Archive for the 'Great Escapes' Category

Far Eastern Fells Wildcamping – Day 3 – A fine finish

Posted by on June 4th 2008 in Annual Wildie, Great Escapes, Lakes Escapes, Wildcamping
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We were awake at 07:00 and packed up by 08:00, ready for the last leg of the walk. The weather was still in our favour - overcast but warm with a slight breeze.

We strolled up onto the nearest high ground (a low mound just to the side of the dry tarn) and made a beeline from there to Selside Pike. The walk was uneventful and quiet except for the racket made by a flock of seagulls that we had to walk past as we crossed Captain Whelter Bog. We made it to the summit shelter by 08:50, took a few pics and chose a route down to lower ground.

 

Selside Pike shelter

 

Our chosen route took us down over High Blake Dodd and Selside End, allowing us to get a great view of Swindale.

 

Swindale

 

We joined the Old Corpse Road at the highest point and headed off towards Haweswater. Unlike a lot of walk-offs where the best of the scenery is usually behind you, this path leads back into the heart of Mardale Head, with an end-on view of the Long Stile ridge, so the view in front gets better with every step. There's great satisfaction in looking at the circuit of high peaks surrounding the head of the valley and thinking "we've just been up all of those". The view really opens up at High Loup, where we took some pics and a short rest. The abandoned buildings here, high on the fellside, would make a good bivvy spot.

 

Mardale Head panorama from High Loup

 

Long Stile, Rough Crag and The Rigg from High Loup

 

We then descended the path which goes down in steep zig-zags, passing some fine waterfalls in wooded ravines, before reaching the road right opposite The Rigg, which is the wooded terminus of the Long Stile/Rough Crag ridge.

 

Waterfalls in Hopgill Beck

 

On reaching the road there was a choice of routes back to the car-park: along the road, or along the lakeside path. We chose to take the road, having done enough steep descending for one morning. Little did we know that we would have to pass perilously close to the lair of the local hoodlums...

 

BEWARE!

 

After that, the route was without danger and we made it back to the car unscathed. We had a quick change of clothes, a snack and a chat with some anglers and walkers in the car-park, then we were off to find somewhere for lunch just as the first rain of the weekend started. Excellent timing, eh?

The journey back down the M6 was as bad as the journey up had been good. There were hold-ups at almost every major junction, and two lanes were blocked by an accident near J13, snarling up the traffic right back to J15 and beyond, so we bailed at J16 instead of the usual J12 and took a cross-country route. In the end it took a shade over 7 hours to do the 195 miles back home.

Expect a post-trip analysis soon...

Far Eastern Fells Wildcamping – Day 2 – Ups and downs

Posted by on June 3rd 2008 in Annual Wildie, Great Escapes, Lakes Escapes, Wildcamping
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We woke at 04:30 but it wasn't fully light so we decided to have a lie-in. Well, why not? It was the weekend!

At 05:30 the sun was about to rise above the bank of low cloud far away in the North-East, so we went walkabout among the crags, peering down gullies and taking more pics. The views into and across Riggindale were immense, with the bonus of this being one of the best points of vantage for seeing the shy hanging valley of Sale Pot just beyond Short Stile. Riggindale Beck's twists and meanders glistened in the early light, being visible all the way from the source to the mouth at Haweswater. I could have spent another hour or so at this place, but we needed to be away.

 

Riggindale from Caspel Gate

 

Breakfast was a lengthy and leisurely affair - the day promised to be hot and sunny, so we wanted to take in a lot of fluids to cut down on the amount we would need to carry up, knowing that the flat top of High Street would be dry. We managed to cut the carry-up water to 1l each.

We struck camp and finished packing by 09:00 then started up Long Stile towards High Street, pausing now and again to take more pics. We made the summit at 09:40 just as the sun started to make itself felt.

 

Looking back down Long Stile

 

Muggins on the High Street plateau

 

After a few minutes at the top, we headed off towards Mardale Ill Bell, a gentle stroll that took all of 35 minutes, during which time we met a few folk walking up to the High Street plateau. We found a tadpole-infested small pond about 20 yards from the summit of the Bell, it was full of peat-stained water but we trusted our filter-bottles and processed enough for a quick brew. The Jetboil was eyed jealously by the few folk that passed the summit outcrop, comments like "I see you've got the kettle on" were met with offers of a free cuppa but there were no takers. Oh, well, it was their loss, it tasted good!

 

The Ill Bell Ridge from Mardale Ill Bell summit

Next on the list of objectives was Harter Fell. We were unsure of water availability at the Nan Bield Pass, so we made our stock back up to 2l and made our way down to the shelter in the pass. After a short breather, we carried on up the slope to Harter Fell, partly in shade but mostly in sunshine. Predictably, the small ponds at the top were dry, thus justifying the carrying up of those 2 litres.

