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Spring Walk June 2005, The lake district 09/6/2005-13/6/2005
Thursday 9th, Travel day
Dick, Paul, Dave, Ian, Graham and Martin met at Ings around 11:00, after a quick coffee, Dave, Dick, Ian and Graham went off to walk the Kentmere Round Finding the last parking spot they went via Sheepfold, Wary Crag, Shipman Knots, Kentmere Pike, Harter Fell, Mardale Ill Bell, and Thornthwaite Beacon. Here, whilst pausing to rest for a few minutes another walker appeared dressed in stout boots, large rucksack, very brief trunks, nipple rings and a smile. Having rested enough it was decided to carry on walking. Onto Froswick, where Andy and John were met, warning of there forthcoming experience. Then it was on to Ill Bell, Yoke, Garburn, Garburn Pass, Crabtree Brow and back to Kentmere and the car to return to Ambleside.
Paul and Martin went on to Ambleside as Paul was in marathon training running, not walking a lot.
Steve, Andy, Pat and John went to the Well at Ings for a quick one. Then Steve dropped Andy and John of at Troutbeck. They walked up to part of the Kentmere Round, Yoke, Ill Bell, Froswick, Thornthwaite Beacon, Stony Cove Pike and back to Ambleside stopping for refreshment at Kirkstone Pass.
Steve and Pat parked at the Hostel and did a circular walk around Wansfell Pike.
Jack and Phil drove to Grasmere and did a circular walk around Rydal Water before returning to the Hostel.
All had uneventful journeys apart from those in Steve's car which found a new undiscovered mountain range in Nutsford services, but owing to time constraints were unable to scale or map them.
Roland Joined us at the Hostel after a leisurely drive up the A1 taking in some old haunts on the way.
The weather had been fine and sunny to hot for walking, with good visibility and views of both Scotland and Morecambe Bay.
The Evenings entertainment was a tour or establishments around Ambleside.
Friday 10th
The weather again fine with broken cloud and sun with little wind again getting hot views hazy in distance again.
A day of various groups all going different ways aiming to end up at Elterwater as we were staying there for the next two nights.
Routes as follows:-
Jack and Phil did a circular walk taking in Troutbeck and Wansfell Pike before returning to Ambleside. Whilst partaking in a lunchtime stop Jack etched a map of the afternoons route on the inside of his eyelids.
Paul and Graham went to bag three of their missing Wainwrights but ended up doing four. They were Raven Crag, High Tove, Armboth Fell but also did High Seat as when studying the map they realised there was not a trig point on the one they wanted but they were leaning on one at the time.
Andy, John, Dave and Ian went to Wasdale head to do Pillar. Starting from Overbeck Bridge, Wasdale Head, Blacksail Pass, Pillar, Shamrock Traverse via Robinsons Kearn, Little Scoat Fell, Great Scoat Fell (Andy to Steeple), Red Pike. Andy and John also Did Yewbarrow. After a quick one at The Wasdale Head Hotel back to the Hostel.
Dick, Roland, Martin, Steve and Pat went by bus to Grassmere picked up something for lunch before setting off along Easedale to Easedale Tarn, Belles Knott, Sergeant Man and High Raise, there taking a short stop for lunch. Then on to Thunacar Knott, Harrison Stickle, Pike of Stickle, Loft Crag. Pat and Steve missed out Pike of Stickle and Loft Crag. We all took an unintended path down descending via the upper reaches of Dungeon Ghyll, Thorn Crag, Pike Howe to the New Dungeon Ghyll Hotel. After refreshment back along the valley to Elterwater.
Once we arrived at the Hostel the drivers sorted out cars then showered changed and went to the Britannia Inn for Food and refreshment, food and ales were good but it suffered from slow service. It was only a small bar, which only seemed to work if it had a queue. Once we had eaten the midges forced us inside, Ian kept talking about doing Wordsworths all night, (next time we go to the lakes we will have to get him a book of poems). Again another good day in the lakes. During the evening Graham, Ian, Paul and Dave met someone who they had seen on a walking holiday in Crete in May.
Saturday 11th
Weather overcast to start with but cleared during the day stayed fine.
