On Saturday 28th May I travelled north to the Lake District with my friend Emily Fuller for three days' hiking. We travelled in my Smart car, which was big enough for our hiking kit and our camping kit, and comfortable enough for the length of journey. The little car was very sure-footed on Wrynose Pass and Hardknott Pass, where its rear-engine-rear-wheel-drive arrangement gave her first class traction even on the steepest sections, and her small size and responsive steering made her very nimble and wieldy; I enjoyed that part of the journey, for sure.
We pitched our tents under a beautiful tree at the far end of the lawn from Eskdale youth hostel, and were sung to sleep by the evening chorus or birds, some of whose calls I had never heard before.
For me, the purpose of the first two days' hiking was to reconnoitre two routes on which I had been given work later in the summer.
On Sunday 29th May, in very fine summery weather, we headed to Wasdale Head and walked slowly to the summit of Scafell Pike via Lingmell Gill , Brown Tongue, and Hollow Stones, taking in the view as we went, and looking for places were the route might not be so obvious in poor conditions. On the way down, we took a short detour via Lingmell and Goat Crags, and cooled off in one of the pools where the footpath splits for Wasdale Head or Brackenclose.
On Monday 30th May, also in very fine summery weather, we headed to Great Langdale, and parked in the National Trust car park under Raven Crag. From there we walked along the valley floor to Oxendale, then up to Brown Howe past the Markeens, then on to the saddle just north of Red Tarn, were we turned right and followed the path past Great Knott to Long Top. Along the section from Crinkle Crags to the Three Tarns, I was disappointed at how features which on the ground were very obvious, did not stand out clearly on the map (OS 1:25,000). At the Three Tarns we turned right and made our way back via the Band, then had a very satisfying nosh-up at the New Dungeon Ghyl Hotel.
On both of those days, we probably looked like the worlds' worst hikers, because of the amount of time we spend carefully studying the map and exploring all the wrong turns off the right route, so that we could really learn the route and navigate it confidently in poor conditions or at night. We really enjoyed both days' hikes, which although hard work mentally, were taken at a gentle pace, with plenty of time for taking in the beauty of the extraordinarily fine views.
On the Tuesday, with the serious business of reconnaissance over, we went for a lazy stroll without rucksacks, and basked in the glorious sunshine in the complex of little bowls and valleys behind Eskdale youth hostel, in the drainage basin of Blea Beck.
On the Wednesday we braved the M6 and trundled back to the West Country to get on with the rest of our lives.
