I believe (and hopefully am not too ambitious) that I will be back on the hills in a couple of months! May just see the last rays of October’s sun before getting the Winter clothing out again. This discovery has obviously delayed project peaks and wildcamp until ’08 now.

Friday morning at work, I foolishly made the comment that the weather looked good, and hoped it would last the weekend. Phil suggested we check the weather which we did. Wet snow, hail, risk of thunder, 40 mile an hour gusts and a 4 degree temperature with a wind chill of -8. It was at this point that Phil realised his hat and gloves were at home. Better get em on the way there!!!!

On the dot of 4pm, we left for Stafford initially for supplies and the aforementioned clothing. This combined with bad traffic on the M6 meant we didn’t get to Ambleside till 8pm meaning a dusk drive along Hardknott Pass / Wrynoss Pass. It was the first time Phil had driven this road and we were both surprised to smell slightly overheating brake pads half way down the later Hardknott descent. 1.5 hours it took to get to Nether Wasdale and another 15 minutes to the campsite field.

This meant a dark pitch of the tents lite partially by Phil’s headlights. Interesting as this was the first pitch of my new Laser Competition. We finally got our heads down (in our own individual tents you mucky LSC puppies!!!!) around 11.30. It was about 1am when I got to sleep and woke every 30 mins or so due to the gusts and my lack of confidence in the new tent, and my lack of experience pitching it. Luckily it survived as did I and finally got up about 6.30.

After cooking our inadequate breakfasts (due to my poor purchasing abilities!!), we paid the campsite and commenced the walk alongside the road to Wasdale Head. Wastwater looked majestic with decent waves from the wind and it’s screens guarding overhead. It was quite disconcerting that we were due to be walking above them in 5 hours or so.

We followed the popular trail up from Brackenclose, up Lingmell Gill. This was tiring though not too difficult until we turned right at the Hollow Stones towards Mickledore. Both the terrain and the weather made progress much slower, and a little disorientation followed as we approached the final scree slope then gully scramble up to Mickledore. I was concerned at first when I saw the gully as it immediately reminded me of pictures of Lord’s Rake. A check of compass and GPS confirmed this was not the case, and the scramble was ok if a little wet.

At the top of the Mickeldore, we stopped for lunch. It never fails to amaze how quickly body heat disappears when stationary and my hands became numb after taking my gloves off for a couple of minutes to eat a sausage sandwich. A bit more location checking and compass work took place, and we took a bearing to the summit. The boulder field on the Pike is a great place to get lost. Featureless in the fog other than the army of cairns marking the path to Lingmell Col. I promptly entertained the crowd on the summit by slipping on a rock. No damage done other than to my pride!

On commencing the walk off the summit, we decided to abandoned the original plan to ascent Scafell and Illgill Head / Whin Rigg, and instead take the cairned route down to Lingmell Col and back to Wasdale Head. This was partially because we were knackered, and partially because we were a little frustrated and tired with the last hours in clag navigation. It was most definitely the right choice as half way down, my previous knee pains came back. I think this is due to overcorrection of my gait when the Scarpas rub my ankle. Anyway, this is the last time I wear the wretched SLs – seem good boots, but just don’t suit my right ankle.

With enthusiastic use of the Lekis, we made the NT campsite about 1.5 hours later. After much bother with closed office, incorrect taxi numbers, lack of phone reception etc etc, we finally managed to book a taxi to transport us to the campsite as I didn’t feel the 3 mile walk back would help the knee’s recovery. Back at Nether Wasdale, a quick shower, change of clothes and tidy up of the tent etc saw us prepared for the inevitable rock and roll night on the town. We went the Strand Hotel as The Screes Inn apparently had a private party organised. We both eat great Chicken and Mushroom pies and I washed mine down the either a Terminate or ‘Erm home brewed Ale. Yum! Then like all rock and roll evenings we both retried to our (once again – individual tents!!) tents at about 9pm! I was fast asleep and probably snoring by 9.05.

Sunday morning brought along a lovely sunny start, we left camp about 8.30 and a beeline over Wrynoss Pass and to Ambleside to Pippin’s Cafe where great breakfasts were munched. This fueled us for the final drive home, again in the warm sunshine.

Flickr Set

• to walk from the campsite at the other end of Wastwater which is 3 miles long!
• to do both Scafell Pike and Scafell and the further re-ascent needed to gain Illgill Head overlooking Wastwater.

Still, if you are going to do the highest mountain in England, you might as well do it right, and whats more traditional than in the driving rain forecast.

The rest of the plan is roughly, drive quicly from work to Lake District and hopefully traverse the Wrynose / Hardknott pass road to Nether Wasdale by about 8pm (did I mention I was optimistic). This will allow for a sunlit erection of the tents and maybe a pint or 3 in the Screes Inn.

Saturday, we cook, walk, sleep.

Sunday, I hopefully have my way and go to Winwood Outdoors to try some lightweight backpacks. However it’s Keswick Mountain Festival time I think so I am not looking forward to the crowds. Sunday afternoon, time to drive home me thinks.

A few things have happened with Project Peaks over the last couple of weeks. After the failure of Scafell attempt 1, we decided on the weekend around the 20th May for attempt 2. Unfortunately Chris is not available for this weekend, so current attendees will be Nick, Phil and myself. We have booked a 2 tent pitch at Church Stile campsite.

This gives us an easier (both technically and phyiscally) route up to Scafell Pike via Brown Tongue / Lingmell Coll as recommended by uk.rec.walking.

The camping aspect is scary / exciting at present as current weather is a bit rubbish. Still all can change in just over a week.

