LAKE DISTRICT - NOVEMBER 2016

So for the first time ever, we decided to take a short break in November but with a specific reason...to take part in the Great Gable remembrance Sunday gathering. We saw the plaque in the rock summit the last and only time we were on top of Great Gable (see 2014 April entry) Mr F found out online that there is a big gathering there every year and so we decided this year, we would take part...

So we were up with the birds on the Thursday morning ready to stop off at Blackburn to see Mrs F,s dad for a few hours which is always nice to see him. It took an hour longer than we thought due to the roadworks on the M6. We left Blackburn around 3pm and were in our cottage/barn around 4:15. It was the same lovely place where we stayed back in June just past and was a good job we still had the confirmation email with the key lock code because we didn't know what it was!

As it was a short trip we didn't have much to unpack and was expecting Tesco to bring us our food once again for the few days we were there. The bed was much more comfortable this time as we were asked our opinion on the hard mattress the last time we stayed, so opinions paid off for a much more comfy bed 😊

The Stunning Setting Sun On The Way From Blackburn

Another Nice Welcome Gesture

Fire Lit, Nice n Cosy

Having A Muckabout!!

DAY 1: ANGLE TARN PIKES - 1,857ft

              REST DODD - 2,278ft

              THE NAB - 1,887ft

6 HOURS TREKKING

We were up and out ready to start climbing at 9:45am and it was one of the most stunning morning's we have seen. There was mist just sitting on top of Ullswater as we drove around it and the water so perfectly still it created a perfect mirror image of the mountains in the reflection. We pulled over to take a couple of photos before moving on to our parking space, which we were amazed to get as it was a little lay-by that was free! We met a guy who parked behind us who turned out to be from the next town up from where we live in London....a small world! He did look very familiar like we'd met him before... 

Mr F & Cuddles Watching Blue Tits

The stunning reflection photos...

The temperature on the car when we first got in showed it was -3'c...and it felt like -3'c! Until we started to trek up towards Angle Tarn then we got quite hot,so stopped briefly to delayer...well, Mrs F did as Mr F forgot his coat and fleece, so only had the top he was wearing and his lightweight waterproof jacket in his rucksack....numpty! Mr F had read that quite a few people camp at Angle Tarn and is meant to be a stunning tarn for photos....Mrs F loves a tarn was was quite excited and keen to see it. As we got to the top of the first lot of stepping stones, there came a crossroads where you could take the left route up to Place Fell go straight on towards Beda Fell or right towards Angle Tarn, which is the route we took. We stopped briefly to give Mr S a call to let him know our plans for the day for safety purposes and carried on up the next lot of stepping stones until we reached a level path where we had our first glimpse of Angle Tarn. Mrs F wasn't overly impressed with it from the angle, but maybe it's called Angle Tarn because it did look beautiful from the other side with the backdrop view of the snowy mountains in the background...

Looking Up Ahead To Where We're Heading

A Quick Glance Back Over Patterdale

Our Route Ahead

Our Crossroads Right-hand Turn 

As it was 11^th November, Remembrance Day, we made sure to stop and sit on a big rock to have our 2 minute silence just by Angle Tarn. It got to be the most the best spot we’ve paid our respects. We then made a sharp turn to the left and up towards the summit of our first fell for the day Angle Tarn Pikes. When we reached the top, we met a man who was out on his own who kindly took a photo of the 2 of us. We had a quick pit stop for our boiled eggs and then headed back down towards Angle Tarn...

Our 2 Minutes Silence Spot

First Glimpse Of Angle Tarn 

There was a fell running group that passed us and then we caught up with them when they stopped for a little while before they overtook us again...very impressive, especially in the cold!

Nearing The Top...

