A Watery Wasdale Round

[The English Alpinist]

Wast Water screes hardly need any introduction.

Following on from the Scafells the day before, this was leg 24 of my Wainwrights in one winter campaign. This time the fine clear weather was forecast to deteriorate by the end of the day, and this is exactly what happened. I planned to do a simple little horsehoe - Middle Fell, Seatallan, Buckbarrow - but made the bold decision on top of Seatallan to go for a bit more. This was partly because another walker and his spouse had informed me, "oh, the rain is not supposed to come in till very late pm though". Not that I'm blaming him, but it came in with a vengeance (bracing wind too) by about 3 pm, whilst I was well up there on Caw Fell. I'm glad I resisted the temptation to try for a bigger Scoat and Pillar horsehoe, it would have been infernal up there, though it looked so easy at first.

After a miserable section from Caw to Buckbarrow, I got more done than originally bargained for, so I was a satisfied English Alpinist. Nothing much Alpine about this day, though, in contrast to the sunny magnificence of yesterday on the great Scafell Pike. The most amazing cloud fronts on there seen from across the valley, though, which will be an abiding memory of the whole winter (very glad I was not in them, the modest Haycock and Caw Fell were bad enough). By the way, I heartily recommend the Lion and the Lamb in Gosforth as a place to to stay and eat. An inspiring Viking cross in the churchyard there too.

The approach up Greendale Gill.

Ascending Middle Fell.

Ascending Seatallan.

Looking back: Middle Fell and Greendale Tarn.

Higher up Seatallan.

Summit of Seatallan.

Wind chill was substantial.

Zoom on Scafell clouds.

Looking over to Haycock: I decide to go for it.

Looking back from Haycock to Seatallan.

Almost tempted by the route from Haycock to Scoat and Pillar.

AW drew the same view.

The ridge to Caw Fell, weather closes in.

Caw Fell summit.

Re-ascent towards Buckbarrow.

Getting over to Buckbarrow.

Buckbarrow crags landscape.

Buckbarrow summit, conditions horrible.

A familiar grimace this winter.

Still enjoying Buckbarrow.

A welcome descent of Buckbarrow.

I return to Greendale.

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[ChrisW]

Never trust a person descending who tells you it's not going to rain Still a good decision ultimately as it trimmed off more of those lumps and got you a little closer....though clearly you had to work for it