Decided on a short notice trip to the lakes with wifey. Stayed in a fab cottage in the far north (nr bothel/bassenthwaite) which is a carpenters 'show' property, but also used as a rental. It really makes a whole world of difference to her (well and me) to be able to come back and be warm!
Anyway a late drive up friday so a bit of a slow start sat, but i'd planned a few walks so we decided on a nice gentle one to get the legs working. Mellbreak (509 - 512m) next to Crummock Water, ~7miles but a fair bit of up for some fab views to the surroundings. It was a bit blowy up top and not much shelter so we didn't hang about. Stopped for a very short lunch in the lee of a mound, then carried on down and back round the between Mellbreak and Crummock water. Popped into the loweswater pub (reccomended!) and then moseyed back to the cottage to collapse in heaps. A busy week and a long drive can really take it out of you.
Sunday had a bit of an earlier start and looking at the forecast took a sensible option to go north east which should have meant clear spots and lower wind. Trouble was the forecast wasn't quite right. Anyway nevermind we'd arrived to try Blencathra via Hall's fell. We got on with the lower path (parking near scales) having fun with a few of the large steps needed on scaley beck and then tackled the lower slopes on Hall's fell. It's unrelentingly up! A bit of choclate sustenance and onwards. Past a few cairns and then into the low clouds and onto a weaving path taking the best route up the ridge. We stopped in the lee of some of these rocks for lunch. As the wind was picking up and with the low clouds it was a bit chilly.
We struggled on for quite a way, but as Wifey isn't a climber it was more than tricky in a few spots. Getting to a point where we needed to fully commit to the route with the worsening wind, rain forecasted and the ridges exposure we decided to back track. It was a bit gutting for us both, but perhaps in hindsight a bit of a challenging route for the conditions (ridges/wind never a good combo). Thankfully i've not put wifey off for life and she already wants to go back in better conditions to finish it off.
Looking at some photos of it online so do i!
(hall's fell is the middle ridge on this photo)
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