We had to drive over the Kirkstone Pass to get to Deepdale bridge and in winter this can be tricky.. Coming down the pass we were just passing Beetham cottage and Mick was regaling us with story's of days gone by when we hit a patch of ice just as we were about to pass an oncoming car..Front seat passenger Dave used to be a booby and he shouted " don't brake, don't brake"!!..I shut my eyes expecting a sickening thud as we collided either with the car or the wall..Fortunately we hit neither and I managed to get my heart back in it's proper place..
When we parked up at Deepdale bridge I commented that Mick was getting some colour back in his face and then we had that awkward moment when some other walkers pull up next to you in a brand new Range rover and your not quite sure where to put your eyes...
Dave is our leader and planner our leader and as I had my boots on first I ventured over to the bridge to have a look around and was met with " where are you going, that's the wrong way!" So I sulked back to the car and told lassie off to make me feel better..
Suitably corralled we set off through the farm gate straight into ankle deep mud, not quite the snowy scene I had imagined,but further on and higher up the snowy hills looked very white indeed..
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| The way ahead. |
The path? climbs steadily over Bleaberry Knot and Gale Crag and despite my promise to stay with the group I was soon ahead and overtook another group. I had been persuaded to buy an ice axe before we came and Dave had strapped it to my rucksack properly as I had put it upside down when I did it
As I came up behind each guy in the group in front they steeped aside to let me pass and I had an awful moment as I nearly took one guys nose off with the bloody ice axe as I passed him! I decided it was best to put a stoic spurt on and put some distance between us to save me from further embarrassment...
Out first Wainwright of the day was Hartsop above How and I remembered something heelwalker had said about Hartsop but it didn't make much sense to me now.. In the snowy conditions it is hard to determine where exactly each summit actually is,so I always have them programmed into my GPS so that we are sure to have properly bagged each one..
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| Verdant Patterdale from Hartsop above How |
By now we were in the snow proper and a right wind had got up so we decided to find a bit of shelter and have a snack to eat..We stopped at Blake Brow behind a rock and were soon joined by a pair of Ravens who wanted to share our butty's. Birds like these are smart and soon learn where an easy meal can be found. I remember finding a sheep in some distress wandering around with a bloody face and the farmer said that the crows peck the sheep's eyes out when the sheep are asleep..
When it comes to hovering crumbs up lassie is a dab hand so the Raven had to go hungry.
After a quick lunch we pressed on to Hart Crag. On the way we got a bit separated and I saw how easy it must be to lose contact with your group once the weather turns nasty.This is what must have happened to those lads on Scafell pike at Xmas time...Someone who knows a thing or two about fell walking told me never get out of earshot when trying to keep a group together, so after a few loud shouts we regrouped again..
The path from Hart Crag to Fairfield is well defined with plenty of cairns to guide you..We came across a couple here with the wife walking some distance behind. The guy asked us directions and as I passed his wife she had a decidedly angry look on her frozen face. I commented that it looked like he was in for a few silent meals when they got home.
I often wonder what we would do if we ever came across somebody who was injured and cold and needed help..On a fine summers day it might be possible to help someone,but up here in this weather it would be a totally different thing I'm sure..Those people in Mountain Rescue are something special that's for sure..
When we got to the summit of Fairfield there was quite a crowd and I love looking at all the gear everybody has to try and pick up some tips..One guy I got talking to had crampons on and he asked me if I|got much use out of the ice axe! I didn't like saying i had only just bought it so I said no..He said the crampons were effective but could easily bugger up your knees as your feet stay where they are and your body pivots about your knee joints.. This was all I needed to hear to decide against buying some...
After twenty minutes at the summit i was bloody freezing and my thumb felt like it was being gripped in a vice. All silly dreams of helping someone in distress quickly disappeared out of my head and I was glad when Dave confidently strode of to go down Deepdale Hause..
The snow around here was thigh deep as soon as you left the path and I decided it would be fun to try and slide down on my rucksack and see how far I could go..
With the shout "you must be be bloody stupid, that's a concave slope" ringing in my ears I jumped down using my rucksack as a sled and slithered about ten feet. As I gained momentum i saw my ice axe overtaking me only to stop just in front directly in my path..I tried to dodge it but the bloody thing grabbed my arse and ripped my pants to shreds!!
I decided to leave sledging to the cricketers and sheepishly rejoined my mates..I kept trying to pull my jacket down to cover the gaping hole in my walking trousers,realising that the ice axe could have given me a nasty cut in my leg which would have a been a shitty thing to happen up here..
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| Looking back up St Sunday Crag. |
After the exertion of coming down St Sunday Crag we found a sheltered spot and had a quick brew.
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| Dave and Mick having a brew..Deadly ice axe in yellow |
From here the path leads down to Birks which is a funny sounding Wainwright without much to recommend it except the view down to Grizedale with it's lonesome stone walling.
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| Lonesome stone walling of Grizedale |
The final leg of this walk goes over Trough Head and on to our last Wainwright of the day Arnison Crag.
The views from here are slendid looking down over Patterdale village to the lower end of Ullswater..
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| Lassie admiring the views over Ullswater. |
All in all this was a great walk not without it's dangers and on a fine day the view over Grizedale to Helveyllyn should give you the urge to try them next.If you want to see a 3Dflythrough of our walk then click this link 3D Fly through.
