Author Topic: TR Day 1 Bessyboot, Glaramara and camp below Allen Crags Sat 21 Jul 18  (Read 1247 times)

April

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We met up with Karl and his two sons, David and Robert on Saturday to go up Rosthwaite Fell, then Glaramara and pitch below Allen Crags. The cloud was covering Glaramara and Allen Crags when we set off from Stonethwaite but the forecast said the weather would improve by afternoon.

Robert, David and Karl on the way to Stonethwaite


We were going up the steep route by Big Stanger Gill.

Looking back at Borrowdale from the ascent


I realised two minutes after we began the climb that trying to keep up with Karl and 2 fit lads of 22 and 25 years was going to be impossible. They had to keep stopping while we caught up, I now realise that I am old and decrepit and don't have the same speed I used to  :(
It was very hot and humid with little wind to cool us and we were all sweating buckets.

Looking back at the route up


There was a little drizzle on the way up, it didn't amount to much.

Another shot looking back, near the waterfall on Big Stanger Gill


The traverse toward the waterfall


There was so little water in the waterfall it wasn't worth taking a shot

Racom Bands


Beefy on Bessyboot


I think we got onto Bessyboot after 1 hour and 40 minutes. The steepness of the Big Stanger Gill route is the killer on this route, well it is for me. The ascent and distance is about the same if you walk from Seatoller and I did Bessyboot from there up the Dry Gill route in 1 hour, 25 minutes a week and a half ago when I was carrying over 1kg more. It is a more gradual ascent by Dry Gill so it feels much easier.


David (left), Karl and Robert (right) on Bessyboot


Robert and David are very nice lads, they are both quiet. We put it down to having Karl as a father, they would never get a word in with him about so they don't get much chance to practise talking  ;)
Off to Rosthwaite Cam next. Karl, David and Robert climbed Rosthwaite Cam, we didn't bother, we got our chairs out and began our lunch below it. After our lunch it was on the way to Glaramara and into the cloud.

Karl route


Looking back at our route, the normal route is through the gap on the right, Karl took us steeply down it on the left  :o


Joking apart, Karl did the navigating, difficult in the conditions and he was brilliant. I was having a rest from navigating this weekend. Well I had to save all my energy to keep up with Usain and Linford.

Beefy on Glaramara summit


We went up the rocky step scrambly bit onto Glaramara which I have done before a few times and had no problems. I found it more difficult with the heavy pack with camping gear in and struggled.

Tarns on the way to Allen Crags


We were well into the clag now and we cheered as there was a brief glimpse of the Langdale Pikes before they were hidden again.

On the way through the clag


Langdale Pikes and another tarn


Below the summit of Allen Crags, Karl asked if we wanted to find a pitch first then maybe do Allen Crags later, okay with us so we went off to find a pitch. Not easy, we wandered around for half an hour, or more before we found somewhere. It was still claggy so we didn't really think it mattered that much about having a view. It was colder here, the wind had picked up and we probably wouldn't be sitting outside the tents.

The MSR, the Enan and Scarp below Allen Crags.


We were in the MSR, Robert and David in the Scarp, Karl in the Enan. We were at 732m asl according to viewranger.

Sprinkling Tarn below the cloud


We got some water from one of the tarns nearby and had a brew and our tea.

The cloud cleared off Great End for a short time


We hadn't realised how close we were to it when we pitched. Beefy got Willo out for a fly.

The cloud on Great Gable


There was some dramatic cloud on display when the clag dispersed...until it clagged in again.

Glaramara free of cloud but only briefly


The promised lifting of the cloud never happened, except for the gaps in the clag we didn't really have much to see

Karl and Beefy timelapsing the cloud


It was bitterly cold so I didn't stay long, I was soon back in the tent to keep warm.

