Great Friday, My Perfect 10.

[hooter2014]

Monday the 14th April and all I have to look forward to this week is 4 long nightshifts where I struggle to stay awake during the night and struggle to stay asleep during the day. I wonder if I could squeeze a little trip to the Lakes in on Good Friday, that would give me something to look forward to and make the week just about bearable. Well if I can what should I do, Great Gable maybe, the 2 times Iv'e been up it I couldn't see more than 20m due to snow and mist. I'll have a think tonight.

Tuesday the 15th. I fancy Helvellyn, but maybe I could do a couple, if I can get away from work a bit early on the Friday morning. Hint dropped to the boss that night who seems amenable if we aren't too busy.

Wednesday the 16th. I really struggled to stay awake last night in the wee small hours and possibly due to the state my brain was in came up with a rather ambitious plan to do a "10 peaker" on Friday.

Thursday the 17th. So the plan rests on this next conversation with the boss... YYYESSS early finish!!

Friday the 18th. Finished work at 3 am then straight to bed, up at 830 am, drove over from Newcastle and the roads were nice and quiet, parked up opposite the Patterdale Hotel ( just about managed to squeeze the car into the car park!) at 1030 am, sorted out my kit and started about 15 mins later. I already knew it was going to be a great day, as I was yet to see a cloud in the sky.

And so it began, Arnison Crag being the first just to get the legs moving and a bit of a sweat on the brow.

The first view and what a way to start, Ullswater from Arnison Crag.

Nethermost Pike, Helvellyn, Striding Edge and Catstyecam from Birks.

Now the first two were out of the way I was fully warmed up, well sweating like a pig to be honest and I knew it was only going to get hotter and harder from then on. Onwards and upwards as they say, so time for St Sunday Crag. It was a relatively easy walk, I took a left towards Gavel Pike and then cut up to the Cape and the peak of St Sunday Crag.

Fairfield from St Sunday Crag, first clouds but what a view to compensate.

Is it just me or are the rocks laughing at you as you scramble up the Northen side of Fairfield, round about Cofa Pike.

Grisedale Tarn, Dollywaggon Pike, Nethermost Pike with Helvellyn in the background extreme right and Great Gable to the extreme left.

Just about to the top of Fairfield, a great view back to St Sunday Crag.

Windermere and Coniston, I would have quite happily jumped in the middle of either at this point!

Looking at the Western Fells from the top of Fairfield.

Grisedale Tarn looked inviting, but if I was going to do the 10, I wanted to stick to my plan. It was a bit of a toe and shin hurter descending towards Hause Gap from the top of Fairfield, but I didn't envy those going in the opposite direction, my own nightmare ascent was about 30 mins away, I just didn't realise at the time or I might not have made as many jokes with those I passed!

Plunge pool?

Fairfield and St Sunday Crag from the top of Seat Sandal.

Stood on top of Seat Sandal looking over to Dollywaggon Pike I saw a group coming down its southern side, by the old wall, hmm I thought to myself, that looks a bit steep...

Yep, nice view but it is rather steep...

Yeah, really feeling this climb in the legs!! As you know the camera never really tells the steepness story

Made it to the top of Dollywaggon PIke, really glad to take a breather and soak in the view down Grisedale towards Ullswater, whilst stood on the tip of The Tongue. Views like this make all the effort worth it.

Nethermost Pike with Helvellyn behind, the shelter just about visible.

Helvellyn (my favourite hill) from Nethermost Pike.

Top of Nethermost Pike (not the most inspiring I have to say) but the view to Striding Edge with Catstyecam in the background makes up for it a bit.

Hellvellyn, a quick 5 minute break to savour the views, firstly Swirral Edge, my route off.

Striding Edge, not today though, I'll save you for the next time.

A look back up Swirral, very little snow left, just a tiny bit of slushy stuff when you first leave the top, easy enough to negotiate.

Red Tarn and Striding Edge, with a few I'd previously breezed up ( Yeah Right!! ) in the background.

Birkhouse Moor (number 10) with Ullswater behind, from the top of Catstyecam.

Bye Bye baby, I'll be back.

Birkhouse Moor, my perfect 10, I was smiling like a Cheshire cat, so only one thing left to do...

My very first selfie, well first on the web! I was happy, honestly! The camera obviously does lie from time to time.

So that was it My Perfect 10 on "Great Friday" I was knackered but all the same elated. It was now just a pleasant trot down the wall, a rather clumsy clamber over it, a scramble down the hillside, then onto the path down towards Brownend Plantation, over the bridge near to the kennels and along the road by Grassthwaite Howe to the A592 and back to the car around 520 pm. After getting changed I had a well deserved drink in the Hotel and a pleasant drive East in the evening sun back to Newcastle.

Good Friday turned into Great Friday with what has to be said was both my hardest and best day in the Lakes ever.

What a day.

[johnkaysleftleg]

An excellent first report and quite a yomp amongst the fells, no wonder you were somewhat tired.

[hooter2014]

Yeah it was a spectacular day. The sore legs were a small price to pay.