WANDERING IN MAY WITH THE LAKELAND MEANDERER

Beginning of May and it's lost already, I've got another word I use for borrowed and not brought back - stolen 

Ah well, seems at least some people have had some enjoyment out of it. Perhaps when you do next years you can call in with it in person and hang it on the wall yourself  

Well, this morning dawned pretty much the same as Sunday, only I couldn’t even see the lower slopes of Loughrigg due to the mist at around 7.30. So back to bed again and see what an hour or so’s difference would make. Fortunately by 8.30 the mist had lifted and the day looked reasonably clear, if not particularly bright!! No surprise there then, just my usual ‘luck’ with the weather… So it was decision time, what to do and where to do it? The favourite jaunt over Loughrigg was one choice with the hike up Wansfell and over to Troutbeck being another. However as the day seemed to be looking promising the idea of driving upto Keswick and making the often thought of, then discounted, assault on Catbells won the day …see my pic 1178996, and you may get the general idea why it has been ‘avoided’ once or twice!!! So a quick bowl of weetabix preceded the making of sandwiches, which was rapidly followed by a trip to the nearest ‘supermarket’ to purchase a roll of foil, which they did not have so an extortionately expensive pack of sandwich bags was taken instead. I always seem to forget something when packing or doing the initial shopping in Kendal! But what the hell, it all adds to the holiday.

An uneventful, if not frustrating, drive up to Keswick followed. The usual ‘Sunday’ drivers getting in the way. Finally parked up in the car park near the lake at around 1045, boots on camera at the ready and off to buy my boat ticket across to Hawse End, next one due to leave 1130 so a bit of time to wander round pointing the box brownie at a few things, including the imposing mass that is Catbells. But unfortunately the light was very poor so gonna struggle again to find much worth uploading. The boat was full of kids and dogs all with respective owners… Once off at Hawse End there seemed to be a mass march towards the start of the climb upto Catbells. But quite a few had different walks planned. Right at the bottom of the climb is one of those lovely wooden National Park signposts showing ‘Catbells Summit – 1 mile’ Now that is all I needed to know … 1 mile all uphill, once again see the aforementioned photo 1178996, and you will get the feeling of sheer terror. But, I was there so stop panicking and just get on with it.  Once on the path I have to say it is very well constructed albeit pigging steep right from step one. After about a hundred yards it was a case of backpack off, remove fleece, fasten fleece to backpack, redon backpack and carry on relentlessly uphill. Families ranging from 5-6 year old kids upto grandparents, some I reckon older than me!!! (the grandparents that is) all with the same idea as me today, and most of them passing me!! As is usual with these Lakeland fells the higher you go, the windier and cooler it gets, so was wearing the fleece again quite soon. After maybe 20-25 minutes reached the first of the two summits on Catbells, and had 5 minutes rest along with about another 30-40 folk. Don’t think I have ever seen a hill so heavily populated. Then a very light drizzle started so the fleece came off and the waterproof went on, which was a good decision as the wind was bringing with quite a cool chill factor. The initial trek from the first summit towards the main summit is not too difficult, in fact actually includes a bit of descent, but not much. However the last couple of hundred yards to the actual summit is quite scramble, but well worth the effort. Only trouble today is that at having had a quick look already, there are no photos that do it justice !! And what I think I have I reckon are beyond help with photoshop. So there’s a good excuse to put myself through the agony again sometime….

Once at the top it was almost as busy as Trafalgar Square on New Years Eve. So just had a quick look round at the views on offer and went off to find shelter behind a rock to partake of some lunch. It had taken more or less an hour to climb the 1 mile from start to summit which I don’t think is too bad. The descent was not quite as steep but quite a lot was ‘stepped’ and I don’t know anyone who likes descending the hills on steps. Puts too much strain on the knees!! Steps can help going up but no good for going down!!  Needless to say the descent was a bit quicker than the ascent and about 40 minute later was on the Cumbria Way heading towards Lodore and the flat trek back up the eastern side of Derwentwater to Keswick. By now both fleece and water waterproof had been consigned to their respective straps on the backpack and t-shirt was the order for the rest of the afternoon. Finally got back to the car at about 4pm, 41/2 hours after setting sail from Keswick and almost 4 hours to the minute from commencing the climb up Catbells, so all in all quite pleased. The drive back to Ambleside was yet again impeded by idiots who can’t read the road in front of them let alone roadsigns!!!

Back home by 4.45 and a quick unload of the car was followed by the obligatory visit to the Rule for a few well deserved pints and some great unintelligible conversation with a few of the locals and the bar staff. An hour or so later back home and a very quick makeshift tea was followed by a much needed shower and shave, then a catch up wit e-mails and such.

