Postcard from Timperley

Monday, 2 June 2008

Sunday 1 June 2008 - A Sca Fell Day - Smart Hostel to Wasdale

Distance - 17 km
Ascent - 1400 metres
Time - 8 hours 30 mins including 2 hours stops

A dose of Gary's early morning packing (it involves packing each item into a separate crisp packet) got us all out of bed in time for the hostel's excellent buffet breakfast.

Then Sue2 arrived from her adequate B+B and we all set off up Sca Fell.

Except Notchy, who headed directly up to Burnmoor Tarn.

It was cloudier and cooler today, but at least the tops were clear.

Notchy heads off on his lone and short journey, whilst the two Sues pose at the foot of Sca Fell

Contrast Jaguar Man, with his shiny new gear, including garish winter boots, and a small day sack, with Unkempt Man, who stumbles carlessly out of the Youth Hostel with his heavy rucksack and battered gear...
Actually, Unkempt Man slowly fell behind, but he has all week. Jaguar man must be at work tomorrow.

Passing through areas of cotton grass interspersed with milkwort and tormentil, we strolled easily up the shallow gradient of the well worn path to Sca Fell, whose broad back gradually drew closer.

Gary and Sue2 burbled on about weighty work related matters. I felt glad (if not smug) to have escaped from the rat race.

It was a duller day, but we still wore t-shirts.

The Isle of Man, seen beyond Illgill Head, looked very close.

Then a strange thing happened.

It started to rain! Lightly, but rain nevertheless. It's not supposed to do that on these trips, which we have been running for 4 years now. In all those weeks we've had just a few minutes of rain.

And so it was today. The rain had stopped by the time we reached the summit at noon after a 3 hour walk. It didn't return, though a blanket of cloud did descend to about the level of Yewbarrow.

Sue looks across to Scafell Pike and Great End (above)
and we enjoy a brew just below the summit of Sca Fell

The sharp descent to Burnmoor Tarn over slithery rocks and grass demanded two lunch stops. Just as well, the YHA packed lunches are vast, and 3 of us still have enough for tomorrow.

After yesterday's incident, Notchy's nose looked as bashed as his water bottle. Today Sue2's balance deserted her and her hand, bloodied from a slide on the rocks, is now the second casualty of this trip. Luckily first aid in the form of a dishy pharmacist had been on hand to stem the fountain of blood.

Near Burnmoor Tarn

Burnmoor Lodge, beside the tarn, looks impressive from a distance, but Notchy passed close by here today and tells us the building looks sadly derelict, and is boarded up.

A wet short cut took us past three lazy cows and on up the path to Illgill Head.

There were lots of shiny inky blue dung beetles around here. Very pretty.

After a brew stop demanded by Sue2, and much collecting of sheepswool by Sue1, we plodded slowly on to Whin Rigg.
The sheepswool is to combat 'hot spots' on her feet, where blisters are threatening to appear. Tom Hume introduced her to this treatment during the recent TGO Challenge.

A steep descent down Greathall Gill was conducted at speed by Sue2 and Gary. I was the one who couldn't keep up this time.

Views from the descent to Wastwater

A dark cloud hovered over Yewbarrow as we parted with Sue2, who being a late entry for this trip had a B+B booked some way away beyond Nether Wasdale.

That left Gary, Sue1 and I to bimble through dark woods with chirpy birds.

Wast Water greeted us with the rush of its surf and fine views.

Notchy had arrived safely at the magnificent YHA hostel at Wasdale Hall. We spent a relaxing evening, mainly (once we and our clothes had been washed) in the dining room - the food was excellent - and the library magnificent.

Here's today's route.

Next day
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Sunday, 1 June 2008

Saturday 31 May 2008 - Deepest Summer - Ravenglass to Eskdale

Distance - 15km
Ascent - 350 metres
Time - 4 hours 10 mins including 45 mins stops

Setting off from Ravenglass on our 90 mile stroll

'Oi' came the shout
'Come back'
Gary and I looked around.
Notchy lay spreadeagled in front of the two Sues, who started to administer first aid. His nose had taken the full force of the impact; a knee had incurred secondary damage.
He sat up.
'Bloody poles!' he exclaimed.
We soon managed to get him up and running again, as despite all the blood there wasn't too much damage. It seems he tripped on his walking poles and went flying, just a couple of hours into this week long backpack across the Lake District. His eyes will probably go black.

We'd risen to a deep blue sky and a perfectly calm summer's day.

The five of us, Sue 1 (Nallo Lady), Sue 2, Gary, Notchy and I had rendezvoused in Timperley and by lunch time we were sitting on a bench (pictured above) by the narrow gauge railway at Ravenglass.

A lovely calm spot where everyone was buying ice creams.

After sorting our gear we set off along a hot and sweaty track towards Muncaster Castle.
Past banks of red campion and jolly people with red faces we went.

