With everything else that has been going on recently (namely see photo below left) I'd failed to notice I'm now just over one year into my project to walk all 214 "Wainwrights" in the Lake District. So I thought I'd put together this brief summary of routes to date. The count stands at 67, spread over 13 day walks, and 1 wildcamp. I'd probably hoped to be a bit further forward at this stage, but aside from the arrival of Jack, we've also gutted and virtually rebuilt our house from the inside out. So I think progress is pretty good, and in any case, I'm not setting any kind of time limit on it.

   
A slight shift in priority was required, but still averaging more than one route per month!

The table below lists the routes so far. The titles are linked to my trip reports, giving full details of the walk and terrain, and where possible I have uploaded the GPX track-log. All the photos from each walk are available on my Picasa Web albums page, or via bit.ly/jc-214.

I see from Google Analytics that visitors arrive on my website in fairly modest numbers, but most of the trip reports are getting a few hits each week - some more than others, so I hope they are proving to be useful and interesting to someone! Summit bagging is not without it's critics, but I have to say it has suited me very nicely, getting me to areas of Lakeland that I probably wouldn't have got around to visiting otherwise.

If I can match this progress in the next 12 months I'll be more than happy, and by that time should be well over half-way towards the full 214. Next update on my blog here will be the Great End trip report, including a somewhat frustrating #fail up Cust's Gully. On the subject of scrambling and climbing, if you feel so inclined, check out my other blog over at lifeontheledge.com.

Footnotes:

(*¹) GPS battery ran out on Haystacks and at the time I wasn't geo-tagging photos, etc, so I didn't bother to change the battery to get the rest of the track-log saved. I descended to the west of Little Round How, crossed Warnscale Beck and then headed back to the carpark via Warnscale Bottom.

(*²) On this route, I lost my GPS. Reported it to the police, but it's either still up there somewhere, or whoever found it failed to hand it in - thieves!!! So for this walk the GPX is a route plan - I think fairly accurate.

(*3) No track-log was saved for this walk, so again, GPX file is a route plan. It's pretty accurate to the route I walked, but I'd suggest finding a different path up Souther Fell. This ascent was just a long slog through deep bracken, and it ought to be possible to follow a more natural line along the top of the ridge.

( Previous trip report is Angletarn Pikes via Place Fell )

The weather was perfect for a day's hiking on 13th July 2011, and my intention was to make a circuit starting at Seathwaite, with Great End at the southernmost point, and then returning via Glaramara and Bessyboot. A good plan I think, but I spent too long in Cust's Gully and eventually had to cut the route short. More about that in the detail of the trip report below!

Great End seen from Styhead Tarn

The negative aspect of all this, is that I climbed two - instead of the five Wainwrights I had planned for the route, but the path I eventually took up Great End is definitely a worthwhile bit of exploration, and almost infinitely preferable to the main 'tourist' path that is shown on the OS map, approaching the summit from the south.

Refer to Wainwright Book 4: The Southern Fells. This route added two more Wainwrights to the count, bringing the total up to 67.

Route Summary:

Park along the Seathwaite road, which leads from the B5289 a couple of hundred metres south-east of Seatoller. I accidentally took the Stonethwaite road initially, and had to turn around - which is slightly irksome - so remember SEAthwaite. Conveniently, there is a convenience next to Seathwaite Farm, so hold your breath and use it if required. Follow the rocky path to Stockley Bridge. You need to cross the bridge, over Grains Gill, and take the path west, towards Greenhow Knott; it's the path you'd take as if you were heading for Scafell via the Corridor Route. Go through the gate and look for the three prominent streams that cross the path. After the second stream, turn south onto a vague and grassy path. Head for Aaron Crags, climbing what Wainwright termed "route A", up a steep grass gully. It's actually "very" steep towards the top, probably slippery when wet, and I'd say not a good route for descent.

From the top of Aaron Crags, the going is considerably easier. Just follow the ridge to Seathwaite Fell, enjoying some superb views of Great Gable before Great End starts to come into view. The path is indistinct, but head for Sprinkling Tarn through undulating ground. Climbing Great End from the south was not a prospect that appealed to me, and so my plan was to follow the line known as The Band, then head into the north-west end of the crag, climbing Cust's Gully to the summit. As it turned out, for a solo walker, I could see no safe route over the short pitch below the hanging stone of Cust's. Discretion is the better part of valour, so I backed out of it and climbed a short rake to the west of Branch Gully. (The final pitch on Branch is harder and looked less safe than Cust's.)

