Lakes – Easter 2017

by Tim Cooper

With more faff than Roger deciding which head torches to leave behind in the last 48 hours before departure I finally re-packed the Mazda and set off up the road at 7.30am (Friday) and caught all the traffic all the way to Buttermere. Having pitched the tent, yes tent, (wife wanted van over Easter and then stayed at home, that’s another long story which is soon to end, fingers crossed) I setoff for a leg stretch up Sail Beck and then into the Fish in for a pint.

Saturday
A bright day with a cold wind and I set off along the side of Buttermere head for Scarth Gap Pass and onto Black Sail YHA then up another Sail Beck, passing a group of Spanish backpackers on their way to Wasdale asking if they might get a phone signal, to Black Sail Pass and then steeply at first up to Kirk Fell. Then on to Great Gable where I unfortunately had to scrabble behind a man in a kilt, alas (thankfully) I cannot confirm if they do or do not! From there on to Green Gable via Windy Gap which wasn’t then on the Haystacks and home (tent) and 2 more pints. In total 19.4km and 1441m of ascent and descent.

Black Sail YHA looking back to Scarth Gap Pass

Great Gable with Green Gable in the background

Sunday
Wet so snoozed until 11am all thanks to a large pee bottle. The rain finally abated enough so I setoff down Crummock Water and then up Whiteside. At the top it turn full on Easter weather and remained so until I dropped out of the clouds on the descent to Buttermere. From the top of Whiteside it was along the ridge to Hopegill Head and then down over Sand Hill to Coledale Hause. I even got my compass out at this point just to make sure I was not going to end up in the wrong valley. Slogged on in the wind and rain to Whiteless Pike and after 50m of descent no more rain. Amore gently day today with 16.7km covered and 979m of ascent and descent.

Monday
6am alarm call, if raining home if no rain Skiddaw. No rain brew on, tent down and off. Arrived at the bottom of Skiddaw at 8am in a bright but cold morning. Then straight up from Latrigg with little respite for 2 hours, only met 4 people on the way up. I retraced my step along the ridge and then headed off toward Skiddaw House. Halfway down Sale How I stopped on a rock and eat a sandwich looking over the northern fells where I bet nobody goes, that will have to be another weekend with a stay at Skiddaw House which is a YHA. From the house it was down the Glenderaterra Beck valley to the car and off home. Today was a 13.8 km trip with 799m up and down.