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Perhaps it was the video of dolphins frolicking the in the sea just off the coast of my home town, sent to me by a furlowed friend from work, that pushed me over the edge. The fact that he was getting paid to watch dolphins and I was sat at bloody work, as I have been throughout this pandemic (key worker my ar*e
), was just too much.
As all work and no play makes jack a dull and pi**ed off boy I decided my exile from the hills had to end. I could, of course have visited in the last few weeks, but given the easing of lockdown had just been sprung upon the national parks by those who think they know best, I had decided to hold my fire. By this weekend both the Dales and Lakes looked to at least be getting a degree acceptance of the situation so I was all set. I decided to head for the Cross Keys and walk into the Howgills as I could avoid farm yards and villages no problem.
I arrived just after eight to find two cars already in the layby, a portent of things to come
, and Hughie and I were soon striding along the path to Cautley Spout under blue skies and brilliant sunshine. The hills themselves, glowing in their green velvety magnificence and soaring steeply skywards were crying out to be climbed.
Heading for the hills
Sheep and CragAnd climbed some of them were.... slowly.
Plenty of rests were taken as we made our way up by Cautley Spout, as much moss as water at the moment, and along the top of Cautley Crag. This is my favourite stretch of walking in the Howgills and before we left the end of the Crag we stopped and sat, taking it all in, it felt so good to be back.
Path by Cautley Spout
Cautley Moss?
Almost at the top of the Falls
Top of the Falls, Red Gill Beck
Looking along Cautley Crag
Yarlside
Cautley Holme Beck
Cautley Crag
Looking back along the Crags
A Place to sit and contemplate By this point I had already seen more people, mainly at distance, than I normally would on a walk in the Howgills but no mater, I felt quite good so decided once I had made my way along the side of Great Dummacks (just what is a Dummack???) and onto Calders, I'd bag the last remaining Dewey in the Howgills I'd yet to climb, and visit Arant Haw. By the time we got to Calders the wind was really quite strong but this was, if anything, a good thing as it kept me cool on what would have otherwise been a sweltering day. It was a nice easy wander to Arant Haw and once there I found a spot out of the wind and sat having a snack, taking in a view that included a crystal clear panorama of the Lake District Fells with Mickledore prominent, linking the Scafells.
Sheep and Scree
Arant Haw
From Bog Cotton to Beyond
Final pull up to Calders
Calders Summit with the Lake District Fells in the background
...and a close up
Descending to Arant Haw
Howgill Layers
Back along the path to Calders
Arant Haw Summit with Morecambe Bay in the back ground
Fell Head from Arant Haw
Way back to Calders from Arant HawI found the pull back up to Calders hard going but this was hardly a surprise given the general lack of activity over the last few months but from here on out It was all easy as I quickly passed the Calf Summit, trig point adorned with resting fell runners and dodged a few mountain bikers before finding a quiet spot next to the path down to Bowderdale to have lunch and enjoy views up and down the valley.
Fell Head from The Calf
Lunch stop
Happy BoyThere was little point in continuing down the path at this point so I cut across the open fell down to Bowderdale Beck and headed for the head of the valley. From here, rather than descending the usual path I thought I'd stay higher on the old path that cuts across the flank of Yarlside, partly to avoid people and partly because I'd never used it before. This path, so clear from the other side of the valley is really narrow and strangely not that clear when your're on it.
It also had a few sections of Hughie's nemesis, namely scree, to contend with but overall it was perfectly fine in the main.
Approaching Bowderdale Head
Cautley Spout and Crag
...and again
Hughie and his nemesis
Heading Down
Back to the valleyOnce we returned to the car not only was the layby full but the opposite side of the road had a solid line of cars parked on the verge, not something I've ever seen here before. As I was leaving two car fulls of lads had turned up and were chatting in the middle of the road, seemingly not bothering with any form of social distancing as man hugs and general laddish behaviour were indulged in. I left them to it only to have my faith in the general idiocy of the British public confirmed as I drove though Kirkby Stephen to see hordes of Bikers wandering around visiting every shop they could find in the hope of getting a bacon sandwich and a coffee no doubt.
I'm really glad I went for a walk, and I'm really glad I didn't have contact with anybody while out or visit any shops toilets etc etc but I am now more worried about just what the next few months will bring. Hopefully just a few more wanders in the hills.
