Nicholls And Nicholls - Day 2 Lakes Bagging

[Ibex]

Nicholls And Nicholls - Day Two Of Peak Bagging In The Lakes

After a good nights sleep, all seemed good for the next day of walking. My feet were aching a little, but AJ was in good shape and ready to go.
We decided to try and do some around the Landale valley, so drove through Keswick on the way and stopped to stock up on supplies, so I didn't run out of water again.
Consequesntly we got to Old Dungeon Ghyll a little late and parked up. As we were doing a circular route this day, we only needed a single car.

Sadly the weather was not so good as yesterday. It was drizzling with a lot of clag, so I decided to leave my camera in the car. This would turn out to be a bit of a shame, but much later on in the day.

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We made a start at around 11am and walked up the Cumbrian way and took the turning off to the left up Rossett Gill towards Rossett Pike (26th for me, but AJ had done it before). A long walk up to the top was made more difficult by some very strong winds. We got to the top and had a little sit, whilst we got the maps out in the wind and decided on our path.
At this point the pair of us got the shock of a life time, when a dog appeared silently on either side of us. I can't speak for AJ, but I had my hood up and a hat on, and didn't see it till it was about 6 inches from my face.

We gave the dogs a stroke and exchanged pleasentries with their owners, and then had a walked towards Angle Tarn on and towards Esk Hause. There were three workers fixing the path to the North of Angle Tarn. Don't fancy their job much.
We turned off to the right and went up to Allen Crags (27th and 149th). Sadly visability was down to about 10 metres here, but we were both sure it would look great in the sunshine.

We headed back to Esk Hause and then went up to Esk Pike (28th and 150th). The 150th up for AJ, but I didn't help him celebrate well as I was swearing like a docker, due to the wind, which had got up even more. Everywhere I looked the the peak of my hat kept blowing down into my face and with the heavy clag, I was worried about losing AJ. We got to the top fine and saw two cairns of around the same height, so we touched both of them to make sure.
AJ's GPS system was helping us find the summits here. I am confident I could get to the general area, but being certain of hitting the summit with just my map and compass would have been difficult.

We went of to Bowfell via Ore Gap from here and though the wind dropped, the clag persisted. It was clear why it was called Ore Gap from the heavy red staining from iron ores on the path.
We got to the top of Bowfell (29th and 151st) in heavy clag again. Again we thought it would look magnificent in better weather.

From here it was a drop down to three tarns and then on up to Crinkle Crags. As there was a series of Hewitts on Crinkle Crags, we decided to go up everything that had some prominence. We went up Earing Crag and Gunson Knott and a few others, before we hit the Long Top summit of Crinkle Crags for my 30th and AJ's 152nd Wainwrights.
We headed down to the South and got to the 'bad step'. At this point it was getting late, and we didn't fancy tackling the drop. Though looking back at pictures, we could have done it. It looks a lot worse looking down though!

We had to return all the way to three tarns and then took the path down White Stones down to the farm. We then had to double back on ourselves to avoid farmland and finally got back to the Cumbrian Way and back to the car for 9pm. 10 hours of hard walking, but another great day.
On the walk down the sun came out and the clag cleared and we got some fantastic views of Bowfell from three tarns, as well as Pike of Stickle and Pike of Blisko, looking magnificent, like sentinels watching over the Langdale valley.

Taking my boots off at the car was too good to describe in words!
We had a quick pint in the local pub, with a band of bearded men singing in the back ground, then drove to Ambleside to get food in a chippy quick.
We made it back to the youth hostel at 10.58pm, with 2 minutes to spare before they shut the gates.
After a long shower I climbed into bed and was asleep quickly. Sadly some so and so had knicked my bunk and I had to clamber into the top bunk.

Day 3

I am nursing a blister the size of a 10p coin on the ball of my right foot and my feet are both bruised from all the walking.
I'm just sat relaxing and writing up our first few days, as AJ goes to bag Castle Crag (153rd). Got to move youth hostels in a bit, for just one day before we come back to Borrowdale. I need to stop off to find stuff, to sort my feet out before trying to walk again tomorrow.

[SusieThePensioner]

Well, that was a long and somewhat tricky (at times) day! Glad you managed to complete it but shame about the lack of views
I hope you managed to get the blister sorted out

[johnkaysleftleg]

That's some walk, no wonder you've got blisters! There is a bypass path for the bad step that could have saved you retracing your steps.

[Ibex]

We had 10 metre visability all the way up, but on the way down, we got some spectacular views of Bowfell in the sunshine. It was marvellous!
On the top of Crinkle Crags we also got some great views of the two Langdale Pikes in sunshine, with everywhere else dark and claggy. I was really gutted I didn't have my camera at these moments.

I managed to get my blister sorted in the end. Pin, alcohol wipes and compeed did the trick nicely.

After a days rest we managed to get up Whinn Rigg and Illgill head today. Conditions were miserable though. Thick clag from 450m upwards and wind and rain the whole way. It got worse on the return journey as well. But it certainly beats a day in the office behind a computer screen.

We're off to a local pub, for their Friday night curry night. Happy days!
Only one more walking day left, and we have made plans for tomorrows, though the conditions are likely to be even worse than today, with possible snow from 750m and upwards.
Whatever the weather we will get in the hills to bag a few more!

[charliebloke1]

Nice walk! . . Looking to do something vaguely similar next week although the weather ain't looking too good for then either.

Hope the blisters have heeled. . . & thanks for the timely reminder as I've run out of compeed

[AJNicholls]

Good week man. Pleasure walking with you.

[Ibex]

The pleasure was mutual. A great week, despite the poor weather for the most of it.
Good beer as well and who could forget double curry Friday!

For the final two days we did Whin Rigg and Illgill Head. And then today before heading home, we did a jaunt up Fleetwith Pike, from the slate mine.
Not much point in added photo's due to the poor conditions!

[Morecambe Monkey]

Nice to see you managed to make it after having to postpone last month & glad you enjoyed yourself.

[Ibex]

I was very glad to get up there. We had one good day weather wise, on the first day, but from then on it was rain and clag.
On the first two days we managed 11 Wainwrights (10 new each) and it took me three days to get another 3.
With a bit more 'mountain fitness' and my feet toughening up, I should be able to bag a lot more in a week.
AJ was considerably more mountain fit than me, so managed a few more. He did a big round on Monday before I got there and managed to do Castle Crag on a day where we were recovering.

I was going to do castle crag at the end on the last day, but my calf muscles were screaming going up the steep start of Fleetwith Pike. Decided to knock it on the head!

Next time I go, I am hoping to knock off 30 odd Wainwrights in a week. Some nicer weather would help though.

Got some plans for improving fitness, in the flat County of Oxfordshire.

[simon-b]

Another great walk, Ibex. You're right about GPS being useful on Esk Pike and Bowfell when visibility is bad. The metal ore in the area can cause your compass to malfunction. The bad step on the Crinkles is yet another example of something more easily tackled uphill than down.