navigation training – Page 25

Bowscale 20th September 2010

After being roasted alive in our lovely bedroom, we partook of breakfast, full works for C and boiled eggs for me plus a few other bits and pieces.
It wasn’t actually raining but it wasn’t looking too promising either so we drove to Castlerigg stone circle which was surprisingly busy. I managed to take photos that didn’t include any of the other people there so the camera does lie. Back into Keswick for a pootle round the shops – gear shops, book shops, a whisky shop where I bought a half bottle of Caol Ila, don’t know how I missed this shop on previous visits, a nice cheese shop with a cheesy name (Fond Ewe) and we had some good coffee in Bar 26 (Illy coffee). This took quite a while.
It was getting late and by this time the weather had cleared properly so we took a spur of the moment decision to check out Bowscale Tarn as recommended by the man in the mist the day before. Fifteen minutes later we were scoffing various yummy things prior to setting off on the walk.
It’s a very easy walk up to the tarn and took us 50 minutes with no big packs on our backs. The route follows an old pony track used for carting Victorian tourists up to the tarn, poor ponies. The tourists don’t go there any more, we saw one other walker.
The tarn is pretty much enclosed and is thus sheltered from lots of wind. We identified 2 possible camping spots, one to the north and a bit wet and another in a slightly more public spot but drier, and both flat. And so we have a new wild camp site. Just keep it to yourselves.
We descended via the other end of the tarn and rejoined the pony track. 40 minutes down.
Home about half eight stopping only for more shopping at Tebay.

I think I look a right burk!

[googlemaps https://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Bowscale+Tarn,+Mungrisdale,+Eden+District,+United+Kingdom&aq=1&oq=bowscale&sll=54.540988,-3.354172&sspn=0.015685,0.052314&t=p&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Bowscale+Tarn&ll=54.672838,-3.030596&spn=0.014889,0.025749&z=14&iwloc=A&output=embed&w=300&h=300]

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Floutern Tarn 18-19 September

It really was this WET

Stir crazy

Carol and I set off early and arrived in Ennerdale after stopping for M&S treats and then to eat them. We both had sandwiches we’d made at home as well.
We parked the car and set off up the path to Floutern Tarn which we reached without event at 4.00 p.m. This time we found a flatter spot a bit higher up than previously. I quickly erected the tent and got the beds made up and then it started to rain. And then it continued to do so for the next 18 hours without cease.
At first it was ok because we had things to do, latrines to dig, organising our little space for maximum comfort and ease. We had a cup of tea and a little rest. We took some clothes off and then put a whole load more on as it went a bit nippy in the wind and the rain. It did not remind me of this song at the time: Drive All Night. Then it was time to cook the dinner. The tent has a good sized porch so we could cook without getting drenched. Starter of chick pea curry, followed by basmati rice and chilli con carne. C provided buttered brown bread. We finished it off with some chocolate. Then more hot drinks, whisky and sherry. We did a quiz, played some games, did the crossword. Hot food and drink make all the difference, whatever the weather.
We did of course have to leave the tent for the loo, yes in the dark and the rain, so misty I could barely see the walking pole marker post but mainly staying in a very confined space for such a long time is quite hard work. We did sleep but not brilliantly. The tent kept us warm and dry but you can’t really sit up in it very easily, it’s a good job we seemed to be not too bad at tentiquette. By morning I was going mad just to move my legs further than the tent door.
We woke at about 8.00 a.m. Some tea and coffee, and a rain check! Oh what a surprise still bloody raining and no sign of the tarn a mere 30m away.
We packed up everything possible from within. Then stepped out in all our gear and stowed away the tent. Soon got warm by walking back up the hill. The path is pretty distinct which is a good thing as there was very limited visibility. It was really a great relief to be walking about.
At the first gate you come to, we met a man and dog. We chatted and he told us that the farmer who owns the land including the tarn, has a penchant for waving his shotgun at “trespassers” – in inverted commas because the tarn is on Access Land i.e. we have a right to use it. This is the 3rd time I’ve camped there now, and I feel reluctant to go back. This farmer is known for his negative attitudes and the Ramblers have done Mass Trespasses on his land but to no avail.
We got back to the car and then guess what, it stopped raining! After a bit of pfaffing about, we got into the warm and dry and drove off to our next meal stop.
I felt I needed to get some pampering after 18 hours of rain, so we went to the hotel which said we could check in from 2.00 p.m. We arrived at half past and our room wasn’t ready so we had to wait for another half hour. After this annoying start, we got into the room which felt very hot. Turned all the radiators off, but this made no difference at all. So from one extreme to another. We opened all the windows but it just stayed hot. I even ended up sleeping outside the covers for most of the night, that’s how blooming tropical it was!
After all the rain we needed more water so had a shower/bath to clean up, went for a swim which was nice as the water was cool and then another shower/bath after the swim.
We pootled about a bit, read the paper etc. Got some ice in a bucket and dunked the wine in it.
Time for dinner, I had smoked salmon blinis and mushroom stroganoff. C had fillet of salmon and sticky toffee pudding. All very nicely done.
We returned to the sauna bedroom, drank all the wine and fell asleep.

