A day full of incident! We parked in the Bowder Stone car park (NY 253 169), intending to follow the path from Grange to Seatoller. I was convinced there used to be a bridge over the river which would save us the walk into Grange, so we made our way down to the river. In the trees between the road and the river, we found a sheep caught in barbed wire. We tried to untangle it, but the wire was dug in too tightly, so Jerry held it (compromising photo!!) while Mark went to find the farmer. Eventually the sheep was freed and taken away in the farmer's Landrover.
Meanwhile someone has stolen the bridge! I could feel my credibility as group leader diminishing by the second. At this point the river is wide and fairly shallow, so we decided to take off our boots and socks and wade over. The water was freezing cold, and stones very slippery, and despite being smoothed by the water are quite painful to the feet. We all arrived safely on other side except Bill, who was buzzed in mid stream by a low flying Tornado, and fell face down in the water. We dried off and followed the path up behind Castle Crag towards Rosthwaite, where there is a beautiful view back to Keswick and Skiddaw, and forward to Borrowdale and Seatoller.
As I said earlier, I had intended to follow the path to Seatoller, up Honister to Dale Head and down between High Spy and Narrow Moor to Grange, but Bill insisted on climbing the steep grass slope to the right, beside Scaleclose Gill. (NY 244 149) After much exertion, and several curses, we arrived at the top, and instead of making for the summit of High Spy, we spent an hour or two struggling through the boggy plateau between High Spy and Low Scawdel looking for the path.
It would soon be dark, and I suggested (not really very seriously) going back up to the Catbells ridge and down to Hawes End and then sending Mark (who is by far the fittest) to Keswick for a taxi.
I have never been allowed to forget this, references still being made to the Catbells taxi rank! Eventually we stumbled across the path (NY 244 167), and followed it beneath Nitting (sic) Haws, down to the sewage works and then via Hollows Farm to Grange. It was dark by now, and we waited in the layby on the main road while Mark fetched his car.
As you can see, Bill was not impressed with the leader!