Bill and Sally weren't able to come on this trip - I can't remember why. We were joined for the first three days by another friend of ours, Chris Stevens. This was his first and only trip, as shortly afterwards he was posted to Germany.

We drove over to Newlands and parked at Little Town. We walked back to the farmhouse and took the track up to the abandoned Yewthwaite mines below Hause Gate. This part of the walk was very easy, but the last part of the the ascent to Hause Gate (the depression between Catbells and Maiden Moor) was much rougher and on loose scree. I still think this is the best way up to the Catbells ridge however, particularly at busy periods. The view over Derwentwater from the pass is excellent, and made all the better because it suddenly appears as one crests the ridge.
We continued along the ridge, over Narrow Moor and High Spy before dropping down to the boggy hollow which houses Dalehead Tarn. We took the direct route to the summit of Dale Head (picture) , but it's a bit of a slog, and an easier option is to contour round clockwise, above the worst of the bog, until the path from Honister is crossed. This gives a much gentler ascent, and although this way is longer, it doesn't take any more time.
Dale Head is crowned by a magnificent cairn, and from it the views down Newlands (picture) towards Skiddaw are superb.
We continued across Hindscarth Edge, turning right and onto Hindscarth itself, finally descending down the ridge to Scope End. The mine workings here are in parts very old, and are rumoured to go right through Hindscarth to Scope Beck on the other side. From here a good track led to Chapel Bridge and Little Town.

We had intended to climb Glaramara from Stoneythwaite (which I finally did in November 1996!). We parked at Seathwaite, and tried to find the path across the fields and back to the main road, but it was so wet underfoot that Lyn soon rebelled, and so we retraced our footsteps to the farm and set off up the Styhead path instead. We paused as usual at Stockley Bridge, (The bridge isn't as old as it looks. The original was largely destroyed by floods in August 1966 and had to be rebuilt, so it's not the same bridge as I remember from childhood), before ascending to Styhead Tarn. The work on the path still hadn't been completed then, and was much rougher and looser than it is now.
From Styhead we took the path to Sprinkling Tarn and on to Esk Hause. As we started the short climb to Allen Crags dark cloud swept in from the right, and it started to rain heavily. (picture) By the time we reached the small tarns between Allen Crags and Glaramara it was hailing, and navigation became increasingly difficult. Fortunately the hail had stopped by the time we reached what we thought was the summit of Glaramara, although it was still very misty. The path seemed to have disappeared, and for the first and only time in the Lakes I used my compass, heading due north along the ridge. In retrospect we could only have reached the south summit that day, because we followed a path to the left down a snow-filled gully without climbing the rocks to the north summit. Jerry slipped and did a marvellous penguin impression, sliding down the snow on his front. We also missed the path over Stoneythwaite Fell (probably because it was covered in snow), and instead went down alongside Hind Gill (picture) , a very steep and rough descent which joined the main path from Seathwaite and Stockley bridge.

We decided on a gentle one today. We parked Near Lodore, and took the path up behind the farmhouse which leads to High Lodore. We stopped for a while and admired the upper parts of the falls, the river being very full on that occasion. Then we followed the path along the valley to Watendlath (picture) , stopping for the traditional cup of tea before taking the path which climbs up and over to Rosthwaite. (picture) Instead of descending directly to Rosthwaite we took the path through the woods and visited the Bowder Stone, the first time I had seen it since I was ten or eleven.
Don't underestimate the walk to Watendlath; it is very pleasant, and perfect for a half day, or when the weather isn't good enough to get up onto the high fells.

Chris went home this morning, and the rest of us drove over to Coniston, parking at Torver. We walked up the lane above the camp site and out onto the fellside. The path took us up through old spoil heaps (picture) and past a flooded quarry before joining the Walna Scar bridleway. We followed it for a short way before bearing right above the boggy area by the stream, taking the rocky path which leads round the shoulder of the Old Man and up to Goats Water. Dow Crag loomed forbiddingly above us, streaked with snow (picture) as we picked our way over the rocks by the water's edge before climbing up to Goats Hause. (picture) It was quite unpleasant at the top, the ground being very wet and covered with melting snow (picture) , but as we began the ascent to the summit of the Old Man the snow became firmer and the walking easier. We had our lunch at the summit cairn; it was a beautiful clear day, and we enjoyed theviews out across Morcombe Bay. (picture)
For once the cairn wasn't over populated, and I recalled an August day when I didn't even bother to stop, just slowing down long enough to shout at a party of scouts who were throwing stones over the edge; if I had come across their irresponsible and ignorant leader he would have followed them (the stones that is).
Finally we went back down to the Walna Scar path by picking our way down the south east shoulder. There is little in the way of a path if you descend by this route, but it is quite safe except in mist, as we found out on a subsequent occasion.

Jerry and I both took our cars over to Bakestall, leaving mine there and then driving back in Jerry's to the car park at Jenkin Hill. The walk up Jenkin Hill was a never-ending slog, and I was pleased to reach the fence, where the path levels off for a bit before beginning the ascent of Skiddaw. There was slushy snow covering the path, but on the summit it was thick and crisp. (picture) It was also extremely cold, because, as so often seems to be the case on Skiddaw, there was a strong northerly wind.
We sheltered behind the cairn for a while before descending to the north col. (picture) The wind was less strong here, but still continued as we made our way down the slope to the Skiddaw House path. We turned left here, and returned to the car by way of Dead Crags and Whitewater Dash. (picture)

It was a wet, miserable morning and we mooched round Keswick for a while, visiting the pencil museum and doing a bit of last minute shopping. The weather hadn't improved by the afternoon, but we decided we should at least do a token walk, so we set off for Latrigg, marching through the busy streets in our full waterproofs. It was rather embarrassing; I couldn't find my way out of Keswick. We stood for a while outside the old station (now a health spa! - why don't people just get out and walk?), studying Wainwright, while I made feeble excuses about how things had changed since I was a lad! Eventually we escaped, crossing the main A66 by a foot bridge and entering Spooney Green Lane. A shepherd was moving sheep from one field to another, helped by his two dogs, and we stood and watched for a while, not wishing to get in the way. Jerry took a mars bar from his rucksack and began to unwrap it. Immediately one of the dogs, hearing the rustle of paper, ran towards us, abandoning his sheep. So much for the faithful companion and helper!
We followed the track round the back of Latrigg and ascended it from behind. The wind on the summit was very strong, and it was still raining, so we didn't linger, making our way back down by the series of grassy paths on the Keswick side.

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