Cloud carrying 18 hours of rain

[googlemaps https://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Floutern+Tarn,+Loweswater,+Allerdale+District,+United+Kingdom&aq=0&oq=floutern+&sll=54.640267,-3.132133&sspn=0.062585,0.209255&t=p&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Floutern+Tarn&ll=54.541003,-3.354177&spn=0.014938,0.025749&z=14&iwloc=A&output=embed&w=300&h=300]

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Skiddaw 290810

It was raining hard when I woke up, so anorak on and a smart walk to the “old loos, no queuing!” Back for breakfast of muesli and yoghurt, ok I very rarely eat anything else. Put all my clothes on as it was quite nippy and packed up the tent fast, by now it had stopped raining. I managed to strike camp in half an hour, considering that making camp takes me about 20 minutes, the main difference is that trying to squash things down requires me to lie full length and weight on them in a vain hope that they won’t pop up again the minute I let go. Oh this is starting to sound mucky…
I drove to the foot of Skiddaw to a free car park near Latrigg. The walk is a long old slog up a broad path that crosses grassy slopes. I’m starting to see what Wainwright meant about grassy slopes, they’re not that interesting in the scheme of things. There weren’t a lot of people around as it was still fairly early. I had believed the MWIS forecasts of -6 in the wind chill and whilst it was windy and chilly, I probably didn’t need all my layers to go uphill. AW mentioned that someone had “driven a motor car” up Skiddaw and for most of the way I could believe this, just one or two places where I would not have taken my car for sure, where it is less than a single track road in width and drops away steeply, also where tyres would be ripped to shreds by jagged rocks. (Blondie)
My feet were still very warm and I developed a blister so a short rest to apply Compeed. Then a final burst to get to the top, the views are magnificent and you really get the 360 degree feeling. It was bitterly cold in the wind so I stopped to join the only 2 other occupants of the wind break at midday, just over 2 hours to get there. One of these was a young teenager to whom I dispensed a further Compeed. Why can’t people learn to look after themselves, or perhaps his father could have taken some responsibility and carried a first aid kit? Rant over!
I quickly ate my lunch of bean tortilla. Suddenly the whole place seemed to be overrun with people, I don’t really know where they all came from! Time to move off. I set off for Skiddaw Little Man. The main track was now full of tourist walkers mostly looking like they wished they were doing anything else. Some were clearly very cold and suffering. Going up was a woman in a low slung wheelchair being hauled up by 6 men by rope and pushed up by 2 men. They looked like they could have done with chest and/or waist harnesses to do this job rather than just a loop of rope which would cut into whichever shoulder it was on.
I carried on up Little Man, AW recommends doing this on the way down so you don’t have to do so much climbing. Then it was down all the way and I was back at the car by 2.30. All in all I don’t think I’ll bother with Skiddaw again, the views are fab but it will always be windy and cold up there as there is no shelter from any land mass. There are plenty of other big fells that aren’t so full of day trippers too.

The zig zag path

Getting nearer

Bassenthwaite Lake

Skiddaw Little Man and Derwent Water

Funny little dog got in my photo

[googlemaps https://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Skiddaw,+Underskiddaw,+Allerdale+District,+United+Kingdom&aq=2&oq=skiddaw&sll=54.517221,-3.148527&sspn=0.015694,0.052314&t=p&ie=UTF8&hq=Skiddaw,&hnear=Underskiddaw,+Cumbria,+United+Kingdom&ll=54.623376,-3.155479&spn=0.029815,0.051498&z=13&output=embed&w=300&h=300]

