We got the Buttermere bus to the Catbells bus stop. We were pleased it was just a short journey from Keswick because the bus was packed! We were standing and felt like sardines. I chatted to a fellow sardine, nice lady
We were going over Ard Crags and Knott Rigg then descending to Newlands Hause. We wanted to pitch near Robinson. We had a pretty good weather day, very warm, dry and sunny spells.
At Skelgill we took the footpath to Rowling End Farm.
Beefy and Squeaky with Hindscarth and Robinson in view
Ard Crags ahead as we walked beside Rigg Beck
We stopped for lunch near Rigg Beck and we had 50 minutes. We weren't in a hurry as the walk was quite short.
On the ascent of Ard Crags
It was hard work on the ascent, it was hot and humid with hardly any wind. It is a steep route and it seemed to go on forever.
Squeaky you are going the wrong way!
Squeaky enjoying the view on Ard Crags east ridge
She had been squeaking at us to hurry up on the ascent. We were sweating buckets and we renamed the fell Hard Crags.
High Spy and Hindscarth
Beefy and Squeaky on the summit of Ard Crags
It is a fab walk this, with wonderful views of the fells in all directions.
Causey Pike and Blencathra
The Helvellyn Dodds beyond Catbells and Bleaberry Fell
Looking back to Ard Crags from the way up Knott Rigg
Beefy and Squeaky on the summit of Knott Rigg
Our legs were feeling the steep descent down to Newlands Hause.
Moss Force
We had a 40 minute break at Newlands Hause before the steep ascent to Buttermere Moss.
The steep route up to Buttermere Moss
We were up before we knew it, we had been dreading it because we were flagging a bit.
Rannerdale Knotts from Buttermere Moss
We went onto High Snockrigg first before looking around for a pitch.
Great Gable, Haystacks, Scafell Pike from High Snockrigg
We found a pitch after about 20 minutes and got the tent up.
The MSR on Buttermere Moss
We had collected some water from a tarn first and it had filtered by the time we got our gear sorted. We had a cuppa and rested our tired legs. It was about 4.30 and we could see people descending from Robinson. We thought they could probably see us but we were quite a distance from the path. The wind had picked up a bit from the morning and it would have been too cold to sit and wait anyway. The cloud had thinned and we had lovely blue skies. We had our tea and we managed to sit outside the tent on the north side of the tent out of the wind. The wine was opened and we waited for the sunset.
Fleetwith Pike and Haystacks from our pitch
We saw a fellow wild camper setting up on High Snockrigg. It is a nice place to pitch, we camped there last year.
Toward the Solway Firth
The sun begins to dip down toward the horizon
It goes down behind High Snockrigg
Nice colours in the sky
A pretty good sunset, a fab walk and wild camp.
Our route was Catbells bus stop - Skelgill - Rowling End Farm - Rigg Beck - Ard Crags - Knott Rigg - Newlands Hause - High Snockrigg - pitch on Buttermere Moss. 9.6km with 740m ascent
High Stile and Red Pike next morning
The wind had picked up overnight and it was still blustery when we packed up. It was incessant wind and very annoying.
We had planned to do Robinson but we didn't want to be in that wind any higher up and for longer so we descended to Buttermere. We chatted to 4 Aussie blokes who were on their way up Robinson. The joy on their faces was evident and they mentioned how beautiful the Lake District was. They had camping gear but had camped at the camp site in Buttermere and asked us if we had camped up on the fells. We told them we had. We said our farewells and they carried on with huge smiles on their faces. It is wonderful to see people enjoying the fells so much especially when they have travelled so far. If they had come a few weeks ago they may not have been smiling so much
On the tricky descent to Buttermere
I don't like this bit, there is a bit of a drop and the path narrows. It was wet and greasy and the rock was like ice.
When we reached the church we turned left and walked past the YH then took the footpath along the north shore path on Buttermere heading west to Gatesgarth .
Haystacks across Buttermere
It was very blustery here too.
Fleetwith Pike and Haystacks
We stopped for a brew and some food in a sheltered spot out of the wind.
Mother duck and ducklings
We were lucky to catch a bus from Lower Gatesgarth and got to Keswick early so we took Squeaky for a walk in Hope Park before we got our bus home. Day 2 was Pitch - Buttermere - Lower Gatesgarth 6.4km with 40m ascent. Walk to Hope Park and back was 1.6km. A very good weekend, we felt like summer was here at last. My knee still isn't 100% but like last week, no worse after the weekend.