LAKE DISTRICT - SEPTEMBER 2016

As per usual, we planned to escape everyday London life and celebrate our 5th Wedding Anniversary by being happily married still in the place we're most happy... the Lake District!

After weeks of searching for a cottage, Mr F found a really lovely little place in the village of Braithwaite. The cottage is called Bridge End for obvious reasons, it was right by a bridge with a lovely little stream still running nicely by. Mr & Mrs S joined us once again and set off an hour before us but the traffic was bad for them but cleared up for us, so we actually managed to get there before them...plus they got lost too!

A few pictures of our cottage...

Kitchen

Overlooking The Dining Table Into The Living Room

Dining Area

Hallway

Our Smaller Bedroom With The Comfy Bed

The bed in our room was a 4ft bed and right up against the cold wall and window. So Mr F very lovingly altered the room around to put the single bed by the window and have the double bed over where the single bed was. He then changed it back the morning we left...

Mr & Mrs S's bigger Bedroom With The Uncomfy Bed...Shame!

There were so many nice things around the cottage we all made a bit of a joke saying what we were going to take with us! Mrs F quite liked a few pictures, Mr F quite liked the lamp shade, Mrs S wanted the light up twigs....think Mr S was the only one who didn't have an input!

Bathroom With Awesome Shower!

Mrs F Was Sizing Up This Framed Map!

Looking At All Our Conquered & 'Still To Do' Wainwrights

We unpacked quickly and walked to the the local village shop. Mr & Mrs S bought ice creams, Mr F bought a hot cheese & onion sliced and Mrs F had a cheese & ham roll with some posh pickle that tasted more like chutney and Mrs F really doesn't like chutney :-( Stroll over and we headed back to the cottage for a Mr & Mrs S homemade chilli and bulgar wheat dinner.

That night was a really lovely night as everyone but Mrs F had brought their guitars along (Mr F & Mrs S currently having lessons with Mr S) so all played together and we had worship songs playing on YouTube via chromecast....it was a really lovely chilled out evening.

DAY 1: ROSTHWAITE FELL - 1,807 FT
5 & HALF HOURS MAINLY SCRAMBLING and TREKKING

Today is our 5 year wedding anniversary and what better way to spend it, as always, than being where we love most and out doing what we love most. So looking out of the bedroom window all snug in our bed, the grim looking weather really didn't look that inviting. But we came to conquer more Wainwright's and conquer we shall! We intended on only the one Wainwright today just as a first stretch of the legs days with a good scramble in too. However....what we actually did was something far from an easy first day stretch of the legs! The walk out along Langstrath Valley was really lovely. Mrs F loves a good valley and this particular one is on the end credits of Countryfile. We had to first walk through a campsite and make our way up to a rushing river. As the Lakes had lots of rain, the waters were really running fast.

We got our first glimpse of Rosethwaite Fell before having to walk along the valley and dive off to the right to get to the bottom of it and to the start of a good grade 2 scramble....in 70mph winds!!

Getting Bags Ready IN The Morning

Walking Through The Camp Site

The Rushing River

Our First Sighting Of Rosthwaite Fell

Making Our Way Up To The Valley

The Beautiful Langstrath Valley

We went off track slightly to go and see Black Moss Pot, which apparently is a popular place for people to jump in and swim. Even though it wasn't overly warm, it did still look very inviting and think Mr S was seriously contemplating jumping in! But instead, we cracked open our boiled eggs and a quick scooby before heading over towards our intended scramble and fell for the day.

We had to backtrack slightly as we overshot our turn off the main path and up towards the foot of the fell. It was a bit of a slog once we were on the right rack to say the least. We met a solo trekker on and his dog on the way up who was trying to find some secret cave but didn't manage to find it. Mrs F & Mrs S both stroked the dog who turned out to absolutely stink and the smell lingered on our hands!!

Black Moss Pot

Attempted Group Photo...

...That's Better!

This Is The Point Where We Backtracked

Mrs S Selfie....

Onwards & Upwards...

Anniversary Photo

We came to a massive rock and another smaller one next to it which we had to skirt around to the left of it to get to the section to scramble up...

