BB0722  By Steamer to Hallin and Place Fells

Wednesday 25th July 2007

It is increasingly a challenge to compile these reports without them being a re-hash of the same old story.  After all, each outing comprises more or less the same people doing more or less the same thing in slightly different locations with various combinations of weather.  Full Stop.

So it is somewhat of a relief, to me at least and hopefully to anyone out there who actually reads them, to have something a little different to relate.  Not the walk itself- same old story as you will see, but the approach.  For only the second time in BOOTboy history, we approached our objective by boat.  The first time, BB0710, merely involved the Windermere Ferry.  Today was much more adventurous.  We (i.e. Bryan, Stan, Tony & I) caught the Ullswater steamer from Glenridding to Howtown with the intention of walking back.

Glenridding Pier

Place Fell from  the Ullswater Steamer

The actual route was to depend on the weather.  Whilst we waited for the 11 a.m. boat, the rain was literally horizontal. But, fortunately, by the time we arrived at Howtown it was starting to clear, just as the wonderful people at MWIS had said it would.  This gave us the confidence to return via Place Fell and for three of us to take in Hallin Fell.  The exception was Bryan.  He is studiously completing his nth round of Wainwrights, this series having started after his retirement three years ago and he is saving one fell in each book for a grand bike and 7 peak finale.

Hallin Fell from the Steamer

Ullswater, north end from Hallin Fell

The Nab with Beda Fell to the right

Hallin Fell, three man team

So whilst he was happy to offer advice on the route (and debate whether or not grey squirrels could be considered pretty), Bryan would only accompany us part of the way up and could not be enticed to the top as it would spoil his grand plan.

Hence the 3 man team picture on this relatively minor but still enjoyable hill that provided some excellent views.

Next on to Place Fell.

This took some navigating through the bracken.

I was reminded of when our children were young and we would go walking with John S and his younger son, Tom.  John would chase the kids with huge pieces of bracken, pretending they were green monsters.  Today, they really were green monsters.

Unusually, the person who led the way up a steep incline of seriously large green monsters was Tony.  Only his hat could be seen bobbing and weaving on the overgrown path.  At a clearing he explained.  Regular readers will know what is coming- it was now seriously after noon and he figured the quicker we got out of the bracken, the sooner he would be allowed to eat.

Bryan however was having none of it and a dejected Tony fell back muttering about how prisoners at Guantamo Bay were treated better.  Eventually, 75 minutes after T Time, Bryan tired of the moaning and relented.  I must say I was glad as I, too, was famished. Mindful of the fact, however, that we had much climbing left to do, I only ate half my lunch.  Others consumed the lot and paid the price!

It is a medium steep sort of track up onto the Place Fell ridge and, for once, I was going quite well today.  However on reaching the summit, the wind got up and the resting place for the two stop strategy had to be in the lee where we found a comfortable set of rocks.

There was one particular angled rock that Stan observed was the sort that Wainwright would have photographed and then converted to a drawing.  So below is my interpretation of a Wainwright drawing, using techniques not available to him (click on the photo for the original).  

Place Fell, four man team

View to North, after AW

 

Helvellyn and Catsty Cam

Brothers Water

At the Round How view point I attempted a 360 degree panorama but the wind was very strong at the time and it was difficult to maintain balance so the second appearance of Brothers Water seems much higher than the first!  As ever, click on the photos for an enlargement.

Place Fell on return to Glenridding

The path toward Boarddale Hause (where we found a sad, live sheep that had been savaged) and down to Side Farm seemed relatively easy going after some of the descents we have had recently.  It was then an easy amble back to the car at Glenridding Pier in much better weather than when we had set out.

Place Fell is one of my favourite peaks and this novel method of approach really added to the interest of the walk.  And Bryan has identified more routes that can be started or finished by steamer so expect more of this in future reports.

Don, 25th July 2007

 

Afternote:  Bryan has kindly produced a log of which Wainwrights have been done by which BOOTboy in the "modern" era, i.e. since the advent of BOOTboys .  To download the Excel file click on Wainwrights.  If anyone wants to claim other peaks, please let me know and I will submit them to the adjudication committee!

Don, 25th July 2007

 

Distance: 8.05 Miles (Harveys)

Height climbed: 2,789 feet (Harveys)

Wainwrights:  Hallin Fell, Place Fell

 

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Wainwrights

Bryan has kindly produced a log of which Wainwrights have been done by which Bootboy in the "modern" era, i.e. since the advent of Bootboys.  

To download the Excel file click on Wainwrights.  

If anyone wants to claim other peaks, please let me know and I will submit them to the adjudication committee!

 

BOOT boys

This page describes a 2007 adventure of BOOTboys, a loose group of friends of mature years who enjoy defying the aging process by getting out into the hills as often as possible!

As most live in South Lakeland, it is no surprise that our focus is on the Lakeland fells and the Yorkshire Dales.

As for the name, BOOTboys, it does not primarily derive from an item of footwear but is in memory of Big Josie, the erstwhile landlady of the erstwhile Burnmoor Inn at Boot in Eskdale, who enlivened Saint Patrick's Day 1973 and other odd evenings many years ago!

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