After crawling through the traffic to pick up the keys from the offices in Windermere (not very eco-friendly to expect you to drive into Windermere on a Bank Holiday when you've specifically picked a cottage that avoids the most crowded areas), Julie and I reached our meeting point with our eldest daughter and her fiancé at the Eagle and Child where we had an excellent value lunch.
Once we'd settled into the cottage, Diane, Neal and I went for a run up the road to Kentmere of just over six miles.
A nice walk with Julie and Josh (the dog) on Saturday morning was followed by lunchtime at the Brewery Beer Hall and a late afternoon 6 mile fell run.
The weather was fine on Sunday for a long run up to Kentmere and then the Horseshoe route although I did shorten it by coming back along the valley route from the shelter at the col - still that brought in 17 miles and 2900ft of climb.
Monday was a bit of a rest day and Tuesday just a short road run up the other side of the valley which did offer a good climb. A fair bit of rain had come down as can be seen by the state of the River Kent.
On Wednesday I had planned a long run over to Longsleddale, up to the corner of Haweswater then back via the col at the top of the Kentmere Valley. However, a last minute change of plan was to take up the offer of a lift from Diane and Neal who were driving over to Derwentwater to recce the cycle leg of the Keswick Triathlon on their bikes. So I looked at the maps and decided to get dropped off at Wythburn and then walk back via Helvellyn, down to Glenridding, make my way down the valley to Hartsop and then head home via the High Street Ridge. I knew it would be a good long walk. I also intended doing it with a fullish pack - no exact weight but I estimate about 11kg.
The ascent to Helvellyn was straightforward. I set off about 11am and the pack initially felt heavy but as soon as it was on, posed no problems whatsoever and in no time I was overtaking everyone on the ascent. Tried out my yaktrax on the snow and they were great and only took a couple of minutes to fit (being on the cusp between sizes makes them a tight fit!) Lunch at the top at 12.30 in glorious sunshine with stunning views in every direction - Windermere, Lagdales/Scafell Pike, Thirlmere, Skiddaw/Blencathra, Ullswater - as you can see below.
I had planned to descend via Swirral Edge but when I got there the group in front of me had decided not to risk it and as I saw the difficulty that those ascending were having, made the same decision. two choices head bak and come back via Grisedale Tarn or north over Lower Man and White Side following the old pony route. I chose the latter but instead of diligently calculating my route, followed them and we all overshot the path, heading down past Brownstone Crags. I reckon I lost an hour so it was soon heading for half past two descending from Lower Man. The route back to Glenridding is easy but long so it was four o'clock by the time I reached the village. People must have wondered why I was descending at such a pace rather than enjoying the views more. A quick stock up with bananas and kitkat from the village store and then down the road to head for Hartsop.
Luckily you can come off the main road just to the south of the White Lion and head over to Rooking and a footpath that takes you down to Hartsop. It was still over an hour's walk including a break for coffee and kit-kat. Walked through the almost deserted car-park at 5.20 to head up along Pasture Beck with a target to reach Thornthwaite Crag by 6.30. This I achieved but it is fair old climb over the later sections, especially when there is no-one in sight.
It was still worth a minute or so to use my phone camera for the view over towards Windermere.
Of course when you get to the top of Thornthwaite Crag it is still a fair few miles along the ridge before you can head down to Kentmere. Luckily my improving fitness meant that I was able to jog along much of the ridge and remembered the route down through Buck Crag from Sunday.
I just made it to the latter end of Garburn Pass with dusk drawing in as I hit the tarmac road. Luckily I was fortunate enough to chat to a couple of walkers heading back to the car after a short walk up the valley who were kind enough to offer me a lift down the road and home for family awaiting me for tea,
After mapping the route, I find I'd walked 20 miles with 6400ft of ascent (and 6600ft descent) in nine and a half hours. As this is considerable longer than my planned longest day in the Pyrenees, I feel very satisfied with it. I know I shall have the altitude to contend with, but hope my pack is no heavier, and although the occasional wrong turnings are bound to happen (I know from experience that GR10 signposts are not always as clear as you would like), did find I coped with the length and pace of the walk. The walk experienced both snow and heat and had a much later starting time than my long days in the Pyrenees.
Thursday saw a short morning walk before Diane and Neal had to return followed by a good three hour run over to Longsleddale and back via Kentmere in late afternoon. More pics to follow.
Altogether the week provided a total of 79 miles walking/running with 13550 feet of ascent and a platform to further build on.
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