It was touch and go whether I would get out walking or not on Saturday. On Friday I'd tried to lift/push the dustbin with my left leg to get my recycling box and pulled something on the back of it. We had been invited to go walking near Twice Brewed with Karl and Sue over the weekend and we were going to go wild camping Saturday night and walk either Saturday or Sunday with them. We didn't want to spoil their trip if I turned up and couldn't walk very far so it was best we didn't go to meet them
On Saturday my leg was still hurting but we got the later bus into the Lake District ready to turn around if I couldn't walk far. We'd still taken the wild camping gear with us that was already packed. We walked along the shore path at Derwent Water to test my leg. The weather wasn't bad, not much wind and we had a few sunny spells. Past Cat Gill we stopped for our lunch and decision time. Was I able to carry on or should we go home? My leg was hurting a bit but not as bad as it had been on Friday night. We decided to carry on up to Ashness Bridge and onto Dodd and High Seat.
Smoke below Kings How
Squeaky next to the Bob Graham memorial on the way up to Ashness Bridge
Beefy and Squeaky on the way up from Ashness
Some views from the climb up to Dodd
On Dodd summit
This is the Ashness Fell Dodd, not the Skiddaw Dodd
Beefy asked how my leg was, not bad was the answer. It was odd my leg actually hurt more on the flat bits than it did on the climb up. We carried on toward High Seat.
The view west from the path to High Seat
Beefy and Squeaky on High Seat
It was quite blustery up at this height and really cold in the wind. We'd been looking for possible spots to pitch on the way and there were a few about but they had been in the wind.
We went onto Man and looked about there
Too windy here too but we found a spot out of the wind by dropping down on the eastern side of the fell. We got some water to filter from a tarn nearby and put the tent up. It was 4pm and there was nobody about.
The MSR on the eastern side of High Seat
We had our tea and rested our bodies. I have a few sore things on my body at the moment, not just the back of my left leg, my left knee is also hurting me when I kneel down on it, my right elbow is also stiff and sore and it hurts when I try to lift anything with my right hand. I struggled with pouring the hot water from the pot we use when we are camping. I need a new body I think
We had some wine and I hobbled up to the skyline (Beefy was feeling lazy) to see if the sunset was any good. The sun had gone down without being seen as it was cloudy. There was a bit of a pink tint but not very distinct, not worth the effort of the climb up or worth staying any longer.
Looking north toward Skiddaw from Man
I descended toward the tent to report no sunset but had a look back before I reached it. I saw red
So I hobbled back up to the ridge and onto Man.
The sunset was rather good after all
Too late to go back to Beefy to tell him or both of us would have missed it.
A few more shots of the sunset
I was wondering how many sunsets we might have missed by not being patient and getting back inside the tent too early. These colours didn't appear until 10 minutes after the sun had gone down.
I got back to the tent and we poured more wine and we looked at the sunset pics. It was really peaceful and quiet where we were, no wind noise, no noise at all. We really enjoyed the camp, it was great to be back out.
We slept well overnight but the wind had changed a bit and it was buffeting the tent a bit by dawn. We had some breakfast and a couple of brews before packing the gear away.
Squeaky emerging from her sleeping bag
We were away by 8.30 and we were off to Bleaberry Fell first, then Walla Crag and back to Keswick.
View toward Catbells from the path to Bleaberry Fell
Looking back at High Seat
Beefy and Squeaky on the way to Bleaberry Fell
My leg was feeling ok, still sore but no worse than it had been thank goodness. The wind was much worse though, much stronger and it was driving me mad
Trying to keep my hair in my hood was proving hard to do.
High Rigg lit up by the sun
Beefy and Squeaky on Bleaberry Fell summit
The view to the west from Bleaberry Fell
On the way down Bleaberry Fell
View from Walla Crag
Beefy and Squeaky on Walla Crag summit
We stopped for a brew and some food well away from the summit and the path hoping to get out of the wind but it was swirling about and we didn't stop for long. We got back to Keswick in time for the bus at 1.30 but not enough time to go to Mrs F's for cake
We had an apple from Booths instead
It was a good wild camp and I'm relieved my leg was okish. Day1 was Keswick - Derwent Water shore path - Ashness - Ashness Bridge - Dodd - High Seat - Man - pitch below. 9.25km with 607m ascent. Day 2 was Pitch - Bleaberry Fell - Walla Crag - Springs Wood - Castlehead Wood - Derwent Water at Strandshag Bay - Keswick. 10.9km with 154m ascent