The Lakes 2002, part 1

Here follows the report of my first ever walking holiday in the Lake District back in 2002.

Lake District 2002

Introduction
It was a strange holiday. Some things went spectacularly badly. Like for example on the first day I left my bank card at home and then lost my glasses on Loughrigg. Now that really did put a dampener on things. Then the persistent rain and hill fog didn't help. Even if it is possible to walk the fells in any weather it's not much fun if you don't know where you're going. It also it does help if your cagoule is waterproof (!).
The good things were some very enjoyable walks, mainly in the first week when the weather was better. The highlight was most definitely Sunday. My memory always goes back to that. It was perfect walking weather and I managed to cover a lot of hills. I also listened to the French Grand Prix on Radio 5 while walking on top of the hills, which I thoroughly enjoyed adding to the enjoyment of the day. I would like to go back (if only to have another look for my glasses!).
I stayed in some good hostels while in the Lake District; Eskdale wasn't much fun and I really didn't like Patterdale, but Borrowdale and Buttermere were two very nice hostels that it would be a pleasure to go back to. I liked Coniston Coppermines as well for its small isolated location. It's just a pity the weather let us down. But I suppose it is the Lake District.
These notes were written at the end of each day while in the Youth Hostel. They were then typed up after I returned home for the holiday.

Monday 15th July
What a disaster. My first day has been an utter disaster.
The day started with me leaving my Barclays Connect card at home, so I had no money for the rest of the holiday. But the ultimate which has really pissed me off is losing my glasses on a hill. I had them hanging rather carelessly on my trousers, and then later realised I didn't have them. I spent an hour franticly searching for them but to no avail. They had disappeared. I can't understand where they could have gone. I was really upset about this because I have had those glasses for a long time (6 years). I'm going to miss them. [Typing this up now after buying a new pair I'm still really gutted. The new pair is just not the same and I would give anything to have my old pair back. It's amazing how I could have been so attached to them].
It has occurred to me that it might be an idea to return when all the bracken has died off. It might be easier to find. But [that] won't be for months. I am really upset about this. It has put a real dampener on the holiday.
To what I did today: Once I arrived in Ambleside I went to the Bank and managed to persuade them to part with some money. Hopefully it will be enough or I will have to try and convince them again later. After the Bank I went up the hill side to visit Stockghyll Force. It was much like any other waterfall really. From there I walked to Rydall Hall and thence to Loughrigg Fell, which was where I lost my glasses. Once I gave up looking for my glasses I walked to the summit and then down to Grasmere where I am now. Apart from those two rather major events things have not gone too badly. The hostel isn't bad and the company is pleasant. Let's hope the rest of the holiday is better than today has been.

Tuesday 16th July
This day was better but I still forgot to collect my lunch from Grasmere before I left. I don't think I'll bother with a packed lunch in the future. I had some mint cake and that would seem to be sufficient. I left Grasmere before 9 am and headed up Silver How. I didn't go to the top but skirted the edge before going down into Great Langdale at Walthwaite. I quickly crossed the valley and passed over the hill through the green slate quarry to the more secluded and picturesque Little Langdale. From there I walked to Tilberthwaite Gill at the foot of Wetherlam. It was now about lunch time. After a rest I started the long slog up Wetherlam. The weather was blisteringly hot and it was very hard-going especially on the last scramble up to the top. I thought I would never reach the top however I did eventually get to the top, my first proper Lakeland peak (Loughrigg doesn't really count being only 335m). From there I walked down to Swirl Hawse and up (another scramble) to Swirl How. The temperature had dropped by now with the top of Swirl How covered in mist. I walked to Great Carrs to bag it and then came back round to Levers Hawse. From there I took a very steep slope down over loose scree. It was very tricky but I made it down to Levers Water and on to the Youth Hostel at Coniston Coppermines.
This is a nice small hostel with a pleasant lively crowd. A guy I met at the Hostel in Grasmere is here which is pleasant. I spent some of the evening reading the Bibles on the bookshelf. The comments I got were interesting. Christianity was considered all but dead with a mere handful going to church. NO! It does show how Britain has changed. [Incidentally a verse that I'd read that evening that spoke to me was Isaiah 30:21. It basically says that God will direct your path, "This is your way; walk in it." Seemed rather appropriate.]

