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A few days in the Lakes in February seemed like a great idea when we booked but as the time come closer the foul winter weather looked increasingly like putting a dampener on things. We drove over on the Monday and as the forecast was for wet and windy weather we decided to climb up Dodd hoping the forestry would provide us with some cover on the way up. As it was although it was bloody freezing on the summit it wasn't too bad with not a great deal of rain. We did get a few misty views, enough to confirm that on a good day this would be a very nice easy outing. A cup of coffee sat outside the Old Sawmill tea room completed a better than expected first day.
Skill Beck by
johnkaysleftleg, on Flickr
Flooded Bassenthwaite by
johnkaysleftleg, on Flickr
Cold and wet on Dodd by
johnkaysleftleg, on Flickr
The same could not be said of day two. The forecast was for mist and light rain but with a green smiley face promising no summit gales. I decided in my infinite wisdom to get a couple of out of the way western fells bagged. This was my first mistake
as I totally underestimated just how long it takes to get from Kendal to Ennerdale. On the drive over the light pockets of rain were certainly looking a bit of a misnomer, torrential downpours more like
Eventually we arrived at Bowness Knott parking area far later than planned to be greeted with heavy rain and some shuddering gusts of wind blasting off the lake. Undaunted we set off (but no camera as it was just too wet). Things were going OK until we reached the 350 meter contour and started up the steep slopes to Herdus. The wind was starting to increase with just about every step and with the rain turning to sleet a decision was eventually made at about 450 m to turn back when standing up became difficult. We've all been victims of poor forecasts but as I'd estimated the wind at 50mph this was a real shocker.
Wednesday, fortunately was due to be our best day (but still no great shakes). We stayed close to Kendal
this time and drove up to Sadgill to bag the eastern duo of the Kentmere horseshoe. It was a relief that we could get parked following the five mile one way drive. The clag was low but the old coach road to Kentmere provided easy going up to the start of the path up Shipman Knotts. We met a couple at this point who had turned back following encountering a very slippy crag, we thanked them for the warning and continued onward.
The crag turned out to be nothing of note
, strange how some people get wound up about somethings
Looking up to the Gatescarth Pass from Sadgill by
johnkaysleftleg, on Flickr
Sadgill by
johnkaysleftleg, on Flickr
Apart from a brief attempt by the sun to break though as we approached Shipman Knotts summit the clag stayed with us all the way until be dropped back down to Longsleddale. Most of the snow had melted but there were some larger patches close to the summit of Kentmere Pike that provided a bit of entertainment. Once we got to the top and had a bite to eat we decided to drop down to the Gatescarth Pass via the wall/fence shown on the map rather than retrace out steps or continue onto Harter Fell.
Grace by the wall on Shipman Knotts by
johnkaysleftleg, on Flickr
Bleak by
johnkaysleftleg, on Flickr
Grace and Hughie on Kentmere Pike by
johnkaysleftleg, on Flickr
We quickly found that this was where the snow was hiding and we had great fun bum sliding down a particularly deep drift. This decent route was perfectly fine until be reached a swollen Wren Gill that had no obvious crossing point
As it wasn't too deep we decided to just plodge across and cope with the wet feet (just couldn't bring myself to go barefoot!
) Hughie with some encoragement had his first swimming lesson
hopefully this will cure his hydrophobia.
Drifts on the Eastern slopes of Kentmere Pike by
johnkaysleftleg, on Flickr
Hughie reflects on his swim by
johnkaysleftleg, on Flickr
From here it was a simple case of linking up with the Gatescarth pass to take us back to Sadgill. We were out of clag now and with as nice to see Longsleddale's crags and cascades on the way back to the car.
A splash of sunshine! by
johnkaysleftleg, on Flickr
Gastecarth Pass by
johnkaysleftleg, on Flickr
Cascades by
johnkaysleftleg, on Flickr
Waterfall in the youthful River Sprint by
johnkaysleftleg, on Flickr
Looking down Longsleddale by
johnkaysleftleg, on Flickr
Goat Scar by
johnkaysleftleg, on Flickr
Longsleddale by
johnkaysleftleg, on Flickr
It was nice to have a good day out in the hills but it was to be the last of the visit as we wrote off Thursday due to a foul morning forecast and did touristy things in Grasmere (Gingerbread!
) before heading home.
