Greater Blackhope round

[Benaden887]

Tues,11th - A rare day of good weather found Billy and I doing the "greater Blackhope round" which from Capplegill farm takes in Swatte fell - Hartfell - Whitehope heights - contours the shoulder of Hartfell rig to claim Cape law then returns via the twin points of Saddle yoke to the start - it was hard going - the ground soft - snagging our steps as we climbed and the uplands held its share of water too - but the sun was out - no rain and one could see for miles in every direction - hills done and those still to do. The green starting to show through the brown of winter - lifted the spirits and we made good timing `till the halfway mark then began to toil on the return leg - a chill wind kept us moving - so we sought cover for meal breaks - the decision to drop into the glen was a painful lesson on the legs and the walkout gathered plenty of sheepshit for the garden. The overall 19.5km and 1280mt of ascent was sore at the time but on reflection we had a great day - Bertie declined the offer to join us - doing instead the Ettrick pen group - we passed his car on the way home.
Seen enroute - two guys heading our way having climbed Hartfell from the glen - the elderly chap who, as we were leaving the trig point asked us what hill he was on !
plenty of sheep not much birdlife and sunshine - whit mare cud a biddy ask fir