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Bleaberry Fell 280810

I’d prepped everything in advance with one of my packing lists so relaxed late departure from home. Stopped at Marks and Spencer, Lancaster which was heaving and bought an instant tuna salad lunch, and a 3 bean tortilla wrap for Sunday and 3 x 1.5 litre bottles of water, which despite packing list I had somehow managed to forget. Actually I was feeling a bit dozy and had even driven off down the wrong road in the village and had to turn back but at least that woke me up and told me I was not quite with it.
I found the turning to Burns’ Farm Camp Site very easily and it is just a mile off the A66. Linda was running around and decided she could fit me in but would have to charge me the full rate of £12 as I was only staying one night. As I had no idea what any other rate was this was fine. The field was very soggy and very full but I got a pitch that was flat if muddy. I put the tent up and made my bed, then ate my tuna lunch in the car.
I then drove down the back roads, didn’t stop at Castlerigg stone circle as it looked mega busy, and cut across the bottom end of Keswick to get onto the Borrowdale Road. Just a very short ride and I was at a National Trust car park on the left. Now that I’ve joined the Nat Trust, all my car parking in their parks is free, so far I have recouped nearly 1/3 of the membership fee by parking just 3 times. Well worth it just for this, as have only an occasional desire to be patronised by well meaning volunteers. OK, this is a bit harsh but I’ll definitely get the use by parking whereas I can’t guarantee to spend the year wandering around stately homos.
I walked up Cat Gill which was very pretty, it opens out above the woods and here I met a man with a Rhodesian Ridgeback dog. A very handsome beast and extremely well behaved. He was a nice man and told me his wife had died and he had got the dog for company. He was staying in a camper van at Castlerigg Hall camp site and had walked across. This is the camp site next to Castlerigg Farm camp site where I stayed last year.
I’m just relishing my flagrant use of Wikipedia links, which I have to spend all my time pooh poohing when I’m marking my students’ work, ha bloody ha!
Then I steered right across the bracken and crossed at the head of some falls, then over a stream and across to the head of Cat Gill. At this point, the map and the ground do not quite agree so I took a bearing and marched across the moor to meet the path. The path winds round a nice looking mound, then past a very well maintained sheep fold and bears left to ascend Bleaberry Fell. I mused as to what a bleaberry was but there was no berry of any description in sight.
I got to the top very quickly as the path is good, I wandered around a bit on the top to see how far the next fell was but decided not to try it as it was still threatening to rain a lot even though I managed to stay dry all through the walk.
I whizzed back down, this was a good warm up walk at around 500m of climbing. Drove back to the camp site, cooked up my dinner in the porch as it was starting to rain – bean and chorizo soup, pasta and tomato sauce. I washed up and then settled down in the tent. I was feeling a bit cold so got into my merino wool outfit and put all my other layers on and got into the sleeping bag. Before long, everything had to come off. Once I was comfy, I drank 2 cans of Greene King IPA and a miniature bottle of whisky whilst reading my book. Still on Daughters of Britannia, which I’ve been dipping into for ages.
My fellow campers were a bit noisy but everything stopped at 10.00, guess the rain helped here. I didn’t sleep very well, it was wet and windy all night.

Burns Farm camp site looking to Blencathra

Spooky bit in Cat Gill

Head of Cat Gill, not a cat to be seen either

Hole in my sky (I don’t even much like the Indigo Girls!)

[googlemaps https://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=Borrowdale,+United+Kingdom&aq=0&oq=borrowdale&sll=54.536671,-3.139687&sspn=0.031372,0.104628&t=p&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=Borrowdale,+Cumbria,+United+Kingdom&ll=54.517993,-3.148527&spn=0.014946,0.025749&z=14&iwloc=A&output=embed&w=300&h=300]

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iPhone and 10 things to do when wild camping

On the motorway, we used Traffic Info to find out if there were any jams on our route.
The spirit level was useful, not to find a level spot for the tent (impossible) but to make sure that the stone coasters were level for our cups of tea and the stove.
Weather info, of course, but only when I had a signal.
I read a bit of an ibook in the dark.
The Dictionary helped us with the crossword or more precisely it helped me to spell daiquiri correctly!
I took a few photos but my proper camera is better.
I attempted to amuse C with the SAS Survival Guide (dismal failure!)
Used the alarm clock to wake us up (not entirely necessary)
Sent a text message.
Used the stop watch to do some navigation timing.

What we did not use it for:

Navigation – map and compass were all we needed. GPS just a backup for the real thing.
Making a phone call!

Please visit Map and Compass and learn how to interpret a map with me and my navigation partner, Cath.