The Start Of Our Windy Scramble

Mrs S tried to convince us all that the way up was a more sensible less risky route up around the left along a path...but we assured her that the way up was definitely to climb up and battle the scrambling rocks whilst tackling the harsh battering winds. She wasn't overly convinced or happy about it, but we all stuck together as always and helped each other in more tricky spots...good team work :-)

Mrs F Loving It!

Great Shot Of Mr F Climbing Up Showing The Gradient

Still A Way To Go

Big Grin In The High Winds

We climbed up to a grassy area where we all pretty much collapsed into heaps! We enjoyed being low down out of the winds and not having the exertion of climbing for a while before cracking on...   

Mrs S Wasn't Happy For Mr S To Be So High In The Harsh Wind

But She Joined Him For A Lower Shot!

Mrs F Trying To Walk Against The Wind For A Summit Picture...

...As Good As It Gets!

Once we reached the summit, we dropped down to a calmer spot out of the wind to have a much needed and well earned lunch. Apart from Mr S, all of our sandwich bags escaped us into the wind and off somewhere!

View From Lunch

The way down was fairly straight forward until we once again had to back track because the route over the stream was not an obvious one at all! We eventually came across some stepping stones that were hideously slippery and so we had to take extra care when coming down on them. Mr S said that they weren't placed very well as they slopped downwards so was a nightmare for coming down on. Some of them had some yellowish mould on them too that just added to them being even more slippery. I think all of us had a slip over on them at some point and poor Mr F went right down on his knee and we heard it crunch on the ground! Thankfully he wasn't overly hurt...we just carried on with care.

The Not So Obvious Route Down By The Stream

Taking Care Coming Down

Once we got back to the car all of our faces felt like they'd been pebbled dashed! It was good to be back at the cottage and have a really nice hot shower in the best shower we've had so far in a cottage. Mrs F made a lasange that night that went down very well with everyone...what a first day that was!

DAY 2: KNOTT RIGG - 1,790 FT
              ARD CRAGS - 1,860 FT
2 & HALF HOURS TREKKING

So the next day we (Mrs F) was feeling pretty battered and so we planned a not so hard day, which in hindsight should have been our first day! But then again, it worked out well the way we did it because although we had the wind on our first day, we didn't have the rain which would have made the scramble impossible. We parked up with the start of the trek leading out from the car park and heading straight up along a ridge. There was a really lovely waterfall opposite the car park which Mrs F was up for going up the track to get a closer look...but she was on her own with that one!

The Waterfall

The Start Of Our Slog Climb Up 

The trek up was a lung burning steep route, but we were making really good time with the occasional stop to allow ourselves to breath. Mrs F made a joke about one of her lungs collapsing but wouldn't put it past how steep the climb was pretty much straight away from the moment we stepped onto it from the car park!

More Upness Ahead Of Us

And The Rains Came Down

Great Group Photo At Knott Rigg

Mr F Pointing The Way To Ard Crags

After our second summit and on the way back, we had a short break in the rain where we sat and had our boiled eggs and other scooby snacks. But we could see the rain slowly making it's way over to us and we packed up literally just in time for the next downpour. As the rain was coming in hard, we just kept our heads down whilst making our way back when Mrs S just so happened to look up and shouted out, 'Oh look!!' then to the right of us, we saw the most stunning bright rainbow in the most perfectly formed arch. Mr S rushed over and had his photo taken in the centre of it first and we made a joke saying that he could have that as his ministers profile picture of him with God's promise. Then we all has to rush to get a couples photo with it before it slowly started to disappear. A great moment...

Once we made it back to the car, it was still only early in the afternoon, so we decided to take a stroll around Keswick. Mrs S went into her favourite sweet shop, Ye Olde Friars to buy her chocolate cups, honeycomb and some Keswick Gingerbread shortbread. Mr S treated us all to a Costa coffee and Mrs F then went to buy some chips from her favourite chip shop in Keswick. A nice chilled out easier day shall we say...

A night of pork chops to end the day...lush!


DAY 3: EAGLE CRAG - 1,650 FT
              SERGEANT'S CRAG - 1,873 FT
5 & HALF HOURS TREKKING/CLIMBING OVER RUSHING STREAMS!