Ill Crag appearing over Calf Cove


Our camp below Allen Crags


There was no sunset of course, there was too much cloud. Never mind we'd enjoyed the camp and it is always nice to see Karl, it has been a while and nice to see David again, he came on a camp on Green Crag a few years ago. Also nice to meet Robert for the first time  O0 Great lads, Karl and Mrs Karl have done a great job bringing up their children  :)
Day 1 was Stonethwaite - Big Stanger Gill - Bessyboot - Rosthwaite Cam - Combe Door - Glaramara - pitch below Allen Crags 10.9km with 1,032m of ascent 397m of descent
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Ridge

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Lovely pics April.
Route finding on Glaramara in the clag must have been fun.

beefy

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Great pics and write up Ape O0
Karl's kut price tours are now on the banned list ;D
Quote
Robert and David are very nice lads, they are both quiet. We put it down to having Karl as a father, they would never get a word in with him about so they don't get much chance to practise talking   
Thank goodness he didn't start singing  :D
The clouds put on a spectacular display it made up for no sunset  :)
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April

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Route finding on Glaramara in the clag must have been fun.

It was. Karl did it all  ;D

Karl's kut price tours are now on the banned list ;D

They were already on the banned list, what were we thinking?  ;)
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pleb

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 O0
(Insert witty comments here).
 ;D ;D
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richardh1905

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Love the picture of Great Gable wreathed in cloud, April.

Quote
We went up the rocky step scrambly bit onto Glaramara which I have done before a few times and had no problems. I found it more difficult with the heavy pack with camping gear in and struggled.


^ this is the main motivation for me to shed a few kg from my pack - I seem to be able to manage the weight fitness wise, but I hate being on steep ground with a heavy pack threatening to overbalance me, especially descending.
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Petrolhead

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Wonderful photos. The second one looking back to Borrowdale especially.

Had a giggle at the "Usain and Linford" comment too! 

:)

April

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(Insert witty comments here).
 

Too lazy to write owt?  ;)

this is the main motivation for me to shed a few kg from my pack - I seem to be able to manage the weight fitness wise, but I hate being on steep ground with a heavy pack threatening to overbalance me, especially descending.

Yes, my pack is awkward at times. I can't really lighten my pack anymore unless I don't take my chair and we eat less food. It is about 8.5kg I think including the chair and food, half a litre of water. We don't do a lot of steep scrambly routes when we are camping normally, we would rather take more weight and have more comfort and eat well.

Had a giggle at the "Usain and Linford" comment too! 

Thanks Petrolhead

Karl and his sons are bleddy fast   ;)
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Petrolhead

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Ha!

I'd be making similar comments to you no doubt. Actually I'd probably be making similar comments ABOUT you!

:)

karl h

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Thanks for the ( mostly ) kind words April O0
Despite the weather was a grand couple of days and a good laugh as always :)
My pics are very similar to yours so I wont duplicate but here are a few of you two and the real star of the show the marvellous mr Willo the drone :)
   
A and B on the extremely steep and extremely hot climb up by Big Stanger Gill
   
And on Bessyboot.  
 
I felt that April was finding the walk a bit boring so led her down this near vertical cliff which she really enjoyed  :D  
   
A tarn hogger
   
The real star of the show-the marvellous Mr Willo.  
   
Having had enough of our company April and Beefy tried to leg it off down Langstrath but  weighed down as they were  with their full dining experience kit we caught them near Tray Dub. Lovely to see you both again and if I'm ever stuck with nothing better to do i might camp with you again ;D

beefy

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Great pics Karl  O0
Quote
Having had enough of our company April and Beefy tried to leg it off down Langstrath but  weighed down as they were with their full dining experience kit we caught them near Tray Dub. Lovely to see you both again and if I'm ever stuck with nothing better to do i might camp with you again    
;D
Thanks Karl, it's nice to know were at the very bottom of your friends list  :D

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henryb

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Great report and photos April O0  My fave is the second shot of Borrowdale :)

April

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the real star of the show the marvellous mr Willo the drone :)

 :o  :o  :o   Mr Willo?  Mr? :o  :o  :o

Should have gone to specsavers, it is Ms Willo  :)

Nice pics Karl, looking forward to your website report  :) Yes, I did enjoy the near vertical cliff descent  :D
I am less human beetroot than I thought I was on Bessyboot  ;D

Thanks henry  :)
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