Author Topic: TR Mellbreak, Hen Comb and Gavel Fell wild camp Sat 10 Oct 15  (Read 2149 times)

April

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The Caldbeck Rambler was a busy bus on Saturday, all the seats taken and when we got on the Honister Rambler in Keswick that was packed too. By the time we got to Portinscale a big group got on and they had to stand in the aisle. The bus just managed to get up the pass to Honister, it struggled a bit under the weight of all the people on it. One poor man had to get off a couple of times to be sick. He got a round of applause when he got back on the second time  ;D The bus driver still managed to reach Buttermere at the correct time. We got off there and we were pleased to have solitude and peace as we walked toward Scale Bridge. We were off to do Mellbreak, Hen Comb, Gavel Fell, Blake Fell and maybe wild camp on Carling Knott depending on how far we got.

Nice colours at Scale Bridge


Mellbreak ahead




Grasmoor, Whiteless Pike and Rannerdale Knotts across Crummock Water


The path to Scale Force is a bit of a pain to walk over, wet, slippery rocks with muddy boggy bits that catch you unawares. Don’t they Beefy?  :D The views are lovely though and then you have the reward of Scale Force at the end too.

We didn’t see a soul until we got to Scale Force. The buses had been so busy we expected hordes of people about and we were surprised that there weren’t more.
 
Scale Force


Beefy climbed up over the slippery rocks to the foot of the waterfall and I chatted to some holiday makers from New Zealand who said they were enjoying the Lake District and the lovely autumnal colours. Beefy eventually returned safely, it is a rather precarious scramble up and he said he had some good footage of the waterfall. I’ve seen it since and it is really special  8)

We dropped down to Scale Beck and had some lunch before tackling Mellbreak. There was hardly any wind and we were glad there was enough cloud cover because it was hot enough on the way up without the sun beating down on us. Our legs were feeling a bit tired as we climbed up and we rested them gratefully while we stopped to chat to a really nice lady and man descending Mellbreak with two lovely dogs with them  :)   

Beefy on Mellbreak. We were struggling a bit, it’s odd how sometimes you have less energy than usual but for no apparent reason.


Where we were going next Hen Comb, Gavel Fell and Blake Fell

The same way back down Mellbreak, this time with the lovely view in front of us


Grasmoor and Whiteless Pike


Red Pike and High Stile


We turned right heading toward Mosedale and the footbridge below Thrang Crags. The tall grass and a bit of bracken here and there impeded progress and it was hard going getting to the bridge on the pathless route I chose. Beefy really enjoyed this one  ;D After a rest beside Thrang Crags after the steep climb up we used the traverse path to the fence and then turned left to finish the climb up to Hen Comb

Above Thrang Crags on the way up Hen Comb


A bit of Grasmoor above Mellbreak


Still a way to go to the top of Hen Comb


Beefy on Hen Comb top


Whiteside and Grasmoor above Mellbreak


Robinson, Fleetwith Pike, Red Pike and Pillar from Hen comb


We’d taken longer than I thought we would to get onto Hen Comb and I thought we would be hard pressed to get over Blake Fell and onto Carling Knott to pitch before it got dark. We descended Hen comb and crossed Whiteoak Moss and it was quite dry after the dryish spell we’ve had but it is rough walking and I was cream crackered by the time we reached the fence line that leads to Gavel Fell. We decided to pitch somewhere on Gavel Fell grabbing some water from Grain Gill on the way up. Grain Gill should be renamed Grain bog. There was just a boggy pool and descending down to any running water meant walking through very wet marshy ground. We settled for some from the pool but is was brown and didn’t look very nice. There were some sheep bones a few feet away from the bog as well and we weren’t that happy at the thought of drinking the water as we climbed up Gavel Fell.

Getting hazy as we look back from the slopes of Gavel Fell


We got to Gavel Fell top and saw a flat area just below the summit. There was hardly any wind and it was even more sheltered there. It was 17.40 and I couldn’t imagine anyone being out here now unless they were wild camping so we pitched for the night.

Our pitch on Gavel Fell




We filtered the water and boiled it for our cous cous and soup. The water looked less brown after it was filtered and the soup and cous cous tasted ok. The cloud had thickened during the day so we didn’t get a sunset. We had some wine snuggled inside the tent and we were happy we had no visitors walk by us this time. So much for us saying we were going to pitch well away from any paths after last weekend  ;D The water didn’t make us ill thank goodness.