Summit Photo At Angle tarn Pikes

We walked back down the same way and then had to make our way towards a wall that ran right across the fells that would eventually lead us to the summit of our next mountain, Rest Dodd. There were 2 walls and needed to make sure that we followed the right one and on the right side of it too. Mr F read that where we were heading next is part of a dear sanctuary and as we had the boys with us, we were hoping to see some….and see some we did! Mrs F just so happened to look up to catch sight of a big herd running across the fells in the snow, it was wonderful to see and so majestic…Muggles, Buggles and Juggles were well happy and glad they came! Then as we carried on walking onwards and upwards, a doe and her 2 fawns came from behind a blind spot curve on the mountain and was only about 100 yards from us, but they got spooked as they wasn’t expecting to see us as much as we wasn’t expecting to see them! They ran off up towards the rest of the herd had headed and we carried on heading towards to the summit on the skyline ahead. A very blessed sight to see wild deer in their natural habitat J  

Angle Tarn From Different Angles!...

Mr F With His New Map Holder

The Wall We Were Heading For

Getting Quite Cold As We Went Higher

Mrs F could only zoom with the camera to try and get a good clear photo of all the deer...

The Doe & Her 2 Fawns

Once we reached the top, we had a good view of the snowy mountain tops around us but apart from a couple from a of summit photos, we didn’t hang around and headed down back towards the other wall. Mrs F slipped on a patch of mud falling straight on her backside and naturally putting her arms out behind her to brake her fall which pulled her already strained shoulders L Once we reached the wall, there was a very broken stile that we had to climb over to start making our way over to The Nab. Mr F guessed that this is how the deer must have got over to the other side.

 

Summit Photo On Rest Dodd

Mr F Pointing The Way To The Nab

Mrs F Not Happy After Her Fall

The Broken Stile

We then came across what looked like something out of Star Trek where the earth had been scooped away from different sections creating what looked like cracked in the ground from a distance - we could see these from Angle Tarn Pikes. It was a bit of a nightmare having to negotiate our way around it all as the muddy parts where really muddy and the drops were quite big and was quite time consuming. We did see a couple up ahead that looked like they were heading straight down off of The Nab, which we thought was a bit hard core but it turned out that they dropped low to avoid all of what we just trudged through, as they came back up once they passed it all on the other side. From the broken stile it looked like a pretty straight forward trek up to the summit, but even once we made our way out of all the earth cracks, the terrain wasn’t nice underfoot...

All The Gaps In The Ground

Once we made it to the top, we decided that now would be a good time to have lunch. So we picked a spot where we could sit out of the wind as much as we could and had a very short lunch stop as it turned really cold. Mr F bought along a lovely little winter warmer of Jim Beam to warn our cockles…it wasn’t as good as the Glenfiddich we had in September just past (See October 2016 entry) but it certainly helped to warm us up! You never really realise how bitterly cold it actually is until you stop for a bit and start to get quite cold, so the only way to warm back up is to be on the move. The boys had a quick summit photo then we headed back down but decided to take a leaf out of that couples book in dropping down and going around all the muddy earth cracks, avoiding it all and coming back up towards the end. We could have either gone back from where we had walked in from or follow the other wall further down that went right across the fell and eventually back to Angle Tarn. It’s amazing how cold you feel but how quickly you warm up again by getting a good march on…

Our Jim Beam Moment

Muggles, Buggles & Juggles Summit Photo

We agreed that on this trip, 2pm would be our turnaround time and should be well on the way down off the mountains by 3pm and we were really limited to daylight. With the sun setting around 4:30pm, we didn’t want to still be coming down in the dark and getting stuck out in the freezing cold, so we set a sensible turnaround time….Mr S would have been proud! J We past Brock Crags just to the left of us that looked within very reasonable walking distance from where we were and tempting to just go and quickly tick it off, but we decided that we could always come back and do it tomorrow, we just needed to be safe in our decisions and get down in good time before the night closed in on us. The terrain underfoot was boggy and wet heading over the grassy marshlands with uneven ground in places, where Mrs F fell over again…not good for her shoulder…again! Mr F was loving the fact that he had a brand new pair of trekking boots that kept his feet dry, a real treat for the first time in months! He was being told off by Mrs F as he splodging through all the puddles and enjoying himself but getting his new boots all dirty…like a typical little boy jumping in puddles with a pair of wellies on! 

 

Our Walk Along The Wall

 We stopped to build this little snowman on the way!

