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So a week in Lakeland for the first time in what is actually years. With Nicola still marching on with her PHD and Grace still nursing a dodgy knee I was to be granted a free pass to bag some hills on my tod. Hopes were we would have a couple of family outings and were initially considering the Sunday for a bimble up Harter Fell. The forecast changed however with the Monday looking far more amenable so it was just Hughie and I who set off from our cottage situated a couple of miles from Sellafield (kept the price reasonable
) for deepest darkest Eskdale and a walk up Green Crag.
The forecast promised rain and when we got out the car at the Woolpack it was certainly quite dark and with a light drizzle.
Unsurprisingly the Woolpack is now charging for parking (£5 for 4 hours £7 all day). Can't say I blame them to be honest, I'd rather this fantastic hostelry remained open rather than went to the wall in the current financial climate, I would like to think most people would feel the same way. I chatted a little to a couple who were also climbing Green Crag in the car park, we would meet again on the summit and they would be the only other people me and Hughie would see all walk.
With full expectation of a good soaking I set off with waterproof trousers on but as the rain was currently very light I left my jacket off until needed as it was also feeling quite close and humid. By the time I was on the peat road, not only had the rain stopped, but the sun was shining brightly making it hot work as there was not a breath of wind going up the path.
The River Esk from Doctor Bridge
Starting to brighten up above Low Birker
Goat Crag
Blue Skies on the way up the Peat Road
...and a glorious view back to upper Eskdale
The ruin on the Peat RoadBy the time we got to the ruined hut I decided we would try to stay high rather than use the wet path by Low Birker Tarn, this was a tactic that largely paid off and I caught up the couple from the Woolpack on the final pull up to the summit, still largely in bright sunshine and still very warm and humid. This was more than could be said for other areas of the Lakes with ominous clouds in just about every direction, particularly towards Wasdale which looked to be getting a really good soaking.
Staying high to avoid the wet ground
Green Crag comes into view
Not quite so sunny over that way
Raining beyond Devoke Water
Mixed weather over upper Eskdale
Cook Crag from the way up Green Crag
...and some nice light on Cook Crag from higher up
Closing in on Harter FellI lunched on the summit in the sunshine, watching the weather all around, marvelling as to just how lucky I had struck. Another little chat with the couple from the Woolpack was had before I set off to grab the other Birketts of Green Crag.
Green Crag summit
Looks like it's tipping down in Wasdale
Looking West from Green Crag
...and to the weather to the North
Hughie being a good boy
Harter Fell and Green Crag summitThere is an old saying, 'fail to plan, plan to fail', and this was to be proven on the remainder of this walk. In my head there were just two other Birketts on Green Crag, the first was obvious in the shape of Cook Crag so off I diddled and quickly attained the fine summit (better than Green Crag for me) via a short easy scramble. Following this and eyeing up the increasingly grim looking conditions to the North I headed off for Kepple Crag with the thought of, 'it's somewhere over there' in my head. My somewhat 'laissez faire' attitude to navigation did eventually get me to Kepple Crag, via an un-named 409m lump but missed out entirely the rather oddly chosen and quite innocuous Great Whinscale.
On the way to Cook Crag
Looking back to Green Crag from the start of the scramble up Cook Crag
Harter Fell again
Ominous weather from the summit of Cook Crag
...and with added dog
And another from Cook Crag summit
Towards upper Eskdale
Typical terrain
Scafells getting engulfed
Conditions becoming more moodyBy the time we reached Kepple Crag the sunshine had departed and the skies had become rather gloomy so we didn't linger and headed off to try and link up with our outward route. Thankfully the ground wasn't too wet and the inevitable rain held off until the peat road was reached when the heavens opened in great big droplets that made me thankful of having still kept my water proof trousers on.
Bit Gloomy on Kepple Crag
Hughie refusing to say cheese on Kepple Crag
Last shot before the rain arrivedAll in all, despite missing a top and getting a bit wet, this was a great start to the week.
