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BB0731
Another Gray Day
Thursday
18th October 2007
It
didn’t start out a gray day. In fact it was arguably
the best morning of the BB year so far. Overnight
frost on the car and a sparkling sun in a virtually clear sky.
Bryan
and I met up at Kendal Green with Ian and Sam, who were
making guest appearances. We had a somewhat delayed
start as Sam’s car first had to be taken to a remarkable
garage hidden away at Hall House Industrial Estate on
the way to Sedbergh. I remember there used to be
someone there who collected tanks. However whilst
there were some military vehicles to be seen, there
were no tanks to be seen
today!
Consequently,
it was nearing 11 a.m. before we left the Hartsop car
park with GrAy Crag as our initial objective (as I needed
it for my collection). No sooner had we set off,
than we were overtaken by a slip of a girl, running.
Bryan had his Walshs on so we detailed him to
catch her. However he declined, suggesting that
it was me who didn’t like to be overtaken. I explained
that I was much more mature these days and perhaps it
would have been a job for Stan had he been with us but
as it wasn’t, we let the opportunity pass.
Fairfield
and Helvellyn from Gray Crag
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Team
picture on Gray Crag
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We
tackled Gray Crag by the nose. It was steep going,
with Ian and I making frequent use of JPL devices- photos,
consulting maps, changing clothes, adjusting poles etc.-
to keep the other two fitties in check.
The
views were superb and extensive. Once on the top,
it is a pleasant ridge walk to the summit and from there
to Thornthwaite Crag.
We
had a good view of Hayeswater and then Gardiner's
Grind (see BB0603)
as we approached!
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Thornthwaite
Crag with Gardiner's Grind to the left and Windermere
in the distance
At
the Beacon, just before one o’clock,
we had lunch. So did a surprisingly large number
of others. The sun was shining and when the breeze
dropped it was quite warm. It was almost hot enough
for a snooze- a novel experience this year. Even
when the sun has shone there has normally been a cold,
strong wind. However it started to cloud over,
becoming increasingly gray, so we decided to press on.
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Thornthwiate
Beacon with Great Gable in the Gap
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The
view back to Hayeswater
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We
chose the Roman Road, thereby by-passing the summit of High
Street, and then branched left to take the summit of The
Knott. We looked long and hard at The Nab- it was tempting to knock it off plus
Beda Fell so I could collect my first AW badge but decided to
leave them for a book-completing team event via a cunning
route that Bryan is plotting. This
may yet prove to be controversial as The Nab is a protected
deer park and it was possible to hear them calling,
perhaps issuing us with a challenge?
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Rest
Dodd and the Nab
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Fairfield
and Helvellyn from a Brock Crag mini tarn
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Angle
Tarn and Pikes
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Gray
Crag nose
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From
The Knott we took the long traverse to Brock Crags and then
a fast direttissimo descent towards the valley. Two
thirds of the way down, the sun reappeared so we had
a coffee stop looking across to Hartsop Dodd and up
the valley to Gray Crag. I could not help thinking
that one of the consequences of working our way through
the Ws was the thought "Thank goodness I don't
have to go up there again!"
On
restarting, we picked up the track that leads
down through woodland then goes disconcertingly away from
Hartsop towards Patterdale before doubling back to the car. As
Bryan observed, we had our customary evening sunshine.
'Twas a gray day no more.
Don,
18th October 2007
Distance: 8.4
miles (Garmin / Memory Map)
Height
climbed: 2,887 feet (Anquet)
Wainwrights:
Gray Crag, The Knott, Brock Crags
For the latest totals
of the mileages, heights and Lakeland Fell Book Wainwrights see: Wainwrights.
If anyone wants to claim other peaks, please let
me know and I will submit them to the adjudication committee!
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BOOT
boys
Home
Page
BB04
BB05
BB06
BB07
Archive
Click on the photos for an enlargement or related large
picture.
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!
If you want to contact us, click on
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