Sitting on the summit cairn of Great End, I cut short my original plan - which had been to descend via Allan Crags, Glaramara and Rosthwaite Fell - AKA Bessyboot. I think it would have been a good route, but it would have meant a late finish, so I descended to Esk Hause, and rather than follow Ruddy Gill back to the valley, I doubled back and took the path towards the foot of Great Gable, and sat in the sun beside Styhead Tarn. The path back to the car is easy, passing Taylorgill Force and rejoining the earlier path back to Stockley Bridge.

Map:

Click here to view OS map on Social Hiking

Car-park to Seathwaite Fell:

For anyone travelling into the Lakes from the north, Seathwaite is a great starting point for many routes. I imagine probably busy at weekends, but ample free parking along the roadside on the midweek days when I've visited. The WC next to the farm is also a welcome sight after a long drive!

Seathwaite Fell seen from below Stockley Bridge

The path, heading south between the collection of farm buildings, is more like a dirt-track as far as Stockley Bridge, whereupon it splits into more typical, smaller paths. Take the path towards Styhead Tarn, but after crossing the wall below Black Waugh, look to your left and at the second stream, leave the main path and cross the gentle grassy slope directly towards Aaron Crags. I followed the route Wainwright termed Gully A. The illustration on "Seathwaite Fell pg 3" marks the boulder/shelter, which is a distinctive landmark along the route, but regardless of this, there's no mistaking the gully.

"...the shapelier pyramid at the north end of the plateau, [with] a cairn at 1970', buttressed by blistered rocks, is generally regarded as the summit of the fell although obviously it isn't."

Ascent of Seathwaite Fell, via "Route A"

At a modest 601 metres, it's overshadowed by higher fells on all sides, but still well worth a visit for the views and I think it's a good approach route towards Sprinkling Tarn and Great End and affords excellent views back into the Seathwaite valley and back to Derwent Water.

Over Great Slack to The Band:

It's an easy walk from the summit of Seathwaite Fell to Sprinkling Tarn over undulating terrain. Not much of a path, but no difficulty in route finding. Just after Sprinkling Tarn you'll cross the main path from Esk Hause to Styhead Tarn. This is a very distinct path, well maintained, but on this route you simply cross over it, heading up the grassy slope below Great End and into a wide gully that appears to be known as The Band on the OS map. You cross a few rocks but it's very easy going.

Great End seen from Seathwaite Fell

If you don't want to attempt Cust's Gully (or the alternative to the west) then simply follow this route to the western shoulder, near the top of Skew Gill, and head directly for the summit. Again, this is somewhat rocky, but very easy going in these conditions.

"...the fringe of boulders below the west summit call for slow and careful placing of the feet..."

Cust's Gully, and alternative route to Great End:

It was a bit of a disappointment to have to back out of this route, as for me, Cust's Gully seemed like the perfect approach to the summit of Great End. The approach takes you into a dramatic spot that feels like it's right up to the main crags, but with no real difficulty, and Cust's itself would take you almost directly to the summit - again, without any difficulty, if it were not for a large chockstone, wedged halfway up the gully, creating a bit of an impasse.

"...written references to it are confined to rock-climbing literature, which dismiss the place as of little consequence although grudgingly conceding that there is one small and insignificant pitch..."

Looking back, on approach to Cust's Gully

Wainwright concluded that Cust's Gully was "no way for walkers". But, rated as a grade 2 scramble, I thought it was worth a closer look. If anything, I think the grade might be slightly optimistic. At this point in July, I'd been climbing indoors for about 7 months, and had done some outdoor bouldering, but as a solo hiker I could see no safe route up the rock step below Cust's hanging boulder. It's a short pitch, a little over 3 metres probably, but the left side overhangs slightly and lower down the gully a couple of holds had already broken away in my hand from this wall. The right side looked more favourable, but even in these bone dry conditions it was covered in thick moss and running with water.

