BB2035 : Missing the Mark

Thursday 1st October 2020

The day did not get off to a good start.  As I drove out of our drive I saw the petrol gauge read empty and the estimated mileage remaining was zero.  Would I make it to the petrol station?  I just about did.  Would I make it into the shop to pay for the petrol through the hordes of virus spreaders otherwise known as school children who were queuing (way less than 2 metres apart) to buy sweeties?  One of the serving ladies rescued me and took me to a till specially reserved either the old and vulnerable or more likely for anyone obviously going to spend more than 60p for a chocolate bar.

Now I was seriously late. I took a risk and stopped to take a picture of the dramatic skyline as seen from Moorhowe Road.

Would I make to the meeting point on time?  No but I beat Tony!  Luckily Tony also beat the mass of vehicles that suddenly appeared, cramming Hartsop's small car park.

Our objective was Stony Cove Pike but not by any of the normal routes.  We were to climb up by the side of Caudale Beck to explore the large quarry area before continuing upwards.

First we had to walk along the side of Brotherswater, a nice gentle start to the outing on a nice gentle autumnal day with clear views across the valley to the Fairfield range.

The ascent to the quarry was steady.  

It is a large area with lots of slate debris and a steep climb out onto the ridge.  

Thereafter, the path on the ground was clear so Mike and I pressed on, not worried that Bryan, John and Tony might lose us.

Magnificent views all around.

We would stop at the Atkinson Monument, a cairn with a cross and a couple of inscriptions. I thought they would interest Tony.

The others would soon be with us.  Or so we thought.  We waited.  And waited. We set out to find them.  A telephone call came through.  Where were we?  They had stopped, overlooking Caudale Head, to have their lunch.  I should have realised- it was past noon- Tony must have insisted.  Mike and I would have ours at the Monument then regroup.

Unfortunately it had been bagged by others doing likewise so we had to find another cairn at which to sit and consume.  

Eventually we saw our comrades about 100 yards away so we called to them.  I felt sure that Tony would want to see the Monument(s) but to my amazement he seemed totally disinterested.

Reunited, we moved on to the top of Stoney Cove Pike.  Clouds were forming and passing through over the Ill Bell range.

Next, the steep and at times tricky path down to Threshthwaite Mouth, the watershed between the two valleys.  Here a decision had to be made.  I had offered the boys a Black Route, short but very steep going down by Hartsop Dodd.  This would have been from the Pike and they had sensibly and to my relief already rejected that.  Now they were faced with the Blue Route of dropping down to Pasture Bottom and back to the car or the Red Route of climbing up to Thornthwaite Beacon then visiting High Street before descending via the Knott.  I was pretty confident that they would not want to take that much longer option, especially as clouds were now swirling around us threatening rain.

What I had forgotten to take into account was Bryan.  He proffered the unexpected proposal of traversing uphill to Gray Crag.  I had been confident that Tony would not want to undertake the extra 300 feet of climbing involved or the steep descent into the valley.  Wrong.  Bryan dismissed my Blue Route as boring and boggy whereas his was much more interesting with splendid views.  His purple prose persuaded Tony so that is the way we went.  The Purple route.

Bryan was right of course and, although it did add to our climbing, it made for a much more satisfying round, enjoying the views of Hayeswater and trying to spot the car back down at Hartsop.

Now, I hear you asking, what was all that about "Missing the Mark"?  Well, I told you about how Tony- that seeker of monumental inscriptions- couldn't be bothered to visit the Atkinson Monument.  The inscription explains that "Hic Jacet*" the landlord of the Kirkstone Pass inn, died 14 June 1930 aged 69 years.  The second plaque refers to his son who died in 1987 aged 83 years.  Above the cairn is a cross. The positioning of the cross is so that it could be seen from the pub.  The first name of Landlord Atkinson was Mark.  Tony had Missed the Mark!

Don, Thursday 2nd October 2020.

* Hic Jacet- translated from the Latin means "here lies".

BOOTboys

Comments

Tony:  Good report - I was quite pleased with some of my pics.  What you missed out though was my archeological find!! The more I looked at it and blew it up makes me think it is an artefact which could have belonged to a roman soldier last handled 2000 years ago!! :-D

I called into the Museum with it on Friday and they gave me the email addy of their Archeological expert who I'm hoping will contact me rather excitedly in the near future!!

Cheers T. (aka Plumpus Maximus!)

Don:  Paenitet.  Mea Culpa.  Cerebum Minimus.

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STATISTICS

BB2035

Date:

Thursday 1st October 2020

Features:

Stoney Cove Pike, Grey Crag

Comitibus:

Bryan, Don, John H, Mike T, Tony

Distance in miles (Garmin):

7.4

Height climbed in feet (OMN):

2,549

GPX track

BB2035

John PL

Don

Martin

John H

Tony

Mike T

Stephen

Stan

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