But all in all a good day was enjoyed albeit with probably very little photo content to show for it. Will have to wait til I get home and see what can be rescued when seen on the pc screen (22 inch as opposed to the 15 of the laptop)

Provisional plan for Tuesday, weather permitting is either Loughrigg with a bit time spent exploring some of the paths I have not done previously, or up and over Wansfell and take a stroll into Troutbeck before heading back to Ambleside.

But as usual all that could be decimated by what I see when I peep through the curtains around 7.30 . . . . .

Should be a bit quieter for you today Dave, now the Bank Holiday is over and all the Sunday drivers and kids are off the roads and fells.

What is it with foil ? I think you must have gone to the same supermarket as we did looking for the stuff, I too ended up with sandwich bags 

Hope the weather is a bit better for you today, it's warm and sunny here, but that has no bearing whatsoever on what it's like where you are. Anyway enjoy your day  

I love the sound of falling rain!!!!!

Especially when it is around midnight and I am tucked in my bed. But had to get out and open the windows a little more to hear it properly. It’s quite a different sound from that I hear at home, don’t know why, it just is. So I lay in bed for an hour or so just listening to the rain which was very nice and soothing but in the back of my mind the thought going round was – how long is this gonna last, and what will the morning bring!! Would the walking be curtailed and a drive down to Bowness be the order of the day and a carvery lunch in the lakeside pub?

Anyway it didn’t last too long as when I woke about 3am it had stopped so hope was in the air. The 7.30 ‘open curtains weather forecast’ confirmed that a walk was gonna take place. A bright clear view over Loughrigg Fell with patches of blue sky boded well for the day. Got back under the covers for half an hour and woke again at 8.30!! The usual easy breakfast of weetabix was followed by the making a few sandwiches, together with a couple of sausage rolls and few choccy biccies which were bagged and consigned to the rucksack along with a light waterproof and couple of lenses.

Out of the door shortly after 10.00 with the original plan of the regular hike over Loughrigg to Grasmere being shelved in favour of the initially more strenuous climb up Wansfell, possibly a bit shorter than the 1 mile hike yesterday up Catbells, but a bit more relentless with no flat bits to catch breath back. The only way to get your breath back is simply to stop on the path for a few minutes. But as there were not many folk out in the hills today it was not too much of a problem. Before I had reached to start of the climb my phone had gone off and it was a plumber wanting to know when he could call round to mend a leaking tap!! I had told the letting agents that the kitchen tap was leaking, and must have been leaking for a year or more and I’ve only been in residence for a few weeks!! Anyway told him I was on holiday and would be back mid morning Saturday but no problem he was gonna see the agents and get their spare key and get the job sorted. So onwards and upwards and shortly after 1030 was on the lower slopes of Wansfell albeit fairly steep right from the start. There were one or two small groups dotted up the hill ahead of me so there was gonna be a bit company at some point. After only a couple of hundred yards or so and a couple of breathing breaks there were a few more folk following me so more company soon depending on their state of fitness. At least there were no kids this time. I remember last years assault up Wansfell where little kids were almost running past me.

