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!
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