BB1531 : Upstaged By A Three Year Old

Wednesday 26th August 2015

What more can I write when a three year old toddler beats us up the mountain?

The toddler was on no tiddler either; the target was Helvellyn.  We thought time might be short and we knew that vicious winds would feature plus the possibility of rain, so we took the easy route and parked at the top of Dunmail Raise.

As we climbed up to Grisedale Tarn, Raise Beck was very full and angry from the recent deluges.  The wind was buffeting.  What a lovely summer.

After a brief noon-time coffee stop, almost out of the wind, to keep Tony functioning (it had been a late start) we took the tourist path up to Dollywagon Pike.

Although the clouds were heavy and fast moving, visibility was good.  Tempting though it was to look over the eastern edge of the hill down to Grisedale and beyond, caution suggested otherwise.

Similarly we climbed Nethermost Pike where we could see a few brave (foolhardy?) folk making their way along Striding Edge.  

Perhaps the wind was somewhat spent by the time it reached them but there is no way I would have countenanced being on the Edge today.

Shortly afterwards we saw a family group who had come up from Wythburn. Father, mother and two sons, aged 6 and 3.  I should stress that all were walking.  No parental piggy backs.

The summit shelter was quite busy and the two quadrants in the lee from the now viscous wind were occupied.  Mike lost his sitting pad, blown down to Patterdale and A N Other lost his sandwich, similarly.

Comitibus : Helvellyn summit

Swirral Edge and Cofa Pike to the left, Red Tarn in the middle, Striding Edge to the right

We met the family again as we descended the Comb Gill route to Wythburn. The 3 year old was now being carried.  Not surprising really given that not only had he just climbed an English Monro, he had done 8 similar miles the previous day!  Respect.

The winding way down to Wythburn

We didn’t need to drop quite down to Thirlmere as there is a track then path that runs above the road, providing a good view of the Howitzer, and led us back to the cars.  

Just before reaching the road, I took a minor detour to see if I could find the cairn that is marked on the OS map that I took to be the possible last resting place of King Domnhail (see BB1415).  In the heavy bracken I did find a pile of stones but whether that is what is was or merely a collapsed sheep pen, I can’t say.

The day ended in the Badger Bar, undertaking the one exercise in which we were fairly confident we would be able to beat the three year old should he make an appearance.

Don, 26th August 2015

Afternote:

I have since discovered that the King Domnhail's cairn is in the grassy "island" in the middle of the dual carriageway.  Next time..........!

BOOTboys routes are put online in gpx format which should work with most mapping software. You can follow our route in detail by downloading bb1531 .

To discover which Wainwright top was visited on which BB outing - although it may not be that up to date - or for the totals of the mileages and heights (ditto) see the Excel file: BB Log.

You can navigate to the required report via the Home Page

Photos have been gleaned from many sources
although mostly from me and other BOOTboys. Likewise written comment.

I apologise if I have failed to acknowledge properly the source or infringed
copyright.  Please let me know and I will do my best to put things right.

Unless stated otherwise, please feel free to download the material if you wish.
A reference back to this website would be appreciated.

Wainwrights

To see which Wainwright top was visited on which BB outing see Which Wainwright When? This may or may not be up to date!

For the latest totals of the mileages, heights and Lakeland Fells Books Wainwrights see: Wainwrights.
Ditto warning!

   E-mail addresses on this web site are protected by

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

BOOTboys 2015

BOOT boys  

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

Click on
to contact us.

For the Index pages
of our various outings
click on the relevant
link below:

The photos & maps
on these pages
will normally retain
reasonable quality
if you expand
your screen
to view them.

 BOOTboys © is a Lakeland Enterprise production