Back At Angle Tarn For A Quick Selfie Together

On the way back, Mr F wanted to finish off the little bit of Jim Beam that was leftover from our lunch stop. Mrs F quite liked that idea too and so suggested that we shared the last little bit, which turned out to be Mrs F swigging the majority of what was left and handing it back to Mr F! 

A Quick Look Back At Where We Just Came From

Nearly Down

By the time we got back to the car we had been out for a very decent 6 hours. We went in the little local shop just up from the car a bought another badge for the boys and a proper sized flake chocolate bar for Mrs F and headed home to set the fire and warm up our leftover chilli from the night before. It was a good job that we had lots of leftovers because we only had enough dinners for 2 nights…somehow we managed to miscount the amount of nights that we were there and needed dinners!

Mr F Getting The Fire Going In His 'Manly' Pyjama bottoms! 😂

DAY 2: PLACE FELL - 2,154ft
            BEDA FELL - 1,664ft
4 HOURS TREKKING

We didn’t get up as early as we did the previous morning, but the weather wasn’t as inviting as it was the previous day. We could hear the wind and rain through the night and was a groggy looking morning, so hard to get out of our snug bed! When we eventually got our act together, we were out only an hour later than the day before and headed back to our parking spot again, hoping it would free. There were more cars already parked and we really didn’t hold out much hope for our parking space, as Mr F said, he’ll be amazed if it is free with all the people already out and as it was Saturday it would be generally busier. But guess what….it was free!!

So we decided that we would head back to the same area of mountains where we were the day before and tackle the ones that we planned to do but didn’t get around to doing. Although the weather was really grim all night and in the morning, it was actually quite warm with sunshine which was lovely. We took the same route from the car leading the same way, but decided to take the path we came back on the day before which was lower down, just to mix things a bit. Mrs F drew an arrow with her walking pole in the ground to see if we could spot it on the way back….just for a bit of fun! She forgot to take her trusty pole out with her the day before and Mr F did offer to go back to the car to get it, but she soldiered on without it but could have done with it that may have stopped her slipping over….twice!

Our Different Route

Mr F..This Time With His Coat Over His Rucksack!

Glorious Sunshine

Looking At Our Progress

We reached the same crossroads section where this time, we turned left and headed straight up towards Place Fell. It reminded us a lot like Skiddaw where it was steep and monotonous all the way to the top! 

The Start Of The Long Road Ahead...

It was really quite a warm day considering how the day started out and the inclining route up towards Place Fell was definitely keeping us warm. We just took a nice steady plod up with a couple of stops to allow our lungs and legs to recuperate briefly before setting off again...

Mrs F Pointing The Way Up The Steep Route

Still Going Up

As we neared the top we could see what looked like the summit cairn, but it turned out to be what Mr F described as a silly cairn! It was like a false summit that we could see as we were making our way up to it, that was just a cairn pointing the way to the actual summit just a little further along. We met a man with his kids who were on their way down who kindly told us that there were a herd of deer just down the side of the mountain from the false summit....so we went and had a look and was good to see them again 😊

Mrs F Happy To Be In Her Happy Place! (Pun Not Intended!)

Mr F Pointing The Way To The Top

The Little False Summit

The Herd of Deer Just Grazing Below...

Once we reached the top and stopped, the temperature seemed to drop and not just because we stopped but the cloud rolled in and could see a bit of rain coming down. We had a family photo by the summit cairn before finding a good place to sit and have lunch. We used our rucksack rain covers to sit on and enjoyed our lunch made by Mr F once again. We saw a family who came up just behind us with 2 little boys who were no more than 5 years old with their little rucksacks on which was nice to see, getting them indoctrinated early! 

