Deja Dollywaggon, and Angletarn too.

[The English Alpinist]

Immense credit to the guy who took this for me: LCD screen is bust so the user has to point and estimate what's in the frame.

Another one down, 3 to go!

That's 3 more walks to do to achieve my goal of all the Wainwrights in one winter. The deadline is Saturday 26th March, exactly a week from the date of this walk. Oh, did I say '3'? I said 3 last time too . Well, unfortunately that's because I've decided I need to revisit Rosthwaite Fell. I just can't for the life of me figure out whether I hit the summit in the whiteout on 5th March. It will bug me forever after this venture is all over. So close to the finish line I'll have to go back and make sure. Never mind, it'll only be a 2-hour walk.

This one was somewhat longer. Here I was revisiting the other two near-misses from earlier in the campaign. Dollywaggon was another whiteout, the 13th December, where I passed the so-called 'Post' on the path just below the summit. At the time I had not done my research properly, and didn't know exactly where I'd find the summit proper. Also, I was, in a word, scared, with it getting late in the day and the snow being difficult to get through. I had to get down, and I knew I was en route to Grisedale Tarn on a compass bearing, so I just kept moving.

The Angletarn Pikes were 4 days after this. No snow this time, but some cloud had come in by the end of the afternoon and the days were shorter then. In the mist I wasn't sure whether I'd hit the north Pike, although I definitely found the south because the mist cleared for long enough for me to see the well-known view down to the tarn from it. Again, lack of research really. Lazy! I didn't want to hang around, and finished up walking into Patterdale with darkness falling.

Today was to be far easier, navigationally, basically because I could see everything.

Approach by Grisedale Beck.

Beginning of ascent proper, alongside Ruthwaite Gill.

Looking over to St Sunday Crag, from ascent up The Tongue of Dollywaggon.

Looking back down towards Patterdale.

The summit draws close.

The ridge between Dollywaggon Pike and Nethermost Pike.

This time success! The summit of Dollywaggon Pike, climbed via The Tongue (behind me).

After my experience on Base Brown a few days ago, I was a tad nervous about ascending Dollywaggon via 'The Tongue'. There's no marked path, but plenty of people have done it and I'd looked it up. I discovered it was no big deal, just a bit of a slog and hand-use in places, and watching your step. I wouldn't recommend it in mist, though, or in snow without crampons or even axe. It made for a neat little circuit over the Pike and down via Grisedale Tarn. Well, it was 'interesting' to see The Post in visibility. Dang! I was only a 5-minute trudge away from the summit last time, one simple direction change up and down. For that, I've had to come back for this 4-hour trek. Worth it for the views, though, and a walk to remember for the right reasons.

'The Post', as it looked today in Spring.

As it looked in December, when I was hoping it was the summit but knew it wasn't.

This shows how near it is to the summit! (figures up there are at it).

I complete a loop to Rusthwaite House, descending back to Patterdale via Grisedale Tarn.

Late afternoon becomes sunny, back in Patterdale.

Idyllic 30-minute break outside Patterdale Hotel! I plot Angle Tarn Pikes.

Back in Patterdale, I was not overjoyed about the prospect of another trek, albeit a lot shorter: a 2-hour visit (re-visit, rather) to Angletarn Pikes. I gathered my enthusiasm over a latte on the lawn of Patterdale Hotel. It was an excellent one (the latte). The worst thing about it was that I was having bad rash trouble again on my legs. This is a problem that started recently. I thought I'd solved it on the Coledale Horsehoe when I wore leggings, so I wore the same ones again today. However, I'd washed them since. There we have it! Biological washing powder, I reckon. Avoid!

Not to worry, it wasn't crippling but it looked and felt like I'd been wading through thigh-deep nettles all day. The evening came out beautiful, the overcast sky of earlier breaking up to lend an amazing golden tranquillity to Angle Tarn by the time I got up there. There were just two people down there on one of the little islands, and a few geese squarking. I can honestly say I'm delighted I did this, even though I reckon I probably did actually hit the north Pike last time after all! 90% certain anyway. I don't know what else it could have been, the other outcrops didn't look high enough.

Since I've done this twice, perhaps I can count it instead of Rosthwaite?! Perhaps not. I would not take a lot of persuading, though (hint). I might well get up there and find I had hit that the first time too.

The path up to Boredale Hause, thence to Angle Tarn Pikes.

Approaching the north Pike (the one I need).

Climbing the north Pike, looking back to Place Fell.

On Angle Tarn Pike, north.

View across to the south Pike.

There's no doubt my feet this time were on Angle Tarn Pike, north!

I did the south Pike (again), just for good measure, and because it was a beautiful evening.

Reminiscence: as was in December, this was a brief break in the mist at cold dusk..

View from south Pike to north Pike.

Return to Patterdale, and the day is done (fully).

our_route.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts

[ChrisW]

Nice to see another chalked off TEA....not sure I'm buying the "do one twice to count toward another" good effort but I think you're going to have to return to be sure, you know it would annoy you forever if you didn't Keep on climbing mate, you're almost there