Walking from the lovely Chapel Stile camp site in Nether Wasdale we discovered its only shortcoming. There is a footpath through the site but it is not signposted. Surely it would be better to not have people, as we did, wandering aimlessly round the static caravans to try and find the route.
The night before there had been a huge rainstorm and the clouds were still well down as we headed towards Buckbarrow.
We headed up to the right of Gill Beck. The previous nights rain meant that, not only was the ground soaked but, pushing through the bracken we were wet to chest height. Still it did mean lots of water coming down the becks.
As we ascended Buckbarrow the clouds kept rising and falling.
As we headed on towards Seatallan the cloud dropped and we were suddenly doing proper nav, actually lining up the base plate on the map and turning the bezel and everything just like proper walkers.
The temperature had dropped and by the time we arrived at the trig we were in fleeces, coats, hats and gloves. We sat in the summit shelter for a bite to eat.
As we set of again the cloud lifted from Seatallan but was still crowning our next objective Haycock.
We dropped down the end of Seatallan and then splashed along through Pots of Ashness and High Pikehow. How did these places get their names?
We went NW at the front of Haycock to then ascend it by the grass rake. By the time we were at the top the cloud had lifted.
Anyone on the Sca fells was not so lucky.
Looking over in to Ennerdale
and our route down.
On previous trips we may have continued on and up the other side but we turned right at the col to walk beside Nether Beck.
Loads of water in the beck meant the waterfalls were running at full tilt.
Then round the base of Middle fell and right up the road to cut through the fields back to the camp site, and on to the pub for pie and beer.