Wednesday 17th July
Almost left my shampoo at the hostel this morning. I've done that a couple of times before on other holidays. It really is ridiculous the way I keep on losing things. But nothing compares with losing my glasses. I keep thinking of going back to Loughrigg to look for them. But I might have more success when the heather has all died off. But that'll be the winter. I suppose it's something I could do on my last day!
Today I walked up The Old Man of Coniston. Now that was a bit of a slog. These climbs are really taking it out of me. After resting up at the top I bagged Brim Fell then went across Goats Hawse to the other peaks [Dow Crag, Buck Pike & Brown Pike]. From there I walked down into the Duddon Valley and then over the hill into Eskdale. Since I'd got to Eskdale a little early to get into the Hostel I took a walk along the river. A complete waste of time [I had been trying to find the waterfalls, but didn't have a clue what I was doing really].
This hostel isn't too bad but it has no atmosphere. No friendly company here [It was full with a school party, my dinner companions were the teachers]. Well, onto Scafell Pike tomorrow.

Thursday 18th July
It was a very long walk today. Really it was the biggy. I have been looking forward to that walk for ages. I left Eskdale Youth Hostel really early, before 9 am in brilliant sunshine, hardly a cloud in the sky. That didn't last long as it clouded over getting rather dark over the hills but never actually raining. I slogged it up Scafell taking 3 hours to get to the top. But when I got there I didn't stop - I didn't even realise I was there! I immediately headed for Scafell Pike. But that's not easy. It involved a difficult scramble down a scree slope to Foxes Tarn and down rocks before a scramble up another scree slope. I eventually managed to get up to Scafell Pike after 1 pm only to find it covered in low cloud. It wasn't there before and it disappeared soon after I left. Just my luck I guess.
From the Pike I proceeded along the ridge passing Broad Crag, Ill Crag and ending at Great End. It was now 2 pm and I decided I'd better start going down so I went to Sty Head and took the footpath down, not the Bridlepath. Although a lot more tricky (ie more fun clambering around the rocks) the up close view of Taylor Gill Force made it all worthwhile.
Towards the end of the walk near Seathwaite a lace on my boots caught on the other boot. Now this has happened before, earlier today for one. Most of the time my sense of balance is able to prevent me falling over. Not this time. The waist strap on my rucksack came apart freeing the rucksack to swing up over my head hurling me forwards and down. Before I knew it I was on my hands and knees and my head was hitting the rock covered floor. Painful! Luckily nothing has been damaged & I'm not particularly hurt. It could have been a lot worse. It was a scary experience. Not something to be repeated!
I'm now in Borrowdale hostel which is nice and friendly. No large school parties here like at Eskdale. Good thing too, I'm here for two days!

Friday 19th July
It's not been a good day. But it's not my fault this time. It's been raining all day. [And I have learnt that my cagoule isn't waterproof - I got soaked]. I had planned on going up Great Gable today but that has had to go by the board. Perhaps later.
Instead I did the wet weather walk that I had planned for today. I walked along Borrowdale to the shore of Derwent Water [it was an interesting walk over the marsh lands on raised boards]. After visiting Lodore Falls I went up the valley to Watendlath. From there I took the Bridlepath back to the hostel [I had considered walking off elsewhere over the fell-side, but I really couldn't be bothered in the rain. The problem was the discomfort from being wet and hot from a cagoule that is almost useless in these conditions]. I spent the rest of the afternoon listening to the radio and finishing off Terry Pratchett's "Soul Music" [I'd started the book on the train up and had been reading it subsequent evenings. In the end I left it behind at Borrowdale YH!]. This evening I began reading Dorothy L Sayers' "Lord Peter Views The Body". [I also read the introduction to "Star Wars" by George Lucas. It was interesting to see how that film was originally considered a bit of a risk. Isn't hindsight a wonderful thing.] Tomorrow I'm off to Buttermere. After my rest day today [!] I hope we'll have clear weather so I can go up Great Gable tomorrow. Now that strikes me as being a good idea. We'll have to see.