There are rocky ledges either side, which you could attempt to traverse up, but they looked insecure, and realistically you can't risk a fall onto the debris and boulders that fill the gully below. The safest approach might have been to treat the obstacle as a short chimney and bridge up it, but again, any slip could have resulted in an awkward landing. Perhaps this is overcautious, but my view is that if walking solo, you need a more secure route than this gully can offer.

   
View into, and out of, Cust's Gully

Having said all this, if you have time, it's definitely a good bit of exploration. The first half of the gully is easy, just a couple of minor obstacles to navigate, and outside the gully it's a simple grassy traverse, close into the crags. The views and sense of being close to the mountain make it a very worthwhile detour.

Great Gable seen from summit cairn of Great End

The pedestrian route (described on Great End pg 12 in the Wainwright Guide) is easily found slightly west of the Branch Gully, although I found it more grassy than the guide seemed to imply. It rejoins the main route of The Band and passes the exit of Cust's on route to the summit.

Descent of Great End via Esk Hause:

I took what I suppose is the most popular path from the summit of Great End, down to Esk Hause, and my original plan had been to return to Seathwaite via Allen Crags, Glaramara and Bessyboot. Unfortunately I was running behind schedule at this point and took a shorter route down via Styhead Tarn. Following Grains Gill would have been quicker, but I wanted to get a closer look at Great Gable, which I had planned for my next outing.

Styhead Tarn with Great Gable above-left, Green Gable to the right

"...Sty Head became known as a convenient springboard for excursions into the surrounding mountains..."

Styhead Tarn is a very pleasant spot. There was a single tent pitched on the southern side. I sat for a while on the northern side, chilling out with a granola bar before the easy walk back to the car!

Summary:

In summary, I'd say this was an interesting route - tinged with some minor disappointment, but also benefits from getting well off the usual, well-trodden paths. Even a successful approach via Cust's Gully would still have added significantly to the time, compared to taking the much easier route via The Band, so worth bearing that in mind when planning the day's route. The ascent of Seathwaite Fell via "route A" is definitely worth trying, and I think probably its best approach to this summit from the Seathwaite side.

Other than that, I'm definitely of the opinion I need to wear lightweight cotton shorts in summer! I was walking in Montane Terra trousers, which I love in cooler conditions, but they are definitely not for me in this weather!

"to those who travel alone, the solitary wanderers on the fells,
who find contentment in the companionship of the mountains"
A. Wainwright

( Previous trip report is Northern Fells Wildcamp and Partial Circuit )

Looking at the dire weather reports on the Accuweather Mountain Forecast, the Mountain Weather Information Service, the BBC and the Met Office, I had almost come to the conclusion it wasn't worth setting off on the drive to the Lakes on this un-promising 15th June 2011. My mind was quickly changed by the Pooley Bridge Steamer Pier webcam. This showed the reality of the situation, damp but reasonably bright conditions, with summits just visible. I'm not overly concerned by rain - just so long as I'm still getting a decent view. In the words of Jerome K Jerome, "we told ourselves that nature was beautiful, even in her tears".

    
Views from the northern summit (left) and the southern summit (right) of Angletarn Pikes

It was a good decision, with a morning of rain, clearing to become a very pleasant afternoon; t-shirt weather by the time I got to The Nab. Living in a climate that's as unpredictable as ours, I think there's a good case to just go with your plans, carry appropriate kit so you'll be prepared for whatever the weather might throw at you, and if all else fails - then be prepared for a last minute change of plans if conditions dictate.

In spite of the damp start, I added another 6 Wainwrights from Book 2: The Far Eastern Fells. Bagging count now stands at 65.

Route Summary:

Park near the church at Martindale. I accidentally parked next to the church at Christy Bridge (half a mile down the road) and it's possible this was not appreciated as, by the time I returned, someone had ostentatiously parked a silage trailer in the middle of the road. Hard to say if this was a "statement", or just the perfectly normal parking attempts of a bewildered moron.

Wherever you eventually decide to park, leave your windows closed and cross the lower portion of Housteadbrow (below Winter Crag) and head up to High Dodd via Garth Heads. Follow the ridge to the summit of Place Fell (657m). This is a pretty gentle climb. It's then a steep descent to Chapel in the Hause, and any normal person would head straight to Angletarn Pikes. Therefore, I took a lengthy diversion to Beda Fell (509m) before climbing back up to Angletarn Pikes (567m). From here the route follows a natural progression to Brock Crags (561m) and Rest Dodd (696m) with another steep descent via The Nab (576m).