Mr F On The Summit

Family Summit Photo

We got a bit of a march on heading back to warm up and headed straight over towards Beda Fell. Mr F said we needed to do this one today as there isn't another access route to it from another fell and would have had to come and do this same walk all over again. Unfortunately it did mean that we wouldn't have enough time to do Brock Crags yet again, but Mr F said that we could access it from another way. It was a fairly straight forward route over to the summit. We could see a couple of fell runners coming down over from Angle Tarn that seemed to be getting a pretty shifty pace on and stopped briefly before setting off again to run up the steep path we just came down...impressive! There were 2 fells next to each other but were the same mountain, Beda Fell. So we stuck to where we were to save walking another half mile to the one next to us to tick off effectively the same fell...we were happy with that! We had another little pit stop for water and sweets before heading back down the same narrow path, passing Brock Crags and back down. We didn't drink as much water as we should have done as it was just too cold to drink. Mr F did however manage to down her litre bottle on the steep trek up to Place Fell and got told off by Mr F for not pacing, but still had another litre which hardy got touched due to the drop in  temperature.

Heading Down Off Place Fell

Making Our Way Up Towards Beda Fell

Looking Back At Our Route On & Off Place Fell

Couple Of Selfie's En-Route To Beda Fell...

Better With The Flash On!

Views Looking Down The Valley

Heading Down

Once we were back and bathed, we spent the evening packing up our things as we needed to be and out before the birds in the morning and were heading straight home after the service. We also wanted to make sure we had a parking space at Seathwaite Farm and make it up to the top of Great Gable in good time before the masses. That night we had pie for dinner, only to discover that the fan oven wasn't working! We had to keep it on the boost setting and keep an eye on it to make sure it didn't burn. Mr F went next door to tell the owners and they kindly offered for us to cook our dinner in their oven, but the boost worked fine in the end...


DAY 3: GREEN GABLE - 2,603ft
              GREAT GABLE - 2,949 ft REMEMBRANCE DAY SERVICE

So Mr F was up at 6am and Mrs F laid in bed for another 20 minutes before having to get up and go through the usual routine of taping her knees ready for the big day ahead. We packed everything up and loaded in the car, had a tidy around the cottage before heading off at 7:15. The sun was just starting to come up as we set off which was really lovely to see...would have been amazing to see from on top of a mountain somewhere which is what we will do one day...in the summer maybe!  

Early Morning Sun

We were at Seathwaite Farm by 8am and got a decent parking spot not too far from the start of the trek up Sour Milk Ghyll, a route we’re very familiar with. Mrs F pinned our poppy's to our coats and we set off pretty much straight as we still had a 2 hour climb ahead of us before we reached the top of Great Gable. Mrs F thought that we could get there early for a good parking spot and sit in the car for a little while before setting off…how wrong she was!

A few people were heading straight down from Seathwaite Farm to take the route that lead to Stockly Bridge and eventually Sty Head Tarn, which is the route we planned to take on the way back. It’s a much easier stroll in that way rather than the Sour Milk Ghyll and Gillercomb Valley route we like to take, which is straight up n at em’ but it’s our favourite round trip in the lakes – Sour Milk Ghyll up to Gillercomb Valley, then the short zig zags up to Green Gable. Then tackling windy gap and a rock climb up to Great Gable before heading down to Sty Head Tarn, back to Stockly Bridge and eventually back to Seathwaite Farm….a great route.

Heading Up Towards To Sour Milk Ghyll

Heading Up The Stepping Stone Route Beside The Ghyll

There were a lot of people of all different abilities and as we made our way up Sour Milk Ghyll. We all came to a 10 minute halt as there is a short scramble we had to climb up and it was like the Hillary Step waiting for everyone to get up who was in front of you! There was a group that had a dog with them and they were trying to get themselves up the wet rocks as well as the dog, which we think was the hold-up. When it came to Mrs F getting up, she slipped on the wet rock and the guy behind her didn’t help to stop her completely slipping off…he stepped aside!! Mr F always helps anyone who may stumble, but not this man who we called Hans Selfish solo who made a break for speed the first chance he could! (Rant over!) There are unwritten rules with trekking with other people: Never overtake the person in front unless they move aside for you to do so and always help your fellow trekker! There were a couple of old boys in front of us who were insistent that we on past them, even though we said we were in no rush, but we think they felt more comfortable letting us go past…

The Queue To Get Up The Scramble

Looking Back At All The Parked Cars

We weren’t exactly going at any faster than normal pace but seemed to overtake a lot of people. It was quite shocking to see how many unfit some people were attempting this mammoth climb, just going a few steps and having to stop and we guessed that this may be their first experience of fell trekking due to wanting to take part in the service. We’d always recommend starting small first…like the gym! When it came to Gillercomb Valley (Mrs F’s favourite Valley) There were people who were stopping for food as they didn’t want to get on top of Great Gable too early and have to wait around in the cold. We however just wanted to get there. There were a small group of people who decided to stop on the way up past Gillercomb and one lady took the spot of sitting on the stepping stone route that 100’s of people will be walking past…not a sensible place to sit and have your breakfast!

