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Monday 20 July 2009

Howgill Fells Sedbergh to Cautley and The Calf and back
















Today, I met Martin Banfield, Phreerunning blogger of the Postcard from Timperley blog (http://phreerunner.blogspot.com) and his friend Andrew. Andrew featured recently in a Postcard from Timperley caption competition with a sandwich and a key.... (You need to look to understand)
We met in a Sedbergh tea room and after having ..er…coffees – we collected Bruno, the team dog, slayer of spiders and bluebottles and digestive services assistant for the day (helps out with spare or dropped food)… Bruno was waiting patiently in the car.
We followed a fairly conventional route to start with by bagging the very lovely but windy, Winder, then to Arant Haw and along the curvaceous ridge as far as Calders.
Most Howgill veterans will recognise the route so far. The usual thing to do from here is to go straight to the trig on top of The Calf.
We went the way that people usually go….when they’re a bit lost and went over Great Dummacks to the Southern edge of Cautley Crag, which we followed Northwards, downhill to the top of the Cautley Spout and there, on a little grassy ledge, we did lunch. The big corrie below the waterfall and the crag are, for me, the best view in the Howgill fells. I just love that spot. I was also quite enamoured by my chicken salad butty and Bruno was his usual helpful self as far as Martin’s sandwich was concerned.
Afterwards, we climbed a simple grassy shoulder to the trig on The Calf (we get there eventually) and we descended to the intake wall by the delightful grassy Bram Rigg.
We followed the intake wall back to Sedbergh.
A cracking walk in good company.
Grommet thought so too
The only clouds on the horizon were the clouds on the horizon which just occasionally started to shower on us, then thought better of it and stopped, and the fact that the Sedbergh tea rooms were packing up and going home to watch the Weakest Link just as we arrived, gagging for a cuppa.
It was about 11 miles and about 3200 feet of up. (I’m willing to be corrected on both of these figures.)
A short video showing a bit of a panorama and some miming is below.
There’s no sound on my camera.
This may be just as well………..

6 comments:

Phreerunner said...

Well done, Mike, you got this up almost before we arrived home!
As you say, 'A Cracking Day' very much enjoyed by the entire cast of your silent movie...
...lip readers may detect something about Australians...

Mike Knipe said...

The dawg's ready to go again (he had a nice 90 minute nap on the way home)
Foul Weather Alternative has been declared for tommorrow - we're walking from Kendal to Windermere. Eel Crag has defeated us once again!

Tykelad said...

Love the Howgills, they're such a pleasant group of hills to look at.

Wish I was fit enough to climb the buggers!!

Mike Knipe said...

You could always sit in the consevatory of the Cross Keys at cautley and sip sarsaparilla (they dont have a licence!)
The pop is quite fab, though and there's a grand view of the big cautley corrie - which, actually, now I think about it , is a nice easy walk up to the foot of the waterfall. Worth doing....

Phreerunner said...

Wimps!
Maybe we can join you on the next attempt?
Actually, Kendal to Windermere, is a lovely walk in my book.

Mike Knipe said...

Wimps? I'll have you know that we've been failing to do this walk since 1974. Its starting to become a family legend.
We're determined to have another go before they turn the clocks back.
I'll keep in touch about the arrangements. I think our next walk is at Barnoldswick