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BB1912
: Return
Of The Few………..
........
albeit a different few!
Thursday
4th April 2019
After
a varied weather forecast leading up to the day, the
eventual weather was surprisingly good. Terry, Martin
and Mike T agreed the route, which was decided should
to be not too challenging due to recent inactivity.
We chose to commence from the National Trust car park
on the Coniston side of Yew Tree Tarn and ascended to
Tarn Hows, which was as quiet as I have probably seen
it. We then walked north, passing a tree where many
people had previously spent a penny or two, by hammering
them into a fallen tree trunk.
Conversation
meant map-reading took second place and we perhaps diverted
to Black Cragg slightly sooner than necessary, but a
wall was scaled and we were soon on track again.
We
had Black Cragg to ourselves, the views providing their
usual 360 degree grandeur.
The
descent from Black Cragg is over a rather boggy area
to its west; however, we soon joined the track and descended
to the Skelwith Bridge-Coniston road, which was crossed
without incident. The route then took us to Hodge Close,
via High Oxen, along the metalled road, where we played
a brief game of spot the Belted Galloway Cow. Can
you spot it?
It
was commented that we were now close to Tony’s lunchtime,
although no texts were sent, but as we had not started
too early we decided to take the path down to the tunnel
to the flooded quarry (as instructed); again there was
no one about but we three. The level of the water wasn’t
too high, so we were able to go out to where the old
rail cart track projects over the water. After a few
critiques of the graffiti we climbed back up to Hodge
Close and took lunch.
Rather
than continue on the road, we doubled back slightly and
took the path through the woods, to the east of the
quarry, to the two small disused reservoirs and followed
the discernible, again boggy, path that ascends the
back of Holme Fell heading towards Ivy Cragg before
diverting south and upwards to the summit of the fell
and the views it provides down Coniston.
After rather
pleasant weather the clouds had grown darker and the
breeze rose, but no rain fell.
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Mike’s phone was then
receiving a signal again, only to find a message from
his father in law saying he had been told to go immediately
to Lancaster Infirmary by his GP.
A hasty descent
was made, off piste, from the east side of Ivy Cragg,
through the dead bracken, joining the Uskdale Gap path
to Harty Guard Woods, then along Yew Tree Tarn and across
the dam wall, to join the path running adjacent to the
road, back to Terry's new jalopy.
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As Mike
wanted to
get back, a libation was foregone and he was hurried
home to Natland. Messrs Martin and Terry then decided
to try Levens Kitchen for a cuppa to end their day.
Mike
T, Thursday 4th April 2019
Post
Script: RLI decided Mike’s father-in-law’s situation
was not as bad as his GP thought and so he was brought
home.
From
our Iranian Correspondent
In Egligh at 6,800
and second highest in range 14,000. Sorry no name! No booze in the first week hasn’t caused any issues yet!
Getting accustomed to chicken & rice. James
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