Re: a week's wild living in the Far Eastern Fells
- From: "Zinc Potterman" <zincnews@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (delete 123's to reply)>
- Date: Wed, 14 Sep 2005 09:46:25 +0000 (UTC)
Can you share the Brocken spectre with us. I have never even heard of one.
Zinc
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"Mark Manning" <mrm1@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:dg73fi$2m1$1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>
> The following is pretty long, so let me give an executive summary:
>
> Plan: to climb all the fells in AW's book 2 (the Far Eastern Fells)
>
> Outcome: came back early because of gales, but still had a great time
>
> High points: seeing a Brocken spectre for the first time
> excellent wild camping
>
> Low points: few and far between; a bit less heat would have helped!
>
> Please read on....
>
> Saturday
> ========
>
> I arrived in Staveley glad to be off the trains; travelling at the
> weekend meant most of them had been busy, and I had been worried about my
> rucksack. I arrived just an hour late.
>
> A fine sunny day, not too hot. The dappled light in the lanes
> leading to Kentmere, and the views of the hills as I headed past Hartrigg
> were simply stunning. It was getting rather late as I approached Kentmere
> Reservoir (where I'd intended to camp) and starting to get dark. Just
> across the river, I saw an ideal site which almost said, "please camp
> here": a beautiful location on flat well-cropped grass just above the
> river, with fine views of Rainsborrow Crag. A clear, starry night.
>
> Sunday
> ======
>
> Sun on the Crag when I awoke the next morning. A beautiful day, but
> much too hot for a steep ascent. The climb up Hall Cove was lovely, and I
> had the place to myself; but it was very hard work with a heavy pack in
> the heat. I *might* have seen the local eagle; there was a large bird
> soaring in thermals overhead, about twice the size of a raven (the ravens
> were trying to shoo it off), and with a lighter-coloured underside. But
> my birdwatching skills are pretty non-existent, sadly.
>
> I'd anticipated that it would take about 2 hours to get to
> Thornthwaite Crag; it took nearer four. I felt quite queasy over lunch;
> in fact I was pretty severely overheated, despite having drunk plenty of
> water.
>
> Decided none the less to continue to Gray Crag; fortunately I soon
> started to feel better, and had the route and the fine views (Carrock
> Fell in the Northern Fells was visible) to myself. Back to Thornthwaite
> Crag and a think. I'd originally intended to descend to Troutbeck Tongue,
> but this would have involved yet another big climb on the morrow; not very
> nice in the heat. So I decided instead to head for a camp at Blea Tarn.
> I should have checked the route, as I ended up at Small Water (of course)
> and then had a tedious traverse to Blea Tarn at the end of a tough day. A
> sheltered spot from wind and sun, and a warm night with misty stars and
> the odd spot of drizzle.
>
> Monday
> ======
>
> A good day. Woke to drizzle hitting the tent now and again; it tried
> to rain a few times during the day, too, but never quite succeeded.
> Tried the scrambling route from my camp by Blea Tarn to Mardale Ill Bell;
> I wasn't really agile enough with the big pack to manage this. So I
> by-passed the scramble on steep grass slopes to its left; no problems. I
> was short of drinking water, but found a hollow which fitted my Thermos
> cup perfectly and contained a spring! Then over to High Street, stopping
> to get water from Blea Tarn's feeder stream. Over Rampsgill Head to
> Kidsty Pike (which I had to myself, despite the number of coast-to-coast
> people out). Then back via Rampsgill Head to High Raise, Wether Hill and
> Loadpot Hill; High Raise to Wether Hill *is* a drag! Then on to Arthur's
> Pike and the very fine view from Bonscale Pike; I really must visit this
> again. Sadly the heat haze was now restricting the visibility quite
> seriously.
>
> I'd intended to head back to Fusedale via Loadpot Hill and Wether
> Hill, but the sheep had produced a traversing path which missed both
> summits and lost height (gradually) to drop me at the head of Fusedale.
> An easy stroll with good views; clever animals, sheep.