 

The top of Harter Fell

 

At this point we had to make a decision. We had planned for the option of nipping down to Kentmere Pike and Shipman Knotts before carrying on around the head of Mardale. The sun was now really strong, so we elected to play safe and just go down to the Pike for lunch, and make another decision about the Knotts later, depending on water availability. The walk down to Kentmere Pike was soon done, and the Jetboil was soon steaming away boiling up for food and another brew. I wandered off packless to get a view of the Knotts but decided to leave them for another day.

 

Kentmere Pike trigpoint

 

We spent some time sitting in the sun but it was soon time to move on. We trudged back up to Harter Fell, pausing there only for a photo-opportunity, and strode around the Mardale edge of the wide curving ridge to Little Harter Fell before descending to the top of the Gatescarth Pass.

At the pass we were down to 0.5l each, so we had to scout around to find more before going on. With water we would carry on to Branstree, without it we would retire back to the valley. Eventually I found the spring that is the source of Gatescarth Beck, it was a cold and crystal-clear pond, no more than 3ft x 2ft and home to at least one splendid newt. We refilled and started up the dull, steep, straight grassy track next to the boundary fence, knowing that it led directly to the top of the fell. This was the third significant ascent of the day and our legs were really feeling the strain, but we made the top in good time - indeed, we stayed only for some pics, then carried on to the magnificent cairns on Artle Crag, situated in a strange area of naturally-standing rocks.

 

Cairns on Artle Crag

 

From there we could see our next pitch - the two tarns (one full, the other dry) just beyond the Manchester Corporation Water Works survey post, which we reached at about 17:00. I toyed with the idea of nipping off packless to nab Tarn Crag and Grey Crag but decided that the more-or-less pathless 6km there and back would be too much, so we pitched early so that Chris could get some rest. We spent a leisurely evening waiting for the sun to set the skies alight, but it turned out to be a bit of a let-down - nice, but nothing spectacular.

 

M.C.W.W. Survey Post

 

Tarn

 

Sunset

 

After a hearty meal and a well-deserved wash, it was time for some shuteye. It had been a tiring day, but well worth the effort.

To be continued...

Far Eastern Fells Wildcamping – Day 1 – Hold-ups and detours

Posted by on June 2nd 2008 in Annual Wildie, Great Escapes, Lakes Escapes, Wildcamping
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We had a hassle-free drive up the A5 and the M6 to Junction 39, there were none of the usual roadworks to hold us up, so we made good time to Shap. Then it was time to crank up the satnav and head off for the pre-programmed lat/long for Mardale Head. After a few miles we ended up at the end of the road into Swindale, with CoPilot telling us to "take the local road" directly to the head of Haweswater. Well, the only "local road" that goes the right way is the "Old Corpse Road", and that's hardly fit for MTBs, let alone cars, so we ditched the satnav and rerouted using the OS map. The nav error wasn't a complete waste of time, though, as Swindale is a nice place (we'll come back for a proper visit another time) and we saw some wildlife on the way out, including one of the biggest hares I've ever seen. Sadly, it was off before I could get the camera out, so I've no pics of the beast.

Anyway, we were soon belting down the road to Mardale Head but after a mile or so we were halted by a resurfacing crew who told us that we couldn't go further as they had the road blocked between the Haweswater Hotel and the road-end car-park. "Typical", I thought, "we've picked the only week for years when the head of the valley is off-limits", but a friendly chat with their gaffer revealed that they had just run out of tar and so would be going home soon. About 20 minutes later all their plant came back, followed by a string of cars full of disgruntled families.

We soon hauled up in the car-park and, after changing into our walking gear, donned our packs and made for Blea Water, which was our second-choice of pitch for the first night.

 

Blea Water panorama, Mardale Ill Bell (l) and High Street (r)

 

It was an easy walk up and we made it to the dam much sooner than we had anticipated, so after a snack-break we decided to head off up the easy grass slope on the right to our first-choice site, Caspel Gate Tarn on the ridge of Long Stile. This turned out to be an excellent place to overnight, there being plenty of level pitches and exhilarating views down each side of the ridge into the adjoining valleys. We would have had plenty of time to get up onto High Street to the third-choice site before dark, but that would have involved carrying up 5 litres of water for a night on the dry top, and neither of us was enthralled at that idea. Besides, I wanted to be at Caspel Gate at dawn to get some photos of the crags in the morning light. High Street could wait until the next day, we were in no rush.

 

High Street and Long Stile from the Caspel Gate pitch

 

As we pitched, the broken clouds, which had been just grazing the tops, lifted and thickened a little, which ensured that we would have a mild night. We had the place to ourselves, having seen nobody else at all since leaving the car-park. There was no running water, so we filtered from the tarn, brewed up, had some food then settled in for the night after taking a few photos.

 

Rough Crag from the Caspel Gate pitch

 

To be continued...

Estovers

Posted by on May 13th 2008 in Great Escapes, Pics

In the true spirit of recycling, I had an afternoon at the local common exercising the old right of estovers (the right to take sufficient wood for the commoner's house or agriculture; usually limited to smaller trees and fallen branches). OK, I've probably stretched my rights a bit far, as I've used the wood for edging the lawn, but at least I've used a carbon-neutral resource and done a little bit more to save the planet.

