Behind Skiddaw in the Snow
Tuesday, 29th November
Re-attempted walk from last week and this time was successful. Started out late again but at least did not get lost or beset by hound-trailers, neither did I have to stop off at farm to ask the way.
My legs felt very heavy by the time I got up onto Longlands Fell but the subsequent walk onto Lowthwaite Fell seemed easier. I was listening to i-pod by then and had developed a quick march in time to Dire Straits.
Reached the snow-line half way up Little Scafell but there was no rock underfoot so it felt quite safe. Wandered over the Brae Fell and saw Kitty (my car) looking all forlorn on her own in the middle of a long lonely moor road.
Made it to top of Little Scafell just as sun looked likely to set but thought I'd take a bit of a risk and carried on up to Great Scafell. Wasn't sure if I was on Great Scafell and spent a ludicrous ten minutes or so up to my ankles in snow with a cold cup of tea in one hand and Wainwright's Book of the Northern Fells in the other, trying to work it all out.
"If this is Great Scafell," I asked Two-Step (walking stick) ,"what the hell is that large lump in front of us?" Turned out to be Knott. I recognised Carrock Fell and High Pike from previous adventures. I should point out that the only OS map available for this area is a 1 1/4 inch to a mile map which is more difficult to read than the 2 1/2 inch to a mile OS map created for the rest of the Lake District, owing to the lack of detail.
Sun starting to set as I reached the twin summit cairns on Meal Fell. It was good to see Trusmador again, a spot I discovered many years ago when I first started exploring the back of Skiddaw and realised what a hidden little treasure-trove it was.
Still can't believe that I managed to climb six peaks on my own in snow. There was a grin on my face that was bigger than me by the time I finally reached the flat fell path back to Longlands.
Beautiful walk. Beautiful Day.
Re-attempted walk from last week and this time was successful. Started out late again but at least did not get lost or beset by hound-trailers, neither did I have to stop off at farm to ask the way.
My legs felt very heavy by the time I got up onto Longlands Fell but the subsequent walk onto Lowthwaite Fell seemed easier. I was listening to i-pod by then and had developed a quick march in time to Dire Straits.
Reached the snow-line half way up Little Scafell but there was no rock underfoot so it felt quite safe. Wandered over the Brae Fell and saw Kitty (my car) looking all forlorn on her own in the middle of a long lonely moor road.
Made it to top of Little Scafell just as sun looked likely to set but thought I'd take a bit of a risk and carried on up to Great Scafell. Wasn't sure if I was on Great Scafell and spent a ludicrous ten minutes or so up to my ankles in snow with a cold cup of tea in one hand and Wainwright's Book of the Northern Fells in the other, trying to work it all out.
"If this is Great Scafell," I asked Two-Step (walking stick) ,"what the hell is that large lump in front of us?" Turned out to be Knott. I recognised Carrock Fell and High Pike from previous adventures. I should point out that the only OS map available for this area is a 1 1/4 inch to a mile map which is more difficult to read than the 2 1/2 inch to a mile OS map created for the rest of the Lake District, owing to the lack of detail.
Sun starting to set as I reached the twin summit cairns on Meal Fell. It was good to see Trusmador again, a spot I discovered many years ago when I first started exploring the back of Skiddaw and realised what a hidden little treasure-trove it was.
Still can't believe that I managed to climb six peaks on my own in snow. There was a grin on my face that was bigger than me by the time I finally reached the flat fell path back to Longlands.
Beautiful walk. Beautiful Day.
posted by Brina Katz at 2:02 AM
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