Members Attending

*All 2 nights, unless otherwise stated.Jason Bostock (5nts); Angus Campbell; Ian Dale (3nts); Raymond Evenden; George Henderson (5nts); Susan Henderson (3nts); Michael Lever; Louise McCulloch (4nts); Michael Partington; Lorn Smith.

Guests

Marie Lever; Khira Lever; & Connor Poole.

Apologies

James Duncan Fraser.

Intro

The club’s second visit to the Agnes Spencer Memorial Hut at Grisedale Bridge in Patterdale, would eclipse the first in many ways.  The weather prospects were better for a start and it was a healthier turnout than previous, when only Raymond and Lorn represented the Scottish-based contingent.  Leading up to this stay, the previous weekend had been beautifully sunny and warm, but the early part of the week saw a fair bit of rainfall in the area.  However, any fears were unfounded and the weather gods were with us, ably demonstrated by this fine figure of a man…

A number of the members were able to take advantage of an extra day or two, before and/or after the weekend as well, with George and Jason arriving on Thursday and Raymond holidaying in the North Lakes for the rest of the following week.

Friday

Joined by Susan and Louise, to break-up the George and Jason manly-man club, the team headed out on something of an extended variation of the Martindale Round to get their weekend kicked off with a bang.  This was new territory for Louise so, exciting times and would go on to bag 17 Wainwrights over the weekend, not a bad introduction to The Lakes.  You’ll also notice a theme developing from here on in, as Jason – our very own Lakes afficionado – doesn’t believe in standard rounds or shortened days, preferring to eke out the maximum possible from the day, for which we are all, mostly, very grateful!

Today’s adventure saw the team taking in Hallin Fell; Beda Fell; Steel Knotts; Wether Hill; Loadpot Hill; Arthur’s Pike; and Bonscale Pike, a fine haul.  George hadn’t suffered enough under Jason’s tutelage though and pushed on to Place Fell while the others, seeing dark clouds approach, decided discretion was the better part of valour and made it to the hut to enjoy being dry shod and warm by the fire.  George was not so fortunate and earned himself a good soaking for his bravado.

Setting off from home first thing, Angus and Lorn made good time and reached the North Lakes, in time for a quick snack at Rheged, the Discovery Centre, before a short hop to the other side of the A66 and Mungrisdale, to tackle the Round of the same name.  The official start seemed unnecessarily convoluted so they took a shortcut along the edge of a field, at the other end of which they encountered a homemade sign stating that “This is not a path”…bit late!  This popped them out nicely part of the way up a direct approach on Souther Fell for which, as is the case with many of the Fells, the Wainwright is a good bit down from the summit on the other side and, as usual, the large cairn to mark it offers wonderful views of most of the rest of the round, including Sharp Edge.  As it had been a wet week in the Lakes, the guys opted for the straightforward approach via Scales Fell, rather than attempting Hall’s Fell Ridge or Sharp Edge, to Blencathra (the top of which was icy underfoot, as Lorn found to his cost, landing on his backside by the summit ring).  Lorn had been up Blencathra previously, but the rest were new ones to them both, which was mostly a good thing, apart from the next one, where neither of them had encountered a wetter “hill” than Mungrisdale Common.  It didn’t “look” too bad but, beneath the multi-coloured grasses lay water trap after water trap and they could not get out of there quickly enough in the end.  Fortunately, Bannerdale Crags and Bowscale Fell restored their faith but that would soon be tested again, as they could see one of the forecast heavy showers fast approaching (possibly the same one that had done for George on Place Fell).  After a quick glance at the impressive view to Bowscale Tarn, they raced against time to get to off the long ridge from Bowscale Fell and into the warm bosom of the Mungrisdale Inn, making it with seconds to spare before the heavens opened with a mixture of heavy hail/sleet.  After a refreshment, the shower had pushed on through and they had a short walk in the sun to the car and a short drive to hook up with the others in Patterdale.

Saturday

As forecast and much to everyone’s delight, Saturday dawned a beautiful day.  Jason had another epic in mind and was pleased to see conditions set fair for this, with a good number of victims volunteers signed-up for his latest extravaganza!

Patterdale’s name comes, not from the sound of the patter of raindrops on the valley but, from pilgrims who passed through hundreds of years ago reciting the Lord’s Prayer, or Pater Noster, abbreviated to Paters.  There would be a few words uttered under folks’ breath this weekend, probably a bit stronger than the Lord’s Prayer! 

