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Doing 4 days on and 4 days off shift work gives me the wonderful advantage of taking 4 days holiday and then having 12 days off in row. With this I mind I booked 4 days off and decided to head off to the Lakes to bag some peaks.
I got up early (ish) and packed my bags quickly, whilst having a cup of tea and then headed off North from Oxfordshire. It was voting day and I was in David Cameron’s constituency, but he was not important to me!
I arrived in Grasmere at 2pm and parked the car up. I grabbed my map, some water and after a quick consultation to the Wainwright guide headed for Silver How. There was blazing sunshine and clear skies and I hoped this would continue over the week.
Silver How from roadI took the more direct steep route and I headed up the scree gully and then left onto the summit. Hopefully the first peak of many over the coming days.
I could see over to Helm Crag that I had climbed a few weeks ago with a friend. Today was another glorious day in the hills, sunny and bright but with a little wind, very similar to the walk on Helm Crag a few weeks ago. I was going quick so the wind was making me cold, due to all the sweat running down my back. Chucked my coat on to keep the wind off.
Wray GillFrom this low peak I was still afforded some wonderful views on the clear day. The Langdale Pikes in particular looking majestic. I took some photo’s and then contemplated a wander over to Blea Rigg and onto Tarn Crag but decided against it, due to only putting a couple of hours on the car.
Blea Rigg and Langdale
Helm CragI got down swiftly and had an slip on some wet ground. I managed to slide about three feet on one foot, whilst falling backwards, but somehow managed to stay on my feet. After this mini ‘bog skiing’ incident I got back to the car after about and hour and a half.
I headed off to see if I could book into a youth hostel in Borrowdale and as I turned up, there were kids everywhere. Knackers!
I could just imagine AW mumbling about these happy children spoiling the peace and serenity of the surroundings as I headed inside to see if I could get a room. Unfortunately they we fully booked, so I headed off to Honister YHA and managed to secure a spot there. The day was still young at 5.15pm, so I headed down Honister Pass with the aim to climb up another small peak.
The drive down Honister Pass and along Buttermere reaffirmed my love of this place. The views were absolutely stunning. The sun dancing on the water, the high fells to the left and gorses bushes supplying a splash of yellow across the scene.
I drove through the tiny hamlet of Buttermere and noticed the polling station open. Thoughts of the election quickly disappeared from my mind as I drove along Crummock Water and stopped in the car park just past Hause Point.
Path from car park
Mellbreak over sunny Crummock WaterI shot off up the steep path to Rannerdale Knotts and had a little chat about a third of the way up with a lady walking her daughters dogs. All they wanted to do was play, bless them.
The rest of the walk to the top was surprisingly steep. A good bit of fun for such a little Fell. I snapped from photo’s on the top and then headed back down to the car. Apparently there were some bluebells just emerging round the back of the Fell, but there seemed to be a big group going and I was starving, so headed back to Honister YHA to have a feed up and then get an early night, hopefully ready for a big walk the next day.
Rannerdale Knotts summit
Whiteless Pike
GrasmoorOn the return journey I got stuck behind a farmer herding some cows down road on his quad bike, very slowly. Once back in the hostel and showered I had some food with a group of Australian vets, doing the coast to coast walk. Very glad to be back in AW Country!
Cow Herding