Sweat dripped.

Passing some ancient Roman Baths we felt it a shame that they weren't operating today - they would have been most welcome.

Our thermometer recorded 25C.

We strolled up Fell Lane to the sound of bleating lambs, having already strayed from our planned 'Thin Blue Line'.

Buttercups and daisies lined the path

Then Notchy fell over.

Luckily, today's route was low level, short, and with no time pressures. Alan Sloman would have been proud of us!

It was a lovely day in the valley. Flitting swallows and martins provided evidence of midges, but the little blighters didn't really bother us.

View to the Ulpha Fells

We ambled on past Dalegarth Hall, with its huge round chimneys, then, after a short break, to St Catherine's Church, a fine edifice. The locals here are long lived, judging by the dates on the tombstones.

Dalegarth Hall

One of the many relaxation breaks enjoyed on this trip

Windows and exterior of St Catherine's Church

Sca Fell lurked high in the distance, whilst the afternoon sunlight danced over the Ulpha Fells much closer to hand, but our minds weren't inclined to stray to tomorrow's exertions on Sca Fell.

After following some shepherds training their dogs by moving sheep, and crossing a number of thin (and mainly unnecessary in today's dry weather) bridges, we came upon the track to Penny Hill Farm.

Sue2 left us here in favour of her B+B, whilst the rest of us carried on over Doctor Bridge, and past the Woolpack Inn to the splendid Youth Hostel.

Sue later rejoined us for what by YHA standards could be considered a good meal.
Then we all flaked out...

Here's today's route.

Next day
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Saturday, 31 May 2008

Friday 29 May 2008 - A Busy Life

I can hear you now.

'Oh no, not the canal again!'

Well, you must admit, it has 'greened up' a little since our last visit.

And swathes of meadow buttercups have sprouted as well.

But the ginnel through which I enter the towpath has high nettles that seem to have grown as voraciously as our lawn during our absence on the TGO Challenge.

Ouch.

And it is gratifying to learn that the blog I wrote during the Challenge seems to have been appreciated. I finished editing it this morning and stuck an appropriate message on the TGO Message Board.

This blog usually has about 30 visitors a day. Today there were 868 page loads!!

Astonishing.

Anyway, we are off on a different sort of backpacking trip in the Lake District tomorrow. I have heard that I'll have problems with Orange reception.

But what's new? I'll try to entertain, or at least broadcast where we are and how we get on. The plans are set out in detail here.

Feel free to join us for a spell - we should be easy to spot!

Goodnight.

Friday, 30 May 2008

Tuesday 27 May 2008 - A Blunder around Hutton Roof Crags

Time for another evening walk. Don joined Sue and I on a dull evening on which we rendezvoused in the Kings Arms at Burton-in-Kendal. Sadly Sarah and Loz, who apparently live next door, received my reminder shortly after we had set off, and Two Yards of Lard must have been busy marking his maths books. Any of those people would have probably transformed the wisely advertised 'blunder' into a proper walk, given their local knowledge.

Anyway, after the obligatory glass of ale we set off along a nice path and soon found a viewpoint with a plaque describing 'The Burton Jubilee Panorama'. This pointed out numerous points of interest, near and far, including the M6! It was a little murky tonight; normally from here one would view the unmistakable outline of the Langdale Pikes.

The nice path led through pleasant woodland.

A leaflet from the 'web', funded by English Nature, showed a path to the summit of Hutton Roof Crags. We tried to follow it. Really, we did!

Both my maps showed a pathless area of limestone pavement.

We discovered a pathless area of limestone pavement, interspersed with occasional stone walls and beds of gorse and nettles.

Undeterred, we blundered on, the general idea being to head unerringly upwards.

It took some time.

Imagine Don and Sue's surprise when we blundered into this!

After congratulating ourselves on reaching the high point of the walk - the 274 metre south west summit, we had a choice of at least five paths off the summit (having arrived from none of them).

Avoiding the obvious, well worn, route we tramped off on a compass bearing that tied in with English Nature's fictitious path. Well, to be fair, it started as a path. The Nature was nice, with roe deer on the hoof, and orchids and tormentil in abundance, as well as this striking Birdsfoot Trefoil.

But the path soon disappeared and we continued our blunder for some time before reaching a wall as darkness approached. An owl hooted from a nearby wood. Suddenly the evening dullness gave way to a purplish sunset before the light finally faded.

Luckily we now discovered the correct path, and we were able to continue. Still blundering in the dim light, but at least we were on a path, with no more walls to climb, gorse to penetrate, or nettles to sting us.

Walking through a field of uninterested cows, we suddenly heard the thunder of hooves behind us. It was somewhat alarming to turn around to see a runner with a dog heading straight for us followed by the now galloping herd.

Then the gate wouldn't open.