Mrs F Happy To Be In Gillercomb Valley

As we got higher we could look back at all the people that looked like a load of ants making their way in a line up the mountain and could see them coming over from Honister Slate Mine to the right of us. Then after we made our way up the short little zig zag part, we stopped briefly for a slice of ginger cake each, which turned out to be a popular place for people to stop after we set off for the final push for Green Gable...

All The People Coming Up Behind Us

The Other Way Up From Honister On Top From Gillercomb Valley

More Ants Making Their Way Up!

Green Gable

Apart from our very short stop for ginger cake, we didn't stop once, not even fr breath - we just carried on pushing for the top of Great Gable. Loads of people were stopping on Green Gable just before windy gap, but there were a few who pushed on to the top, which is where we were heading straight for. We were braced for windy gap after having to tackle the red scree drop down to it, but it wasn't windy at all! The last time we were here we had to completely cover up to brace ourselves for it...(See 2014, April entry)

Just About To Go Through Windy Gap

Great Gable In The Near Distance With Windy Gap Below

As we were able to actually stop and take a look around going through windy gap, we were able to see and appreciate the views from being right in the middle of it...the photo really doesn't do it justice, as they never do...

View From Windy Gap

Once we were out of windy gap, it turned into a bit of a rock maze, which neither of us remember at all. It was quite steep too, but didn't seem to take too  long to get to the top once we were on the final steep route up. By now we were joined by 100's of other fellow trekkers all making their way to the top of Great Gable for the occasion. By the time we reached the summit we had a good spot not far from the memorial plaque on the summit rock and had our own little rock to sit on...we just needed to wait 45 minutes and try to stay warm on the meantime. Mrs F put an extra fleece on and put her hat up with and got herself as comfy as you can be sat on a cold rock with her flask of Ovaltine. Mr F put his hat on...that was all!

Slow Plod Up To The Summit

The Rock  Maze With Sty Head Tarn Below

There was still quite a lot of people who still had to make their way over from Green Gable. From the angle looking back you can really see how steep the red scree drop is going down into windy gap from Green Gable...

Sprinkling Tarn Over By Seathwaite Fell

The Final Steep Push For The Top

The Top!!

The 45 minutes ended up going quite quickly as more and more people turned up and managed to squeeze themselves into little gaps, we're sure it all the people around us that helped keep us warm. If we sat around for 45 minutes up there on our own we imagine it would have felt a lot colder. The cloud well and truly came on us now and people were getting comfy with hot drinks (one guy brought a proper porcelain mug with him!) and loads of people were eating their packed lunch, which one guy packed in a large plastic container! There were a lot of dogs around too that looked a bit confused...and cold!  

Trying To Keep Warm

Really Filling It Up

So as we neared 11am, there was a man from The Fell and Rock Climbing Club who talked about how the fells that surround Great Gable once belonged to the club but they entrusted them to the National Trust to care of years ago, including Great Gable. He also said that this wasn't a religious service so that everyone could feel they could be involved (although as Christians we didn't agree with taking God out of any service to suit the masses is right) He spoke of some local men who died in the war and then it came to our 2 minutes silence at 11am and was moving to see lots of people take of their hats as a sigh of respect and the only noise we could hear wasn't even the wind...it was dogs whining! After the 2 minutes, the last post was played by someone we couldn't see and there were a group of people behind us who were singing happy birthday to someone we imagine died in war and was their birthday that day....we can only guess. After the last post had played we took no time at all in making our way down the route that lead straight to Sty Head Tarn. The route was again nothing like we remembered coming down - we thought it was a very neat stepping stone route, but it was a rugged route with no real stepping stones, just a lot of lose gravel with the occasional grassy patch underfoot...

