I met the bro and his pal Ian on a wind-swept and drizzly layby on the A591 just out of Grasmere in the approximate direction of The North Pole. Weather forecasters couldn’t decide whether it would be just showers or rain in the morning or if it would be a breezy old morning or what. In the end it rained till lunchtime.
We climbed Silver Howe. This was very steep. My legs were in “heavy” mode. maybe if I discarded 10 kg of wobbly fat it would be easier going uphill. I’m very fond of the wobbly fat, as it happens, since I have acquired it expensively in various drinking dens and shebeens throughout County Durham and parts of Yorkshire. Its a serious investment. It seems that its very fond of me too, however.
We progressed painfully uphill (see above) and a bit painfully downhill (knee) – and we bagged the little 414 metre Birkett Lang How, then the 411 metre Birkett Swinescar Pike. Or maybe we did them the other way around. Anyway, whichever way it was, at this point, the sun came out and the beautiful Langdale scenery revealed itself from it’s wispy nighty. Shame on it for getting up so late. Must have had a good night last night…
Anyway, after a bit of lunch including some dozing in the warm sun, we went on to bag various Castle Hows, just in case one of them was a Birkett, which, indeed, one of them was.
After visiting the Wainwright top of Blea Rigg – one of his strange summits which isn’t on the top of a hill, we descended past the daundering camping spot of last April and rambled along the shore of Codale Tarn, trying to remember where we’d camped back in 1981 whilst the inner cities of England battled it out with their local constabularies and Mrs Thatcher wasn’t for turning.
Tarn Crag followed (another Wainwright not on the top of a hill) and a pleasant wander down by Sout Milk Gill brought us back to the fleshpots of Grasmere.
It were grand.
It were windy.
My legs hurt.
8 miles and 2400 feet of heaving this adipose cadaver up contours which are much too friendly with each other for their own good. Nice views, though…
.jpg)
.jpg)
11 comments:
Looks a great walk Mike, nice trip report.
Rich
I suppose the bro conned Ian into the walk not realising he was the other porter for your Sedan Chair ?
was the dog roped in ?
Danny
Did you get any gingerbread?
Just think of that 'wobbly fat'as being emergency supplies...you'll be glad of it one day if you get stuck somwhere. LOL
Loving the first pic of the trees they just seem to look so out of place cowering for shelter in amongst the crags.
Take care and happy wandering,
Alison.
This is a great post from a nice little area. The photos give the feeling of being there. I did a shortened version of this last summer to cover some of my unconquered tops on the Blea Rigg ridge before dropping down into the valley. There are that many that I still think I missed one of them. Your comments on the ascent of Silver Howe are poignant and ring loudly in my ears as I remember a weekend in my distant history when I tried to inspire a group of walking friends and... their accomplices ... enough said !!
hi Mike,
Very enjoyable read. Lovely area. The knees must be ok considering all the ups and downs.
I need to lose 10kg too. Difficult.
Really good photographs and looks like a great walk. You should try walking in the south!
My walking blog is: http://walksandwalking.com/
Eee worra lorra comments - thanks for each...we're all very pleased here at Pie Towers.
Inspiration by Guiness this time, Rich...
Its a wheelbarrow, Dan. The dog pulls, everybody else pushes. Bit of a problem in the boggy bits....
Alison - Thats what I'll tell myself in future about the wobbly bits - survival rations carried in the most efficient manner I could stay alive for years.....
Greg - Dhuhh - gingerbread... also available on Barnard Castle farmer's market by the way...
(but see comments ref 10kg overweight including sympathy from Alan The Oddysee.
J - Maybe the same tops? - they're very nice tops, but defended by lots of contours.
David - South Wales for me this summer - does that count. But oop North - too many hills, too little time...
LOL:-)
Extra enjoyable post that.
"contours which are much too friendly with each other" like that especially! Can I use it? I promise to attribute it to you.
Brian
Ta, Brian (...simper...) You can pinch any bits of dribbletext you want....
Post a Comment