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Camping near Loughrigg for the bank holiday weekend - enough time to get in a decent walk on the Sunday.
We set of from Ambleside with a large party (18 of us) hoping to head up the eastern side of the Fairfield horseshoe, then back down either over Red Screes or the Scandale Pass path, depending on time and energy levels.
The party arrives at High Sweden Bridge
Refilling water supplies
The last time we walked on August Bank Holiday weekend (with some of this same group) we had really run low on water. This time was not quite so hot, but even so we were carrying plenty, as well as a portable water purifier, so that we could refill along the way.
Playing in the water
Alex on a rock
The kids (and the dogs) had a lot of fun messing in the stream.
Thomas on the bridge (almost)
Eventually it was time to set off again, telling ourselves that once we got to the ridge it would all be easy...
Anthony gives Sapphie a hand over the stile
Sapphie is a bit useless when it comes to stiles. Gem of course had climbed straight over it without any fuss.
Half way up Low Pike
Waiting for the stragglers to catch up.
On the Low Pike ridge
Robert had hurt his ankle on the way up to Sweden Bridge, and was dithering over whether he could take the Ibuprofen we had with us because it had red colouring in it. Every time we paused we tried to get internet signal to look up the ingredients... At this point, he decided he had had enough and was going to head back down, but since we were so close to the top we persuaded him he might as well at least go and claim a new (for him) summit.
Lunch at the top of Low Pike
Finally we had enough internet signal to determine that the ibuprofen should be safe for Robert, and we stopped for lunch.
The group had a wide range of walking speeds in it, and after Low Pike we divided in two, the family that had to get home to a party racing on ahead. Robert decided to carry on for a little while to see if the ibuprofen would help, but I was left carrying the backpack, heavy with waterproofs we were not going to need, and water that we were. I'll blame that for the fact that I forgot to take any pictures after this point.
Robert very nearly decided to turn back at High Pike, but we persuaded him that it was not much harder to continue to the head of the valley than to head back from there (I'm not sure that was really true, but never mind!)
We divided again (briefly) after High Pike, the faster people at the front popping up to Dove Crag and back, while I waited at the junction for the stragglers - I've climbed Dove Crag a few times as part of the Fairfield Horseshoe so I didn't mind missing out. By the time everyone was caught up, the leaders had returned from Dove Crag, and we were all able to set off together towards Scandale Head.
We paused near the base of the climb to the summit of Little Hart Crag, while some of us nipped up and down to bag another summit - this was a new one for me, so even though I would have loved the rest I popped up to the top. I was running low on energy, but fortunately someone had the foresight to bring chocolate, which was very welcome.
From there it was easy enough down to the pass, and a very easy (if long) path down the valley back to High Sweden Bridge. We paused there for a while to let the kids (and the dogs) play in the water, then back down to the pub, then fish and chips.