Our route was Buttermere - Scale Bridge - Scale Force - Mellbreak - Thrang Crags - Hen Comb - Whiteoak Moss - Gavel Fell. 11.7km with 947m of ascent and 549m descent.

Day 2 to follow. We got a sunrise...  :)
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beefy

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great pics and TR Ape' ...  O0

Quote
The path to Scale Force is a bit of a pain to walk over, wet, slippery rocks with muddy boggy bits that catch you unawares. Don’t they Beefy?  :D
;D ;D ;D
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[/size]we stopped to chat to a really nice lady and man descending Mellbreak with two lovely dogs with them  :)  

 ;)
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[/size]The tall grass and a bit of bracken here and there impeded progress and it was hard going getting to the bridge on the pathless route I chose. Beefy really enjoyed this one  ;D  

 :tickedoff:
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So much for us saying we were going to pitch well away from any paths after last weekend  ;D The water didn’t make us ill thank goodness.
rotten corpse swamp water didnt make me ill, im used to your cooking remember ...   :D :D :D
Leave only footprints, take only photographs, kill only time ...

April

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rotten corpse swamp water didnt make me ill, im used to your cooking remember ...  :D :D :D

 ;D  Thanks. My cooking must have got better if its been promoted to rotting corpse water standard  :D
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beefy

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 ;D  Thanks. My cooking must have got better if its been promoted to rotting corpse water standard  :D
Yes i normally spit out the maggots ;D :D  ;D
Leave only footprints, take only photographs, kill only time ...

Rhino

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Lovely read as usual during my lunch April, enjoyed looking at the pictures and getting my bearings from them as ive still to do all these so once again thanks for the recce  O0  My water is usually brown with a white head on the top and tastes great  ;D
How cold was it overnight compared to the other week? I am thinking of camping this weekend and dont know if i should stay in a bunk house or not?
 
 
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pleb

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Really like the waterfall shot O0
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GazzerG

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ooooo waterfall, me likes waterfalls  :)
I very nearly planned that route after seeing the waterfall, but after the last couple of gruelling weeks, I could do with a little less effort this week  :P
he said he had some good footage of the waterfall. I’ve seen it since and it is really special  8)
Hope he's doing a VR?


 
We were struggling a bit, it’s odd how sometimes you have less energy than usual but for no apparent reason.
 
Pretty much every week for me..  ;D


Oh great TR by the way  O0

April

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Yes i normally spit out the maggots ;D :D  ;D

  ;D

How cold was it overnight compared to the other week? I am thinking of camping this weekend and dont know if i should stay in a bunk house or not?
 

Cheers Rhino  :) It was quite mild where we were, very light winds and no frost, defo not as cold as we were at the campsite  :)

Thanks Pleb and Gazzer and Beefy has done a video. I think he will be posting it later  :)
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henryb

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Great report and photos April; really like the double lake view from Mellbreak - that was my favourite view so far this year

karl h

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Super stuff once again April O0
He's a cheeky chap that Beefy..fancy calling your cooking, I'd never do that ;D

Rhino

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Ta April, tis cold here tonight though I think the bunk house is calling me  :)
Wainwrights Completed 12/12/15

phil1960

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Another wicked TR, you two sound so much like me and Christine, only we haven't got a tent  ;D O0
Touching from a distance, further all the time.

April

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Thanks Henry - that view from Mellbreak is lovely  :)

He's a cheeky chap that Beefy..fancy calling your cooking, I'd never do that ;D

 ??? Lumpy custard?  ;D
Ta April, tis cold here tonight though I think the bunk house is calling me  :)

Lightweight  ;)

Another wicked TR, you two sound so much like me and Christine, only we haven't got a tent  ;D O0

 ;D Thanks Phil, I was thinking the same reading your TR. I am SWMBO too  ;D

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Rhino

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Lightweight  ;)


 ;D  i dont get called that often being 21 stone  ;D  however if your referring to my desire for creature comforts and a nice warm bed its not me i do it for its poor little handsome Jack  ;D  I dont mind the cold but he hates it  ::)
Booked the bunkhouse yesterday which is heated so Jack should be all cosy  :)
Wainwrights Completed 12/12/15

 

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