Lake District Northern Wainwrights 2018 Log

Saturday 21st April 2018 Travel to Threlkeld, Lake District

I’ve come back to the Lake District for another 6 day trek with good friend Al from Gloucester. Hoping to take some photos of areas that I haven’t visited before. The plan is to walk 15 Wainwright’s in 6 days on a circular route starting and finishing in Threlkeld. 

We are staying in The Horse and Farrier in Threlkeld and they are kind enough to let us leave Al’s car here while we go off for 6 days.

Sunday 22nd April 2018 Threlkeld to Bassenthwaite 10.8 miles

We started in the rain, and followed good tracks between Blencathra and Skiddaw to Bassenthwaite. After a few hot days back home in the Peak District the weather has returned to normal pretty much everywhere. It was about 9°C today but felt much colder in the strong wind on higher ground.

Lunch was a quick pint in the Sun Inn before completing the last mile or so to the Castle Inn, where we’re staying.

In the end we only had about 20 minutes rain despite the forecast for heavy rain until lunchtime. Tomorrow we walk to Caldbeck over 5 Wainwright’s. A reasonable but chilly day is forecast. No photos on Mamiya 7 camera.

Monday 23rd April 2018 Bassenthwaite to Caldbeck 14 miles

Today we hiked for about 6 hours from Bassenthwaite to Caldbeck over 5 Wainwright’s. From the forecast we expected a dry but windy day and that’s exactly what we had. We started with a couple of miles of road walking then we took a footpath behind the Overwater Hotel. Al was slightly behind me as we were walking across a field near a large tree when he let out a loud expletive. He had been dive bombed by a Buzzard and it brushed his hair as it flew by. It happened 4 times in total by the same bird in the same field. After crossing another field or two we reached a road and noticed a warning sign about dive-bombing Buzzards pinned to the footpath sign. It would have been useful to have one at the other end of the path as well!

We started with Little Cockup before moving on to Great Cockup. 25 minutes later we were on Meall Fell, then 30 minutes to Great Sca Fell, 35 minutes to Longlands and finally 35 minutes to Brae Fell. From there it was down to the valley below and on to our hostelry for the night, the Oddfellows Arms in Caldbeck. Good food, Jennings real ales and friendly efficient staff. Unfortunately the rooms were very basic. It’s under new management since January and they are working their way round the refurbishment of the pub and haven’t reached the rooms yet. No photos on my Mamiya 7 camera.

2 cockups in one day and we’re still smiling!

Tuesday 24th April 2018 Caldbeck to Mungrisdale 12.2 miles

Today we walked from Caldbeck to Mungrisdale, about 12 miles over 2 Wainwright’s. The forecast was for a dry start followed by light rain mid afternoon, turning heavier later. The rain started around midday but not heavy. Then we had showers through the afternoon. It was a very cold wind.

We walked up gradually to High Pike, along the ridge then down Grainsgill Beck through the old Carrock Tungsten Mine, with a stream running out of the mine and a sturdy metal gate blocking the entrance. In its day the only Tungsten mine in England outside of Cornwall. While wandering around the mine ruins I spotted a Ring Ouzel flying past. A rare sighting for me even though I walk 1500 miles a year, mainly in the English hills.

The rain started here so it was on with full waterproofs. I expected to be able to cross the nearby river but the water was too high and fast flowing so we walked upstream for a mile or so to a crossing marked on the map. The river was wider and shallower but it was still tricky to cross to avoid the deep bits. Being able to use a few rocks as stepping stones helped. From here we made our way up the rough hillside to Bowscale Fell. This should have been a good viewpoint for Blencathra but the clouds were down on it. The last section was an easy descent into Mungrisdale and the Mill Inn, our hostelry for the night.

No photos on my Mamiya 7 camera, no light.

Wednesday 25th April 2018 Mungrisdale to Pooley Bridge 10.5 miles

Day 4 of our trek took us from Mungrisdale to Pooley Bridge at the top of Ullswater lake. Quite an easy day with no hills. It looked like we might get away without needing our waterproofs.

The footpaths were not very clear in places but we made it through to Dacre for a lunchtime pint in the newly refurbished Horse and Farrier pub. Nice welcome when we arrived and good local beers. Food looked good too but we didn’t need any.

A quick detour to see the 13th century Dacre Castle before heading straight for Pooley Bridge. We were staying at the Sun Inn. Nice big comfy rooms recently refurbished, Jennings real ales, friendly efficient staff and good food.

Al and I had separate rooms so while Al went for a lie down I grabbed my Mamiya 7 camera and headed for Ullswater lake. I ran off a film or so, finishing as the view down the lake started disappearing in rain showers. I reached the Inn just as the rain started. In the evening after eating we joined in the pub quiz for a bit of light relief. Al does a pub quiz in his local village most weeks but it didn’t show, we weren’t last!

Thursday 26th April 2018 Pooley Bridge to Patterdale 12 miles

Day 5 saw us walking the 12 miles from Pooley Bridge to Patterdale over 3 Wainwright’s. Jolly cold wind on top and reasonable views, especially towards Ullswater. It was fine all day except for the last 20 minutes when we had rain. 

The views improved as we climbed higher towards Arthur’s Pike on reasonable tracks most of the way. After Arthur’s Pike and Bonscale Pike we dropped down steeply on a zig-zag path to Howtown and the Howtown Hotel public bar. Everyone wearing boots is directed to a tiny bar at the back of the hotel with no access to the rest of the hotel as the door was locked. The bar is just a serving hatch. Lots of tables and chairs but not much room for people! From Howtown we climbed up to our last peak, Place Fell. before dropping down to Patterdale. We stayed in the White Lion Inn in Patterdale, which is very scruffy and in need of complete refurbishment.

I took a few shots on my Mamiya 7 film camera loaded with Ilford 400 delta 120.

Friday 27th April 2018 Patterdale to Threlkeld 12 miles

The forecast a couple of days ago for today was for snow on high ground, but in fact it stayed dry all day with a cold wind on top. We left Patterdale at 9am heading for Threlkeld via Raise and the north end of the Helvellyn ridge.

From Patterdale we walked along the shore of Ullswater. Then from Glenridding headed up the track to the old mine workings around Stang End above the Youth Hostel and along in the direction of Sticks Pass. Once above the steep section, above the old mine workings, we followed a good track to our left up the flank of Raise. I thought this would give us better views of the surrounding peaks and ridges than the path to Sticks Pass. From Raise, first Wainwright of the day, we had good views in all directions although the light wasn’t that good for photographs. Lots of ups and downs on the ridge, including another 4 Wainwright’s (Stybarrow Dodd, Watson’s Dodd, Great Dodd and Clough Head). The light slightly improved as we moved along the ridge but not that much. From Clough Head it was a steep descent to the Old Coach Road, across the common to Threlkeld and a celebratory Sneck Lifter or two at the Horse and Farrier to finish.

Saturday 28th April 2018 Travel Home

After a good breakfast at the Horse and Farrier in Threlkeld Al drove me to Holmes Chapel where we met my wife Jan in Costa Coffee. After a coffee break Al drove home to near Gloucester and Jan drove me home to Tunstead Milton.

In total it was about 71.5 miles walking in 6 days with 15 Wainwright’s so lots of ascent.

I took 4 rolls of 120 Ilford 400 delta film, making 40 negatives in total. Shame about the light or it could have been so much more.

Thanks go to my wife Jan for making all the bookings and Suzi’z Taxis from Keswick who moved our bags each day so that we just carried light daypacks.