In Lockdown: Back Out In The Lakes
It was early July, and Saturday 4th was England's own 'independence day' as the easing of lockdown restrictions meant the hospitality industry, such as accommodation, pub, restaurants & campsites could begin to reopen, provided they met strict social distancing rules and were 'COVID-safe'.
There had been much news recently about so called 'fly-campers' heading into the national parks, pitching by the side of the road, or next to a beach, having a late-night drinking session, basically trashing the place, and leaving the area wrecked. It was the absolute opposite of the whole Leave No Trace ethic of true wild campers, and was giving us a bad name.
As a reaction the combat 'fly-campers' and also to help with social distancing, National Trust rangers were monitoring car parks around both the Lake District & Yorkshire Dales National Parks. Just a few weeks earlier, it was being readily reported of rangers and police teaming up to move on individuals who had pitched up camp, or were spending the night in camper-vans not far from the road side.
A week after 'independence day', on Saturday 14th July I decided the time was right for me to head out into the hills for an overnighter.
I decided to head to where my wild-camping journey had started, on the crags above the Buttermere valley.
After parking up at the National Trust car park on the top of Honister Pass, I took the short but steep route between the crags up to the top of Grey Knotts - this direct route climbed just over 1,000 feet in a little over half a mile - but soon enough I reached the top and made my way over to the summit of Grey Knotts. It would be in the area where I planned to do my first wild camp in four months.
After scouting the area for a short while, I found a lovely little pitch a bit further down the grassy hillside, which looked directly down the valley, with Buttermere & Crummock Water below. I had already passed one pitched tent back towards the summit, and could see another small red tent about half a mile away tucked beneath a crag. I would expect there would be a few people out tonight, as the forecast was pretty good too.
I pitched the tent and cracked open a beer I had been saving throughout lockdown - the aptly titled 'It's Great Up North', by Northern Monk Brewery.
That first sip of beer on the open hillside, was a refreshing taste of freedom, and a sense that things were beginning to get back to some sort of normality.
I fired up my Jetboil, and cooked up my staple of meatballs & mash & spent the time savouring the experience of spending a night back out in the Lakes.
It was partly cloudy overhead, which was blocking out the sun for the most part, however there were breaks in the cloud, and when the sun shone through, it cast some amazing crepuscular rays down over the valley.
As the evening went on, and the sun's light took on a golden glow, the 'god rays' really were something to behold, flooding the valley with some fantastic light and shadow.
From my vantage point, I could also now see a tent or two pitched up on Fleetwith Pike just over a mile away.
As the sun began to set behind the westerly clouds, the light burst upwards causing some of the higher level cloud to catch the sun.
I spent the rest of the evening just sat out, enjoying the views, before the darkness decended, and it was time to retire to the tent.
It was a lovely, still night, and I had a great nights sleep. When I awoke the next morning, the tent was already lit up from the sun, and it was the start of another glorious day.
I had breakfast, packed away my tent and was on my way for 9am, as always, making sure that the only trace of my being there was a small patch of flattened grass. It was too nice a morning to head straight back to the car, so I decided to continue along the ridge over Brandreth and on to Green Gable.
I had camped just off the summit of Green Gable a couple of years back. It was shrouded in low cloud for most of the time, and when the cloud lifted, it was still a pretty grey day. It would be nice to return in better conditions. Green Gale had fabulous views along the Ennerdale valley, and eagle eyed visitors can spot the famed Black Sail Hut youth hostel down below. It also affords, a stunning up-close viewof the incredible cliff face of Gable Crag on neighbouring Great Gable.
From Green Gable, it was a steep decent down a scree path to the col of Windy Gap. Thankfully it wasn't very windy today, but this narrow gap between the peaks got its name for a reason.
From windy gap, the path headed in all directions - straight on would begin the climb to Great Gable. A left turn would be a steep, sustained descent down Aaron Slack to Styhead Tarn some 1000 foot below. My route took the right turn, descending towards the Ennerdale valley. It was a path through scree for the most part, but I took it slow and steady, and the path began to level & thankfully left the scree behind.
I could faintly hear the trickle of water as it ran below the rocks. This was the start of one of the tributaries which eventually became the River Liza, and ultimately feeds into Ennerdale Water. As I followed the faint grassy path, I was on the lookout for a path that would cross my route - the Moses Trod - which I have walked previously from Honister to Kirk Fell.
By following alongside the small beck, it was only a few minutes before I met up with where the Moses Trod crossed the beck. From there, turning right, it was a pleasant walk back along the trod to the old drum house at the top of the dismantled tramway, which then lead me back down to Honister slate mine.
It was amazing to be back out camping, and there are no issues when it comes to social distancing in the great outdoors. Over the coming weeks, I would be heading out again, but exploring new locations I hadn't been to before.
For my blog on the Moses Trod: Click Here
For my blog on hiking the Gables: Click Here
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