Lake District May 2015 200 - Innominate Tarn on Haystacks
We went to the Lake District for the Spring Bank Holiday weekend at the end of May. After a poor journey up the car parks known as the M60 and M6 we then ended up with a bed with a mattress that was knackered. I barely slept for three nights and abandoned ship and came home a day early. We have stayed at the same place a few times but not in that room, I did explain the situation and they dealt with it quite well – I needed my own bed and some sleep though.
It was busy and our first walking day – Saturday – was far better than forecast, it was beautiful, calm and sunny. We drove up to Newlands planning to walk the Newlands horseshoe, a good high level walk with all around views on such a lovely day. We had to be first to breakfast and get out there to make sure we got one of the very few parking places at Chapel Bridge. We set off in shorts and tee shirts but lugging full winter gear with us knowing full well that anything could happen. We headed up High Sneb Bank and on to the summit of Robinson. We only saw eight walkers in our first two hours but it would change as we ran in to the families heading up from Catbells. The views were stunning but, photographically, a bit uninspiring. It was perfect for walking but I felt as though I was just recording a walk. To be truthful that may just have been my state of mind on the day. It had been a truly dreadful night in our B&B.
We nipped out on to Hindscarth next then back to the Dalehead ridge path, with fantastic views down to Honister. By the time we got to Dalehead it was getting a bit busier. Down at Dalehead Tarn there were plenty of large groups sat in the sun having lunch. We legged it up to the top of High Spy and found a quiet spot out of the very gentle breeze. Heading over Maiden Moor we were on the home straight but there was plenty of puffing and sweating heading up in the opposite direction. Catbells was our last top – and the busiest – people were lying around sunbathing, it was glorious. We retraced our steps to the col and went down to Littletown through Yewthwaite Mine and it was a short walk to the car, 11.2 miles and six tops, and it was only the middle of the afternoon so we headed to Brysons tearooms in Keswick. Being a bank holiday we parked on the outskirts and walked in so the mileage rounded off at 14.
All change on Sunday, it was cold, dull, windy and bleak – with low cloud in to the bargain. Again we drove from Ambleside to Keswick but this time we went through Borrowdale to the Honister Pass. Expecting parking problems at Gatesgarth Farm we pulled off the road half a mile before and got kitted up. It was bitterly cold but I stuck with the shorts and a windproof top and didn’t regret it – much! We were going to go up Fleetwith Pike but decide to take the sheltered path alongside Wharnscale Beck to Dubs Bottom. We hadn’t walked this path before and today was as good a day as any. We found the mountain bothy on Green Crag on the way to Haystacks which we hadn’t seen before. The cloud was in and out on the tops but it wouldn’t present a problem on this walk, it would just spoil the view. We passed Innominate Tarn and visited every cairn, I’d forgotten the scrambly route down to Scarth Gap, I hadn't ’forgotten the steep climb over Seat and then up on to High Crag though. The cloud was down and it was cold and very windy so we kept moving, not wanting to hang about. Next up was High Stile, it seemed a long way in the murk. By the time we got to Red Pike, our last top, we were ready for a sandwich. We spotted a couple sat behind some rocks and wandered over, it was an oasis of calm on this windswept top. It was hard to believe really. It was still cold though so we had a quick stop and headed straight down toward Dodd. It was extremely windy on the top of Dodd, which is a fantastic viewpoint over Buttermere and Crummock Water. Down to Blea Tarn and then we galloped down to Buttermere down the Sourmilk Gill path. This path has been largely remade with forward facing or pointed rocks and is a nightmare. You need to concentrate 100% on your feet to move over it fast. We came down nearly 2500 feet in around 35 minutes. We had another couple of miles back to the car, walking along the shore of Buttermere which was very busy with bank holiday strollers. It was grand to get changed and get in the car in warm clothes. In Keswick it was a complete contrast to yesterday, people wandered around in winter gear, frozen, we headed for coffee and strawberry tart.
As a footnote: there was a photo of a tent on Blencathra in Saturdays Times – it was covered in snow on Friday morning! Six days earlier people were sunbathing and getting burnt. As I write this on the first day of summer it’s cold, windy and very wet and gales are forecast for this evening.
