BB0931 : A Bit of an Adventure

Thursday 1st October 2009

Are you up for a bit of an adventure?

When Bryan says things like that, whatever your heart says, your head begins to worry.

It all started because there were just the two of us today.  I checked the Wainwright list and found there was one peak that Stan had done but I had not- Allen Crags- so I put a route together that enabled me to tick it off without involving any other tops that we needed, such as Glaramara.  The plan was first to go up the Crinkles via the Red Tarn path, then over Bowfell to Esk Pike and finish with a quick up and down of Allen Crags before the long trail back to the car.

Bryan thought that too predictable, too touristy, too boring.  He had in mind a different way onto the Crinkles.  One that he had never tried but was sure would “go”- a more or less direct ascent from Hell Gill.

“NOOOOWAY” I screamed inwardly whilst meekly saying “O.K.”

The day could not be bettered for the time of year but the road to Langdale was still corrupted by the roadworks that seem to have been going on all year.  The convoy quad bike is still in operation.  How long does it take to lay a new pipeline?

The convoy quad bike

The adventure started a little sooner than expected.

We parked my silver car in the Old Dungeon Ghyll National Trust car park, opened the hatch back and stood at the rear of the car putting on boots.  Shortly afterwards another silver car parked alongside and the occupants did likewise.  I didn’t see what happened next as I was focused on tying my laces but was vaguely aware of some banging and screaming in broad Australian.  A reversing campervan was attempting to crush a lady to her rear bumper.  By the time I looked up, she had wriggled out of the way but the car kept on coming.  The campervan driver finally realised that something was amiss when he was about an inch short of collision.  He climbed out, discovered how he had just missed being indicted for manslaughter and was profusely apologetic.  He explained that he had our car in his mirror, thought we were the silver car that was last in the line and was reversing into the gap beside us, oblivious to the fact that there was another car already in the gap and a lady filling the space between his and her vehicles.  The reaction of her man proves that, contrary to what some might think, Australian men can be understanding and forgiving

Crinkle Crags and Bowfell

Looking back down Langdale

It proved to be a steep climb on mostly grassy ground and perhaps less of an adventure than Bryan might have liked, but certainly a way that few people had attempted, judging by the lack of evidence of footsteps.

On the Crinkles, it was a different matter.  It was a busy day up there and into whom should we bump at Shelter Crags but our Australian friends, she still somewhat shaken by the experience.

Scafell, Scafell Pike and Bowfell

After the climb up the Crinkles, the ascent of Bowfell was straightforward- follow the well trodden and not too demanding path.  

We took lunch up there, with fine views all round but particularly of the Scafells.

Even easier was the drop to Ore Gap and ascent of Esk Pike from whence we dropped down to Esk Hause.  Here Bryan pointed out the real and false Esk Hauses- the latter having a cross shelter that is often wrongly thought to be the real Esk Hause with disastrous navigational consequences in mist.

Scafell Pike looked temptingly close and easy but it was not on today’s agenda.

A temptingly close Scafell Pike (left)

Instead we performed the quick up and down of Allen Crags and then set off on the four mile descent back to the car.  

Allen Crags panorama from Esk Hause

Angle Tarn was quiet today- no naked Grahams as on BB0407.

The rock steps were hard on the feet but apart from a short coffee stop below Rossett Pike, we covered the ground at commendable pace, although not quite as fast as the 4 mph that the nutters that manage the Post Office think that postmen should achieve whilst delivering their rounds.

At the back of the Old Dungeon Ghyll Hotel was a house with some washing so a photo was duly taken for Margaret although she will no doubt recognise the location and, maybe, compare the actual garments with those in CW04!

As we stood at the back of the car, hatch raised, who should arrive but our Australian friends once again.  I think we had all had a bit of an adventure but, in her case, not one that she would want to repeat!

Don, 1st October 2009

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STATISTCS

If you have Memory Map on your computer, you can follow our route in detail by downloading BB0931.