While I was there, I took a few pics of the woods and the seasonal flora. Click any of the following to access all of them.

OM Meet – Beddgelert

Posted by on April 29th 2008 in Great Escapes, Kites
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We left the sunny Midlands just before midday and headed up the A5 into the gathering gloom. The sun was lost as we crossed the M6, and the rain had set in by the time we arrived at Beddgelert (after a detour to Wrexham, as Ella the Navigator missed the Llangollen turn-off).

After meeting up with Paul, Beth and Jake the Dug, we mooched around the site for an hour or so trying to decide where to pitch - the Forest Holidays site's not particularly level or well-drained, and it looked like we were in for another weekend like the Braithwaite Mudbath one a while back. Terry arrived and we scouted the site together, he had gone for a pitch with an electricity hook-up, so he was banished to the top end of the site where the posh people hang out. Eventually I decided to pitch in the lower field, where Simon and Russell were already set up, and which was soon nicknamed "the submarine pen" for obvious reasons. The rain was incessant while I was pitching the tent and I was soon soaked right through, Ella sat in the car watching and thought that this was hilarious. Well, it wasn't cold, and I wasn't going to get dry if I donned waterproofs, so I just didn't bother with them.

Jerome and Sharon arrived just as we were finishing up, so we helped them pitch and then it was pub-time. Having no other dry clothes except for the proper walking gear, I reckoned that my soaked clothes would dry quicker in the pub than in the tent, it seemed like a good idea at the time. We passed the newly-arrived Matt and MoS on the way out as we went down to The Tanronnen for a pub meal which was OK but nothing spectacular. After getting some minor hassle from the landlady regarding the ordering of our meals and also about payment by plastic, I didn't feel quite so guilty about my clothes soaking every seat that I sat on. To be honest, I was glad to leave there and head over the road to The Prince Llewelyn to join the other half of the group, and where I met more new faces (Lawrence and Rachel) mixed in with those of the usual suspects. I like the Llewelyn, it's much more my sort of place.

Anyway, soon it was time to head back to base for some shuteye.

Saturday morning was much better weather-wise. Low cloud but no rain to speak of. The tide had gone out by the time we emerged from the tent, and plans were soon made. Ella was feeling a bit poorly, so the original plan of going up either Tryfan or Moel Siabod was ditched and we decided to have a gentle stroll around Cwm Idwal. Jerome was up for this too, so we went off together while Sharon had a day of shopping and other lowland stuff.

The walk around the cwm was good fun. We watched the helicopter above Tryfan (we thought that the chopper was on exercise but it turns out that it was up there for a real emergency - they aided in the recovery of a Worcestershire teenager who was rushed into intensive care with head injuries and broken limbs, it was on the news on Monday (this info is courtesy of Jerome, there's a report on the Grough site here)), we watched the climbers on the Idwal Slabs, and we took loads of photos. We even found some sunshine!

 

The view up Afon Llugwy, snow above Cwm Lloer

 

Idwal Slabs - count the climbers.
I make it 16 in view, many others are out of sight at the foot of the slabs.

 

Lunch was taken at the back of the cwm in the lee of the large boulder, where we introduced Jerome to the delights of flying the Imp. The kite-flying was challenging in the swirling, gusting wind, but I'll certainly be taking it into the mountains again.

 

Too close for comfort!

 

Back at base, there was time for a quick SS&S before socialising with the others and heading off for Mike's BBQ, where we ate royally and had much fun talking banter and b*ll*cks before the warden decided that the BBQ had become a dangerous forest-destroying wild inferno to be extinguished without delay. Which was bad timing, really, as Helen and Colin turned up to a wet steaming mush rather than the homely fire that we had just been enjoying.

We held out for a while longer but a light rain started so we headed back to the tent for the night.

As usual, Sunday started with more rain. IIRC, all of the OM meets that I've been on have had rainy Sunday mornings. Coincidence? Probably not. Anyway, we packed away and cleared up, said our goodbyes to friends old and new then headed off, pausing only for a few photo-opportunities at Llyn Dinas and a small shopping session in Betws (thanks here to Matt for his kind help at Cotswold Rock-Bottom), before finding somewhere for lunch (the nearest Little Chef).

 

Boathouse on Llyn Dinas

 

Of course, it rained all the way home after leaving Betws, and it's hardly stopped since. It's now Tuesday and the tent's still in the wet-bag awaiting the chance to hang it out to dry.

So, no grand peaks surmounted, no classic ridge-walks, no daring deeds done. Nevertheless, it was a great weekend. Thanks from us to all you others that made it so.

Previously thought to be extinct…

Posted by on April 28th 2008 in Great Escapes, Just for fun

... here's proof that the Beddgelert Buck-toothed Bog-monster really exists!

More details to follow.
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