So the weather was yet again really rainy, overcast and grim! But as we always say 'There's no such thing as bad weather just the wrong clothing!' The weather forecast said that it wasn't due to really rain until 11am - 2pm, so we had a short window to get out if we had any chance of staying somewhat dry. Mrs F didn't actually get to sleep until around 3am and was soooo tired. Mr F wasn't too far behind and ended up going to sleep on the sofa around 3am and woke up again around 5:30am....so we were beyond tired to say the least and a little grumpy about it (Mrs F!) Mrs S kindly made Mrs F scrambled egg on toast for breakfast and then Mrs F went to tape up her knees ready for the day. She discovered that pre-cutting all her tape saved a lot of time getting ready in the morning. I took her an hour to cut it all at home!!

So...we walked the same route as we did on our first day past the campsite along the right hand side of the stream. But actually needed to be on the other side of the stream and everyone blamed Mrs F for this because she needed to use the camp toilets that were on the wrong side of where we needed to be, so wouldn't have gone that way from the car. We therefore became a bit stuck as to how we were going to make our way over the gushing waters. We eventually found a safe place to jump over and was on the right route. We had to walk through an overgrown section before having to climb up a steep rock before the boys stopped to check where the route was to Eagle Crag. Meantime, a solo trekker with an exceptionally white hat walked past us and the girls explained that we were trying to make our way over to Eagle Crag. He stopped to look at his map and pointed us in the right direction at the same time the boys concurred by looking at their maps....so off we went!

Eagle Crag

Through The Bracken

After this point, we all agreed that cracking out the boiled eggs was a great idea!

Team Work Getting Up The Steep Rock

We then had to make our way up alongside a wall that was quite steep and felt like the great wall of China it was fairly relentless! The rain hadn't let up from the moment we set off. Mr F made a joke saying we better get a move on because it was due to rain at 11am!! The thing with weather, is fell top forecast can change in an instant and ground level forecast with rain will always be different to what it is in the mountains...

The Monotonous Wall

Still Loving It Even In The Rain!

Still Going!

We came across a short little scramble which needed lots of care because of how slippery everything was. Then we had to make our way over boggy terrain and skirt around the really boggy parts where we could.

It was at this point before hoping over the fence that we said our daily prayer....

A Quick Hop Over & On

Mr S on a ridge insisting on a good photo...

Once we got to Eagle Crag, we had a short break in the rain enough to have lunch and a hot drink from our flasks before setting off for Sergeant's Crag. It was an out and back job, which involved having to climb down a really steep and wet section and alongside a wall with really boggy ground. Mr S first put his foot in, then Mr F done the same! The trek out to Sergeant's Crag was about half a mile, so we got a good march on to get there and head back...through the bog again where Mrs S tried to clear it with a big jump...but it wasn't big enough!! Her foot went right in but she was too spread out to be able to pull herself back up, so Mr F selflessly (as always) went it too to get her out and ended up going in himself again...for the third time! So by now we had to make a team effort in getting up and down the big steep and slippery rock 3 times, but we now were on the right track to make our way off...or so we thought!

Approaching Sergeants's Grag

On The Summit

We walked along a small sheep path towards the river at the bottom of the valley, until the path disappeared and we were heading straight off the end! So we backtracked and walked around for quite a while looking for a safe way down and eventually we just decided to take a traverse route off and make it up as we went along. We had to cross a smallish stream along the way which was running straight down the slope of the fell and the rain was still battering us. We eventually got to ground level after a steep, wet and slippery descent. Then we came across a very dangerous challenge of having to cross the gushing river at several points as the river wasn't just one stream of water but was broken up around so we had to cross in 3 different points to get safely over to the other side. As always, the boys went first to find and get a good, safe crossing point where they literally grabbed hold of the girls half way stepping over and pulled them over. I think all of our boots went in at some point but to not get your boots wet was near enough impossible with the water rushing over the top of them when stepping on the rocks that the water was running over. We ended up renaming it 'Evil Crag' rather than Eagle Crag...

