BB1926 : Hail! Beloved Ones

Friday, 2nd August 2019

Halfway up Longsleddale, on the right hand side at Nether Bower, is a strange garage.  We had seen it several times before and I knew it had unusual inscriptions and hieroglyphics on it.  This time Robin stopped the car. Fortunately for a brief period there was no other traffic on this narrow lane and I was able to take the photo.

You can't see it in the picture but the inscription over the door says:  HAIL! BELOVED ONES.  I only found that out after I had returned home.  It is a quite remarkable coincidence as that very phrase had cropped up during the day.

The climb from Sadgill up across the field then up the gully was not a Beloved One. It felt steep at the time but it was only later when viewing from across the valley that we realised just how steep.

Add in heat and humidity and no wonder I was out of puff at the top as we sought the first of the Haweswater Pipeline sighting pillars.  Robin was trying to tell me that it used to have a wooden platform but that sounded weird to me.

There was a second tower to pass before we made our way over to Grey Crag, the first Wainwright capture of the day for Mike T and Robin.

We thought we would visit Harrop Pike, just because it was there.  It was boggy underfoot but things would get worse before the day was half out.  Mike and Robin had a waterproof boot strategy.  I was deliberately in ultra-lightweight non-proofed boots.  My feet were wet.  But not cold.

Indeed things under foot got worse pretty quickly.  To reach Tarn Crag (Wainwright #2) it is necessary to cross Greycrag Tarn.  This is a misnomer, it is not a tarn.  It is just a very boggy area.  Not a Beloved One.  Would their feet stay dry?

The weather was going off now but the distant views were still good.

Very close to the summit is another Pillar.  A couple were sat there with the Wainwright book open.  Robin took great delight in showing me AW’s sketch of the wooden platform used by the engineers on which to stand whilst surveying the route for the pipeline.

We decided to drop down to the Gatesgarth Pass where we would decide on whether to head back down the valley or extend to the hills to the west.  I had to chuckle as we crossed the exceedingly boggy Brownhowe Bottom.  Both admitted to the fact there was now dampness in the foot department.

At the pass we decided, after some deliberation, to press on up and capture three more Wainwrights for Robin.  From the top of Grey Crag the snaking track up the pass and onto to Harter Fell (W3) had looked quite benign, which was not as I remembered it.  My memory was right.  

Today, I found it a bit of a struggle.  Despite interesting views of  Blea Water.....

..... it was definitely not my Beloved One.  

However the boys were patient with me and I knew that once on the top, Kentmere Pike (W4) and Shipman Knotts (W5) would be easy.  

Across the valley is Ill Bell .....

and a distant but distinct Great Gable.

The descent to the valley was easier still and we were feeling rather proud of ourselves when looking at the sight of the morning's steep climb.  Still not in the Beloved category, however.

Of course you know what was in that category.  Do I need to give you a clue?  The Tap.  As the beers were set on the bar we cried in unison:  Hail! Beloved Ones.  We had earned them.

Don, Friday 2nd August 2019

For more information about the inscriptions on the garage visit Nether Bower

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Bryan's Hard Tarn Bivvy

Since the warm weather arrived I’ve been waiting for a night without thunderstorms or heavy rain for a night bivvying (ie no tent) in the mountains.  Finally a favourable forecast saw three of us setting off from the car at 5:30 last Wednesday evening for the walk in to Hard Tarn where we planned to spend the night.

The cloud was hanging around the tops when we arrived 2½ hours later and the usually firm ground on the edge of the tarn was quite squelchy. So we settled for an area slightly higher amongst some boulders.

There was a cool breeze blowing which thankfully eased as it got dark.

The heavy cloud meant there was no dramatic sunset, so after dinner and a cuppa we were asleep by 10:30 in the peace and tranquillity of the mountains.

We all slept well and it was 5 a.m. before we surfaced. One of our number (not me!) managed to fit a swim in before breakfast. We then witnessed a spectacular sunrise before packing up and setting off for the climb to Nethermost Pike and on to Helvellyn.

Remarkably, given its recently voted status of ‘Britain’s favourite walk’, we never saw another person on the ridge or on the descent of the hill. We were back at the cars for 9 a.m. after an excellent micro-adventure

Bryan

To see more of Bryan's photos click on Hard Tarn Bivvy .

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STATISTICS

BB1926 : Hail! Beloved Ones

Date:

Friday 2nd August

Features:

Grey Crag, Tarn Crag, Harter Fell, Kentmere Pike, Shipman Knotts

Comitibus:

Don, Mike T, Robin

Distance in miles (Garmin):

11.6

Height climbed in feet (OMN):

3,207

GPX track

BB1926.gpx

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