Day 1
We were off out on a 2 nighter, we started from Patterdale and walked to Hartsop along the lovely footpath from Rooking. There had been snow on the northern fells coming in on the Caldbeck bus but there was none to be seen on the tops from Patterdale.
Lamb at Rooking
The weather wasn't bad, there were clear views but it was cold. There was a lot of cloud so we don't get much sunshine.
Toward Middle Dodd from the path
A sign at the car park at Hartsop
Yep, can't argue with that
The obligatory barn shot
We stopped for lunch at Hayeswater Gill before starting the climb up our first fell of the weekend, Brock Crags. We walked to the filter house then zig zagged up the fell. We were looking for a stile on the left when we reached a wall. We weren't using the stile but the path zig zags just beside it. We must have missed the stile because we realised we were too far across the fell. There was a new deer fence near the wall and we wondered if the stile had been replaced with a gate, there had been a gate we had passed. Instead of back tracking we made use of a path in a groove which zig zagged more steeply up the fell than the normal path. This petered out and we continued climbing steeply until we were left of the summit.
The view toward Brothers water from the way up
Across Lingy Crag to St Sunday Crag
Beefy and Squeaky on Brock Crags summit
It was really windy up here and bitterly cold. Back to winter.
We were hoping to pitch somewhere between The Knott and Satura Crag. We had pitched near here before a few years ago but wanted somewhere slightly different. We found a spot straight away that ticked all the boxes. Out of the wind, flat, hidden from the path, great view and view of the possible sunset. It was early, before 3pm but we couldn't be seen from the path so we got the tent up.
The MSR with a great view to the west
The MSR with the view toward High Street, Hayeswater and Gray Crag
We'd got some water to filter from a nearby tarn. It looked a bit brown but once it was filtered it was quite clear and tasted fine.
We had a brew, got our gear sorted then scoffed our tea. With the cloudy skies we weren't hopeful of a good sunset. We had some wine and kept a lookout for the sun going down.
The sun going down behind Raise
It was one of those wow moments and the tarn that supplied our water supplied us with some great photos too.
The sun seemed to roll down the side of Raise to Sticks Pass then cloud covered it.
The sun appeared again before dipping down behind Stybarrow Dodd
What a wonderful sunset this was
Always much better when you don't expect to get one! We finished our wine and we agreed this had been one of our favourite wild camps.
Day 1 was Patterdale - Crookabeck - Hartsop - Filter House - Brock Crags - pitch near Satura Crag. 10km with 500m ascent.
Day 2
The temperature didn't drop as low as forecast overnight, we'd expected below freezing but there was no frost on the tent or grass. I saw some deer on Rest Dodd when we started to pack up.
Zooming in on the deer
We were too far away to get any close up shots. We said goodbye to the great little pitch and we were on or way to The Knott.
On the Coast to Coast path with The Knott in view
We chatted to a really nice bloke on the way who was on a mountain bike who was going up High Street and down Gray Crag. Rather him than me lol, I don't think my balance would be any better on a bike coming down a steep fell like that.
On The Knott
On the way up High Street
The wind was making itself felt here and again it was bitterly cold.
Beefy and Squeaky on High Street
At Mardale Ill Bell summit cairn
Yoke, Ill Bell and Froswick from the path to Thornthwaite Crag
Thornthwaite Crag
There was sleet falling as we approached the summit. We were ready for a break and some food so we huddled behind the wall and used the tent footprint as a tarp so we didn't get wet. The sleet was heavy for ten minutes but thankfully it stopped and we were on our way again.
Froswick ahead
The fells had been very quiet earlier and we'd only seen a handful of people. It was now the rush hour! We stopped a few times to let a few groups of walkers get passed us, they were walking faster than we were.
Looking back at Froswick and Thornthwaite Crag from Ill Bell
Beefy and Squeaky on the summit of Ill Bell
We were lucky to get shots on the summits without anyone on, it was busy up there.
Yoke was the last fell of the day.
The view west from Yoke
We stopped for a rest at a place we'd pitched before, on a rocky shelf below the summit. We were tired and we pitched here instead of carrying on to Buck Crag. It started raining at 7pm and it clouded over. No surprise sunset this time
The MSR pitched below Yoke
Day 2 was Pitch - The Knott - High Street - Mardale Ill Bell - Thornthwaite Crag - Froswick - Ill Bell - Yoke - pitch below. 12km with 660m ascent
Day 3
Again the temperature didn't drop as much as we thought it would. No frost about. We were doing two more Wainwright's for Sqeaky, Sallows and Sour Howes before getting our bus at Troutbeck.
Zooming in on Bowfell, Scafell Pike and Langdale Pikes from the descent of Yoke
Looking north from Sallows
On the way to Sour Howes
Beefy and Squeaky on Sour Howes summit
Sqeaky did 10 Wainwright's this weekend
On the descent to Troutbeck
Dubbs Reservoir and Windermere
Zooming in on the Scafells
We stopped for a brew and some food before we reached Troutbeck.
The view from our brew stop
Troutbeck Church
We got the bus at 11.50 and after 3 and half hours and 2 more buses we were back home again. A grand long weekend but it should be summer by now! Can we have some warmer weather for next weekend?
Day 3 was Pitch - Sallows - Sour Howes - Troutbeck . 9.25km with 160m ascent