I have just returned spending some time in the Lakes and had an up and down trip and I don't mean the hill walking which I thought I would share.
I arrived in Glenridding in good spirits and the weather was beautiful, Ullswater looked fantastic and was my first time there. I went to reception at the campsite and was informed that there was a trial bike meet this weekend. Oh I thought, not what I wanted, being disturbed in morning by the revving of rather loud bikes. However I was not disturbed, dont know if there were any rules in place but I never heard an engine before 10am so I thanks the bikers for that
Did some great walks over the next 4 days including Helvellyn going over Striding Edge, in not the most perfect of conditions but a few were doing it so I thought safety in numbers but some people turned back reaching the start. The step down is good and the scramble up was a lot steeper than I thought but was great fun. Unfortunately at the top visibilty was zero so a slight disappointment to an excellent ascent. I would post pics and do a trip report but I'll come to that later.
On one sunny morning I was descending from Glenridding Dodd and another walker was walking up and I thought I recognise him but where from? I then thought of someone on here and I asked the man if he had a drone. No he replied, but said he did own one and then I was sure it was the one and only Beefy. Nice to have met you on such a glorious day hope you got some great pics, as i didn't. Well I did but again I'll explain in a bit.
My time had come to an end at Glenridding and had been treated to a firework display on Sunday night coming from one of the hotels down at the lake. The aerial display was great but the sounds were amazing. The explosions were bouncing of Place Fell and sounded so different to your normal firework display. Life was good
Stopped off in Keswick to restock and was involved in a minor car accident in a car park. I'm driving out when a lady in a Bentley Continental reverses out of her space and hits my off side rear wing. No major damage, just a few dents and already her insurance company have contacted me and sorting it all out but still an inconvenience.
Pitched up in Buttermere and immediately the weather changed, 15 hours constant hard rain, causing the stream on the edge of the campsite to raise dramatically into a river, the Gills were flowing extremely fast and loud around Buttermere the next morning. Parts of the path around the lake near Gatesgarth were flooded and the lake had risen considerably higher and was amusing watching people in their white trainers trying not to get them dirty
So I was walking to Black Sail hut and was fortunate enough to stay the night. I'm going via Scale Force and when I'm there I rest and take in the views. Photo opportunity galore and carefully get a bit closer to the plunge pool. Take a pic and and a short video and turn slightly to get a different angle and with that my foot slipped, I lost balance, my hands fly into the air trying to get my balance back and my phone, which I was still holding goes flying up to the air and splash, lands right in the middle on the plunge pool. It had gone, there was no way I was going to be able to retrieve it. I didn't know if it would still be in the pool lodged behind rocks or was flowing down to Crummock Water. I had not just lost the phone but all the photos and videos I had taken over the last 7 days, I was gutted and so annoyed at myself. I was calling myself all kind of names, fortunately no one else was around but if anyone heard a raging man on the fells last week, I apologise. But for the rest of the walk my head was down and was not enjoying the walk. But once I got to Black Sail my mood changed. I was also using my old mobile phone as a GPS device so after earlier events I was still able to take some pics of the rest of the walk.
Great experience at Black Sail, great welcome, delicious food and good people. The walk back to Buttermere the next morning was via Windy Gap, bye eck, now I know why!! Serious lack of views on top of Green Gable. Was twice blown off my feet as the wind swept across me. I just followed some large cairns down until i got out of the thick clag, it was not nice place to be but the experience of it was good.
So my adventure came to end and am back home safely, which is the main thing but valuable lessons to be learnt and experiences to remember. despite the ups and downs, life is always better after a trip to The Lakes.