part 2

The Lakes 2002, part 2

Saturday 20th July
It's been a very long and tiring day, but very enjoyable. The weather forecast was changeable, but since it was sunny first thing I headed off from Borrowdale to Honister Hause feeling a little fed up with all this walking thing. This is now the sixth day of my holiday and I've done a number of very long and tiring walks. I was exhausted and fed up. Previously I have never done more than a couple of days of walks. The new thing with this holiday is long walks day after day for over a week. The last thing I wanted was another day trudging up hills.
But that is what I did. Once I got up in the hills I loved it again. I was climbing lots of hills and bagging as many peaks as possible. I walked from Honister to the Drum house on the dismantled tramway and then turned left towards the boundary fence. Turning left I went up to bag Brandreth and from there I went to Green Gable. And then it was the biggie: Great Gable. The heavy cloud which had descended just before Brandreth parted when I got to the top of Great Gable allowing views of the valleys below. It was spectacular. And then the cloud descended [again!] and the heavens opened.
It was raining as I left Great Gable, but stopped before I got to the bottom at Beck Head. Skirting the edge of the hills I back-tracked myself to stunning views of Ennerdale thanks to the lifting weather . I walked over Haystacks [but not before getting into some difficulty trying to get from Brin Crag to Innomiate Tarn. I think I should have gone another way]. It was then that I decided to keep going along the ridge: Seat, High Crag, High Stile and Red Pike. It was rather nuts but I had got into the swing of it. It was 4-30 when I got to Red Pike so I decided I had to quickly get to the hostel (in time to order my dinner) so I took the bridlepath down instead of going via Scale Force.
And now I'm in Buttermere Hostel. It's not a bad hostel. The staff were very helpful in washing my clothes for me. They are now in the drying room. I must admit it was about time, they were beginning to really stink. I suppose I have sweated a lot over the past week. I'm not sure what I'm going to do tomorrow; I had planned on doing High Stile. Oh well.

Sunday 21st July
A good days walk today. And I had some company. I started off walking up Whiteless Pike and met Keith Smith who I'd had dinner with yesterday. We went up the hill together and visited Wandope, Crag Hill and Grasmoor. Then Keith decided to head back to Buttermere so I was left to bag Grisedale Pike, Hopegill Head and Whiteside. While on this ridge I listened to the French Grand Prix on Radio 5 live [I've still not seen that race!]. Michael Schumacher won the race, thereby winning his fifth championship. Raikonnen was second after a slip [on oil, apparently] near the end that let Schuey past. Coulthard was third. It's quite good listening to the race on the radio; I've never done it before, but I enjoyed it. I hardly need to watch it now. I returned to Buttermere alongside the western shore of Crummock Water[, which was a little muddy in places and I had tremendous problems trying to get from Scale Beck to Scale bridge. The path was not clear and I had to walk through a lot of very boggy ground. I eventually spotted the proper path far down near the lakes edge so I hurtled through the bog and got onto the path. Maybe my error was moving away from the lake edge].
This evening I finished off the book I have been reading which I had found on the bookshelf: "Sketches from A Bit of Fry and Laurie' ". I also read the first story of Isaac Asimov's "Buy Jupiter". Maybe I didn't need to have brought any books with me at all!
Right, off to Patterdale tomorrow.

Monday 22nd July
After the excellent walk yesterday I believe the good walking days are over. The weather has turned and may not recover before the end of the week. But I suppose I have been fortunate with the good weather last week.
Today it started being very wet and windy. Knowing that it would improve I went up onto the hills going up to Robinson [via Buttermere Moss] and Hindscarth. But the weather was so bad up there [it was worse than I've ever known it on a walk - it was horrendous] I gave up and took the path down the hill. Of course the rain stopped before I got to the bottom. But the thing is my cagoule isn't waterproof, my t-shirt underneath was soaked, making me feel cold. I think I could really have walked in that weather if I had a better cagoule. Also the stuff in my rucksack was getting wet, but I don't think that was a serious problem.
I walked to Keswick and had an hour to spend until the bus. I spent ¾ hour just wandering around [I went into the tent for the Keswick convention. Aside from seeing the new Matt Redman album which I didn't know was out it was a bit of a waste of time. It was just full of people trying to get your money]. I didn't have any money spare to buy anything until I went into Barclays and got £50 from them. I now have plenty of money [but I couldn't think of anything to spend it on in Keswick!].
I am now in Patterdale Youth Hostel and I don't like this one. Previous hostels have been relaxed and informal, this one seems to be designed to catered for school parties. The toilets/showers are horrendous. I will look forward to leaving here. Bad weather is forecast for tomorrow so I think I'll walk along the Ullswater coast and go on the steamer. Now that I have money to spare I think I can act the part of the tourist. Should be a lot easier on the knees and ankles!!

