BB0737  Middle Dodd and Red Screes 

Thursday 28th November 2007

Tony had pleaded for a relatively easy day as he and his drinking buddies were hitting Dalton the day before.  Eight pints later he sent a remarkably coherent e-mail that he was back home and in better condition than he deserved to be.  He still wanted an easy day, however.

Our agreed target was Red Screes and Middle Dodd, one or both needed by most of us for our next badge.

Bryan tends not to have too much sympathy for self inflicted poisoning and suggested tackling Red Screes from the Kirkstone Inn.  

To my surprise, Stan, who also had wanted an easy day due to his lay off in Tenerife (with self inflicted poisoning) supported the proposition, advocating climbing up by the Kilnshaw Chimney.

It looked near vertical to me so I argued for going up the nose of Middle Dodd from Brotherswater. Having previously consulted the computer, I pointed out that their route was same length as Steel Fell (see BB0705 and BB0718) but even steeper.  The response was “but it’s easier because it’s a scramble.”  Later Stan admitted that his son had frozen in the Chimney and Bryan admitted that he had been up there with his ice axe and had nearly not made it.  

Tony was swayed by my route due to it not requiring having to climb back up Kirkstone pass at end of day.  After last week, he only does climbs in the morning.

We parked in a lay-by near Caudale Bridge and had to go much further north (on foot) than I anticipated before dropping down past the Brotherswater Inn and Hartsop Hall and then turning south towards the nose of Middle Dodd.

Middle Dodd from the lay-by.....

.....and from  Caiston Beck

Once on the Dodd, it got progressively steeper.  I thought I was not going too well but then spotted Bryan also in the baboon position (only momentarily, he would have me add) so that cheered me up.

The weather was changeable.  Tony put on his cagoule.  Bryan and I had a wager as to how long it would be before he would refer to the bride’s nighty, as he usually does when he takes it off after only a short while.  Answer: 11 o’clock.

The RAF seemed to be keeping a close watch on our progress.  

Spotted from the air....

..... and again

Bryan surveys Brotherswater and the Dodd shadow

Eventually we reached the top and dropped into the lee to find respite from the cold and quite strong wind.  Bryan invited Tony to take lunch and something remarkable happened.  Tony, who did not have his watch on, had to ask what time it was. Normally he knows instinctively when it is midday as his stomach is screaming at him - and he at us.  Next he announced that he only wanted a drink of oxo and that he would have his lunch later. Was he feeling alright?  We were seriously concerned at this most un-Tonylike behaviour.

After the drinks stop we continued to Red Screes and took lunch in the shelter at the top. Shelter is really too strong a word; it is high enough to keep your seated bum warm but not much else.  It was cold.  We even thought about going back to Middle Dodd!

Windermere from Red Screes

Red Screes team picture

The weather was threatening to deteriorate as we made our way down to the Scandale Pass and then down Caiston Beck, taking great care on the rocks as they were very slippery.   We saw two farmers rounding up fell sheep with a variety of strange looking sheepdogs, one of which decided to adopt us and only returned to the farmer after a whole lot of abuse directed at great volume over a remarkable distance.

Prehistoric settlement

Hartsop Hall doorway.  Click on picture full picture

Down past the prehistoric settlement and then Hartsop Hall with its lovely mullioned windows and ram’s head carvings over the door before climbing just a little way up the main road back to the car.

On the way home another strange thing happened.  I had to call in at the brewery in Staveley and none of them would come in the bar with me.  It’s the first time I have ever known Tony refuse a drink.  He must have been suffering.  Or perhaps it was the thought that he only has 99 Wainwrights left to do and he had better get into serious training.

Don, 29th November 2007

 

Distance: 6.6 miles  (Garmin/ Memory Map)

Height climbed: 2,267 feet (Anquet)

Wainwrights:  Middle Dodd, Red Screes

For the latest totals of the mileages, heights and Lakeland Fell Book Wainwrights see: Wainwrights.

For detials of a previous visit to Red Screes see BB0513
To see Middle Dodd in winter see BB0704

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

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2007 Outings

  • BB0701 Loughrigg - the GPS test
  • BB0702 Whinfell- Castle Craggs
  • BB0703 Wansfell Pike or the Stockghyll picnic
  • BB0704 BOOTboys Cancelled Day plus High Altitude Report
  • BB0705 Out of the Mist and into the Cloud
  • BB0706 Cockups and much much more
  • BB0707 Equipment testing day - High Rigg
  • BB0708 Seat Sandal
  • BB0709 Circling Hollow Moor
  • BB0710 Latterbarrow
  • BB0711 Eagle Crag and Sergeant's Crag
  • BB0712 Bakestall, Great Calva and the Great Divide
  • BB0713 Helvellyn- the range; North to South
  • BB0714 Ease Gill to Great Coum
  • BB0715 Stone Arthur, Fairfield and Apocolypse Now
  • BB0716 Caudale Moor and Hartsop Dodd
  • BB0717 High and Low Rigg or maybe a Rival?
  • BB0718 Oh No!  Not Steel Fell Again?
  • BB0719 Mad Dogs and Easedale Tarn, Codale and Tarn Crag
  • BB0720 An English Munro:  Helvellyn via Catstycam
  • BB0721 Levers Water Circuit
  • BB0722 By Steamer to Hallin and Place Fells
  • BB0723 The Dove and The Deep Dales Round
  • BB0724 Wainwright's Worst Wet Walks!
  • BB0725 To Hell in a Bucket.  And Back!!!
  • BB0726 Wrinklies on the Crinklies and the Return to Hell!
  • BB0727 BOG OFF- Pen-y-Ghent & Whernside
  • BB0728 Shipman Knotts and Half a Horseshoe
  • BB0729 Pikeawassa and the Fusedale Round
  • BB0730 A Gray Day
  • BB0731 Another Gray Day
  • BB0732 Gable and a Great Deal More
  • BB0733 To Monroe or Not to Monroe?
  • BB0734 Nabbing the Nab
  • BB0735 Helm Crag and a Question of Ethics
  • BB0736 Gowbarrow Fell and Glenridding Dodd
  • BB0737 Middle Dodd and Red Screes
  • BB0738  An Adventure and a Test
  • BB0739  Ticking Off Langdales
  • BB0740 The Calf Revisited

 

 

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!

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