BB1029 : The Return of Uncle Jamie

Thursday 5th August 2010

Just like last year on BB0926: Long Wet Windy Monty Bothy Fun?

In order to secure a parking place, given that it is high season, we set off early and arrived at the old Dungeon Ghyll National Trust car park before 9 a.m..  

Pike o'Blisco, Crinkle Crags and The Band

We may have avoided the crowds but the early morning drizzle was still around.  It did clear somewhat, however, as we set off up the road to Little Langdale, from which we picked up the Pike o’Blisco path.

Bryan and Stan on the Pike o'Blisco path, Langdales behind.

I do like Po’B.  It is a bit of a slog up by Redacre Gill but the path has been excellently “fixed” with properly laid stones- an example to other parts of the Lake District where they have gone berserk in building motorways with diggers.  The upper part of the hill consists of a series of short gullies that require hands and, on a day like today, a certain amount of care as the rocks were very slippery.

After completing the climb, we dropped down to Red Tarn, passing by an incongruous hut, constructed for the path fixers.

Next, we started on Crinkle Crags.  I am never quite sure how many Crinkles there are (I am told seven) and whether we visited them all but there is no mistaking the bad step on what I think is Crinkle two.  This is a gully with a big chock stone that prevents a direct access forcing a wee bit of rock-climbing to the side.  On a fine day it is a bit of a challenge.  However, by now it was raining hard and it was a lot of a challenge.  

We then had our usual wander around Long Top in the mist before determining the right route to complete the Crinkles.  After the last one (another little scramble), whatever number it might be, we contemplated Bowfell.  We could see several people on the summit and the weather had cleared.  Should we press on?  On the horizon was another belt of rain so we decided to have lunch instead, sheltered behind a very comfortable slab.

Looking back to Pike o'Blisco and some Crinkles

The rain set in again so we curtailed lunch and opted to return to the valley via the Band. There would have been no fun climbing the 600 feet in the rain, wind and cold.

Pike o'Blisco and some Crinkles from The Band

Part way down, it faired up again, so we stopped to complete lunch.  Had we gone just a few yards further we would have found a very convenient memorial bench on which to "Rest and remember the work of S H Hamer, Secretary of the National Trust, 1911 - 1934."  And eat.  As it was, we just used it for a second team photo before reaching the valley at the flower bedecked Stool End Farm.

Of course, as we drove home, the sun came out.  But then, the Met Office had told us that it would!

Don, 5th August 2010

STATISTICS:

If you have Memory Map on your computer, you can follow our route in detail by downloading BB1029.

To see which Wainwright top was visited on which BB outing see
Which Wainwright When?

For the latest totals of the mileages and heights see: BB Log.

E-mail addresses on this web site are protected by

 Spam Trawlers will be further frustrated by
 Spam Blocker: help fight spam e-mail!  

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 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

If you want to join
The BOOTboys Inter-continental
Fan Club
let us know and
you will receive
automatic notification
of new BOOTboys reports.

Home Page

BB04

BB05

BB06

BB07

BB08

BB09

BB10

Archive

2010 Outings

BB1001 :
The Most Perfect
 Winter Day
Thursday 7th January

BB1002 :
Snowcumabulating
 Potter Fell
Thursday 14th January

BB1003 :
A Snowy Equipment Test
Thursday 21st January

BB1004 :
Leave It To The Professionals
Thursday 28th January

BB1005 :
That's A Lyth Record
Sunday 31st January 

BB1006 :
Reasons To Be Cheerful
One, Two, Three
Thursday 11th February

BB1007 :
Can You See Clearly Now?
Thursday 18th February

BB1008 :
In Memory Of
Thomas Williamson
Thursday 25th February

BB1009 :
Almost a Mountaineer!
Wednessday 3rd March

BB1010 :
The Beginning Of The End
Thursday 11th March

BB1011 :
The Free Men on Tuesday
Tuesday 16th March

BB1012 :
We'll Get Them In Singles,
Stanley
Thursday 25th March

BB1013 :
The Fools on the Hill
Thursday 1st April

BB1014 :
The Windmills on the Moor
Wednesday 7th April

BB1015 :
By Lake, Ridge and Wainwright
Sunday 11th April

BB1016 :
The Ten Lake Tour (+5Ws)
Thursday 15th April

BB1017 :
The BessyBOOTboys
Thursday 22nd April

BB1018 :
The Kentmere Challenge
Saturday 24th April 

BB1019 :
Winter in Springtime
Thursday 14th May

BB1020 :
Red Screes and Sausages
Thursday 20th May

BB1021 :
The Mile High Club
Thursday 27th May

BB1022 :
What A Difference A Day Makes
Thursday 3rd June

BB1023 :
Something Brutal
 Thursday 10th June

BB1024 :
Rendezvous on Haycock
Thursday 17th June

BB1025 :
The Men of Gragareth
Thursday 24th June

BB1026 :
The Smardale Round
Thursday 1st July

BB1027 :
Don't Shun The Shunner!
Thursday 8th July

BB1028 :
All Around the Edge
Thursday 29th July

BB1029 :
The Return of Uncle Jamie
Thursday 5th August

BB1030 :
The Examination Results
Thursday 12h August

BSB2010 :
BOOTSKIboys in Zillertal
Saturday 30th January
to Saturday 6th February

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

Wainwrights

To see which Wainwright top was visited on which
BB outing see Which Wainwright When?.

To download a log of heights and miles and which Wainwrights have been done by which BOOTboy in the "modern" era, i.e. since the advent of BOOTboys
click on BB Log.

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