The Disappearing Edge With The River Below 

Looking Back At Our Scary Crossing!

Happy To Be Alive Still After Our River Crossing!

So we all made it over safely with amazing team with and God's guiding hand. We always said a group prayer at the beginning of our day asking the Lord to be with us, guide us and keep us safe...and He always does :-)

Once we were on the path the lead back to the car along the bottom of the other side, we had to cross 5 other mini streams that were running down off the mountain. Mr F made appoint in saying that they looked like someone had put them in using photo shop and just copied and pasted too many mountain streams in! The boys topped a few times to try and figure out which way we should have came off as the book indicated that there would be a wall, but even looking at it from this angle we couldn't see where or how we should have come off. It was only until Mr F looked at his Wainwright book that he could see the drawing Wainwright had done of the route down and the way we came down was actually the way we should have! After all that trying to figure out how we should have come down, it turned out to be the way we did.

 We walked all the way back to a bridge that lead us over the river and the car was right there as we crossed on the other side (this was the bridge we should have crossed when we first set off if it wasn't for Mrs F needing a wee!) Once we were back at the cottage, it was operation get the wet stuff dry! Literally everything was wet and needed drying and we fully utilised all of the radiators, tumble dryer and fire to dry all our gear. Mr F even had to dry his money out that was in his pocket and his Wainwright book. There was a distinct waft of wet smelly feet in the air too from Mr F and Mrs S, so Mrs S rinsed their socks in fabric softener to make them smell nice again!

Mr F was on dinner duty that night and was a rather welcoming meal of fish, chips and peas...we all eat in silence pretty much as we were all really hungry after our tough day!

DAY 4: WHITELESS PIKE - 2,159 FT
              WANDOPE - 2,533 FT
              RANNDERDALE KNOTTS - 1,160 FT
5 HOURS TREKKING

So today we had 3 summits in the plans...in the rain again! Thankfully most of our things had dried out, with the exception of Mr F's boots which were just about holding together on his feet! The seem came apart on both of the boots about 3 trips ago but he still wore them! Mrs S's boot were still damp too but we all just get on with it. So Mrs F didn't think we were going to get many pictures today as her camera isn't waterproof, but it let off more towards the early afternoon. We parked at the same place as we did when we took both cars on a previous trip and headed off up a steep stepping stone route up onto the open fells. It was hard because it wasn't overly cold, in fact quite warm as making our way up was making us even more warm but we had to keep covered to stop us from getting wet.
We met a couple of women heading down who was going to attempt what we were doing but decided that it was too wet and foggy. They also said that the rain and cloud was due to life completely by 2pm, which would be nice but we all know by now that there is no guaranteed weather forecast when it comes to the Lakeland fells!

Getting Ready To Embrace The Lakeland Whether

Low Visibility!

Our Harsh Upness Climb So Far

Mr F Looks Slightly Pained!

The Way Up Ahead Towards Our First Summit Of The Day

Mr F Selfie With Mrs F Photo Bombing

Looking over we could see the ridge that we walked across on day 2 when we done Knott Rigg and Ard Crags. You can make a traverse walk right the way down and up the other side from either mountain, which we saw someone bravely doing when we were on Knott Rigg, but we passed on that one....even though Mr F half heartedly suggested it!

Knott Rigg & Ard Crags

As we neared the first summit, the rain eased off and the cloud started to lift which was a welcoming change. We then made the route march over to our second summit, which meant having to drop height slightly to gain it again to get to the most pointless summit cairn!


Summit Photo

Starting To Clear Up...

The summit cairn was literally just a pile of stones to mark the top and considering how long it took us to get there, it was a bit disappointing. So Mr F whipped out a 15 year old mini bottle of Glenfiddich to make it all better! We all had a good swig and we started to make our way back over the ridge and down to get to the final and last summit of the day. It's amazing what a swig of good whiskey does to your mood and stamina!  We had to walk carefully as it was still quite windy and we had to stick the right away from the edge. On our way down, we stopped on the stepping stone route at a good point out of the wind and had our lunch right there on the steps. We met a solo trekker going up but he shortly came back down as he didn't fancy it either!

