Unashamedly I am, its all because of the RAF you know, there has to be mission and a final objective. I digress. The Fairfiled horseshoe starts in the honey pot of the lakes, Ambleside. This place has a special feel about it, its a "walkers" place, loads of places to eat, even more pubs and its right in the middle of some outstanding walking (where isnt in the lakes, except perhaps mungrisedale!)
It is a tuesday meet so we werent expecting a big turnout but some of the lads we met in january were making the trip up and some familiar faces in Mike and Mark and Paul (who'd conquered his fear of the early morning boogey man to be at the start for 0830.) Myself and Mark set of just after 5 met up with Mick and a new face, Paul from newark and Mick took us up in the Chelsea Tractor. Yet again the weather was all over the place and we arrived in ambleside with heavy snow falling. We were early and first there so Mark went to find caffeine and we drove about a bit and thought negative thoughts about not getting going. Half an hour later it stopped but a good inch had fell and everyone immediately lifted. We moved car parks to shorten the walk (not by much, more a case of being nearer the pub) and hung around as we had 2 no shows. Note to self, get numbers in advance so we can call up and noy keep people waiting.
All introductions done the 9 of us set off. The route was soon forgotten as we went by low sweden bridge, no matter, it brought us out to the same place. The weather was cold and misty now and the banter began very early with Max and Howie telling 2 very different versions of the same story. Just ask them about a camcorder.
Heres the scene leaving ambleside and low sweden bridge.
It was a popular opportunity so most of the gang took the cameras out. Some taking pictures of people taking pictures. Heres Max (respelndant with "wheres wally" hat) taking a snap of Howie and Mick lurks behind Max.
Shortly after the bridge, theres a right turn after nook end farm and up on to the slopes of the horseshoe heading for Low Pike. We would pass Rydal village on our right in the valley but it was too misty.
Heres the gang ascending the pike in true seven dwarves stylee.
Its easy navigation the eastern side of the shoe. Just keep the wall on your left or right and keep going.
We soon approached the first scramble of the day in "dead sheep gulley". Don't look on the map for it, Mike named it after the dead sheep that was in the gulley. Get up early to get one over on the resident pharmacist. The scramble is short but difficult in the fact that it was covered in ice and the usual legs akimbo technique didnt work as one foot just slipped off, it was a case of knee up and pray.
We all made it despite the snow mortars being fired from Paul and Mick. I would never throw snowballs, so immature. Especially not at Welshman who couldn't see who was throwing them. Heres one of said welsman Max, about to knee up the gulley.
Once everyone was over the step general snowballing was undertaken. This was to provide the theme for the rest of the day. A short time after we arrived at Low Pike 508M. 2 cameras were used for the self timing shots. This is the picture mine took. Howies went tumbling down the back of the rock so we haven't seen that effort. I wouldnt chuck my expensive SLR down the fell just to make sure I made the picture, how vain is that!! Luckily howie and his camera worked OK after both went for a dive!
Left to right: Mike, Paul (from newark), Derek (Robbo), Mark, Howie, Max, Mick Paul (Cogstar) and yours truly.
It started to get a bit tougher now. In summer its a bit boggy and wet. Today it was misty, Icy and there were deep drifts. There weren't any easy routes.
Onwards and upwards to Dove and Hart Crag and Fairfield. the mist gradually eased and gave us a better view.
I liked the wall covered in snow and frost.
It is a very hard slog up there at the best of times and with snow depths of between a couple of inches and six foot every step was a lottery. It was certainly very hard work on the legs. The mist came in and out and the temperature was all over the place. Dove crag was in mist and hart crag was in sunshine.
The ascent to Fairfiled is straightforward enough but in poor visibility a satmap or micro nav skills are needed to find the summit cairn and not fall off the NE ridge and end up either back in patterdale or in Grisedale tarn. Luckily we had a freshly cut path of footsteps to follow and there were a remarkable number of people up on the plateau. We waited for everyone and took a slow wander to the point where it was "mostly" downhill.
Again we were lucky, visibility wise to descend the west leg without falling off the Rydal head crags. On the way to Great Rigg the mist descended again and we were slowed by poor visibility and also legs began to ache following the remarkable efforts of the morning.
There was a plan to descend and reascend via Stone arthur but some were obvioulsy dreaming of the pub and werent having it. It was too cold to be waiting for those of us that were keen so I took one for the team and called it off. We carried on down, some quietly relieved that they wouldnt be doing an extra 600 foot or so. Rydal fell was soon reached and Erne crag, then the field began to spread out. I stayed at the back with Paul, who was doing very well considering his lack of hill time. The Goats and the Welsh crashed on ahead, some waited at vantage points and everyone closed up and almost became one again at Nab Scar which has a wonderful vista down Windermere and Rydal water and across to the Langdales.
The end was in sight and only the pathed and stepped descent down to Rydal Hall was left to get down to the road and the last mile back to Ambleside. We caught up with some of the group, Mick and Max decided to stop for tea and cake at rydal tea rooms? I thought about joining them for about a millisecond but the golden rule was calling. I also didnt want to stop as i wouldnt get started again. We all ended up in the pub and had a beer or two and we all agreed what a fantastic day it had been. There were some very tired bodies and i think everyone would have been happy to stay in the pub rather than travel home..........Brilliant day with a great bunch of lads.
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