7 wainwrights in 7 hours.

Another 4 AM start. Day after coming off nights. I am properly tired, the twins were very poorly but recovered 6 hours before I was about to pull the plug on this trip. I got up at 4 ish, so did Deb! She wanted to see me off, not in a kill bill sort of way but a hanky waving good luck sort of style. Which was nice. trouble with that is I like silence to be able to concentrate that I have all the right kit packed and "squared away" ( a military term). What I don't do very well is square away and listen to my darling wife talking about stuff that isn't related to the days events. I think she said be careful about ten times. I'm not sure whether she was more worried about the climbing or i was travelling up the motorway in a focus RS with a twenty one year old lad who's 7" taller than me!
Granty arrives a couple of minutes early in the RS. I wasn't quite ready though so rushed around. I didn't forget anything.
Got to wakey at just before 6 and transferred in to Andy's car. A Zafira. No idea how the journey went I slept most of it. Andy and I had a chat about Ken bates and Leeds and related football stuff. We all talked about the weather, its a British thing but its obsessive with walkers.
It rained most of the way up. It was cold too.
Depending on which forecasting medium you use, the general weather consensus was rubbish at first getting better. The BBC as usual was way off and Sky take that long, you forget whats been said half way through. We did the M1, A1, A66 route. Arrived at Millbeck 20 minutes early, we missed the lay by, turned back and by that time Pete was there. We squeezed in the narrow space as the builders were in town. There is not a great deal of parking in the northern lakes villages. We got ready just off the road. The weather was mildly moist and a light drizzle permeated the sky. We get ready quickly, it was only one or two degrees above freezing, moving off straight out of the back of the lay by and into the woods.
Our plans had changed twice, once by me, as I wanted to add Skiddaw little man to the bagging list, also once at the death by Pete who threw Dodd in to the mix. I remembered Dodd as being pine woods and a bald bit on top but little else, apart from you could see Scotland from its 1600 foot elevation.
Its also part of my fave tongue twister. "ken dodds dads dogs dead."

We skirted the side of the hill, then it was a right turn and straight up. There was going to be a lot of steep ascent today and as usual, I ended up at the front early on. It was hard work but we made excellent time considering we went off the route. It was a pleasant change to walk amongst the trees and it smelt "piney". Andy kept telling Granty to mind his head which was funny as the branches were too high for us but not the giant.
Less than an hour later we were on the top.
left to right: Granty, Pete and Andy Wainwright number one of the day. Dodd.


Left to right: Me, Pete Andy.



Twas windy so we cracked on. the hard work was soon upon us and we ascended in to cloud. It got fresher by the minute and the wind increased. Soon we were above the snow line, first time this year for some of us as the white stuff had largely disappeared the previous week on Crinkle Crags and Bowfell.
It was another tough ascent, the ground was wet and uneven so it was difficult getting a rhythm going. Andy took over higher up, his new regime of commuting by northern Rail trains meant he had to run from the station and bound up 4 flights of stairs two at a time 5 days a week on top of the football he had granite legs so far and had little trouble getting up to Carlside. The three car (and sometime helicopter and boat) commuters had a bit more trouble. Granty more than anyone else, he had a Vietnamese family in his rucksack, he was in serious training for the national 3 peaks this year so had packed almost 5 litres of water and his camera gear (minus his "big" lens. No kidding he must have had been packing 15-20Kg. Plus his 6'7" frame. He'd piss selection next year if he went to Hereford! (selection is SAS training)

Carlside - in the frost. Wainwright number 2.

Pack horse protecting the cairn from the wind.

We were on the supplementary ridge on the south eastern flank. Some checks of maps and satmap pointed us on the path toward Longside. We also decided to do the ridge first as the weather wasn't brilliant and getting worse, contrary to the forecasts.
No break for drinks, it was off again in to the teeth of the wind. It started to tingle the exposed skin a little, not quite frostbite country but it told you the temperature was freezing minus wind chill.
I must remember to check with pro trek next time. Not really knowing how cold it is could have compromised safety.

Onwards and up and downwards towards Longside. No views as we were firmly ensconced in the mist/cloud/clag.
More pictures of well equipped climbers then:

Me and Pete had a chat about Geology. What he doesn't know about rocks aint worth knowing and he's forgot more than he can remember he says! I could listen to him all day. we are palnning a trip around Pike O Stickle and the Langdale pikes (Jack's Rake in particular) to find some "stuff" that blokes centuries ago made. Things like axe heads and tools for getting fur and skin off animals. Real man stuff. It took our minds off the conditions> It was increasingly windy as we approached the north west edge of the ridge. There was nothing between us and the Solway Firth(which we couldn't see unfortunately) and the wind was now ripping across. We could hear the RAF flying around though. A little disconcerting as they were close but we had no idea how close.