We met at mine after work on Friday. We made quick progress up the M6 and got to Coniston YHA Hostel about 20:30. We quickly got unpacked and made a beeline to the village centre for some food. A quick walk down the first bit of the town led to a wine bar where we made light work of Tagliatelli, wine and a Boddingtons or two. Back to the hostel about 10 gave us a chance to review the route and get an early night.

We awoke early and got breakfast down quickly so we could get some sarnies from Coniston for lunch and start walking early. The search for food was fruitless though and my optimism for finding lunch down Hardknott / Wrynose pass was demolishing quickly as we drove toward walk start. We therefore took a detour to Great Langdale and just as we were about to retire to Grasmere, we found a little cafe. Chicken and stuffing sandwiches, BLTs and coffees were brought but this highlighted the future need to securely source lunch before starting out. The delay meant that we didn’t start walking until 11ish – 2 hours late.

We started by walking up the higher end of Eskdale towards Scar Lathing. This seemed relatively easy both physically and technically until we found ourselves a little too close the Esk near a waterfall. It was beautiful and I certainly wanted to return on our descent to play with the camera. However the drops to the right coupled with scrambling were not so good and we instead detoured around this on our descent. We continued right up-to Scar Lathing and after ascending its left flank were greeting with our first view of Great Moss – a large peat valley floor. We carried on along the Esk over this plateau for a mile or so and it wasn’t as boggy as it could have been (thank global warming for that I suppose as the Esk was low for this time of year). It still took a lot of energy to walk up the slight gradient and avoid the wet bits.

We started another ascent where the Esk separates at Little Narrowcove. We walked up the scar up to Chambers Crags and at this point we stopped. Nick had mentioned a couple of times that he was nervous of what appeared to be a ridge walk at the top of the scar – the walk between Broad Crag and Scafell Pike. This combined with our weary legs led us to the unanimous decision to turn back and descend. We were both disappointed to get so far – only another 200 metres or so were left but the sensible choice was to ensure we got back to the car in one piece.

This proved to be the correct decision as about 1 mile into our return leg, Nick’s knee started to whinge about the rocky paths encountered today. Another 1/2 mile further and it was starting to hurt more and I did a good selling job for Leki by offering him a pole. He gave it a try and it helped greatly. I was pleased that neither my knee nor ankles nor blisters has offered any pain to this point. Maybe I could complete a walk without something nearly falling off.

As we made the finally descent onto the Eskdale valley floor Nick noticed a sheep with a tiny lamb struggling on the floor. Nick then noticed the umbilical cord still attached to mom and that the lamb was newly born. It was very cool to watch almost the lambs first steps but I was too slow to deploy the camera for photos. We continued for another hundred yards or so to approach the first farmyard of Eskdale when my blister returned to life with a sharp pain. I applied a plaster to the inflated lump and painfully reinserted my foot in the boot.

As we continued a bit further we saw what appeared to be the sad sight of a new mother sheep with a stillborn lamb. It was motionless and the mother initially showed little interest. We turned around to walk to the farmyard to see whether any farmers were available to assist but at that moment, mother head-butted the lamb which seemed to jump start in into action. This time the camera was ready and several photos were taken included the first steps. Its amazing how such sights can act as pain relievers as I felt nothing of my blisters for a short while.

Another couple of hundred yards (uphill again) led us back to the car. We packed up and drove to Kendal, where, after circumnavigating the town 4 times trying to find our hostel, we enjoyed a meal at an Italian restaurant with entertainment laid on in the form of a rowing couple – I think the man was a ‘Love Rat’. I spent the rest of the night ensuring eye contact was not made with him after his missus left him at the table, after all, I value my non broken nose:)

That was until Saturday evening when I heard the upto date weather forecast – Thunder. Nice. So a quick think lead to back to the peaks. Weather would be fine and I knew the area sufficiently to not have to plan a route in detail. I would attempt the Edale Skyline AGAIN.

Got to Mam Tor about 9.45am and started off along the ridge towards Lose Hill. It was about 3/4 along the ridge that I thought water (or lack of water) might be an issue. I was only carrying 3 litres and the sun was beating hard – it was only 11:00am. At Lose Hill, I decided to go towards Hope and fill up, which I did. Damn, I had already sucked the camelbak empty. 3 litres later and I was off towards Hope Cross.

The ascent was quiet tough in the heat and I finally got to the cross about 12:30. A pleasent lunch (sausage sandwiches:) ) by a dead sheep and lots of flies went quickly and I continued uphill to Crookestone Knoll. It was only at this part of the walk that the crowds had started to subside. At the knoll, I turned east towards Kinder Scout staying close to the Edale edge.

I had originally decided not to plan the route and as I got to Grindesbrook Clough I had the decision to try the tricky descent or continue on to Brown Knoll and its peaty beauty. No contest really. So I descended the Clough in still great heat. I didn’t feel to bad at this time due to not having to walk up hill but was still relieved when I arrived at Edale in the valley bottom.

Another 2 litres of h2o where brought here ready for the final ascent up Mam Tor. I was pleased at this stage that I had no knee pain – it looked good for next weekends Scafell Pike ascent but I had developed blisters for first time since Cadair Idris last year. This was mainly because I failed to tie the Merrells sufficiently tight.

Finally about 4:00 I started the walk up Mam Tor. Very quickly the heat hit home and I struggled up the hill extremely slowly. Each footstep hurt and I ended up stopping for a few seconds every 10 steps or so. I would deliberately eat salty cashews and drink lots of water but neither helped. I even sat in the shade of a stone wall for about 20 minutes, but when I arose I felt no cooler. It was pretty much 5 when I got to the top and could make the final descent back to the car.

Flickr Library.

From the top we turned right  down towards Winstone Hill and right again down the valley and back to Church Stretton. In all, it was a baby walk of around 5 miles with 300 metres ascent. Still a good starter and a brilliant introduction to summer walking this year – the weather was great.