Geocaches - 2
Wainwrights Ticked - Bow Fell (2960ft), Esk Pike (2903ft) and Rossett Pike (2136ft)
Walk Inspiration - Walking the Wainwrights, Route 18
A week spent checking the weather reports in the Langdale Valley. It changed from rain to mist and finally settled on fog. Wall to wall fog. All day fog.
Its going to be a tough ask to blog a walk, when for most of it, we could just about see our feet.
There's three pubs in the valley. The CAMRA good beer guide has the famous Old Dungeon Ghyll hotel to knock off and that will be waiting for us after the walk. We are starting from the New Dungeon Ghyll, our home for the night, where there is an adjacent National Trust pub/cinema/vegan restaurant/creche called the Sticklebarn.
A footpath on the valley floor takes us from New to Old, where we pick up the farm track to the unfortunately named Stool End Farm. We meet the farmer and his overeager puppy, Lassie.
Stool End Farm and the Fog |
The height is quickly gained and before we know it, we are at the summit of Bowfell, following another group of
With some relief, we find our way across the featureless terrain of Bowfell Buttress, drop to Ore Gap and regain height to Esk Pike. The path is along the edge of the mountain, across a flat stone walkway. Again, I imagine the views to Scafell would have been magnificent. But I have no idea.
Esk Hause marks the turning point to civilisation and the first shelter seen on route. There's a Geocache to grab, whilst my companions munch on their tried and tested mountain food of Pork Scratchings and Mars Bars.
We drop down to Angle Tarn and argue about whether it is there or not. Its now 2:30pm and a group of lads are coming up and asking directions to Scafell. With no map / gps / clue, the following day, I complete a quick search on BBC News for mountain rescue missions.
Its a long descent, picking our way down a path running across Rossett Pike. Very occasionally, we get a glimpse of what we could have won.
First time the camera has been out |
Dropping down through the gloom |
Cumbria Way delivers us along the Valley Floor |
The Old Dungeon Ghyll, Theakstons Old Peculiar and Esthwaite Bitter
The ODG |
One walker has taken things a touch too far and is drying his boots and his socks, choosing to sit sandy shaw style, roasting his tootsies at the best seat of the house.
The bar men - the only dry people here - enjoy their jobs and there is a high degree of banter.
Hitting the warmth has not done my camera the best of service, but I manage to just about record the selection for posterity.
Six of the Best |
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