Very similar to yesterday on Catbells the breeze got stronger and the temperature dropped the higher I went. On reaching the summit the waterproof jacket came out of the backpack just for 10-15 minutes protection against the chill factor. Tried to take a few photos from the summit looking out over Windermere but the strength of the wind may render them somewhat blurred. I doubt if even a good solid tripod would have made things better today. The best option being to brace myself against rocks and fences and just hope for the best. Shutter speeds were good and high 1/400 and 1/500 but was practically impossible to stand steady. But we shall see when I get home if anything succeeded. The early part of the descent towards Nanny Lane is fairly steep and rocky and can be a bit dicey after a bit of rain, but not too bad today so reasonable progress was made despite the usual stops to point the camera at things and press the button. Eventually arriving in Troutbeck a slightly different route through the village was taken as compared with last years walk along the road. I had noticed a few little tracks leading off the road which ended up at the church and then led back up to the road just where I needed to be for Ambleside. A couple of really quiet, leafy little tracks designated as bridleways, although I think you would need a very thin horse to get down them, with barely enough room for two people to pass let alone horses!! Plenty of bluebells again lining the hedgerows. Finally arrived at the little church but as there were a few people in the churchyard tending to some graves I decided not to trample round too much and just tried a few photos from close the gate. Not that I am religious at all but if they want a bit of peace and quiet who am I to go barging around. There will always be another day. Onto another even narrower, and somewhat overgrown track to head back up to the road and the turn off onto Robin Lane which would take me back to Ambleside. Was beginning to feel a bit peckish now, but knew of a few benches dotted along Robin Lane so planned to sit down for a rest and a sandwich or two. But lo and behold every time I got to one someone else had already bagged it. So kept on trekking in the hope of finding a vacant one. Just approaching one of the many farm gates and tracks when a flock of sheep and lambs was being moved from one field to another so let the farmer and his dog move them along and just followed on at a very gentle pace. After about 10 minutes they were moved in the new pasture which just happened to be the one that the continuation of Robin Lane went through. Had a brief chat with the farmer and carried on towards Ambleside. By now was not on my own a few more walkers had followed up the lane and been slowed by the livestock movement so I backed off a bit and let them get on at their own pace. Still looking for somewhere to sit I found a reasonably comfortable rock on which to sit and take on some sustenance at last. However that was very short lived as a somewhat antagonistic Ewe started getting a bit too close for comfort bleating at me with quite a stern look about her. Needless to say I did not hang around much longer. Gathered my backpack and camera and made a hasty retreat eating as I walked. The Ewe and her 2 lambs must have followed me for at least 50 yards before accepting that I was not a threat only trying to get out of her way. I had now around 2pm and I had been on my feet since before 10am and the legs were beginning to ache just a little !!! One more chance of a bench before landing in Ambleside and that was just inside Skelghyll Woods but yet again someone had beaten me to it !! This was beginning to be not funny anymore. So I carried on now with the prime aim of getting to the pierhead where there are about 6 or 7 benches and surely at least one would be available. Finally arrived to find all but one of the benches were available I had a choice at last. Sat there just watching the world go by for a good 20 minutes, really, really needed this sit down. But oh what aches when I tried to stand up. Got back to the cottage around 3.30. Had already decided that tonight’s meal was gonna be a steak in the Unicorn, best steaks in the village. So an earlier than usual wander for a couple in the Golden Rule about 4.30. Not very busy today but that is no surprise seeing that the Bank Holiday is now over. So a bit of banter with John and Steve over the bar returning home about 5.30. A shower and shave followed by a rest for an hour before getting out again to the Unicorn, they only do food between 7 and 9 so no point going any earlier. It was only the thought of a nice juicy rare-medium steak with all the trimmings that got my legs through the pain barrier, should never have sat down for so long. Back home before 8 and a bit of tidying and catching up with e-mails. Had put the washer on before going out so that was all put in the dryer. Camera batteries put on charge and rest a while …… but by hell the legs still ache every time I get up !!

As to tomorrow all being well gonna try to get up onto Loughrigg and have a bit of an explore of some of the myriad tracks that I not looked in yet in previous visits, then onto Grasmere and if the weather is suitable the obligatory ice-cream sitting by the village green before heading back to Ambleside via the old coffin route, along the lower flanks of Nab Scar, and then through Rydal Park back to Ambleside. But the best laid plans can all go awry depending what the curtains reveal at 7.30

Another great read Dave. Hope the legs are holding out, along with the weather, the forecast didn't look too good last night. 

Enjoy Wednesday  

Sorry folks, not a lot to report today unfortunately!!

The 7.30 curtain weather forecast was reasonable but still followed by another hour in bed. Good clear skies over Loughrigg which was to be the target today so all seemed well. But within the 15 or so minutes it took me make packup and consign sandwiches and lenses and other bits and pieces to the rucksack the clouds were beginning to roll in. Still looking clear and fairly bright over Loughrigg Fell so off I ventured at about 9.30. By 9.40 was back in the cottage wondering how long the drizzly rain would last. Had I got about 15 minutes further on before the rain I would have been half way up the climb towards Loughrigg and Lily Tarn, in which case I would have carried on. But 5 minutes from the door common sense prevailed for a change. And unfortunately that was it for the day walking wise. The drizzle became light rain and did not desist all day. Last nights washing and drying was ironed (may as well do something useful!!) The around 1230 decided to make the short drive to Bowness with the intention of having one of amazing value carvery’s at the Lakeview pub. Managed to find a 2 hour free parking slot on the road and walked back to the pub, in the rain, only to find they were closed!!!!!! So that was another letdown for the day. Back to the car and return to Ambleside and just generally potter around. Got an e-mail from the youngest stepdaughter asking if I still wanted the birthday present I had indicated that I would have liked. Just bear in mind today is May 7^th and my birthday was in February ! ! !  But that’s the way she is and I love her like she is. Somewhere during the afternoon I must have nodded off for half an hour or so, such is what doing nothing does!! The customary few beers were enjoyed in the Rule. Met a couple who had been there the same December week as I was so had a chat with them for a while. Fish and chips for tea followed by shower and shave and then settle down to e-mails and POE for a while. Absolutely nothing worth watching on the TV so got some CD’s playing. Just hope tomorrow may be a bit of an improvement but somehow get the feeling it may not. Walking up North Road to the Rule and looking down into Stock Ghyll showed almost twice as much water running as there had been same time last night. So quite a bit of water has fallen up in the hills. May be worth a 2^nd trip up to High Sweden Bridge if the wet continues….. it can look quite dramatic after a good rain where the stream bends actually under the bridge. But that will depend on how wet the next couple of days are because the tracks up to and down from the Bridge can turn almost into rivers themselves in places.

Hopefully the next installment will be a bit more interesting, but who can say…