Steve G advises: "For those who like to look at your meanderings but use Tracklogs or other software then your logs can be converted using the freeware utility GPS Babel."

For the latest totals of the mileages, heights and Lakeland Fells Books 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

This page describes an 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, and certainly not from any skin head associations or other
type of social group,
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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Home Page

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Archive

2009 Outings

• BB0901 : A Gordon Day Out
  Thursday 8th January
• BB0902 : Thank You,
  Aunty Ethel!
  Wednesday 14th January 
• BB0903 : A Wicked Hike???
  Wednesday 21st January
• BB0904 : Take a Mug With You
  Sunday 25th January
• BB0905 : Down in the Forest
  Thursday 29th January
• BB0906 : Not How But Where?
  Thursday 5th February
• BB0907 : Binsey Can Wait
  (but Uncle Monty Can Not)
  Thursday 12th February
• BB0908 : Badgers on the Line
  Thursday 5th March
• BB0909 : It's not a W!
  Thursday 12th March
• BB0910 : Up on the Roof
  Thursday 26th March
• BB0911 : Not the Blisco Dashers
  Thursday 2nd April
• BB0912 : John's Comeback
  Monday 6th April
• BB0913 : Two Churches, a Pulpit and a Cherry Picker
  Thursday, 23rd April
• BB0914 : Companions of the BOOT
  Thursday 30th April
• BB0915 : The Gale Force Choice
  Thursday 7th May
• BB0916 : The Comeback Continues
  Thursday 21st May
• BB0917 : BOOTboys Encore !
  28th May - 2nd June
• BB0918 : Hello Dollywagon
  Thursday 11th June
• BB0919 : Has Anyone Seen Lily?
  Thursday 18th June
• BB0920 : Ancient Feet on the Greenburn Horseshoe
  Thursday 25th June
• BB0921 : The Tebay Fell Race Walk
  Thursday 2nd July
• BB0922 : For England and St George 
  Thursday 9th July
• BB0923 : The Coniston Outliers
  Friday 31st July
• BB0924 : Little To Be Said In Favour?
  Thursday 6th August
• BB0925 : The Third Night of the Rescue 
  Thursday 13th August
• BB0926 : Long Wet Windy Monty Bothy Fun?
  Thursday 20th August
• BB0927 : Dear Mrs Scroggins
  Friday 11th September
• BB0928 : An Ard Day's Hike
  Thursday 17th September
• BB0929 : A Canter of Convalescents?
  Thursday 24th September
• BB0930 : BOOTboys International Autumnal Expedition
  Wednesday 23rd to
  Sunday 27th September
• BB0931 : A Bit of an Adventure
  Thursday 1st October 
• BB0932 : Paths of Glory?
  Thursday 8th October
• BB0933 : When Yorkshire Was Welsh
  Wednesday 14th October
• BB0934 : Unlocking the Whinlatters
  Thursday 22nd October
• BB0935 : A Tale of Crinkley Bottoms
  Thursday 5th November
• BB0936 : Aye Up What?
  Thursday 12th November
• BB0937 : Where Eagles Wade
  Tuesday 17th November
• BB0938 : After the Floods
  Thursday 26th November
• BB0939 : The Mystery of the Missing Glove
  Thursday 10th December
• BB0940 : A Too Short Walk
  Thursday 17th December
• BB0941 : One Hundred and Onesfell
  Tuesday 29th December

• BH0901 : Back to the Beginning 
  Thursday 13th August
• BSKIB09 : BOOTskiboys in Saalbach
  14th - 21st March
• BB09XX : Los Chicos y las Chicas de la Bota
  11th - 14th May
• BB09Bav01 : Peaked Too Soon
  1st September

Click on the photos for an enlargement or related large picture.

Wainwrights

To download a log of which Wainwrights have been done by which BOOTboy in the "modern" era, i.e. since the advent of BOOTboys 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