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The OFC Wasdale meet was a wet affair. Happily it didn't stop the day being totally enjoyable. We arrived at the summit of the A6 in cloudy weather with little in the way of views. Then it rained. We followed something of a Wainwright purist's path, no corner cutting even if it led us out of our way slightly. We followed the "path" behind a very conspicuous white substation and began the slight climb up to Whatshaw Common. Happily walls and fences were in profusion, I dread to think how much fun it would be without them for reference points! We then crossed Wasdale Mouth, a col between Whatshaw Common and Little Yarlside. All I can say about the place was that this mouth was drooling a lot! There was a path but it was horribly wet with no easily found dry bits. Never mind, right boot filled! There was a very solemn moment here, a ritual burial at sea for a mole we found, it would have looked strange to any passersby to see 7 people looking down at a puddle! The ground was never dry until we climbed to the day's highest point, Great Yarlside. There were actually features here! Large lumps of rock poking out of the ground, like teeth threatening to bite us if we carried on. We got bitten. Following the wall led us to the top of Great Yarlside and time for some oddness. Having a lunch break in the rain with only slimy rocks to sit on is never fun. Having Peter's luminous bivi/bothy/shelter certainly helped to keep us dry and smiling. We looked like a 14 legged mushroom! I'll also have to thank Peter for his kind offer to share his ostrich jerky with us, surprisingly he had few takers. Personally I'd have liked to have legs like an ostrich, to keep me from sinking too far in what was to come! An audi-visual of the walk:
One more bit of tomfoolery followed, Peter and myself running around like madmen trying to locate the summit plinth. No joy. Nevermind, maybe I'll see it next time!
Some fence crossing led us off course slightly across the flank of Saddle Crags, lots of heather and peat up here, small hags and streams had to be crossed before we were back on course and traversing Wasdale Pike, a grand name for what has to be quite a non event of a hill! The only problems we had here were the remains of the old fence trying to trip us up, oh there was more bog as well (left boot filled)! On one occasion we came to a carpet of reeds across a bog it was slightly worrying how deep it could have been, but even my "slight" figure didn't break the crust!! Onwards and downwards now, dropping below the cloud with the glorious views of a distant A6 and the transmitter on top of the quarry. The path ahead was...wet. At least it led us quickly down to the lovely Wadale Head Farm. A real shame it has been left to rot, it's a really nice old building with some marvellous trees, the ground surrounding it though was...wet! The last leg of the walk was across the valley bottom, the road in sight ahead of us, the morass had to be negotiated. I may have mentioned the word wet occasionally, walking up to knee deep in water, wet grass up to the thighs, a stream to cross, then the Wasdale Beck. Wet doesn't do the area justice. A human bridge was formed to cross Wasdale Beck, some of us just waded through it. At least it wasn't cold! We squelched and schlurped our way up to the road and had a short (again, wet) walk back to the cars, wet, steaming, wearing wet clothes and the smiles of madmen (and mad ladies). I'd like to go to Wasdale again, preferably after a drought, to see it on a good day. Nevertheless, it was a good day, the weather not spoiling the walk, just making it more of an adventure. Many thanks to everyone for their company, big well dones to Peter, James, Maurice (first walk with the OFC, hope it hasn't put you off!), Simon, Lorraine and Beth. Biggest well done is for Beth for, after getting soaked and passed over streams and fences, keeping a great big smile, well done indeed. I apologise for the rain on the lens, did I mention the day was wet? A full album is available on Webshots at http://good-times.webshots.com/album/565381907dOlvRE |