The only thing about coming down with a mahoosive line of people behind you, is that you feel obligated to go at a faster rate and so whereas we would have a couple of stops when we felt like it coming down something so high, we just kept on going and Mrs F's knee wasn't overly happy towards to end by time we were on level ground by the stretcher...

Looking Back From Level Ground

Once we reached the stretcher, we cracked open our eggs before setting off down past Sty Head Tarn and heading for Stockly Bridge...

By Sty Head Tarn

Another Quick Glance Back At Great Gable In The Cloud

Great End Past Sty Head Tarn

En Route Back With A Few Of The Masses

There were still a lot of people coming off Great Gable by the time we set off from our egg stop by the stretcher. They were coming down a way that we contemplated but glad we didn't as it looked quite difficult and time consuming from where we were looking down below. We eventually  reached the short descent down to Stocky Bridge, but instead of sticking to the stepping stone route as we always and normally do, we decided this time to avoid them and go off-piste to the right of them over the grass, which worked out well. Once we got through the gate we had no choice but to join the others coming down on the stones before getting to ground level, which was a welcomed treat! Unfortunately there was no feet dipping in the river this time as a) too cold and b) we still had a 300 mile trip back to London! Mrs F told some guy we had a 500 mile trip back home, getting mixed up with 300 miles and 5 hours but felt stupid to correct herself! We saw the guy again back at Seathwaite Farm and he asked where we were heading so Mrs F said just past London....he agreed it was a long way!! 😂

Coming Up To The Syeps Down To Stockly Bridge

Nearly Down...

Was Final Look Back At Our Beloved Stockly Bridge

We had to take a photo of this phone box as there is a story to this phone box: This year, BT threatened to take the phone away as it doesn't bring enough profit. This got out on 'I Love The Lake District' Facebook page to protest against the decision as it can be a lifeline to people who don't have mobiles or those that do but as the signal is bad, they have the phone to call emergency services if they need it, since Seathwaite Farm is one of the most popular places to trek from for Sca Fell Pike. So Mr F posted a suggestion on the page that since parking at Seathwaite Farm is free and one of the very few places in the Lake District that it id free to park, people should out £1 in the phone box and make a quick call to someone, that way they've only paid £1 to park and the phone is still in use. Well that comment got 1,250 likes and Wasdale Mountain Rescue thanked him for his comment and the phone box is saved!!!! GO MR F, saviour of the phone box...

Once we got back to the car and had a quick change of boots, we headed straight off to make the 5 hour long journey back to London. Mrs F normally falls asleep at this point, but as she knew it wouldn't be fair on Mr F who was driving,she also knew that she needed to keep talking to him to make sure he didn;t fall asleep! We were home at 7pm and up for work the next morning...and struggled for the rest of the week....but worth it!

VERDICT OF THE LAKE DISTRICT IN NOVEMBER 2016

Mr F: A long way to go for a couple of days some might say, but totally worth it. The weather was amazing despite the weather forecast being pretty grotty. We were truly blessed. Amazing views for the few days we were there.

Remembrance day was a very moving if brief service. To be part of it was truly special.

Looking forward to the fun in the snow in February......can't wait.

Mrs F: Ever since we found out that there is a remembrance service on top of Great Gable, I thought it was nuts as it would mean having to get up and start trekking really early in order to make it in time for 11am....but have always thought it would be a great thing to do at the same time! I'm so glad that we can finally now say that we have experienced it and what a fantastic, moving morning and moment it was. I've never been in a better place to have a 2 minute silence than stood on top of a mountain with 500 other people, with perfectly still and silent wind...awesome! The whole trip was a special one as it was our first time in the Lakes in November and just us in our cute little converted barn and the Lord blessed us with great whether...better than what we had in September! We were never a day without God with us as always. We asked that He kept us safe each day and we were and we enjoyed every moment of everyday making more amazing memories...roll on ice and snow trekking with Mr & Mrs S in February!