Sunday 18th May - A steep learning curve...

Sue's first day on rock, so we were off to Kern Knotts in brilliant sunshine. A quick blast up the track from Wasdale Head and soon enough we were chatting and photographing a team on Buttonhook Route before we moved around to the Napes face and Kern Knotts Chimney.

On Buttonhook Route, HVS, Kern Knotts

I was on the first belay with Sue about halfway up when we heard the shout, thump and groans following a leader fall around the corner. The lad had ripped 3 cams and decked from about 20 feet. One of his partners appeared asking, urgently, for any first aid kit which we might have while we focussed on finishing the pitch and getting off...

Sue was great, completing the pitch calmly and in no time. Even better, she was completely unfazed with my "this is an abseil and this is how you do it, so go - now" approach to coaching. Once on the ground, Sue flew round and started an evaluation, spurring another of the team, a member of the local MRT, into action. I joined them moments later and watched as the scene unfolded.

This isn't the place to go into too much detail, but the injured climber was conscious throughout, face down, bleeding heavily from a lower back / abdominal injury, though this stopped pretty spontaneously and he became increasingly mobile, trying to make himself comfortable without moving too much. Thankfully he appeared (and proved to be) reasonably stable; there was a common sigh of relief when the lad asked exactly what "controlled drugs and smoke" were available...

We gave him co-codamol and paracetamol from my first aid kit, covered him in spare fleeces, down jacket and bivvy bag and waited as various elements of the Team arrived and, after a little delay (to ensure availability of a stretcher), requested helicopter support. An hour later we were asked for smoke and the RN Sea King from Prestwick, arrived on scene.

A very welcome sight... (and I don't mean the pub in the background)

The RN paramedic was winched down and kept a professional eye on proceedings as the Team members assembled the stretcher, immobilised the casualty and secured him ready for the lift. Three members of the RAF MRT arrived, so we were only lacking a couple of squaddies!

Just a case of watch and wait....

Another 30 minutes or so and it was all down to the helicopter crew. The stretcher was whipped away, very close to the crag and Carlisle A&E had another customer on the way.

Once the adrenalin wore off and everybody collected kit together, it was time for the off. As we approached Great Hell Gate on our way to Napes Needle, Sue asked "is it lunchtime yet?"- funny how being busy can be so distracting! To finish our day we threaded the Needle (after sarnies!) and staggered down the scree to Gavel Neese, the pub and shandy!

The good news is that our lad wasn't too badly injured and is expected to be out of hospital in a matter of days. One incredibly lucky boy!

Tuesday 14th May - from the sublime to the (not quite) ridiculous...

Given the fantastic weather of late, eating out by eating out sounded better than eating out by eating in, at least for a change - if that makes any sense at all?

Sue had treated us to an incredible meal at L'Enclume (The Anvil) in Cartmel on Saturday to celebrate her mum's birthday, not having blagged a menu, I can't remember how many courses we enjoyed, but it has to be one of the most remarkable meals that I've been lucky enough to enjoy! "Hydration/dehydration", egg-drop hot and sour soup, braised pork cheeks, cep ravioli with parmesan crisps and blueberry baignet, gingerbreaded scallops with pomegranate toffee, skate wing, pre-pudding, pudding (both to die for) and Turkish Delight, chocolate stuffed doughnut, white choc-ice with coffee - some journey!

One step on our gastronomic journey - skate wing with apricot puree!

Not to be outdone (ha!), I suggested a picnic instead of a bar meal (and so eating out by eating out) and so it was that we wandered up to a rocky knoll above Devoke Water with sweaty cheese sarnies (not really) and a couple of bottles of strawberry beer (really) and ate, watching the sunset over the Irish Sea while Bruce and Dougal guarded us against marauding sheep and Heelan' Coos!

The Scafells, Bowfell and Crinkle Crags from above Ulpha

Dougal keeping tabs on the man-eating cows above Devoke Water

Saturday 3rd & Sunday 4th May - Thunder only happens when it's raining...

At least, according to Fleetwood Mac; that lyric was about to become relevant!

Just managing to blag almost the last parking spot at Kentmere got the weekend off to a good start. Shame then that my navigation over the first mile or so was truly awful! The weather seemed set (ha!) but my fitness left a lot to be desired as we gradually made our way up onto Shipman Knotts, enjoying good views into the upper valley and most of the horseshoe route that we would be following over the next couple of days.

Upper Kentmere from Stile End - start of the horseshoe

Gradually gaining height, Kentmere Pike came and went with a brief munch stop and a bit of craic with a group walking the Longsleddale horseshoe, then over the hump-back of Harter Fell. The character of the ridge changed quite suddenly now, becoming more rocky than open moor, a defined ridge developing and views into upper Mardale and the two Mardale waters, Small Water and Blea Water, making life more interesting. Once we had dropped down to, and passed the shelter at the top of Nan Bield Pass, it was time to search for a campsite for the night.

Nan Bield Pass, High Street & Kidsty Pike from Harter Fell

Sue, Froswick & Ill Bell from Harter Fell, Saturday afternoon

With the forecast for southerly winds, it seemed right to drop down from the ridge towards Small Water Tarn and the map showed a few contours "spreading" at about 610 metres, maybe 50 metres below and northeast of the shelter. Luckily, we found a narrow, grassy topped bluff, almost level and with running water less than 10 metres away. Result!

Our campsite, Small Water Tarn and Haweswater below Nan Bield Pass

Once the tent was sorted and the wine was in the beck chilling, we wandered back up to the pass, over Mardale Ill Bell and onto High Street, the highest of Wainwrights far eastern fells at 828 metres (2718 ft) and a little further until Kidsty Pike and the group of hills to its west were in view. The thought of dinner, and aching legs, was enough to send us back toward the tent.

Sunday morning seemed very, very bright from deep within my sleeping bag. That's what lightning does; the thunder, roaring at us, simultaneously with the flashes, suggested that the storm was very close -not the most comforting alarm clock! Back to sleep then and, an hour or so later, we were down to just strong wind and heavy rain. More sleep, then a brew and the rain and wind had eased sufficiently for us to think about packing up and heading off...

Ignoring the bail-out option of returning to Kentmere by Nan Bield Pass and the valley bottom, we retaced our steps from earlier back over Mardale Ill Bell and toward High Street in thick cloud with maybe 20 metres visibility. At about 800m (see - GPS / altimeter is well worth carrying!) we headed off on bearings toward Thornthwaite Crag and Froswick where the strengthening wind blew the clouds away giving straightforward but blustery walking over Ill Bell and Yoke then, eventually, to the Garburn Pass and the the village.

A really good couple of days, taking in 8 tops (one of them twice), 16.5+ miles, 4530 feet of uphill - my legs certainly knew all about it!

Thursday 1st May - Dinner is served...

Since I'll be away from tomorrow morning, and given the rate at which these bad boys are growing, they may not be around when I arrive home on Monday. So, maybe the last photo of Team Thrush...