15th - 22nd October 2005
Missing the hills? Feel like an adventure but not the journey to the Lake District and back? Why, simply sit back and let me do the hard work! For added effect, line up a pint of Jennings Cumberland Ale and spray your face occasionally with one of those plant water misting thingumibobs. Click the pics to go large.
Saturday weather: warm and sunny
We've chosen a self-catering cottage on the North Western shore of Ullswater, which puts the Northern and Central fells within easy reach. Skip a big bunch of driving and here we are, early evening.
 The view from the bottom of the garden |
 I might just stay here until it gets dark and a full moon comes out |
 That was easy! |
 Spud and Bill arrive. Good. Now which way is the beer? |
Sunday weather: warm and sunny
Time for an introductory walk, so let's head out to monkey around near neighbours Great Mell Fell (537m) and Gowbarrow Fell (481m).
 Hail, guardian sheep of the woods |
 Mushroom city |
 Going up, here endeth the woods |
 But it's all a bit hazy on top. Let's head over to Gowbarrow. |
 It's definitely autumn |
 Let's go troops! |
 Gowbarrow summit. Hey everybody! Come and check out how good I look! |
 I spy a silhouette opportunity |
 Thanks to Bill for capturing the silly poses |
|
Monday weather: dry, part cloudy
Yesterday was fun, but as it's monday morning, there's not an office in sight and the weather's holding, let's climb something bigger. How about Blencathra (868m) via Hall's Fell Ridge? It looks interesting on the map...
 Yep, that's definitely bigger |
 Approaching the interesting bits now |
 No sudden gusts of wind please! |
 The top. Plenty of wind here. |
 Looking back down the way up... |
 ... to Hall's Fell Ridge |
 Looking South - rocky |
|
 Looking North towards the back of Skiddaw - peaty (to use technical terms) |
|
Tuesday weather: dry, high cloud
The others are having a rest day, but as it's still not raining, a big solo walk is in order I feel. So from Glenridding, time for a go at St Sunday Crag (841m) and Fairfield (873m).
 Over into Grisedale, and we're going to go up that first |
 But taking the path is just what they'd expect us to do. So straight up the side we go (steeper than it looks). |
 Looking North East to Ullswater. Also a nice place to find 2 big blisters. |
 GCSE geographers - spot the corrie |
 The top of St Sunday Crag. Next stop, that dark menacing lump on the right hand side. |
|
 Looking back down Cofa Pike towards where we came from |
 One of the many views from Fairfield summit. I'm knackered, let's just go downhill now. |
 The stream from that corrie (Nethermost Cove) |
 St Sunday Crag straight up, Fairfield behind to the right |
 Lanty's Tarn, aaaaah. But sod that, need beer and chips! |
|
Wednesday weather: rain, clearing
And lo it did raineth upon man, and man did invent Gore-Tex (tm), and the rain was good. So with it being all cloudy we'll climb a small one for breakfast - Little Mell Fell (505m). Those feeling like it can then go on for a loop around Glenridding Dodd (442m) and Sheffield Pike (675m).
 Little Mell Fell: not very interesting |
 Especially in the clouds. Gee up! |
 Above Glenridding there's more to see |
 On Glenridding Dodd. Sunshine in the distance but rain over here. |
 Time to head up into the clouds again. Sheffield Pike is the lump on the right. |
|
 Ullswater from one of Sheffield Pike's pikes |
 The top. Hoorah! It's in the clouds. Boo! |
 Glenridding valley. There's a pub down there. |
 So let's go down there too |
Thursday weather: showers
Rest day. Because you're worth it (tm). We'll take the Ullswater passenger ferry down the lake and back. You will too, because it's my web page and you can't change it. Nerrr.
 Cap'n Spud, ha haaaargh me hearties |
 Our secret base, in the trees on the right. From here on, merely our base. |
 A man has a right not to shave during a week off |
 Not a great rummy hand |
 We were up there yesterday (Dodd left Pike right) |
 The look that says "we're not doing any more walking, but you are, fool!" |
 It wasn't quite as cold as it looks |
 If only the rest of the country was like this |
Friday weather: rain, becoming persistent
Spud and Bill have left to socialise in Suffolk, so we're on our own. How about a low-level wander along the lake, up and over Glencoyne valley (595m), and back down next to Aira Beck and its waterfalls. They should be good in the rain.
 Sheep, lake |
 Cows, lake. It's quiet today, ok? |
 Bring on the water, for I am ready |
 Ping! Third floor for expired bracken and menswear |
 Thank you for using HeavyRainPreventer v1.5 Your trial period has now expired... |
 The stream, err I mean path, down to the pub. It only gets wetter. |
 The Royal at Dockray. They'd rather you have a fillet parcel au jus than meat pie and gravy, but recommended nevertheless |
 Yeah, that's what we came for |
 The always impressive Aira Force |
|
Saturday weather: rain, turning patchy
Time to leave the cottage, it's chucking it down, and we haven't done the local big one yet. Well it's now or never, so the hills it is. A Solo Rebel Assault of Helvellyn (950m) via Striding Edge - straight up, straight down, no messing, no prisoners.
 The cloud is low, but thankfully the rain has eased off |
 To minimise time in cloud and faffing with map and compass we'll take the longer but lower valley path to Red Tarn |
 Welcome to Striding Edge. GCSE geographers - spot the arete. Also, try not to fall off. |
 Red Tarn is down one side, Nethermost Cove the other (tuesdays walk, pay attention at the back) |
 See the chap on top of the big crag. I came that way too. Not sure if there's an easier route. |
 One final big climb and voila, the Helvellyn summit shelter |
 Back down at Red Tarn, and it's an easy walk back from here |
|
Well that's that. I'd like to stay longer and explore more, but some people want me back in front of a computer on monday morning. On the plus side, it'll pay for the next time.
Lake District National Park
We stayed at Beauthorn Cottage