A very strange Christmas Eve
Brocken Spectre
Summit of Gavel Fell
Red Pike and Starling Dodd with the Gables and Pillar behind
Tip of Melbreak and Hen Combe swimming through cloud
GrasmoorSaturday, 24th December
Not everyone's idea of fun it has to be said, but it was different.
Decided to climb Gavel Fell near Loweswater. It was only one fell after all and I was to ascend by a path that I knew, having climbed both of the fells next to it a while ago. It was misty: so misty that you could only see a few yards ahead . . .
I thought I wouldn't get a view, but then I hadn't banked on climbing above the clouds. So there I was looking at the tops of the fells surrounded by a sea of sun-lit cloud. I saw my first Brocken Spectre (my illuminated shadow projected into the mist) and a white bow of cloud - so beautiful it took my breath away. Then I started to come down . . .
. . . and somehow took a wrong turning. By the time I realised my mistake I had descended quite a way and after following a beck for a while, came to steep cliff edge from which there was no way down. I climbed back above the cloud-line again, found a line of fence-posts and followed them down. About to descend again I realised that I was not where I was supposed to be. I knew where I was, but decided that descending through mist on a path-less route which meant crossing and re-crossing a beck after heavy rain, would not be a good idea so once again I climbed back up. By this time I had phoned Marcus and discovered two things: one that it was nearly four p.m. and the sun was about to drop and two, that I had somehow lost my map. I knew what fell I was on however and managed to get Marcus to find another map on-line. Unfortunately the map he found did not have the relevant fences and walls on it so I soon found myself lost on the slopes of the fell after dark trying to find my way through a mass of barbed wire and stones.
At least I knew what direction to keep going in but then came another blow; my torch didn't work. Goodness knows why - I checked it in the autumn ready for the coming dark nights, changed both the batteries and the bulb. So there you are, a catalogue of disasters all occurring on the evening before Christmas. Eventually Marcus called the Mountain Rescue, thinking they might have a more up-to-date map that could help me find the correct route. By the time they phoned me however, Iwas down and in sight of the road having climbed the fences and tearing my new jeans in the process.
Spent over another hour walking along the road by the side of Loweswater to reach the car park where Marcus had gallantly agreed to meet me. Good job he did in the end because having nearly slid off the road over Whinlatter Pass (ice was gathering and the mist was getting worse) I, not being an experienced driver, would have probably tried to go home that way. Marcus suggested we drive to Cockermouth and get back to Keswick on the A66 which we did.
Later, after a nice hot bath and a quick meal prepared by my loving hubby, we went carol singing! Yes I know, hard to believe the two of us were standing in Keswick town square declaring the birth of the Saviour to all - but you know, I like carols and I love singing them. Anyhow near midnight all the Christians went off to masses and we went off to the pub and had a pint.
Despite everything, I still think it was worth it for what I saw above the clouds. Some of the pics. above.
Not everyone's idea of fun it has to be said, but it was different.
Decided to climb Gavel Fell near Loweswater. It was only one fell after all and I was to ascend by a path that I knew, having climbed both of the fells next to it a while ago. It was misty: so misty that you could only see a few yards ahead . . .
I thought I wouldn't get a view, but then I hadn't banked on climbing above the clouds. So there I was looking at the tops of the fells surrounded by a sea of sun-lit cloud. I saw my first Brocken Spectre (my illuminated shadow projected into the mist) and a white bow of cloud - so beautiful it took my breath away. Then I started to come down . . .
. . . and somehow took a wrong turning. By the time I realised my mistake I had descended quite a way and after following a beck for a while, came to steep cliff edge from which there was no way down. I climbed back above the cloud-line again, found a line of fence-posts and followed them down. About to descend again I realised that I was not where I was supposed to be. I knew where I was, but decided that descending through mist on a path-less route which meant crossing and re-crossing a beck after heavy rain, would not be a good idea so once again I climbed back up. By this time I had phoned Marcus and discovered two things: one that it was nearly four p.m. and the sun was about to drop and two, that I had somehow lost my map. I knew what fell I was on however and managed to get Marcus to find another map on-line. Unfortunately the map he found did not have the relevant fences and walls on it so I soon found myself lost on the slopes of the fell after dark trying to find my way through a mass of barbed wire and stones.
At least I knew what direction to keep going in but then came another blow; my torch didn't work. Goodness knows why - I checked it in the autumn ready for the coming dark nights, changed both the batteries and the bulb. So there you are, a catalogue of disasters all occurring on the evening before Christmas. Eventually Marcus called the Mountain Rescue, thinking they might have a more up-to-date map that could help me find the correct route. By the time they phoned me however, Iwas down and in sight of the road having climbed the fences and tearing my new jeans in the process.
Spent over another hour walking along the road by the side of Loweswater to reach the car park where Marcus had gallantly agreed to meet me. Good job he did in the end because having nearly slid off the road over Whinlatter Pass (ice was gathering and the mist was getting worse) I, not being an experienced driver, would have probably tried to go home that way. Marcus suggested we drive to Cockermouth and get back to Keswick on the A66 which we did.
Later, after a nice hot bath and a quick meal prepared by my loving hubby, we went carol singing! Yes I know, hard to believe the two of us were standing in Keswick town square declaring the birth of the Saviour to all - but you know, I like carols and I love singing them. Anyhow near midnight all the Christians went off to masses and we went off to the pub and had a pint.
Despite everything, I still think it was worth it for what I saw above the clouds. Some of the pics. above.
posted by Brina Katz at 3:23 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home