Michael and Marie had decided upon a family and friends hike up to Helvellyn, with Khira (or Ki-hira, as she prefers to be known* 😉) and Connor joining them, along with friends Jane and Ian, who were also in the area this weekend.  Opting for the beauty of the valley, rather than the edges, they enjoyed an, at times, tough yet thrilling day and all very happy to have experienced Helvellyn.

*That’s for blaming me for the snoring in the dorm 😊

Louise, Mike P and Ian D also opted for Helvellyn, via the edges and the Pikes.  They ventured up over Swirral Edge and back via Striding Edge, which was proving tricky today because of lots of deep, wet snow still lying in the sheltered spots.  In between, they also netted Nethermost and Dollywagon (to be known, henceforth, as Dolly Parton) Pikes…another great day had.

Now then, Raymond later described this as “a real beaut of a day on another of Jason’s mega-bagging routes”.  Such was the trust in Jason, there was little in the way of prior discussion of the hills they’d be doing, more a case of how much food and fluids would be needed.  Jason, Angus, Raymond and Lorn set off from the hut reasonably early, on this bright, cold and frosty morning, while George and Susan followed suit soon after.  They headed across the river at the end of Ullswater and took the track up towards Place Fell and, on reaching the col, headed left.  George had the last laugh here, arriving shortly afterwards and his soaking from the day before now a distant memory, with Place Fell already in his bag, he and Susan headed off to the right, towards Angle Tarn Pikes.  George was clearly keen to put some distance in on the “athletes” and though almost always in sight they never did quite catch them but did cross paths at various points and, being athletes, they needed extra lunch stops!  So, they continued on, enjoying the view down on to Angle Tarn from the Pikes; a quickfire grab of Brock Crag; the peat-boginess of The Nab, a quick snack before the brutal steepness of Rest Dodd and The Knott.  Things got busier as they made their way up Rampsgill Head, over to Kidsty Pike and out to High Raise, before returning up and over High Street summit.  Leaving the busy-ness of High Street behind, the team made for quieter territory, rounding their day off with Thornthwaite Crag, followed by a 2km each way march to the outlier, Grey Crag, and on to the rugged, scrambly fun of Stony Cove Pike, then over and off the nose of Hartsop Dodd, the last one of the day.  Outstanding views were enjoyed all day, it truly was an epic day in every sense, each amassing a hefty haul of 13-14 Wainwrights.

Thanks to Mike P picking up George & Susan from the base of Hartsop Dodd and Mike L sweeping up the rest there a short time later (Mikes’ Taxis, the best taxi firm in the Lakes!), EVERYONE was able to gather at The Patterdale Hotel for an appropriate refreshment on the lawn (though had to retreat indoors from the cold after an hour or so, when the sun set behind the hotel).

There were some tired feet and bodies in the hut that evening, but some weren’t quite finished yet.

Sunday

On Sunday, George and Jason added Tarn Crag; Grey Crag; Branstree; and Selside Pike from Haweswater.  Louise hitched a lift to Mardale with them and walked back to Patterdale via the ridge on Riggindale Crag, before picking off some more of the Wainwrights the others had done the day before, albeit in reverse, between High Street and Angle Tarn Pikes, before walking back down into Patterdale, reuniting with her car for the drive home.  It wasn’t quite as nice as the day before, but it remained dry and bright for them all, with light cloud coming and going.

Angus and Lorn weren’t quite done either, taking on some low-hanging fruit in the shape of Great and Little Mell Fells.  Neither of these are particularly high, but there were challenges in underfoot conditions on Great Mell Fell, with the return route much better and an ultimately steep mid-section on Little Mell Fell, testing the tired legs from the previous day’s efforts.

Monday

Some even more stubborn clag on an extended Kentmere Round for George and Jason meant an absolute epic of a 24-mile hike, taking in Sour Howes; Sallows; Yoke; Ill Bell; Froswick; Mardale Ill bell; Harter Fell; Kentmere Pike; Shipman Knotts; Wansfell; and Troutbeck Tongue.  The conditions making for a full day of mentally taxing navigation, as well as the physical effort involved, pretty much mopping-up that area of the Lakes for George and wrapping-up a huge few days for them both.

Thanks, are indeed due in no small part, to Jason for the time and effort he put in to so much of the route planning to ensure everyone got the most out of their time in the Lakes.  He gets as much of a buzz out of the planning and seeing others enjoy the Lakes and Fells as he does himself, just ask the (former) Mayor of Keswick!