At 2pm and just as the ladies said, the rain eased off completely and we had a good view from where were sat. Once lunch had been consumed, we carried on down the mixture of gravel and stepping stones and Mrs F was standing by a ridge on the path when a massive gust of wind blew and pushed Mrs F over toward the ridge! Thankfully she turned in the direction the wind blew her and was able to stop herself from falling over completely...

The Pointless Summit Cairn With The

Lunchtime Spot Views

      A clearer view across the fells...



Making Our Way To The Stepping Stone Route

We couldn't actually see the last summit that we were making our way to as it was hidden a bit out of sight behind another fell. Mrs F got a bit worried when Mr F pointed it out where we were heading next as it was a mahoosive mountain behind the smaller one in front of it that eventually came into sight. By this time the sun had really come out and it was a lovely afternoon...Mrs S even got her news shades out! We saw a lady sitting at the bottom with her 2 dogs - one was just a pup and running around with loads of energy barking and other one was clearly and older dog trying to keep up and Mrs S cracked a joke saying it was like looking at Mrs F and Mr S!! Not sure Mr S appreciated that :-)

The Hidden and Final Wainwright Of The Day



Making Our Way Down and Over To.....

The actual fell itself was a big humped ridge walk from one end to the other with a clear grass pathway right through the middle until we got to the rocky summit where we stopped for a brief moment to have some Scooby snack, drinks and the boys to check the route for the way off. Although the car was closer towards the start of the trek up to.... we're not a fan of going back on ourselves and could carry on along the ridge off the end and down to the main road that led back to the little village where the car was.

There was no clear route over some earthed rocks and bog before making our way onto some stepping stones that lead us all the way down to the main road. Looking back it was quite impressive how we just came down...

The Clear Way Through To The Summit

A Great Group Picture...Not Using Our Usual Self Timer Method!

The clearer views of Crummock Water after the sun had come out over the clouds...

Picture Whilst We Pit Stop

Mrs S asked us to hold her camera....so we took full advantage of it!!

Mrs S Got In On The Act Of Selfie's Herself

The Rough Way Down

We Found The Easier Stepping Stones

Looking Back At Our Way Down



Walking Alongside Crummock Water

On the way back through what seemed like a forest, Mrs S spotted a fire up by a path, so she and Mr F went to investigate in case it was a bush fire. Thankfully it was in a farm backyard and was burning rubbish. Mrs F made a joke saying it might be another biblical burning bush...but it wasn't! Once we got back to the village, there was a sign for locally mad ice cream and as always, Mr S cannot resist ice cream, so he went to get the car just a little way up the road and brought it around to the little tea house where Mr F treated him and Mr S to ice cream and Mrs F and Mrs S shared a rather delicious brownie. It was here that we saw the 2 women again who we met on our way up to....Mrs F said that one of the women looked like Paul Hogan!

The Burning Bush!

Our Walk Back Through The Wooded Area

All week, we took it in turns to try to solves and complete the game of Solitaire that they had in the cottage and that night, Mr F finally completed a game! He was the only one who managed to do so...
After his success, Mr F was on dinner duty on our much loved steak pie, new potatoes and veg...mmmm!

DAY 5: RAVEN CRAG - 1,520 FT
1 HOUR TREKKING

So today, Mr & Mrs S decided to have a rest day whilst we were on a mission to get these Wainwrights wracked off so we could complete our aerial map and get it proudly framed! So we looked on the map for a while in the morning trying to decide what to do and we already had a plan for our final day with Mr & Mrs S, so we could only really do a small one somewhere nearby. So Mrs F chose our destination fell for the day (first time ever) and we headed out into the fine misty rain. We took a packed lunch but really didn't need to as we were up and done within an hour! It's a good walk for 7-70 year olds. We met a guy in the car park who had recently completed all of the Wainwrights and continued to talk to us for quite a while...he was nice to talk to but we were getting wet and the mountain wasn't getting climbed. He was still in his car when we got back!

Heading Off Through The Small Forest Area

A Tree Ripped Up By The Root

We made a landmark reference off another uprooted tree once we were out into the open path to know where we needed to turn off back through the trees.



