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BB1609
: Walking On Thin Ice
Thursday
25th February 2016
Today
it was sciatica that prevented me from getting out,
not grandchild minding or grandmother
minding though quite possibly brought on by one or the
other. Or both!
John
was very keen to follow a walk entitled The Dodds From
Dockray he discovered at Go4awalk.
Accordingly, he takes on the role of raconteur.
Stan
had returned from his sabbatical in the sun to keep
us on the straight and narrow (well, winding and wide
to be more accurate).
We
set off from Kendal to meet Robin in the car park at
the Kirkstone Inn where he had decided to leave his
magnificent motor rather than risk the unknown territory
around the car park at Dockray.
Apparently
his car is not an off-roader!
Our
less than direct route to the Red Moss car park meant
that we had to turn round at Matterdale Church.
We
decided to delay the start of the walk (it was very
cold) by having a look round the pretty but simple church
which dates back to Elizabethan times. The stained glass
window dates from much later and is the work of Charles
Kempe, one of the major figures of Victorian decorative
art.
We
eventually reached the correct car park and whilst kitting
up there was a discussion about the pros and cons of
gaiters (useful accessory or fiddly fashion item?).
Robin decided on the latter and declared he was
going gaiterless.
Our
first objective was Great Dodd via Matterdale Common.
Don had warned us that the common could be very
boggy and he was absolutely right.
Fortunately
however we were able to avoid the bog by walking on
thin ice which had formed above it. Stan of course
skipped across it in a very lightweight sort of fashion.
Robin and myself less so. But it seemed to hold…..until
it didn’t.
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Robin’s
gaiterless leg disappeared up to the knee
through virgin white snow and ice. Robin
was unhurt but his leg was a very different
colour when he pulled it free.
These
reports often include music references so
you may like to be reminded of Walking
on Thin Ice
by Yoko Ono (Double Fantasy 1980).
Or
perhaps not.
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It
was a long cold climb up Great Dodd due to icy winds
and snow underfoot but it was well worth it for the
superb views of Blencathra in the north and Cross Fell
in the east.
Blencathra
Approaching
Great Dodd
Donning
microspikes made for much quicker progress and we were
soon at the summit where the winds dropped and the sun
shone. We were, however, suffering from technology
malfunctions. Robin’s camera had given up the ghost
and my phone battery had died due to the strain of GPS
tracking and taking photos. Being well prepared I had
packed an additional power pack. I had also packed the
wrong connecting cable! From that point on we
had no GPS but who needs it when you’ve got Stan!
"That's
the way to go!?" said Stan
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Robin
took over as photographer using his phone
and we had a stunning stroll along the tops
via Watson’s Dodd to Stybarrow where there
was a birds-eye view of The Lake District
Ski Club at Raise which was in full swing.
There
are several YouTube videos about the club
but click on the crossed skiis, left, to
see some amazing footage including an attempt
at paraskiing.
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Ski
lift on Raise
Our
next objective was to find a sheltered spot for lunch
but it was not until we had done both Green Side and
Hart Side that we found a suitable rocky outcrop near
Birkett Fell at 1:40 p.m. - yes, Tony 1:40 p.m!!
Sharp
Edge (Blencathra) from Watson's Dodd
Snowfields
up to Stybarrow
Boulder
field on Hartside
Ullswater
from Hart Side
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Aira
Beck bridge
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Icicles
in Aira Beck tributary
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From
there it was all downhill to Dowthwaitehead and back
along the road to the car. The most notable feature
was a house under construction with some odd, unattractive
crenellations on its gable ends. We concluded that it
was a conversion of a water board building and that
the owner had been compelled to keep the design feature.
Soon
we were back at the Kirkstone Inn where Robin was reunited
with his mean machine and Stan bought us a pint (each).
We also managed a rather strange Comitibus
photo.
John,
Thursday 25th February 2016
| STATISTICS
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BB1609
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| Date:
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Thursday
25th February 2016
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| Distance
in miles:
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8.8
(Go4awalk)
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| Height
climbed in feet:
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2,129
(Go4awalk)
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| Features:
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Great
Dodd, Watson's Dodd
Stybarrow Dodd,
Hart Side
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| Comitibus:
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John
Hn, Robin, Stan
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To
purchase the "official" routemap and directions
c146, visit Go4awalk.
BOOTboys
routes are put online in gpx format which
should work with most mapping software. You can follow
our route in detail by downloading bb1609 .
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.
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BOOTboys
2016
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