Nicholls not Nicholls - Day 0 Lakes Bagging

[AJNicholls]

Since Ibex has done a good job chatting about our recent trip, I thought I'd show some snaps from my "Day 0" before he arrived.

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I set off from London ridiculously early and pulled up at a parking spot I'd used before in Hartsop at 09:05. I'd walked the High Street area before (on a 12-peak day with WH member jackfrost) last year and this walk was very much an attempt to clear as many of the Far Eastern Fells that I'd missed on previous walks in this area as possible.

In doing so I knew I'd have to retrace some familiar steps and started the day making another climb of Hartsop Dodd. I made it to the summit, with the cloud becoming more awkward as I gained height. Continuing on the wide ridge to Stony Cove Pike, I shrugged off the memories of last year when I had to abandon a walk at the same point because of bad weather (the "rumble in the heavens" and "big white shiny light" kind) and I was relieved to make it to the Pike on this occasion instead.

Looking up at Hartsop Dodd.

Looking down during the climb of Hartsop Dodd.

The mist was getting worse at this stage and I figured I'd head from there to Thornthwaite Crag and reassess the weather. The forecast I'd seen suggested it would clear later that day so I was contemplating waiting it out for a bit there and having some food for the mist to rise.

Following the Hartsop Dodd to Stony Cove Pike ridge in mist

Getting to Thornthwaite Crag itself, I couldn't even see the massive summit beacon even though I'd been there before. I must have been very close to it though. Looking down from Thornthwaite Crag's altitude, I could see the mist looking clearer below me than I thought it had before and I figured the mist might be rising. I descended from Thornthwaite Crag to Mardale Ill Bell, which was still misty but offered a bit of hope and I decided to continue at least one more fell.

Summit conditions on Thornthwaite Crag

By the time I reached High Street, I again couldn't at first make out the usually obvious summit and was following the wall for a while. I got a good view of Rough Crag (a non-Wainwright Hewitt) below me on the East side of High Street and decided to scramble over to it and back. I was really glad to see the mist clearing off at this point and despite an airy crosswind whilst scrambling down, this was probably my favourite part of the walk.

Weather opens to show a good view down at Small Water tarn.

Looking back at High Street from the Rough Crag ridge.

The summit on High Street was clearer on my return from Rough Crag and it stayed good for the rest of the day. This made the walk on up from there to Rampsgill Head, High Raise and Kidsty Pike much more pleasant, with good views all around as well as quite a few mountain bikers in the area.

Kidsty Pike

Mountain bikers

Returning along the High Street ridge to Thornthwaite Crag - where yes, I could again see the summit beacon! - I descended via Grey Crag into Hartsop, tired and in need of a beer but rather satisfied with my first day fellwalking in a while.

Finally - the view of Thornthwaite Crag's summit beacon that I remember!

[Ibex]

Good to see what you did before I arrived. Glad to see you worked out the map as well, though it does look like your route is the drawing of a picture. A squirrel maybe!

My legs are pretty much back to normal now, after eating like some sort of dinosaur for the past two days and me feet are almost sorted as well............so when do we go back? haha.

[simon-b]

That's a decent round in a beautiful part of Lakeland, AJ. It was certainly a determined bit of Hewitt bagging to go down from High Street to Rough Crag and come back again. Very well done on getting to Hartsop so early after driving up from London.

[AJNicholls]

Good to see what you did before I arrived. Glad to see you worked out the map as well, though it does look like your route is the drawing of a picture. A squirrel maybe!

My legs are pretty much back to normal now, after eating like some sort of dinosaur for the past two days and me feet are almost sorted as well............so when do we go back? haha.

Hi Ibex - yeah, I see what you mean about my map. It does look like some sort of deformed stick-man.

Next time? August might work for the Lakes, will be in touch.

That's a decent round in a beautiful part of Lakeland, AJ. It was certainly a determined bit of Hewitt bagging to go down from High Street to Rough Crag and come back again. Very well done on getting to Hartsop so early after driving up from London.

Oh yeah, Rough Crag was great. It was a totally worthwhile jaunt along the ridge and back for that Hewitt and I'd encourage others to give it a go if they're in the area too.

[Ibex]

August sounds good!
Think I might be trying to make it up there for 3 intense days of peak bagging over the Saturday 25th - Monday 27th weekend, as its a bank holiday.

See if I can knock off a few more.