We all quickly remembered how to vault a gate and applied the knowledge instantly. The dog, which behaved impeccably throughout, panicked briefly before jumping for its life.

Phew!

It says 'Crow Trees' on the map. It was Cows at that point tonight.

I think we must have wavered slightly from the 8km route shown below. Have a go, it's a nice area to explore - let us know if you find the correct paths!

Friday 23 to Sunday 25 May 2008 – Barn Farm, Birchover

‘Have you got your down jackets?’

Such was our opening line to Andrew and Kate when they turned up with their mum and dad soon after 5 o’clock at Barn Farm on a shivery Friday evening.

Sue and I had chosen the far corner of the camp site in an effort (successful) to distance ourselves from any rowdy elements (none detected) on this Bank Holiday weekend.

For the first time in two weeks of camping we had put our own tent up in the rain, but now the flimsy Nallo used in Scotland had been replaced with the altogether more robust Hyperspace tent. The ground was however more slopey than any of our pitches in Scotland!
The wind also became stronger than at any time in Scotland over the past two weeks, including the Munro summits.

The big tent was soon up and Alistair was eventually installed inside with the cooker and large piles of meatballs and pasta.

A delay had arisen due to my failure to pack a large frying pan and camp chairs, so we had to wait for delivery of those items – borrowed from Sue and Phil who live nearby. They’d responded to our SOS very efficiently and even brought some crisps – with wine to wash them down, duly consumed before the children got hungry.

After a good sleep in the strangely spacious tent we woke to the chatter of children, later than normal.

My sole role on this trip was to prepare the morning tea/coffee (both Al and Hazel prefer coffee).

We had forgotten the coffee!

So I didn’t really have to do much other than make tea and eat Al’s fine fried breakfast, courtesy of the borrowed frying pan, which is much better than ours.

The breakfast was reminiscent of Val’s fine offering at Cougie, now just a distant memory.

Then, as is traditional, we went for a walk.

Not the 20km or so to which our finely tuned bodies have become accustomed.

About 3km for the entire morning.

In doing this we re-enacted childhood activities of climbing rocks (known as ‘pineapples’ to some) and lurking in trees. We tried hide and seek, but couldn’t lose anyone.

Such are the current activities played out on Stanton Moor, to which a path leads from our corner of the camp site. It’s around 4000 years since people first settled here in the Bronze Age. An information board told us that since that time the Moor has been used as a site for funerals, ceremonies, farming, quarrying and recreation.

A nearby orange mound of earth clearly pinpointed the ugly remnants of the quarry that was used for many years to produce millstones for export all over the world and is currently the subject of angst amongst the locals.

The Moor hung onto its larch trees until World War 1, when the First Canadian Army Womens Forestry Corps felled them to provide wood for trenches in France.
(You never know, that information may win you £1 million one day!)

More interestingly, we were supposed to be able to find tiger beetles, tree pipits and woodcock, and much more. We just saw meadow pipits. Or were they skylarks?

After a long time in a tree and up the 5 metre high sandstone rock shown above known as the Cork Stone – handily equipped with a Via Ferrata to aid its ascent, we finally reached the highlight of our route, and our turning point – the Nine Ladies Stone Circle. Constructed at least 4000 years ago, with at least 10 stones, this was a place for ceremonies, some everyday, some perhaps more special, concerned with fertility and the seasons. The information board says ‘Dances may have been involved.’ Who am I to argue, or ask for proof!?

There’s another small stone – 40 metres away – the King Stone. No conjecture for that – ‘purpose unknown’ scribes the bored sign writer, though if you search the 'net' there is of course a legend to be unearthed....

It seems there are many Bronze Age monuments up here. You just have to open this section of the ‘White Peak’ 1:25000 map to discover that the place is positively littered with them. Apparently many are funereal and ceremonial, but others are domestic and agricultural monuments. The latter seems a bit odd, as the main reason for the survival of these monuments is that the land has not been used for agriculture!

Anyway, after our exhausting 3km walk (yes, it is quite shattering to move so slowly on a cold day!) we finally got back to camp, and some forgetmenots.

Decisions. The Red Lion, or The Druids?

The tables outside the Red Lion were full, so we lunched on luxury sandwiches and welcome beer (don’t get me wrong, Kate and Andrew had milk) in a sheltered spot in the sun outside The Druids.

On the road outside lurks a modern monument – grandly named The Birchover Millennium Stone. This piece of rock has had a circular core removed to exemplify the former local industry of millstone production.
It provided a fairly risk free play-thing.

Before we knew it, Al was back at his station producing sausage and bashed potato (we had no masher). The afternoon had flown past, I think perhaps I’d fainted for a while!

Here's the view from our tent, on the sunlit evening - looking down towards Matlock.

Sunday was largely a repeat of Saturday, with another fine breakfast, some different rocks to climb and a different loopy route to the Nine Ladies and back.