Tuesday 23rd July
Another wet day meant the wet weather plan was put into action. I walked along the shore of Ullswater to Howtown and caught the steamer back to Glenridding. But this only took half the day.
So this afternoon I did a walk along Grisedale as far as Nethermostcove Beck and back. I had started to walk up to Helvellyn but abandoned it. The weather was just too bad. It's no fun walking in the rain [especially when you're wearing a cagoule that has never heard of the concept of "Breathability"!].
Back in the hostel I finished Adrian Plass' "The Horizontal Epistles of Andromeda Veal", another book I'd found on the shelves.. It was very funny. Tomorrow is forecast to be dry to start off. So I plan to walk up to Helvellyn via striding edge in the morning. I will then head south over the ridge till I get to Grasmere or the weather turns bad. I am looking forward to being able to get some proper walking done. I miss the good walks [of last week].

Wednesday 24th July
The weather forecast was for rain later in the day. It still hasn't arrived. Typical. I made straight for Helvellyn this morning. When I got to the hole-in-the-wall it was so windy I cowered out of doing striding edge and walked over to the opposite Swirral Edge. Even that was rather scary. I may not have vertigo, but I would say I have a healthy fear of falling!
From the wind-swept Helvellyn I went south over the subsidiaries [Nethermost Pike, High Crag & Dollywagon Pike] as far as Grisedale Tarn. From there I walked up Fairfield, which was also windy, covered in hill fog and cold. It has not been the best of days. From Fairfield I walked along the ridge down to Rydal [over Great Rigg, Rydal Fell & Heron Pike]. The weather seemed to improve markedly as I descended becoming sunnier and warmer. At Rydal Mount I was near the spot I had been on my first day in Lakes. Where I had lost my glasses. That still hangs its shadow over this holiday. I want to return to Loughrigg tomorrow and try to look for my glasses. I suppose the chances of finding them must be pretty remote. But I must try. I finished the walk today by staying on the east side of the river and walking up to Grasmere past Dove Cottage.
Tomorrow, weather permitting, I'm going to High Raise and then south to the Langdale Pikes. I will then head over to Loughrigg to you-know.
I am now in Thorney How Hostel near Grasmere. This is a nice small hostel. Low on facilities, but high on charm.

Thursday 25th July
This is my last entry in this special holiday diary. Today has been another bad day weather-wise. I headed over Helm Crag and along the ridge [Gibson Knott to Brownrigg Moss] to increasing rain. As I climbed towards High Raise [up Deep Slack to Codale Head] the rain became heavy and the fog thick. I decided I was fed up with it all once I put my foot on what I thought was a stone and found myself knee deep in mud. I was squelching in that boot for the rest of the day. [When I eventually found the main footpath instead of heading north to the summit of High Raise I turned south. I was just fed up. As I've said I found it no fun walking the fells when it's raining and you can't see more than a dozen metres.] I came off the hill side down Bright Beck to Stickle Tarn near the Langdale Pikes. I then proceeded across the undulating hills [Blea Rigg, Castle How, Swinescar Pike Lang How & Dow Bank] on to Loughrigg [quite a way when you walk it]. I tried to find my glasses once I had eventually located where I'd lost them, but to no avail. I guess I'm going to have to assume they are lost. It's a shame.
It's now late and I want to go to bed so I will refrain from an in depth analysis on the holiday. That can wait till tomorrow.
[I felt rushed to finish that entry so I will now fill in the gaps. While at Thorney How YH I read "Expedition: Earth" by Arthur C Clarke. One thing I have found during this holiday is that I don't really need to take a book with me. Most hostels have an adequately stocked bookshelf that I can read from. Most also have a bible on the bookshelf so I don't need to take mine.
On the last day of my holiday I was so tired in spirit and in leg that I decided to go straight home. (Of course the knowledge that I would have to be at work on the Saturday morning was another motivator.) Part of me wishes I hadn't. I did have a plastic bag of pressies so walking would have been impracticle but the weather was glorious. Just my luck. Also it took me a long time to get home. The train I took from Windermere had no connection for a train to Leicester. Checking the Railtrack web site subsequently I could have waited another hour or two and still got home at the same time.
As it was I spent some time in Oxenholme waiting for a train to Preston. And then I spent 40 minutes in Preston (when I grabbed lunch). But that train only took me to Crewe where I had to change train again to Nuneaton and then to Leicester. What a trip.]