Map:

Click here to view OS Map on Social Hiking...

Carpark to Place Fell:

I think it's probably best to play it safe, and park in the area next to Martindale Church. There's not much other parking to be found, and the roads are very narrow, so probably worth arriving early at weekends and during holiday times. Beyond the Christy Bridge chapel, there's no parking opportunities so far as I could tell. However, on this wet Wednesday in mid-June, there was plenty of space. Cross over Howsteadbrow into the Boredale valley and follow the gently angled path to High Dodd.

Gentle climb to High Dodd

The rain started getting heavy as I reached the top of the ridge and I eventually donned my Paclite over-trousers. I was also struck by a long forgotten smell; wet ferns! It's funny, because it's a distinctive smell I seem to remember a lot from childhood, but hadn't noticed it in a long time. It made walking through the driving rain almost completely worthwhile!

"Place Fell rises steeply from the curve formed by the upper and middle reaches of Ullswater and its bulky mass dominates the head of the lake."

Once you're onto High Dodd, it's an easy walk up to Place Fell, via the ridge of Hart Crag.

Looking back to Place Fell from Beda Fell Knott

From Place Fell, you descend rocky paths to Round How, whereupon the path steepens considerably until you reach Chapel in the Hause. It would be a short walk from here to the northernmost summit of Angletarn Pikes (about 1km) but instead I took a 6km diversion around to Beda Fell and back. Had to be done, but took longer than I'd anticipated and it put me a bit behind schedule.

The elongated Beda Fell diversion:

For the summit bagger, Beda Fell is awkwardly placed. It's easy to fit into a couple of shortened horseshoe walks, either the combination of Place Fell & Beda Fell, or the Beda Fell, Angletarn, Brock, Rest Dodd, Nab side of the valley. Both would make for good routes, but just a tad too short at around 13-14km each, and hence my "W" shaped horseshoe approach!

From Chapel in the Hause, head to Beda Fell Knott, then along ridge to cairn at Beda Head. The clouds were lifting to some extent and I was able to switch from full waterproofs to a Lightspeed over my microfleece top.

St Sunday Crag, viewed over col at Chapel in the Hause

There are nice views throughout. In the photo above St Sunday Crag is almost visible in the cloud, although Fairfield (to the left) and the Helvellyn range (to the right) are a bit more clouded in.

"The fell is best climbed along its north ridge, over the serrated crest of Winter Crag."

The view towards Beda Head

Beda Head turned out to be a very nice spot for a stop, with great views over Martindale and Ullswater. After the mandatory Granola bar, retrace footsteps, climbing along the line of Heckbeck Head towards Angletarn Pikes.

Angletarn Pikes to Brock Crags:

This was my first visit to Angletarn Pikes, but will be very happy to return. There would be plenty to explore, some decent scrambling to be had - or go the whole hog and bring your bouldering mat! Would also make a great spot for a wildcamp, but I get the feeling it might be a little too popular. There are two distinct summits to Angletarn Pikes, the northern one being a couple of metres higher.

"Twin upthrusts of rock, 200 yards apart, give individuality to this unusual summit; the northerly is the higher."

Angle Tarn seen from below the southern summit of Angletarn Pikes

It might be advisable to descend south-west from the southern summit as I ran into some very boggy ground on the north-east side, but either way, it's a short walk back to the main path that leads you around the Tarn below the ridge of Buck Crag. The natural line of this route would take you up Satura Crag to Rest Dodd, but I took a short diversion up to the summit of Brock Crags.

"It is as a viewpoint that the summit merits the most respect."

Summit cairn at Brock Crags, with Dove Crag and Hart Crag in the background

Brock Crags is perhaps not the most exciting summit in the world, but well worth a visit for its (potentially) superb views of the surrounding hills, not least St Sunday Crag and the Fairfield range, as well as some great views towards Stony Cove Pike and High Street.

Rest Dodd and descent via The Nab:

The climb to Rest Dodd, although only about 150m above the col leading to Satura Crag, is a bit of a pull at the end of the day, but once at the summit, it's pretty much all downhill from there! Notably, descending across the aptly named Deer Forest.

