Little Langdale & Great Carrs

Another half day Friday at work, meant I could shoot off early....and another wild camp was on the cards! The weather was looking promising for the weekend - 'the hottest of the year' apparently.

The plan was to park up at Tilberthwaite, head up to Cathedral Quarry, have a mooch around then head up the ridge of Greenburn valley onto Great Carrs. Unfortunately when I arrived at the parking area, which I last visited for my Wetherlam camp last August, a 'no overnight parking' sign had been erected, threatening police involvement for any vehicles left overnight. So, time for Plan B, and a quick mile or so drive round to Hodge Close quarry.

This was my first time at Hodge Close. The whole Coniston & Little Langdale valleys are littered with these old abandoned quarries & mines, and pack a lot of interesting scenery. I threw my pack on my back and headed up the track towards Little Langdale. Low cloud, known as 'the clag', was shrouding the tops of the fells, but no matter, as my first stop was 'indoors'. I found the path up towards Little Langdale quarry near some old spoil heaps, and the entrance wasn't far away, almost hidden behind woodland foliage, but as this is quite a popular spot, there is an information board at the entrance advising of the rich slate & copper mining history of the area which dates back some five hundred years!

The dark, dank entrance tunnel is only 100 meters long or so, but at the other end you are greeted with a huge man-made cavern with a huge pillar in the centre and a window in the rock where light, and some ferns flood the cavern with a little light. Surprisingly there is also a pool of water taking up a portion of the cavern, and even more surprisingly there are cave fish living in it, including a Goldfish!

After grabbing a few shots with my camera, I headed towards the hills. My final destination for the day was the summit of Great Carrs (2,575ft), reached by getting on the ridge line near the old Greenburn Mine, and following the ridge up Wet Side Edge to the summit.

Unfortunately the weather hadn't improved, and the 'clag' was still hugging the tops, and after reaching an altitude of around 1,500 ft, I began entered the cloud and visibility began to drop. There was still about 1¾ mile to the summit, but I just kept going. I could see about 150 - 200 feet in front of me at best, and the path wasn't that difficult to follow. A westerly wind picked up, with some strong gusts in places, but as long as I continued following the ridge line in a south westerly direction I would be fine.

After an hour and a half I finally reached the summit of Great Carrs. Time was ticking on...it was about 8:40pm, although there was still plenty of time before sunset (although the chance of seeing a sunset was very little), I was keen to get my tent pitched and inside to get dry and fed.

The summit was littered with rocks, with only a handful of grassy patches, most of which were uneven, or hiding rocks underneath. I spotted a large boulder through the clag, thinking it would make an ideal wind barrier for my tent to go next to.... but on getting a bit closer realised it was actually another tent!

I started walking down to the col between Great Carrs and Grey Friar, and eventually came across a suitable pitch. The tent was up within minutes, the stove was cooking away for 9 o'clock, and I was tucked up for the night by ten.

BANG! 3 am Saturday morning I was awoken by a firework being set off. BANG! And another! Who, why, what?! I drifted back to sleep...

Turns out there was a charity event happening - Light the Lakes - in aid of the Care of Police Survivors charity (COPS), where dozens of current & ex-service personnel set of flares, fireworks, and lit torches of the summits of the fells.... that explains the tent on Great Carrs summit last night.

I awoke just before 6 am to a spectacular scene, watching clouds rolling over the fells, like waves on a beach, shrouding then clearing before the next 'wave' came in.

The tent was packed away, and Grey Friar, only a short 1 mile jaunt away was my next summit. The very top was shrouded in cloud, although it wasn't as dense as what I had experienced the night before, and the wind wasn't as strong. It was an easy stroll to the summit, and I was the only soul around, apart from the local Herdwick sheep.

Back tracking back to the col between Grey Friar and Great Carrs, I followed the path to the south east towards Swirl How. The cloud had dropped again, and the wind was picking up as I crossed the col. This area - known as Broad Slack - was at the head of the Greenburn valley, so any gust of wind naturally increased in speed as the air was funnelled into the valley.

The ascent wasn't too arduous though, and the cloud did have intermittent patches where it would clear. The path to Swirl How was straight forward enough, and reminded me of the path between Coniston Old Man and Brim Fell....a wide, well cairned route.

I took shelter behind the summit cairn on Swirl How, watching the waves of cloud 'break' and roll into the valley. My final destination, Great Carrs was in and out of the cloud.

Back tracking again along the Top of Broad Slack, with the steep crags on my right dropping into the valley meant the wind was at its strongest, and I was in the middle of a cloud-fall (think of a waterfall, but with flowing clouds instead of water).

The weather was clearing to the east, and looking down from the head of the valley I could see the old Greenburn Reservoir and Little Langdale Tarn.

Just before the summit was the Halifax Bomber memorial cairn. Back in October 1944, a Royal Canadian Airforce Halifax Bomber tragically crashed on the mountain side whilst returning from a nighttime mission in low cloud, killing all 8 crew members. This poignant memorial includes part of the wreckage of the aeroplane, and further wreckage is dotted on the slopes of the Greenburn valley below.

After spending a few minutes to reflect, I turned to the long descent back along the ridge of Wet Side Edge and into LIttle Langdale. The cloud was beginning to clear in parts, and the views on descent of the ridge were much more plentiful than on last nights ascent.

At the lower levels, the sun was shining brightly, and blue skies were starting to appear. Temperatures were rising, so I stopped by the footbridge at Greenburn beck to filter some refreshing mountain water.

Shortly after joining the old Greenburn Mine track, I bumped into a couple of the local Highland Cattle herd. I was a bit wary at first - their large horns don't do anything to easy any fears - but they are quite docile creatures, but their size still meant I passed the by cautiously.

It was then a leisurely stroll for then next couple of miles back along the path through Little Langdale, and onto Hodge Close, back to the car.

Until the next time....

Mark