Lake District May 2015 200 - Innominate Tarn on Haystacks
We went to the Lake District for the Spring Bank Holiday weekend at the end of May. After a poor journey up the car parks known as the M60 and M6 we then ended up with a bed with a mattress that was knackered. I barely slept for three nights and abandoned ship and came home a day early. We have stayed at the same place a few times but not in that room, I did explain the situation and they dealt with it quite well – I needed my own bed and some sleep though.
It was busy and our first walking day – Saturday – was far better than forecast, it was beautiful, calm and sunny. We drove up to Newlands planning to walk the Newlands horseshoe, a good high level walk with all around views on such a lovely day. We had to be first to breakfast and get out there to make sure we got one of the very few parking places at Chapel Bridge. We set off in shorts and tee shirts but lugging full winter gear with us knowing full well that anything could happen. We headed up High Sneb Bank and on to the summit of Robinson. We only saw eight walkers in our first two hours but it would change as we ran in to the families heading up from Catbells. The views were stunning but, photographically, a bit uninspiring. It was perfect for walking but I felt as though I was just recording a walk. To be truthful that may just have been my state of mind on the day. It had been a truly dreadful night in our B&B.
We nipped out on to Hindscarth next then back to the Dalehead ridge path, with fantastic views down to Honister. By the time we got to Dalehead it was getting a bit busier. Down at Dalehead Tarn there were plenty of large groups sat in the sun having lunch. We legged it up to the top of High Spy and found a quiet spot out of the very gentle breeze. Heading over Maiden Moor we were on the home straight but there was plenty of puffing and sweating heading up in the opposite direction. Catbells was our last top – and the busiest – people were lying around sunbathing, it was glorious. We retraced our steps to the col and went down to Littletown through Yewthwaite Mine and it was a short walk to the car, 11.2 miles and six tops, and it was only the middle of the afternoon so we headed to Brysons tearooms in Keswick. Being a bank holiday we parked on the outskirts and walked in so the mileage rounded off at 14.
All change on Sunday, it was cold, dull, windy and bleak – with low cloud in to the bargain. Again we drove from Ambleside to Keswick but this time we went through Borrowdale to the Honister Pass. Expecting parking problems at Gatesgarth Farm we pulled off the road half a mile before and got kitted up. It was bitterly cold but I stuck with the shorts and a windproof top and didn’t regret it – much! We were going to go up Fleetwith Pike but decide to take the sheltered path alongside Wharnscale Beck to Dubs Bottom. We hadn’t walked this path before and today was as good a day as any. We found the mountain bothy on Green Crag on the way to Haystacks which we hadn’t seen before. The cloud was in and out on the tops but it wouldn’t present a problem on this walk, it would just spoil the view. We passed Innominate Tarn and visited every cairn, I’d forgotten the scrambly route down to Scarth Gap, I hadn't ’forgotten the steep climb over Seat and then up on to High Crag though. The cloud was down and it was cold and very windy so we kept moving, not wanting to hang about. Next up was High Stile, it seemed a long way in the murk. By the time we got to Red Pike, our last top, we were ready for a sandwich. We spotted a couple sat behind some rocks and wandered over, it was an oasis of calm on this windswept top. It was hard to believe really. It was still cold though so we had a quick stop and headed straight down toward Dodd. It was extremely windy on the top of Dodd, which is a fantastic viewpoint over Buttermere and Crummock Water. Down to Blea Tarn and then we galloped down to Buttermere down the Sourmilk Gill path. This path has been largely remade with forward facing or pointed rocks and is a nightmare. You need to concentrate 100% on your feet to move over it fast. We came down nearly 2500 feet in around 35 minutes. We had another couple of miles back to the car, walking along the shore of Buttermere which was very busy with bank holiday strollers. It was grand to get changed and get in the car in warm clothes. In Keswick it was a complete contrast to yesterday, people wandered around in winter gear, frozen, we headed for coffee and strawberry tart.
As a footnote: there was a photo of a tent on Blencathra in Saturdays Times – it was covered in snow on Friday morning! Six days earlier people were sunbathing and getting burnt. As I write this on the first day of summer it’s cold, windy and very wet and gales are forecast for this evening.