Somewhere Up There Is The Top

Even though it was fine misty rain, it wasn't really wasn't at all cold and Mrs F had her own central heating going on and so done the whole walk in her t-shirt. We came across what we thought was a cheaters way up to the summit...decking steps with felt! It was by far the easiest way we've ever had up to a fell summit and didn't have sense of achievement with the perfectly placed staircase. There was no view at all from the summit that had a viewing point (also make from decking) and was a shame because as Mr F said, it would have been a good view. It's hard to know why Wainwright would claim this one as a Wainwright fell and not some of the other more challenging mountains there are around the Lake District.

Mrs F Showing The Forest Staircase!

The Viewing Point Summit

As it was still only 1pm, we still wanted to be out to play for the day and headed back to the cottage to see if Mr & Mrs S wanted to join us after their stroll around Keswick. But they were quite happy to sit indoors with the fire on and look at t he rain from indoors! We spent a bit of time again wondering what to do and Mr F suggested a 2,000 footer or a walk around Keswick to go and buy much needed new boots. By this time it was nearing 3pm but we took our rucksacks with us in case we decided to climb. But our better judgment told us that to climb a mountain of that height at that time, in the rain wouldn't be the most sensible idea we had, so took a stroll around Keswick. We got the rest of what we needed for Mrs F to make her Maggi chicken, jacket potatoes and salad and headed back to the cottage.

DAY 6: GREAT CRAG - 1,500 FT
              GRANGE FELL - 1,363 FT
4 HOURS TREKKING

So today is our last and final trekking day. We headed back to the place where we parked up to do 'Evil Crag' by the bridge and this time, walked straight from the car over the bridge. Mr S had forgotten his waterproof coat which he really wasn't happy about, so Mr F being the kind and loving man that he is kindly gave him his waterproof in case and in the very likelihood of a downpour. Mr F had a windproof running jacket for himself.

Getting Ready To Set Of By Emptying Boots Of All Pebbles...

...And The Boys Checking The Route.

We walked along the same way that we walked coming back from Eagle Crag and Sergeant's Crag on day 3. This time the water level had risen slightly as the pathway was fuller with rain and overflowing streams. We dived off to the left where there were stepping stones that lead us straight up and gained height at quite a pace. It was another one of those muggy days where it was wet but warm, so the aerobics of the stepping stones made it just that little more difficult. But we all stopped when we needed to as we weren't out to break any records and got out on top of the open fell, where we came across what Mrs F thought was a little house of some sort but Mr F suggested it was an old sheep pen...

And So The Monotony Began... 

Making Our Way Up

Still Going Up But Almost There

The Little House/Sheep Pen

We had a little break when we got to the sheep pen and we could see the rain moving over towards us and so we decided to quickly get our waterproofs on and on our rucksacks just in time before it lashed down. So we carried on and upwards over a lot of what can only be described as ugly terrain. It was boggy, black and full of dead moss, it was like something out of an old western film! Mrs F was promised a tarn called Dock Tarn once we were at the top and it took a while before we came across it which was quite nice. We also passed 3 elderly men who was in no rush at all...

The Heightened Water Level Fell Stream

Dock Tarn

I can imagine the tarn looking quite nice on a sunny day with the visible backdrop...

Out in the windy open and arrived at our first summit, Great Crag. Mr & Mrs F went right on top into the wind but we were quite happy to stay low so not to get blown over in the high wind....again!

The walk from here to Grange Fell wasn't an easy route. We had to negotiate our way over and through wet and boggy grassland areas again and Mr S was convinced we has to go straight across and over whereas Mr F was convinced that we had to go off course slightly to the right where there was a path that picked the route back up further along to avoid having to trudge through the bog. So we went with Mr F. When we picked the route back up on the other side, you could see where people had gone for the straight through option but possibly on days where it wasn't as grim as this one! There was however a little sign post to indicate directions of where to go for what fell, but we just needed to head straight on towards Grange Fell. The rain was relentlessly coming down and almost stinging as it his you, but we ploughed on through it...

A Very Posey Selfie Of Mr F!