Rampsgill Head seen from summit of Rest Dodd

"Rest Dodd stands at an angle on the undulating grassy ridge coming down from the main watershed to the shores of Ullswater, and its south-west slope, which drains into Hayeswater Gill, is crossed by the track from Patterdale to High Street."

It's particularly worth noting the bogs between Rest Dodd and The Nab. In fact, you can't miss them, and it does tend to slow your progress somewhat. I caught a few glimpses of red deer, and noted a sign which asked walkers to keep a distance and avoid causing any disturbance to the herd. My plan had been to descend to Rampsgill Beck and follow the farm track back to the road, but that would have taken me through the middle of dozens of them. I decided to simply follow the line of the ridge, descending Nab End, and thus avoiding the deer entirely.

The Nab seen from the descent of Rest Dodd

There are a couple of points worth bearing in mind with this. Nab End is extremely steep and makes for a tricky descent. Dropping 150m in about 300m sounds ok, but short sections of it are steeper than this might suggest. Dig in your walking poles and take it steady! Also, I joined a farm track near Rampsgill Beck, had to climb a fence into an adjacent field to avoid an angry bull, and once back on the road I saw various signs saying private, and further on - an electric fence. It was only later that I realised the reasons for this, the area around The Nab being home to the oldest native herd of red deer in England. This is another good reason to read your Wainwright guide before the walk, rather than after you've finished your blog post! (And note the second edition contains much additional info on this point.)

Summary:

This is an enjoyable route, but I'd hesitate to recommend the fairly drastic diversion I took to Beda Fell. It's an inevitable consequence of trying to combine Beda Fell and Place Fell into a longer circular route. The ascent of Beda Fell from Housesteadbrow would have been nice, but then you either have to descend the same way, or carry on and undertake a pretty tiring ascent and descent of Place Fell from Chapel in the Hause. To anyone not concerned with Wainwright Bagging, I'd definitely suggest doing one or the other, but not both, then carrying on with the route to Angletarn Pikes. (Personally, I think I'd be quite tempted to climb Beda Fell from Housesteadbrow, via Winter Crag...) Also, as I now realise, The Nab should probably be avoided, particularly in the summer.

Perhaps surprisingly, this was only the third time I'd needed full waterproofs since August 2010. Oh the joys of the English summer! For me, this is a Rab Latok Alpine jacket, which I've been very pleased with - and love the hood, and some Berghaus GoreTex Paclite pants. Again, I've found them great, even in these warm and damp conditions.

Next posting on this blog will either be my ascent of Great End from Seathwaite, or some new baby photos... whichever comes first. But, with a due date of 8th August, personally I wouldn't bet on Great End!

"to those who travel alone, the solitary wanderers on the fells,
who find contentment in the companionship of the mountains"
A. Wainwright

( Previous trip report is High Street via Stony Cove Pike )

On the eve of my 38th birthday, it would have been almost exactly 20 years since I'd spent a night under canvas - or in this case, lightweight sil nylon. After about nine months of day walks and Wainwright bagging, acquiring gear whenever I saw something that looked good value, it was finally time to take the plunge and extend a route over a couple of days. I decided to take the opportunity to walk the final two summits of the Northern Fells; Mungrisdale Common and Great Calva, which for various reasons I'd never managed to combine into a sensible one day route.

Looking towards Blencathra from the A66

My plan was to park near Black Moss, just below Carrock Fell. I was heading for Blencathra (hopefully via Sharp Edge but keeping my options open) and I wanted to visit Bowscale Tarn on route. After that I'd cross Mungrisdale Common and head for Great Calva, camping near to Knott. As it turned out, it was a really pleasant evening and I went farther than I had originally planned, stopping closer to High Pike, somewhere just below 600m. This left a very short second day, only about 6km, but that suited me fine, as I mainly wanted to test out my gear and to see how I felt about camping after several years.

I'm happy to say it went very smoothly, and I felt like I passed a significant milestone as I completed all fells in Book 5: The Northern Fells. Wainwright bagging count now stands at 59...

"Blencathra and Carrock Fell and the Ullock Pike ridge of Skiddaw [...] would rank high in any company." (From Personal Notes in Conclusion.)

