Drumaldrace from Virosidum

This is yetanother walk in the Yorkshire Dales 2000 foot tops series – and about time, too after a long interval caused primarily by deep snow.

The snow was still around when I met the bro in Bainbridge, just by the village green. Our route was designed, or , at least, intended to be as easy as possible in view of the increasing speed of the thaw which was happening (car thermometer showing a sub-tropical 3.5 degrees C) (wow).

On the roman road from Bainbridge

And so we all trotted off to find the start of the roman road which has run in the general direction of Ingleton in a straightish roman-road kind of way for the last 1936 years.

As we gained height slowly over melting ice, we started coming across deep snowdrifts until, at last, the lane was full to the top.

Road filled with snowdrifts

On the positive side, this snow is now much firmer than it has been and, mainly held the weight of a fully developed ex-personnel manager and his rucksack full of tasty things. Every now and then, though, it wouldn’t. And the drifts were arranged in a series of steep, frozen waves which eventually started to require quite a lot of effort.

More @$8*!! snow

As soon as we could, we left the lane for the slightly less deep snow on the moor and after bashing our way through tussocks and snowdrifts, we arrived at the summit cairn, where we stayed for almost a full minute.

Nearing the summit cairn of Drumaldrace

We returned to the monster drifts on the road and followed this for another half a km or so, and then hurtled off downhill to join the footpath to Marsett. This proved even more like hard work since the snow let us through into hidden and swollen streams and we had to cross a couple of in-spate becks as well.

Bruno, as usual, enjoyed the snow enthusiastically and spent most of the day bouncing around, digging snow and jumping for snowballs. By the time we got to Semer Water he was looking a but fragged, to be honest and was all for dozing off. Not as young as he used to be! He’s fast asleep just now as it happens and will only have a short dreamy snoozy-time intermission till food time. Its a hard life but somebody has to do it, I suppose.

Semer Water

But as we lost altitude, the going eventually eased and we arrived at Marsett ruffled and wet but strong enough for a second lunch by the lake – which was partially frozen.

A path back to Bainbridge was abandoned due to mucky bogginess and we escaped to the tarmac to the East and were soon back in Bainbridge.

Has this rock got a face in it?

In better, more summery weather, there are fine alternative routes on the East side of Semer Water.

12 miles (with the effort of about 18) and 1900 feet of lurching upwards.

Virosidum, the probable name of the small roman fort at Bainbridge, we thought, meant the fort of the chap called Sid. But, apparently, this may be incorrect. One source says that it could be named after the nearby River Ure and another says it means the Fort of the True Men – these true men, in this case being the 6th Cohort of the Nervians. This particular unit was famed throughout Britannia for chewed fingernails and hearing noises outside the fort late at night, and with good cause as the local Brigantes were a rough lot until they turned their hand to the production of Wensleydale cheese, a delicacy untouched by the local garrison in case it was poisoned or something.

Its a relief to finally do a proper walk. The neve should be really really good and solid after the next freeze-up. Its getting there slowly.

Dodd Fell is a Doddle

I’ve been having some difficulty getting walks in for the last few days. I was supposed to do this walk yesterday, but an electrician’s visit to fit two wall lights and do a few other, apparently minor things turned into an epic all-day visit by three electricians and their little mascot who did the running around, used the vacuum cleaner and had the mickey taken out of him by the others.
Its all done now, short of paying the bill, so I bundled superdawg into his travelling harness thingy that smells of wet dog and went via crook co-op for some precious things to eat on a walk.
My TGO Challenge training programme says that I should strive to walk a 14 mile walk in February (16 miles in March) – and I thought this one was 14 miles. I’ve done this walk several times before, with minor variations. I was sure it was 14 miles. Turned out to be 13.4. doh! Near enough, though, I suppose.
On this walk I was also trying out several new things.
New thing number one – a “thermal tee shirt” price £3 from the pound shop. Actually, they’ve loads of these and in reality, they’re base layers. And rather good ones too. I shall buy a few more.
New thing number two – some hi-tec walking boots £30 at the Original factory Store – shudder been £60. very comfy, apparently waterproof (at the moment), light, springy and a bargain. (Note that the walk took place on the Pennines, which are always soggy) Are they robust enough for a TGO Challenge, though? I shall try to find out by treating them badly and walking through soggy peat and wet snow. This may lead to their downfall in terms of remaining useful as a boot…..
New thing number three – as recommended in a breakfast thread on the TGO challenge forum – a Jordan’s superfood bar. Quite nice. I liked it cos it has no added salt. I don’t do salt. Tracy, the cardiac nurse wags her finger at salt.
And a blueberry muffin for the fun.

And so, on a driech Wednesday, we eventually pitched up at the ropemakers car park in Hawes. An unpromising start in drizzle, hill fog and a “fresh” wind which had me Paramoed up from head to foot to fingers.
We plugged our way up through the rough pastures and along an off-road-motorbike trashed bridleway to the top of Drumaldrace. The location of the summit appears not to be at the point containing the summit cairn by the way – but such is often the way with yer peaty lumps.
This hill has a ring of deep shakeholes, all of which were full with old snow. This cheered up the dog no end – almost as much as being accidentally locked in the kitchen with a beef joint would…..
I went all the way around to the Roman road before climbing to the top so that I could have the wind behind me.
Onwards – In brightening weather with a lifting cloud base, we doddled off into a perishing headwind along the Roman road towards Lancaster for several miles till we came to the Pennine Way, at which point we turned back towards Hawes, bagging the top of Dodd fell Hill on the way. The wind started to get its act together at this point and whilst I was merely being blown sideways, superdawg was actually in flight at times – though he does tend to leap along. The leaps were much longert than expected and he wasn’t landing where he expected to land.
The walk became a struggle till eventually we dropped down below the lee of the hill.
Half a mile short of the 14 miles I should have done. The headwind made up for it, though. Hard work at times. Bruno enjoyed the old snow drifts and the short flights.
I enjoyed the blueberry muffin and the view of Whe****de.