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MW02
: Bannisdale to Shap Wells
8th
February 2013
The
snow in which we finished MW01
had mostly gone from around the Selside Community Centre
Car Park but nonetheless it was a cold morning.
Whinfell
After
a short distance along the A6 we took the old turnpike
track across Bannisdale Beck then onwards and upwards
to the west of the A6.
The
old turnpike
Briefly
rejoining the main road, the next long stretch was on
a minor road, again to the west. Given there are
so few inhabitants up here, it is in remarkably good
condition.
At
one point, by the side of the track were some small
huts. Ian and I had a quick look, saw nothing
of interest and passed on. When we stopped for
Cynthia and Margaret to catch up, we couldn't understand
why it took them so long to reach us. Seemingly,
after we had gone, a boar, a sow and several little
piglets made an appearance to entertain them. No
photos were taken so we only have their word for this
being the cause of the delay.
Looking
up Borrowdale
We
crossed Borrow Beck and climbed gently alongside a meadow
no doubt left by the Ice Age.
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Huck's
Bridge, Borrow Beck
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Crookdale
Beck
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Meadow
near Hause Foot, Crookdale Crag behind
At
Crookdale Bridge we stopped by the Hause Foot farmyard
for coffee and team photo.
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Hause
Foot garden
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Team
picture
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Conditions
under foot, now just a path, became more wintry whilst,
ironically, the weather slowly became sunnier.
*
Nearing the summit
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The
snow princesses
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And
you!
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We
left the track near Shap summit in order to see the
Memorial to the Drivers and Crews of Vehicles that made
possible the social and commercial links between north
and south on the old and difficult route over Shap Fell.
And others. Remembrance Day wreaths still
remained.
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The
memorial...
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....
and wreath
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What
surprised us was the gathering of vehicles at the summit
lay-by, all related one way or another to the National
Grid and all with at least two and sometimes four people
aboard doing not very much.
Summit
gathering
One
of men told us that it was too cold for them to work
on the power lines so once they had had their butties
they were going home.
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So
why were they there in the first place?
Don't they know that on Shap at this time
of year it is either cold, foggy, snowing
or raining or any combination of conditions
that don't exactly suit performing, at height,
non-emergency work on 400,000 volts? There
must have been thirty or so men that had
a wasted day. I wonder how many more they
have had and will have this winter?
They
had a couple of fun little buggies. Wonder
why they weren't playing around in them?
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A
fun little buggy!
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To
the right of the lay-by is a group of what looks like
inspection covers, but for what puzzled us. Possibly
something to do with the water pipeline from Haweswater?
Inspection
covers?
Howgills
from Shap Summit
Shap
Quarry
We
left the A6 a little further on, rejoining the turnpike
which crossed over to meet us. However, at Wasdale Old
Bridge we did something very naughty. We went
a different way to the guide book. There was good
logic.
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Wasdale
Old Bridge
Shap
Wells Hotel
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Down
through the woods
Rather
than plod along an unremarkable track until
reaching the Shap Granite works, we followed
a stream downhill through woods and field
until reaching the Shap Wells Hotel where
a decent beer, good bar snacks and Ian's
car awaited us.
Fortunately,
the first coach load of the season had not
yet arrived and we more or less had the
whole place to ourselves..
The
sun was now shining strongly through the
lounge window and I could easily have nodded
off.
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Shap
Wells had not been built at the time of Carr's journey
else I have no doubt he would have made a similar detour.
Though in his case, being a Quaker, a glass of
spa water would no doubt have been his tipple.
This
variation of route was a brainwave of Ian's. I
had been wondering how we were going to arrange the
second and third legs to provide suitable refreshment
and this proved the solution.
Don,
8th February 2013
Bonus
Pictures From Ian
*
*
plus "Nearing the Summit" above and in header
STATISTICS:
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MW02
|
Friday
8th February 2013
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| Distance
in miles:
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7.4
(Garmin
E-trex)
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| Height
climbed in feet:
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1,190
(Memory Map / OS)
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| Cumulative
miles:
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13.9
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| Cumulative
feet:
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2,085
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