Route Summary:

Day 1 - Park at Black Moss and follow the road through Mosedale Village and take the path to Bowscale Tarn. From the start of Tarn Sike, there's a good path up the face of Tarn Crags, heading due West. Head for Blencathra via Bowscale Fell. I headed for the base of Foule Crag and followed the contour around, towards Brunt Knott, and picked up the ridge of Sharp Edge from there. (The path is intermittent, but it's a decent route.) Ascend Sharp Edge and head for Blencathra summit. Descend to the north-west, passing across the bottom of Blue Screes and pick up the path to Mungrisdale Common. I took a fairly direct route to Great Calva ascending from the east; this was a mistake. It was heavy going off Mungrisdale Common through bogs and deep heather (even in these dry conditions) and it's the steepest possible route up Great Calva. A better option would have been to head for the Cumbria Way path and climb Great Calva from the south-west. Cross the col between Little Calva and Knott, following the Cumbria Way path below Great Lingley Hill and camping near Drygill Head.

Day 2 - Get back onto the ridge and follow the path over Miton Hill, Round Knott and Carrock Fell. Descend the gulley of Further Gill Sike (very steep) and northwards across the crags below Scurth. This leads you directly back to Black Moss.

Wild camped at Dry Gill Head

Map:

Click here to view day 1 on Social Hiking...
Click here to view day 2 on Social Hiking...

Mosedale to Blencathra:

I can understand why the path from Mosedale to Bowscale Tarn is popular. It's an easy gradient and the tarn is wonderfully hidden by a large moraine dam. Great spot for a picnic, though I fear it perhaps might be a little too popular at weekends. On this Tuesday morning is was very quiet. I sat at the water's edge for several minutes, enjoying the scenery, and it was not until I got up that I saw I had company. Two walkers lying on the grass on the far side of a small rise. It's a very tranquil spot.

Looking into Bowscale Tarn

"...tiered crags carved by ice; silent waters embanked by moraines; scattered rocks in the wake of the departed glacier..."

There's a path (not marked on OS map, but clearly visible on the ground) that climbs the headwall due west from the start of Tarn Sike. It takes you nicely onto the ridge leading to Bowscale Fell and Bannerdale Crags, and ultimately on to Blencathra.

Into the Bannerdale Valley

The picture above is from the path between Bowscale and Bannerdale Crags, looking into the Bannerdale valley, towards Souther Fell. It would have been a short detour to the summit of Bannerdale Crags, but I was keen to move onto Blencathra. There's a col between Bannerdale Crags and Atkinson Pike, near the source of the River Glenderamackin. The main path leads you to Scales Tarn, but it descends about 100m in the process. I began following this path, but at the 600m contour, I headed in towards Foule Crag. There's no path at first, but you do pick one up as you approach the north-east end of Sharp Edge. You attain the ridge just as it starts to get interesting.

I suspect this is an unconventional approach route, but suited me well, and I'd say it's definitely worth considering.

Blencathra to Great Calva via Mungrisdale Common:

This was my first ascent of Sharp Edge and I can confirm it's a first class bit of Lakeland scrambling!

The route finding wasn't quite as obvious as I'd anticipated. I made the decision to keep to the peak of the ridge and follow it direct to the summit. To my mind, there's a moment of doubt as you drop down from the sharpest section, into a kind of hollow between two scree filled gullies, dropping away left and right. It looked like the path might divert somewhere to the right, but it didn't look very sound. I stuck with my strategy and kept going in a straight line, but this does necessitate a few metres of climbing up a steep rock slab, although there are good holds in a crack to the left. You then find yourself in what feels like a well protected gully, and by the time you've followed this, you're not far off the final push to the summit.

Pretty easy going in dry conditions, but the rock is well polished and care would definitely be needed in the wet. Numerous crampon scratches on the rock attest to this being a serious section of winter climbing.

The pictures above are (left) looking up Sharp Edge, and (right) looking down from near the summit towards Scales Tarn. Keep in mind this is the summit of Atkinson Pike and Blencathra is a few hundred metres to the south.

"This is a mountain that compels attention, even from those dull people whose eyes are not habitually lifted to the hills."

