Camping And Fell Walking

A great recent camping and walking weekend with Dominic from the blog  . . . made out of words. Here was our campsite on Seathwaite Farm at the head of Borrowdale in the Lake District. It's officially the wettest place in England. And, true to form, it was raining. The lump on the right is Seathwaite Fell, which I've climbed before... 

This time, late one damp, Saturday afternoon, we picked our way straight from the campsite up a steep and distinct path by the side of Sour Milk Gill (which roared tumultuously), past a tiny, red-berried rowan tree growing bravely by the torrent...

... to the outlying fell of Green Gable (2628 ft, 801 m) and her big sister Great Gable (2949 ft, 899 m), the seventh highest mountain in the Lake District. This last stretch — in rain, cloud and poor light, and up slippery, rock-strewn slopes — was tough going. But we made it to the top. And realised we only had a couple of hours in which to descend before nightfall. We had head torches but in the end didn't need them, as we made it precipitously, and at times uncomfortably, down Aaron Slack and Styhead Gill just before darkness set in. Though we did need our torches (and gas camping lanterns) to cook the evening meal — which, on this first night, was Dominic's affair: pasta, baked beans, and a packet of Dolmio sauce. No, not Cordon Bleu. But we were very, very hungry...  

Next day we drove to Buttermere and took on Red Pike (2477 ft, 755 m), its rock as red as its name suggests. At the start of the day we'd intended walking the whole western ridge from Red Pike via High Stile and High Crag to Scarth Gap Pass, and thence to Buttermere again, along Buttermere Lake. Alas, we had not reckoned on the weather, and at the top of Red Pike felt cold, wet and tired. So, instead, we decided on an alternative, shorter, easier route via Scale Beck and Scale Force down to the shore of Crummock Water. And, miraculously, for that half day, the sun came out, and all felt sublimely well with the world. The exciting, occasionally scrambly, but perfectly safe walk down Scale Beck was utterly delightful.    

For our final meal on Sunday night I prepared two disparate packs of Uncle Ben's rice — with fresh yellow peppers, tomatoes and hard-boiled eggs. Hardly a marriage made in heaven either. But, do you know, we were absolutely famished again...

PS Thanks and undying appreciation go to Dominic for the indisputable culinary highlight of the trip: his glass cafetière, which gave us wonderful coffee —  a huge treat in a challenging environment!