>
> Camped on very tussocky grass in Fusedale (but it was very comfy
> overnight). A dry, windless night with hazy stars. It was here I saw the
> badger trying to pull the sheep carcass from the beck (or at least eat
> part of it); so I took water a little further upstream than I'd originally
> intended!
>
> Tuesday
> =======
>
> A fine day with a remarkable beginning. I'd been sitting shirtless
> in the sun (a rarity at 0900 in the Lakes!) looking down Fusedale, which
> was full of mist starting to lift and break up. I thought I could see a
> partial white rainbow (two shortish arcs either side of me). And then
> (and I don't know why this occured to me) I wondered whether there might
> be a Brocken spectre. And there was! A stunning experience. I yelped
> and ran for the camera. The spectre lasted quite a few minutes; first
> time I'd ever seen one. I felt privileged.
>
> Headed along the Steel Knotts ridge, the mist breaking up all the
> time, so there were no difficulties. I hoped to head down to Lanty Tarn
> for a dip (it was hot again), but the tarn had pretty well vanished. I
> had a nasty experience trying to descend a bracken slope when my right
> foot disappeared into a hole and my left knee hit a rock. Fortunately I
> only had a minor bruise and graze; it could have been a lot worse. Up to
> Hallin Fell to enjoy its fine view and have lunch. I thought I was
> sweating profusely, as my legs were dripping wet; it turned out that my
> hydration system was leaking down my back! A pity to lose water on such a
> hot day.
>
> Rather than head up Beda Fell through bracken (once bitten, twice
> shy!) I took the lovely bridleway above Wintercrag Farm, and then headed
> for the ridge. This was again hard work in the full sun. At about 400m,
> I stopped, removed a layer, and rested in the shade for about 15 minutes
> to cool down. The effect was as though I'd had a glass of iced water; the
> rest of the ascent suddenly seemed very easy, and my water rations
> remained untouched. Down to the Patterdale path, and, stopping at Freeze
> Beck for water, the ascent to Place Fell from above Boardale Hause. The
> full panorama was in view; just stunning. Then back towards Angletarn
> Pikes, which I always find confusing. Got to the Tarn to find another
> wildcamper; I camped out of his sight (as I badly needed bath) in a lovely
> spot. The wind wasn't too strong overnight, but the rain set in towards
> morning.
>
> Wednesday
> =========
>
> There's normally a day on these trips where I seriously contemplate
> giving up; this was it. It was a wet morning, although fortunately I
> could cook in the tent porch because it was out of the wind. The mist was
> just touching the Tarn at times, and I reached Brock Crags more by GPS
> than anything else. Fortunately the mist cleared at the top for just a
> few seconds to let me see Brotherswater. Then back to the "highway",
> turning left to a gateway above Bannerdale (AW's route to The Nab) before
> the final ascent to Rest Dodd. There was no visibility at the top, and no
> shelter, so I headed back to the gateway and had a snack on the far side
> of the wall.
>
> The Nab is now access land, but AW's route was tricky, involving
> tedious contouring of very steep, wet, vegetated slopes before reaching
> the ridge. The mist was starting to lift, and I had a good view from the
> top of the fell. Then back along the ridge to Rest Dodd; there's now a
> stile at the Dodd end of the ridge, but the ascent therefrom is very
> steep; I wouldn't like to come down this way. Then along to The Knott,
> stopping to have lunch in the shelter of the wall, and to collect water
> from Sulphury Gill. I used the GPS again to get to Rampsgill Head; this
> was a beeline ascent across a featureless more, and the GPS turned
> otherwise tricky navigation into a doddle.
>
> On to High Street in a strong wind, with mist and rain, meeting a few
> others coming the other way. I needed the GPS again to get to
> Thornthwaite Crag; the visibility really was the forecast 50m, as the
> summit tower appeared only when I was that distance away! No-one around
> now, and who could blame them?
