| Location | Highbury, Blencathra Street, Keswick |
| Those Present | Jerry, Bill, Mark and myself |
| Dates | November 4th - November 11th |
There was a bit of a panic on the Thursday and Friday when I had the shits. I spent Friday eating diacalm and was thankfully able to travel. Mark phoned on Friday evening - he had to work on Monday morning and would meet us in the pub in the evening.
Saturday November 4th
We had a good journey, arriving in Keswick at 2 pm. Into the D&G for a pint and then to Fisher's where I bought a new fleece (Karrimor, recycled bottles, green) and a Polartec 100 shirt (Lowe Alpine, also green!). Jerry also bought a fleece - Regatta, blue.
We decided the Theakstons wasn't quite up to its usual standard, and so it
continued for the rest of the week. Still quite good though, and much better than anything you regularly find in Wiltshire!
We parked at Stonethwaite and went up Greenup Edge. The ground was frozen toward the top. We went up and over Low White Stones and High ditto, but missed the path down to Stake pass (Honest, it wasn't there).
We reached Thurnacarr Knott, and Jerry wanted to do Pavey Ark etc. from the back, but we decided there wasn't time. We back-tracked down to the left to pick up the path and then went down Stake pass to Langstrath and back to Stonethwaite. While climbing a stile at the bottom of the pass there was a loud tearing noise from Bill's faithful walking breeches, and after that we had to surround him to protect the sensibilities of any lady walkers or sheep we met.
It was just getting dark as we walked through the village, and the Bonfire night celebrations were being prepared in the field.
We went to Grasmere to buy gingerbread. The purchase complete, we walked up the Easedale road to Blind Tarn Moss and then up onto Blea Rigg.
Somewhere near the summit two lady walkers appeared, talking in very loud voices. We could hear them quite clearly from quite a distance. The outcome of the conversation was that one of them was wearing a fleece which clashed with the rest of her outfit!!
I really don't know why conversations have to be conducted at the tops of people's voices. After all, one of the reasons I walk on the fells is to get a bit of peace and quiet, not to be forced to listen to other people's inanities!
We went along the ridge intending to come down to Codale Tarn. After what seemed like quite a distance, we saw a tarn down below, and then noticed a massive precipice rising behind it. Pavey Ark! Stickle Tarn! Bugger! We backtracked and found the correct path, going down to Codale Tarn, then Easedale Tarn and back to Grasmere.
Mark arrived in the D&G at about 8:30.
We drove over to Haweswater to look at Mardale Green. From the car park at head of lake we went up Gatesgarth pass. It was very misty at the top and we turned left up by the fence to the top of Artle Crags. It was a never ending slog though not excessively steep.
There were a family of amazing cairns at the top; I just wish I had taken a photo of them. The visibility was still very poor, so we continued along fence to Selside rather than try to go down the unfamiliar north ridge of Artle Crags.
The mist cleared halfway up and we could see where we should have gone, but the ascent was quite easy, so we continued. When we came to the old Corpse Road we turned left and went down to Mardale Green.
It was not as dry as had been reported in the summer, but there were still sad heaps of stones, all that now remains of the once peaceful little hamlet sacrificed to Manchester's unquenchable thirst for water, and the top of the packhorse bridge was visible. We returned to the head of the lake along a path which we would probably never have the opportunity to tread again, for in a few months it would be under water once more.
We parked at Seathwaite. When we opened the car boot Jerry realised he had left his boots at the house! Despite offers to go back and get them, he continued the walk in his shoes.
We walked back along the road to Seathwaite Bridge and up to the old plumbago mines. The ascent was very steep, and while we were gasping for breath, a shepherd and his dog appeared.
"Hello", he said. "What are you lot doing up here?"
We explained that we were on our way to Grey Knotts.
"Oh", he replied, "I thought you were archaeologists!", and disappeared uphill at great speed.
We spent quite a while throwing stones down one of the shafts, counting for what seemed for ever between the clatter of rock on rock and the dull subterranean splash. Not a place to explore any further!.
We continued up to a wall and then over boggy ground to right of Grey Knotts. Jerry's feet were pretty soggy by now, but then his boots aren't all that waterproof anyway. We went up by a fence to the summit, and then down a grassy slope to the old tramway and Honister.
We followed the old road down to Seatoller and then back to car. It was much more pleasant than the metalled surface of the new road, and I wished I had known about it one hot summer day on the way from Seatoller to Gable.
It was a misty start to the morning. We parked at Little Town and went up by Hause Gate to the Catbells ridge. We walked along the ridge and back down Newlands. I've done the walk several times, but still enjoy it.
The mist cleared as we came down the valley, and it turned into a beautiful day, although it was very cold in the evening.
We parked just past the King's Head on the Grasmere road. It started to rain as we set off along road to Legburthwaite and Sticks Pass.
The climb was very steep initially and the rain and wind continued to increase. We stopped at the old sheepfold and put on our overtrousers (the first time for quite a few trips). I have loathed Sticks Pass ever since in thick mist I took the wrong turning on Helvellyn and ended up at Thirlspot instead of Glenridding. Of course I realised my mistake fairly quickly, but at the time I couldn't be bothered to slog back up the loose path to Helvellyn. I wish I had, because Sticks Pass in the rain is a miserable place.
We continued up the pass which was now at a better gradient, turning right at the top and up Raise (apparently the highest - 2880 ft - which we hadn't yet done). We went down Raise, up Whiteside and then down to the foot of Helvellyn Lower Man.
The path we wanted wasn't immediately apparent, so we went down the slope to the right and pick it up. We found a track (which I think may have been the old pony route) and followed it back to the King's Head.
Just before the final descent to the road Mark slipped on the wet grass and fell over!!!! It was the first time any of us had seen this happen. Normally he manages to walk through the boggiest ground without a single mark on his trousers.
We set off at 8:30. It was not very nice on the motorway (thick fog) although it improved slightly after Birmingham. Home at 1 pm.