Pete started shouting and pointing.


Ullock pike presented itself out of the gloom as did Bassenthwaite for a fleeting second, a tantalising snapshot of what we were missing. A fleeting glimpse of Southerndale and Bassenthwaite common appeared before the clouds enveloped us again.

Bassenthwaite:


Southerndale and the Common:

Ullock pike. It was very windy and I tried to smile but best I could do was a grimace and a serious lean in to the wind.

We'd made remarkable time. It had just gone 11 and it would have been a good place to stop and eat if it wasn't blowing a hooley and there had been some shelter. I'd regretted not buying the bothy from Go outdoors when I'd gone in last. It's on the ever increasing gear list........

The route was back the way we came. Pete and Granty adjusted gear ready for the off.


We stopped on the south side of Longside as there was a lull in the wind and we could get some shelter and took on some food. It was a standing lunch, eaten quicker than anyone of us really wanted but it was plainly too cold, damp and sweaty to wait around. I certainly felt my core temperature drop as we ate. Marmite cashews, crisps, malt loaf and soup sandwiches and cheese were devoured by very hungry people. 10 minutes no longer and we prepared for the very steep climb up to Skiddaw, passing the frozen Carlside Tarn en route.

The path up is steep and it began to snow. It was treacherous in a 40 yard stretch and I stopped and thought hard about turning back, as we would struggle to descend this way.
Granty was struggling to climb as his weight (despite ditching water) was pushing the loose stones back down the hill meaning he couldn't get purchase on the scree. I couldn't help him just yet but soon the snow thickened on the ground and was able to kick steps in the snow. Its hard work but I was loving it.
Some pictures of the difficult ascent. It started off OK.





Then it gets steeper:
A respite between the hard icy section and the thigh burning final 100 feet. Andy's face says it all!

Just after this section is the summit. Whilst we weren't looking, Pete made a dash for the summit, or was he was trying to muscle in on the shot.

There was some fascinating ice patterns formed by the wind. It needed a creative photographer to do this justice, I am not one of these but this is where I pointed the camera. Yes it was as cold as it looks:



The summit plaque indicating mileages to places such as Carlisle. Useless to us today as we couldn't see.



Granty and I on the summit well wrapped up.


We hung around for a while doing what people do on summits, larking about, taking photos, looking the vie...ah no. We didnt have any of those.




That was the biggie done. Everyone was making noises about not going back down the icy path so we didn't, we were bagging Little Man anyway so there was a clear option available. Carry straight on heading south east toward the eastern tip of Keswick. I showed Pete the route and he did "stuff" with GPS to make sure we got down. GPS' are brilliant in this weather. And very easy compared to counting paces and taking bearings in the wind. GPS' don't blow away too!

Onwards to little man. Not named after Granty. There,s no pictures of anyone as it was too windy and cold to organise anything. Just the cairn:


The long descent continued and we eventually came out of cloud. The transformation was remarkable and the wind had stayed high, we were soon removing layers. Granty had taken a pole as he really was struggling with the underfoot conditions and using it to control his descent.

The views began to open up.

The sun tried very hard to break through:

We soon caught sight of Keswick. a reassuring sight after all the hard work.


With 6 wainwrights already in the bag I realised we were a ten minute walk from Latrigg, one of the shortest Wainwrights but nonetheless its one of the 214. There was enthusiasm for the suggestion so we set off some on the path some "cheating" and taking the direct route.

The view from Latrigg.



We were in good spirits and shows in these snaps. Me in a rather camp oooh we just did 7 wainwrights pose. Pete quaffing fruit pastilles and Andy looks embarrased as he's a roughy toughy Leeds fan!





That was that.
7 Wainwrights and a two(and a bit as we got "lost" when I decided to follow a sheep path) mile hike back to the car.
We couldn't find a pub in Applethwaite or Millbeck, so we sped back up the A66 to the White Horse in Scales. It was shut!!!!!
We turned back toward Keswick and went to Royston Vasey. I mean Threlkeld. We strode purposely in one pub to be told it wasnt open, despite a punter drinking a pint. Local pub for local people?
We crossed the road and went to the Horse and Farrier, a typical Lakes brasserie, well decked out for Christmas, a bonus was it's a Jennings pub. A pint of Cumberland Ale went down a treat and we chatted merrily. We then bode farewell to Pete and headed off back down to the midlands via west yorkshire leaving at around ten past 5. The traffic wasn't kind and we got home at nine.
A great day out that had everything. The truly amazing thing was nobody fell over.
I have put the boots away till next year now, its time to get merry, enjoy Christmas with the family and recharge the batteries.
Next years target. 50 Wainwrights and Snowdon.