>
> The only descent now was to head down to Threshthwaite Mouth. I
> really didn't want to do this route (it's one of my least favourite), but
> it was at least safe, and I kept to the right of the wall to avoid the
> worst of the scree. I had worried about the descent into the Trout Beck
> valley, but in fact the track was clear enough and the gradients gentle,
> and the valley really attractive. Made the top of Troutbeck Tongue; this
> seemed much further than I had expected! Fortunately I then found myself
> a fine campsite by Sad Gill, about 8 feet up from the gentle stream, and
> settled down for the night. The rain set in as I finished supper, and I
> could hear nothing else as I went to sleep.
>
> I woke about midnight to hear the rain, and the sound of rushing
> water. Oh sh*t! Was my campsite about to be flooded? Looking out with
> the torch didn't show anything. I now had two options, one of which was
> to put on my waterproofs and go out. It was a warm night, and this would
> have been a hassle, so I chose option two and got straight out of my
> sleeping bag into the rain in my full glory. I needed a shower, anyway.
> The stream had hardly risen; the noise was coming from a nearby waterfall.
> Phew! I was comfortably asleep again within a few minutes.
>
> Thursday
> ========
>
> This turned out to be the last day, but was a very good one, and I
> felt as if I were going out on a high. Headed up by Sad Gill (the bracken
> made this tedious lower down), and then crossed a wall to head along the
> summit ridge. AW dryly remarks that this route "has merit"; he's right.
> There were various paths appearing to traverse knotts on the ridge on the
> way up, but they were dangerous traps; they led to steep scrambling above
> much bigger drops. Better to stick strictly to the ridge.
>
> Down the ridge to Hartsopp Dodd, enjoying its views of the Eastern
> Fells and of Patterdale at the Dodd itself; and then back enjoying the
> views down into Threshthwaite from the escarpment. I then did AW's "ridge
> walk" to Wansfell, (which I think is a bit of an over-statement). All the
> land was now access land, so I felt happy doing the walk; there were walls
> to cross, but nothing too difficult. The Wansfell side of the ridge is
> having gateways and stiles put in, so made this part of the journey
> relatively easy. I now really *have* completed my Wainwrights, by the
> way: I'd climbed Wansfell Pike many times before, but Wansfell only now.
>
> Made good time heading down to Troutbeck, and then up the Garburn
> Pass. Here I phoned for the forecast, which didn't sound at all good;
> persistent rain and the possibility of gales. Reached Sour Howes by
> taking some ladder stiles from the Pass; the gradients were steep, but it
> was a lovely sunny evening, not too hot, with not a breath of wind, and I
> was enjoying myself. I'd intended to camp by streams below Sallows, but
> they were nowhere to be seen. It was now getting late, and I *had* to
> have water to eat my dehydrated food.
>
> Cutting my losses, I got back to the Pass (having to dodge barbed
> wire), and headed down to (of all places) Limefitt Caravan park. This
> actually proved very welcoming; alongside the usual stuff about "no
> singles" and "no groups" was the sign "genuine backpackers welcome".
> This I certainly was, and was shown to the "walkers paddock", away from
> the artificial lighting and regimentation of the site; just an area well
> sheltered by trees where one could camp as one wished. Almost like being
> on the hill. All this, and very nice hot showers too! I had an excellent
> meal at the Queen's Head, and then settled down for the night. It rained,
> as forecast.
>
> Saturday
> ========
>
> The weather was perking up a bit as I got up, with the cloud lifting
> a little (it was about the level of the top of Yoke) and the rain easing.
> But the wind (forecast as "moderate" in valleys) was blowing trees around;
> it was at least "strong", and I don't like to think of what it would have
> been like on the tops. So I walked to Windermere and its station,
> enjoying the walking beside the surprisingly quiet road (which has
> footpaths nearly all the way, and wonderful views as if from Orrest Head).
>
> My return journey was much better, as the trains were much less busy.
> A hard week, but I felt I'd gone out on a high. I need to stop packing as
> much as possible into each day, so I have some time to relax, and not just
> walk and camp! But a good expedition.
>
> Mark
> --
> Mark Manning mrm1@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
.
- References:
- TR: a week's wild living in the Far Eastern Fells
- From: Mark Manning
- TR: a week's wild living in the Far Eastern Fells
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