Jack and Phil did the reverse of Dick, Pat, Roland, Steve and Martin meeting in the Old Dungeon Ghyll at Lunchtime, forward route from hostel as follows. Up road to Elterwater Hall along white road to Little Langdale, Slatter Bridge (see pic), past Low Hall Garth, Bridge End, Fell FootBridge, along the road past Castle Howe then across Blea Moss to Blea Tarn. Dick stopped to take a picture of a water fall whilst a tour party of walkers came past, sitting down, ending up with a wet rear. Around Blea Tarn to Side Pike down to ODG. Whilst at ODG Dick had a pint of Old Rosie, a rough cider, it looked very rough but tasted ok.. Though it made him feel rough later that night. Then back to the hostel via NDG and Wainwrights along the Cumbria Way.
John and Andy got a bus to NDG and went up Stickle Ghyll to Stickle Tarn, scrambled up Jakes Rake on Pavey Ark to Harrison Stickle, Pike of Stickle, Rosset Pike then back along the Cumbria Way to ODG and later Hostel.
Dave, Paul and Ian parked at ODG then walked up Cold Pike, then on to Crinkle Crags, Paul then left the others to return training, Dave and Ian went on to Bow Fell returning via Rosset Gill Cumbria Way along Mickleden to ODG.
Graham on his own to do two Wainwrights (Wordsworths), Along Cumbria Way, Stake Pass, to Borrowdale. He only got one done as it was a long way. Paul can you add anything here.
All returned to the Hostel after wash and brush up on to Wainwrights for the evening. (The only place with Sneck Lifter). Some ate in the Hostel others in the Pub. All enjoyed their food and the beer was ok as well, quicker service than the Britannia. Returning to the Britannia for a nightcap.
Sunday 12th
Weather started fine but cloudy which changed during the day to include rain hail low cloud and back to sun at end of day.
Most drove to Coniston with the exception of Phil who went to Ravenglass to the railway and on to the coast before returning to pick Jack up as they were returning home that night.
Dick, Pat, Steve, Roland and Jack set of from the hostel over the miners bridge and up The Old Man of Coniston via the tourist route. All made it ok to the top ok, so we were able to talk to the old man (Jack) on top of the Old Man. From there we carried on along the ridge to Swirl How then along Prison Band. This was a bit of a scramble in places Jack slipped and grazed his hand while descending to the Coppermines valley after he and Roland got caught in the rain at Swirl How. Dick, Pat and Steve had gone on ahead and did not get the rain until climbing up Wetherlam. It started of as light rain, got harder, poured, then hailed, just to top it off the cloud base dropped and we lost visibility. After a brief stop to admire the view! We picked our way down through the cloud along an indistinct path down. As we descended the sun came out so we started to dry off but still had difficulty in finding the path. As we had phone communications between us all, Roland and Jack did not go up Wetherlam but went down a path at Swirl Hawse to Levers Water coming out behind the Coniston Coppermines Youth Hostel and on to Coniston. Dick and others came down via Red Gill Head Moss, Furnace Fells to Hole Rake down behind the miners cottages back across miners bridge and into Coniston to The Sun Hotel. It had good beer and a range with an open fire great to finish drying off.
Andy and John walked from the Hostel via Little Langdale, Slatter Bridge, where they saw three red deer, Low Hall Garth, along Greenburn Beck then up to Wetherlam across Brik Fell, Wetherlam Edge to summit Wetherlam. Then on to Swirl How and on to The Old Man of Coniston meeting Dick, Jack and others after Swirl How. Before going down to Coniston to the tearooms.
Paul and Martin relaxed tried all the tearooms and went for a run in no particular order.
That left Dave, Ian and Graham who walked to the Old Ship Inn at Bowmanstead across Banishead to Goats Water. Then up Dave's death gully scramble to Dow Crag, Goats Hawse, Swirl How, Wetherlam, and down via Red Dell. They also had trouble finding the path without low cloud, as the weather had cleared. At the start of the walk Ian was really happy he was not last one ready Dave was but a little way down the road when Ian found he had not got his map, so back to the car, a search of bags, no map! Upset thinking it was lost about to set off - found it on car roof.
Some ate a hostel meal others at the Crown all joined up later.
Monday 13th
Weather, low cloud, dark, cold (12 degrees) rain in the air
A short walk around Tarn Hows before driving on to Hawkshead for café and ferry across Windermere and home uneventful.
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