We went out for a 3 nighter on the Easter weekend. It was Sunday service on the buses on Good Friday so we were late getting in to Keswick at 1.20pm. We were carrying 4 days food and wine so we didn't fancy the 3 mile walk to catch the earlier bus. We got on the 77A as we were starting from Honister. We got to Grange and found there was a caravan blocking the road and there were queues building up. This was due to the parked cars on the narrow street and not the caravan drivers fault. He found he couldn't move forward or back and some people helped him move the caravan. This held us up for half an hour. We chatted to a tourist on the bus, a nice lady who asked us what was going on. I think she was German and she was staying at the Fish Hotel in Buttermere. We got to Honister at 2.40. We weren't bothered we were late as we'd planned to pitch on Grey Knotts. We'd kept the first day very short, the extra weight had come as a shock to our bodies. Also it was very warm and sunny with hardly any wind. The long distance views were very hazy though so it wasn't a great day for photos. We started climbing up to the Drum House. Once at the Drum House we turned left on the path that leads to Moses Trod.
Buttermere and Crummock Water from the way to Grey Knotts
We walked to the first running water, the source of Warnscale Beck as it crosses the path. We were getting the water for our camp from there rather than see what the tarn water would be like on the ridge. We now had another 3kg in water to carry and we inched up toward Grey Knotts. We were pleased when we reached the fence and we started looking for a place to pitch. We found one and got the tent up. It was early at 4 oclock but apart from a group of tourists asking where the path to Great Gable was we didn't see anybody else except some other wild campers who pitched below Brandreth.
The MSR on Grey Knotts
Base Brown with Glaramara, Bowfell and Esk Pike in view
We had our tea and and a look west at the build up of cloud meant we were not going to get a very good sunset.
The clouds provided some drama
The sunset from Grey Knotts
Not a very good sunset at all. We had some wine and rested our tired bodies, we had struggled with the extra weight and the heat. We are not used to the heat, it had felt like minus 10 last weekend!
Day 1 was Honister - Drum House - source of Warnscale Beck - Grey Knotts ridge. 3.2km with 365m ascent
We slept well and awoke to more hazy views. First stop was Grey Knotts summits, we did both of them.
This is the east top
This is the west top
Next was Brandreth and again we took photos from 2 of the cairns, I can never remember which one is the summit.
Beefy and Squeaky at one of the summit cairns
It was more windy on Saturday and the wind was in our faces. It was still sunny, shame about the haze though.
Toward the Gables from Brandreth
Beefy at the other cairn on Brandreth
Green Gable was our next fell.
Great Gable from Green Gable
Beefy on Green Gable summit
We sat in the summit shelter for a short break but the wind wasn't very strong up on the top. Next on the list was Great Gable which meant the awful loose descent down to Windy Gap had to be endured first.
On the descent to Windy Gap
We then had the more enjoyable ascent up to Great Gable with a few rocky steps to scramble up. I thought I would struggle on it with the pack weight but I was ok but my legs were tiring as we reached Great Gable summit.
Beefy and Squeaky on Great Gable summit
Across Seathwaite Fell to the Langdale Pikes
The Scafells from Great Gable
We had a chocolate break (suitable for vegans) before we descended to Styhead. My legs really felt that long steep descent and I was pleased when we stopped for some lunch near the Dry Tarn. It was blustery and we couldn't get out of the wind so it was a quick stop.
The original plan was to pitch somewhere beyond Esk Pike on Pike de Bield. I had ran out of steam on the Great Gable descent. Squeaky was getting very tired too. We stopped to get some water from the beck and had a rest. Allen Crags was nearby and we had camped there before so we changed our plans. Allen Crags would be our home for the night.
Looking back at Great Gable from the path to Esk Hause
The MSR on Allen Crags
We found a good pitch and got the tent up. I was absolutely knackered I would have pitched anywhere! Squeaky wanted her photo taken too and she came out the tent as I took the shot!
The Gables seen from our pitch
It was blustery and we sat inside the tent looking at the view while we had our tea
The sunset from Allen Crags
Not a very good one, never mind, we enjoyed resting and having some wine. Day 2 was Grey Knotts - Brandreth - Green Gable - Great Gable - Styhead - pitch below Allen Crags 8km with 640m ascent
Day 3 and 4 to follow