Some pics from a wash out wild camp on Beda Fell in early September before we went to the Cheviots. It poured down and we got soaked!
Beefy on Beda Fell summit. We got some cheap ponchos to see if they were waterproof. They were but we got too hot in them
The Drift on Beda Fell. We pitched early, the rain didn't stop and we stayed there all night
Angle Tarn next day
Close up of Helvellyn and Catstycam, taken on the way back down to Patterdale
When we got back from our break in the Cheviots we did a 2 nighter in the Lakes. What a fantastic holiday we had, a very memorable 10 days. The break in the Lakes was brilliant and worthy of a more detailed trip report.
Day 1 Ravenglass to Boat How
We caught the train to Ravenglass and first stop was Muncaster Fell
Eastward view from Muncaster Fell
Beefy on Muncaster Fell top
It was wet and boggy on Muncaster Fell. Although the views were nice the ground underfoot was hard going and the path very vague in places. We used viewranger a few times to keep ourselves on track and we both said we wouldn't want to come across here in mist. We met a nice couple at Irton Road Station who had got a bit lost on the fell and descended a steep rough slope and ended up doing a bit of trespassing. We said we'd kept out of trouble with Viewranger or we would have joined them
We had a break at the station and we were going to walk through Mitredale and hoped to find a pitch somewhere near Boat How
Mitredale, what a lovely place
The Drift on Boat How
We found a pitch below the summit, it was a bit breezy but we were sheltered from it a little. We had our tea and then had a bit of an explore
Kirk Fell, Scafell and Burnmoor Tarn from Boat How top
Sunset behind Whin Rigg
We had some wine and watched the sunset sitting nice and cosy in the Drift. The wind dropped and we had a peaceful night. Our route was: Ravenglass - Muncaster Fell - Irton Road Station - Mitredale - Burnmoor Lodge - Boat How. 16.8km with 668m ascent
Day 2 Boat How to hard Knott fort
We were going to do Scafell and Slight Slide, drop down to Wha House then find a pitch on Border End or just below it if we were too tired to climb up it.
The Drift below Scafell and Slight Side
We packed our gear after drying the tent, the wind had dropped overnight and condensation had built up on the flysheet.
Burnmoor Tarn
It was very wet in places getting to the foot of Scafell. Then we started on the long slog up to the summit. I hated the steep scree and I vowed I would never come up this way again. It took us 45 minutes longer than I thought it would to get to the top
Beefy on Scafell summit. It was his 212 x 2 and my 213 x 7
On Scafell summit looking at Scafell Pike, Esk Pike and Bowfell
Bowfell and the Crinkles
We stopped here for a break and had some food and a brew enjoying the views before descending on more rough loose stones.
Long Green and Slight Side ahead
Bowfell and the Crinkles
A rare shot of yours truly (taken from my own camera that is!) Beefy did the honours, this is me on Slight Side and my 214 x 7
It was beefy's 213 x 2. He had one more to do, Lingmell; we didn't manage to finish together this time
We descended toward Eskdale and we gave some bullocks a bit of room, they were right on the path but they weren't interested in us at all. More boggy ground was covered across to the Terrace path down to Wha House
Hard Knott and Hard Knott fort. We were hoping to pitch somewhere over there
We were getting tired so we doubted we would get onto Border End and we would look for a pitch below it on the fort side. We got down to Wha House and I checked Viewranger. We'd only done 12km and 716m of ascent. It seemed like double that! We walked along the road up toward the fort, I really struggled when it got steep, I was out of gas. We joined the footpath to get off the road and Beefy looked around the fort while I sat down and had a rest.
We found a superb spot about 5 minutes walk from the fort, out of sight behind a little hillock
We got some water to filter had some tea and had a rest waiting for the sunset
Hard Knott and our tent, is this the golden hour?
We poured some wine and enjoyed the spectacle
Harter Fell
The sun begins to disappear
It was a great sunset
What a great pitch this was and we had such a wonderful time. We had more wine and got into our bags to keep warm
Day 2 was Boat How - Burnmoor Tarn - Hard Rigg - Scafell - Slight Slide - Wha House - Brotherilkeld - Hard Knott Fort - pitch below Border End 16km with 916m ascent.
Day 3
We had another peaceful night with not much wind and after our breakfast we packed away our stuff and set off for the Hard Knott pass. We were walking over Wrynose Pass and over to Blea Tarn and down to Great Langdale. The quickest way for us to get to a bus stop, there are no trains on Sundays from Ravenglass to Carlisle.
The Eskdale Valley
On the way to Wrynose Pass
We stopped for some food and a brew just over the summit of Wrynose Pass on the Little Langdale side
Langdale Pikes behind Tarnclose Crag and Side Pike
We'd had a peaceful few days, hardly seeing a soul really and when we joined the path from Blea Tarn down to Great Langdale we must have seen a thousand people coming up it. Well this might be a slight exaggeration but I'm not that far off
Back to reality and civilisation. We got our bus at the ODG and had a bit of time in Ambleside before catching the bus to Keswick and then back home.
Day 3 was Pitch below Border End - Hard Knott Pass - Cockley Beck - Wrynose Pass - Blea Tarn - ODG Great Langdale. 12.3km with 552m ascent. You can had another 4.4km onto the days total, we walked home from Carlisle. A superb few days in the Lakes to finish off a fantastic holiday, shame it has to end.
