views since
Friday. Lunch on the steep and rocky descent to Honister. Then steeply
up to Dale Head. The cloud was clearing all the time, and the sun had
started to come out.
Descended by the Launchy Tarn route to Stonethwaite; AW's fence to
the Tarn and beyond has pretty well disappeared. I was very fortunate
that the day was clear; this journey (which I hadn't done before) would
have been a nightmare in mist. Steeply down beside the beck (a quick and
enjoyable descent) and then through Johnny's Wood in the sun (at last!),
crossing the B road to Stonethwaite (which was very quiet) and then up to
Dock Tarn. It took me a while to find a campsite; Dock Tarn may look a
lot like the top of Haystacks, but the underlying ground is much wetter.
But I camped eventually in the sun with good views down Longstrath. One
of the best days, overall.
Monday
======
Got up early for a big day (in retrospect, much too big a day).
Headed down to Watendlath (which was deserted apart from the National
Trust van), and headed steeply up towards the High Seat / High Tove ridge.
I intended to make a bee-line for High Seat (this looked to be the driest
option on the map), but ended up having to get to the ridge top because of
fences. Very gloppy, and very hard work taking high steps to avoid the
heather. But warm enough to wear sandals for, which helped with the wet
ground. Then north along the ridge to Bleaberry Fell, with a very good
view from the top (but still a cold wind).
Down to Walla Crag for lunch, and then a lowland trek (Rakefoot Farm,
Castlerigg Stone Circle, Derwentfolds) to Blencathra's east side. Up
beside Roughton Gill (an easy ascent; I didn't fancy anything steep with a
big pack). The mist covered over the top as I approached; I found myself
aiming at the top of Sharp Edge, which I definitely didn't want, and had
to divert to get to Blencathra.
Finally down to Scales Tarn for the night. A awe-inspiring spot for
views, but the wind was whipping the tent at the site, and I was simply
too tired to look for a more sheltered spot. So I didn't get much sleep
as gusts (which must have been approaching gale force) rattled the tent
during the night. A very hard day (and night!).
Tuesday
=======
Headed down to Mousthwaite Comb, and then along by farm roads and
tracks to Wallthwaite, Lobbs, and the bridleway leading to the old bridle
road below Great Dodd and Clough Head. A notice on the bridleway warned
that it might be impassible to horses when wet! I kept to the bridleway,
hoping perhaps to find drier ground. I did for the first part of the
journey, but then all signs of the bridleway vanished in a large marsh.
No problems getting through, but *very* wet!
Then up along Mosedale Gill to Calfhow Pike and Great Dodd. An easy
grassy ascent beside a very attractive stream with good bathing. The wind
was still going strong on Great Dodd; I walked into its teeth to Watson's
Dodd and Stybarrow Dodd. Then down into Sticks Pass for the night. I was
a little nervous of what I'd find, not having camped here before (or
indeed having heard of anyone doing so). But I found myself an excellent,
calm, heathery pitch just the opposite side of the beck from the path, and
slept very well. And there was even some sun in the evening!
Wednesday
=========
Carried on down Sticks Pass, and then took a high-level route that
bypassed Glenridding and Patterdale villages, and enabled me simply to
cross the road at Patterdale and head up the bridleway to Boardale Hause;
an easy walk on a good path. The cloud was lifting as the day went on,
and the views from the traverse just below Angle Tarn were *magnificent*.
I had lunch (which I had jealously to protect from the attentions of a
hungry dog) overlooking Angle Tarn. Then up to the top of Angletarn
Pikes, and a slightly uncertain descent (where were the paths?) back to
Boardale Hause.
Then took the path down to Bridgend, and crossed the A592 for
Deepdale. This superb valley (which I've explored only parts of before)
was one of the highlights of the trip. Plenty of good camping ground and
swimming, and the views of Fairfield's crags at the valley head were
*magnificent*. I'd intended to camp in Deepdale, but to save time on the
next day's journey, climbed out onto the Cofa Pike / Birks ridge (the
final ascent was very steep), and then down to Grisedale Tarn for the
night. Fortunately the winds were light, and I slept well.
Thursday
========
Awoke to find the mist just above the Tarn, and some drizzle
starting. Headed down past Raise Beck (an enjoyable trip) to Dunmail
Raise (the A591 was the first seriously busy road I'd come across). Then
up *very* steeply but enjoyably from the Raise to Steel Fell. The rain
had set in rather more heavily, and going was very squelchy to Calf Crag.
The ground got even wetter as I headed to High Raise; in the end, I turned
up the slope before Greenup Edge; this didn't save any time, but did save
a bit of squelching. The snow set in again as I reached the top and had
lunch.
Fortunately I could still see Stake Pass from the top, and I headed
off again quickly, with the mist lowering behind me. A very wet, gloppy
and tedious walk to Stake Pass and on to Angle Tarn, not helped by the
rain and mist. A snack at the Tarn (and I wrung out my socks for the Nth
time that day!), and then enjoyably up to the Eskdale Hause shelter, which
was deserted. Then up to the "proper" Esk Hause and down into Eskdale
itself; fortunately the mist lifted briefly to confirm that I was heading
in the right direction! The descent beside the River Esk was greasy in
places. Camped at one of my favourite sites on Great Moss.
Friday
======
The wind freshened overnight, and I was awake well before starting to
make breakfast at 0530. (One of those camping nights when you know you
aren't going to get any more rest, so might as well move on.) Scafell
looked magnificent with a substantial snow covering; I was glad this last
day's route was a relatively low-level one. Headed down Upper Eskdale
persued by a gale/strong wind blowing snow! Just as well it was behind
me; I didn't really have the kit to cope with this weather in my face.
Cut around Slight Side, trying to keep out of the gale, to Quadrigg
Moss (which was gloppy, but not too bad) and down beside Oliver Gill
towards Burnmoor Tarn. Picked up a track which traversed easily over
towards Illgill Head, and then had the interesting experience of being
blown by the gale uphill to the top; I could make the same progress up the
steep slope that I normally do on the flat! A rainbow appeared as I
headed for the top. Then along, with the wind mostly behind me, to Whin
Rigg, and down to the Wasdale valley and the car.
Overall
=======
The weather made it a hard week. I'd been in the Lakes three weeks
earlier, and had sunshine and warmth; this week, I kept my fleece (which I
normally wear only in the coldest conditions) on throughout; and my wooly
hat! I made one of the days too long. And I seriously thought of giving
up more than once.
But it was good to look from one group of fells to another, and
recognise my journey between them. The bad weather meant that the hills
were very quiet; I typically saw about four parties a day. And several
times I thought, "This really is a lovely part of the District. I must
come back here again." And I emerged feeling tired, and cold, but *very*
calm and spaced out. I'll go on another long trip yet.
Mark
--
Mark Manning [email hidden]