Footnote
Now back to the present day and it has really been interesting reading this report of a very early walking holiday for me. My inexperience of hill-walking really shows through in places. I mean my distate of walking in rain I've found funny, though it would seem that part of the problem was the inadequacies of my equipment. I do a lot of moaning about my cagoule but to be fair to it that cagoule was bought from Debenhams and doesn't claim be breathable. It doesn't leak (I still use it, though not when walking), but it can get warm inside especially when walking in the middle of the summer. Additionally I seem to recall that at the time of that first trip to the Lake District I was still wearing cotton t-shirts for walking. That wouldn't have helped.
This report has really shown for me how much I have developed as a walker. I am no longer afraid of bad weather having walked in weather considerably worse than I found on Robinson and Hindscarth. Plus I don't think a little breeze would stop me going over Striding Edge now, especially after going over Crib Goch in bad weather earlier this year. I think above all my confidence in my abilities to get myself out of bad situations (and more importantly, my ability to avoid them) has greatly increased. I am not a confident person and it takes me a long time to develop my confidence in something. I am now confident in my ability to handle any situation I may find myself in on the hills. (Until of course I become over-confident. One should always respect the hills or they will bite you.)
Incidently in case you were wondering about the square brackets, they contain sentences that were written after the holiday when the notes I had written during the holiday were being typed up. Hil-walking isn't the only thing I'm better at now!

Brandon Mountain

Friday 16th September
My last walk in Ireland, and it was a corker. The weather,once again, played into me hands, I had clear views across the mountains all day. Despite a cold, stiff breeze the weather was perfect, it was excellent walking weather. I have been really lucky with the weather this week; luck of the Irish! Driving across the Dingle Peninsula I parked in Cloghane and then set off along a side road climbing up the side of the hill to Faha, where there is a car park. Climbing across the hillside I followed the clearly marked path where white metal posts guided the way. Climbing across the grassy southern side of the ridge the path skirted around the hill and into a rocky cove with Locha Chom an Chnoic crowing it. With considerable glee, I clambered among the rocks and passing the small loch, I began the steep climb up the cliff face ahead of me. The excellent path zigzagged up onto the top of the main Brandon ridge where I was awarded for my effort with superb views across the Dingle Peninsula. Climbing the ridge southwards brought me quickly to the summit of Brandon Mountain where the views were even more impressive. Nothing can describe the breathtaking views across the whole Dingle Peninsula that could be seen all around me. I am going to miss this, I don't want to leave Ireland!

After lunch I headed off south along the ridge keeping as close to the edge as I dared (which at times was not very close!). Continuing along the ridge I cam to the foot of, and began climbing, Brandon Peak. Once assailed I headed along the narrowing ridge to Gearhane after which the only way was steeply down hill. As I descended I reflected sadly that I was now leaving the last hill of the last walk of my week in Ireland. I always feel a little sad when I start descending after a good days walk in the hills, but on the last day this is doubly sad. I love hill walking and I love a good days walk on rocky hills. I hate leaving them behind. Anyway, crossing the often boggy grassy plain I descended further to the col with Ballysitteragh (which I climbed yesterday, in considerably worse weather!). Turning left I joined the track zigzagging into the valley and then walked along the road for 3-4 miles all the way into Cloghane. It was a slow end to a great walk, but it failed to dampen me feeling on the walk. I've had some good walks in Ireland this week, I hope it won't be too long before I return.