We came across a stile that we needed to cross to get over the other side and make our way up to Grange Fell, so we thought it a good place to stop just behind the wall and have our eggs before the rain came back over that we could see moving it way over towards us. Mr S made Mr F take his waterproof coat back because Mr F was getting wet in his windproof lightweight running jacket! The rain managed to bypass us and head on over to where we had just come from, so we made a beeline for the summit just up and over the fell top ahead. As we neared the top, the terrain quickly turned back into a dead boggy graveyard and really windy. Mr & Mrs S stepped up to the very top of the summit of Grange but once again, we took the low ground out of it.

Our Shelter Behind The Wall

Mrs s On Top Of Grange Fell Summit

Easy Does It In The Wind!

Needless to say we didn't hang around or take many pictures. We needed to head back to the stile to hop over and back to the sign post where we took the path heading off to the right and back down towards the car. It was a gravel path that eventually turned into a stepping stone route down which was much nicer underfoot. As there was no possible place to have lunch yet, we stopped just under a tree on the stepping stones and had quite a nice view....until we went under the tree and couldn't see it anymore!

Views On The Way Down

Looking back at where we had just come from, we saw God's promise again :-)

Our Lunch Spot View

Belly's now full with lunch and hot drinks from our flasks, we carried on down until we were on the same flooded path that lead to the bridge right where the car was parked. We first had the small task of having to cross another rushing stream, but compared to what had to cross this week it was nothing! Mr S selflessly put his boot right in the water that was pouring over it to get us all across safely...

The Final Level Push For The Car

Once we were back, showered and half packed ready to leave in the morning, we headed out to what we call the old court house in Keswick for a curry night, but were all massively under impressed with it this time. We've had the curry here on a couple of previous occasions and it's always been quite nice, but to be honest, one of those times we did literally walk straight in off a mountain so a scabby dog would have tasted alright to us then, so hard to say if the quality was the same then!

But, we shouldn't be ungrateful as the Lord provided us with food after a day of doing what we love most and kept us all safe doing it. Even when we really out ourselves in danger by crossing rivers that were in full flow, He saw us over all safely. We prayed each day before we set off on our missions and adventures and He was always our 5th trekker...

In the morning, Mr F put the bedroom back to how it was and we were all ready to go by 7:30. Mr F FINALLY parted with his beloved boots that were only kept on his feet by the laces!! They were so old and torn and letting all water in, his feet were drenched most days after a day on the fells! So he had one last picture and goodbye before he departed with them and left them behind...

Mr F Saying A Final Farewell...

Bye Boots...

Mr & Mrs S headed straight back to London but we stopped off to see Mrs F's dad. He didn't know we were coming and when we got there he was at Asda and so we parked up on his drive and waited for him to come home....his face was a picture when he got home of 'Who the hell is parked on my drive!?' to 'Oh it's you two!' It was a great surprise and great to see him. We left for London around 3pm and was home around 6pm....all in all, a good trip had by all. Lake District September 2016, done!

VERDICT OF  THE LAKE DISTRICT SEPTEMBER 2016

Mr F: Weather was not the best but we still had a fantastic time. It rained most days but not too excessivly..The cottage was much nicer than we all expected and a bargain considering the price of many others. A few more of the 214 W's ticked off...lots still to do but some big days planned for the long daylight days of June 2017....Feel blessed that we are fortunate enough to be able to return in November for the Great Gable service.(with some new boots!!)

Mrs F: It was quite different this time in terms of the views and terrain. The Lakes will always blow me away with it's natural beauty, but the fells we climbed this time around matched the whether in terms of a bit grim looking. I loved the first day scrambling although it wrecked me, I always really enjoy a good scramble and the wind just made it all that more exciting and terrifying at the same time. Although it did rain every day, we had all the right gear to still be able to go out and enjoy doing what we love to do. We did say though that if we lived here we would leave it for another day, but we travel all the way from London which is 342 miles specifically to climb Wainwrights, so we do it in all whether! The cottage was really lovely and in a good place for a good price (well done Mr F again for this good find) We plan to come back in November for the first time ever to take part in the Great Gable remembrance service....can't wait already!