The exciting summit of Mungrisdale Common

Mungrisdale Common has something of a bad rap for being boring, and some have questioned what possessed AW to designate it a Wainwright. In it's defence, it does occupy a key central location and commands views of most of the main summits in this Northern Fells group. So as you'd expect, it's not exciting, but I'll concede it is worth a visit. I think a worthwhile tip is that although it's a simple rounded hill, give some care to your route planning, as the options for crossing the River Caldew are not always straightforward. After the fact, I wish I'd descended to the south-west, picked up the Cumbria Way path and headed north past Skiddaw House.

"Mungrisdale Common's natural attractions are of a type that appeals only to sheep."

As it was, I ended up to the south-east of Great Calva. There's a path that follows a wire fence up the east side of the fell. It's very steep in places and heavy going at the end of the day. For future reference, I'd suggest an approach from the west!

Great Calva to Drygill Head:

Once on the summit of Great Calva, the going is easy, but by the looks of the ground, I'd say it would turn very boggy after any prolonged rain. Luckily, it was dry as a bone today, and I made good time over Knott and Great Lingly Hill. I was also on the lookout for a camp.

"The actual top, which is stony, is a fine belvedere, but behind is an extensive plateau without an irrigation system..."

The back of Blencathra from below Knott

My first thought was an area marked Coomb Height on the OS map. I think it would have made a good spot, but I was enjoying the golden light and kept going another couple of kilometres. I collected a 2 litre Platypus of water at Grainsgill Beck, which I'd noted on previous walks as a good clear, fast flowing stream. Everywhere was so dry, I wasn't confident of finding a decent stream near the appropriately named Drygill Head, and it proved to be a good decision.

Wildcamp:

There are plenty of good wildcamp spots around here and after some fairly characteristic indecision, I settled on a spot near the head of Brandy Gill.

I got my Laser Competition pitched, and unpacked my sleeping bag to let it loft while I ate supper; a dehydrated Reiters Travel Lunch Vegetable Risotto that I picked up in GoOutdoors. It was rapidly getting a bit chilly, and after some brief star-gazing (it was a fantastic clear night) I was asleep before 10pm. For what was really feeling like a summer walk, I was a bit taken aback by the drop in temperature overnight. I woke up twice. The first time because of a cold draught and I needed to tighten up the sleeping bag hood. The second time was by some frozen condensation dropping onto my nose.

However, I have only good things to say about my gear, and I'll write that up once I finally get caught up with my monstrously out of date blog...

View from my tent doorway

I awoke around 6am. It was fresh, but warming quickly as the sun rose. On the dawning of my 38th year, I was more than satisfied by the view from my front door; see above.

Drygill Head to Mosedale Moss via Carrock Fell:

Day two was to be a short walk back to the car, and an early finish - with getting started at such an unearthly hour! It was a beautiful morning and it felt like I had the hills to myself; I probably did.

Looking towards Bowscale and Blencathra

The last time I climbed Carrock Fell, it was wet and boggy underfoot, but these conditions were very different. Worth bearing this in mind though if walking her in more normal weather.

"Amongst the igneous rocks of which the fell is formed is gabbro - the stuff the Black Coolin of Skye are made of but a rarity in Lakeland."

The Carrock Fell ridge becomes steep as you drop down towards Black Moss, and becomes very steep from Further Gill Sike to the valley floor. The summit is the site of an Iron Age hill fort, built by the Celts, destroyed by the Romans. You can see why it occupies a good position, although there's very little of it left. It's views over the Eden Valley towards the Pennine Hills are very impressive.

Summary:

I have to say I am very happy with this first bit of backpacking after such a long absence. The improvements to the gear available today compared with the early '90s is dramatic. I kept all my old kit, apart from my LaserTrek rucksack that was damaged, so I'll write something about gear once I've written up my next trip report, a circuit to the south of Martindale.

Descending Carrock Fell, overlooking Vale of Eden

The quick snapshot below was taken as I unpacked - apart from the water bottle that I was still using!

Packed and Unpacked

Everything packed OK in my 32L bag, except that the tent had to fit in the rear mesh pocket. I'd initially felt this was a bit of a compromise and it would have been nice to get everything inside, but it actually worked better to keep it there.

In summary, a definite success, and now looking forward to my next mini-expedition...

"to those who travel alone, the solitary wanderers on the fells,
who find contentment in the companionship of the mountains"
A. Wainwright