A short rainy day's ramble on Rannerdale Knotts.

[trailmasher]

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Day three has dawned, it's Wednesday, and like the weather Chris and I are sulking, but not at each other I may add. It hasn't stopped raining since 1 pm on Tuesday and we are both now sure that it was the right call to miss out Rannerdale Knotts yesterday and use it as a fall back walk for today. Last night was enjoyable as we chatted to some of the other guests whilst having a glass or two that Tim willing supplied from the refrigerated display cabinet. We were both up at 6:30 am and with nothing else to do but wait for breakfast we kept ourselves employed by checking out our clothes in the drying room - still damp from Tuesday - and which yesterday's newcomers had deemed to use as a wardrobe for their 'going out clothes' and using up all the hangers in the process, leaving Chris and I to spread our stuff out as best, and wherever we could. Who are the culprits we wonder, and are soon to find out when breakfast is served?

Breakfast begins at 7:30 am with Chris and I first in the queue in spite of the fact that we are having an easy day on the hills today. A flurry of movement heralds the entrance of two ladies and their teenage daughters all dressed to kill and obviously not going out walking the fells. This was endorsed by some of the other guests who commented that they had sat around reading on the Tuesday and all day Wednesday.

Breakfast done and dusted we set off in the rain to drive to Buttermere where we parked up at the usual spot just above the church and where there were also another two cars parked up, more brave souls. Although it was to be just a short walk we took our bags if only to carry the water, first aid kit and the other usual bits and pieces, poles, etc.

Buttermere and a murky High Stile Range.

The clouds are dropping down and the rain certainly is as we set off down the road to pass through the iron gate…

To the woods.

that will put us on the path through Ghyll Wood and is on the right hand side over the bridge and just past the Bridge Inn. The path although plagued by bare and slippery tree roots in a couple of places is good and well trodden as it passes through the trees and rises ever higher above Mill Beck to eventually arrive at a set of wooden steps leading to a wooden gate in the wire fence.

In Ghyll Wood.

Now out of the woods.

From the gate the way is clear to see as the paths are wide green lanes passing through the acres of bracken that abound on these fells below Whiteless Pike. There are many of these green lanes and it can be a bit confusing as to which one to take for the best as we found out by going too high on one and having to drop back down to pick up the correct one for Rannerdale Knotts.

The way onto Rannerdale Knotts.

We had a misty view over Buttermere and towards the High Stile Range of hills with Sourmilk Gill true to its name pouring out of Bleaberry Tarn to mark the hillside with a long white gash of foaming water as it fell down to join Buttermere Dubs and then into Buttermere lake itself.

Looking across to The Dodd and High Stile.

Now on the correct path we soon arrived at the ridge…

The first top of Rannerdale Knotts.

and simply followed the path along it as it rose up and down with the level section of Low Bank in between.

Crossing Low Bank to reach the summit.

A peek into Rannerdale.

The path varies from the wide green lanes to narrow bare stony ones with a bit of rock to contend with in the odd spot. There's nothing to hold us back as we made our wet but uneventful way from one end to the other finally climbing onto the outcrop of rock that carries the weight of a substantial cairn on its back.

Chris approaching the summit.

We met three other walkers on the summit. One was from Northampton and the other two from Southampton, and like us were only out for a short walk as they didn't want to waste a day loitering in their accommodation.

Chris looking north over a misty Crummock Water and Lorton Vale.

A view northeast across Buttermere from Rannerdale Knotts top.

It's difficult taking pictures as the wind keeps blowing the rain onto my camera lens, not as it would make much difference today with the low clouds and mist about. Well we've seen enough of nothing much today so we began to leave by way of the fairly steep path that runs down the north western end of Rannerdale Knotts. This path has a variety of conditions, rough sections, grassy, rocky, paved, and we even did a bit of downward gill scrambling today such is the rain.

A better part of the path off the north end of Rannerdale Knotts.

On the lower south facing reaches of the bracken covered fell there are two paths, one of which - the lower one - meets up with the main road opposite Woodhouse Islands whilst the uppermost one takes a more or less direct line to Buttermere.

The faint path back through the bracken.

The bracken was around a metre high but the path was plain to see as it passed over the top of Great Wood and the only place where we had a problem finding it was as it passed across Grassgarth Coppice…

High House Crag from Grassgarth Coppice.

where the ground is boggy but by careful scrutiny and the eye and skill of a Sioux warrior scout it can be found again as it heads off into a patch of rushes. From this point the walk is all but over as we walked back to the aforementioned gate and steps to retrace our steps through the wood and back to the car.

Now approaching Ghyll Wood on our return to Buttermere.

At the still nearly empty car park we met a couple who, due to the weather had just walked around the waters of Buttermere and came out with the familiar story of not wanting to waste a day in their 'digs'.

Well its early afternoon as we set of for Keswick for a look around. Chris has seen some trainers that he would like to buy - if the price is right - we have some food shopping to do for our Thursday and Friday walks and we also need a meal for today and our choice of places to eat is in one of a chain of many that are to be found in almost every town and city that serves a gourmet's delightful selection of food with a great variety of drinks to choose from. The place, Wetherspoon's.

The time. Later on. We had arrived back at the hostel once again with wet clothes and as last night the same fancy clothes are still hung in the drying room taking up all the hangers and those that wear them still reading their books/magazines and as we got talking established that only three other chaps had made an effort to get out and 'do one' whilst one young, lone lady had been to Keswick for a look around.

Sometime during the evening two foreign lads appeared looking for beds that Tim quickly sorted out for them. Such is the way of the YHA but I'm sure, like us, they were disappointed with the walk in wardrobe situation.

A few more beers and a good chat with some of the other guests made a nice end to an otherwise quiet day on the fells and as the weather forecast is good for tomorrow, Thursday, we are all looking forward to a good day out on the fells.

This has been a day of mixed environments, country, town, and drinking dens. Chris got his trainers and I fell out with the manager of the Co-op when the cash machine didn't pay out the money that I requested but told me that it had. It even produced a payment slip with the wrong details on it so when politely pointing this out to the manager he nonchalantly told me to contact my bank to sort it out myself. Excuse me sir, but that isn't how it works. But it is he replied. He must have thought that I was going to take it on the chin as many others would. That is the point when we fell out, and being a Yorkshire man didn't care who heard me. Now don't get me wrong here. I'm not bad mannered at all but I am sick and tired of it always 'being your problem' when it obviously isn't the case. There is too much of 'passing the buck' back onto the customer because of laziness or lack of customer service skills but, unfortunately, there are too many people willing to accept this, I won't. His previously nonchalant attitude soon changed when he offered to open the back of the cash machine and check what was wrong. The machine was, I wasn't, job sorted.

[ChrisW]

It might have been a bit of a dour affair TM but you still got out there and had a day, that's what matters and you still got some lovely shots too. The walk in wardrobe situation aside all seems ok.

Glad you kept our end up by having at it with the cash machine guy, you are indeed right; all too often nowadays customer service takes a back seat (we really aren't very good at it in England are we )

[trailmasher]

It might have been a bit of a dour affair TM but you still got out there and had a day, that's what matters and you still got some lovely shots too. The walk in wardrobe situation aside all seems ok.

Glad you kept our end up by having at it with the cash machine guy, you are indeed right; all too often nowadays customer service takes a back seat (we really aren't very good at it in England are we )

Aye Chris, a bit of a rough day out but at least we achieved and you're right about customer service mate they seem to forget who the customer is and we should open our mouths more in the mother country Thanks for your comments Chris always welcome