Friday, July 26, 2013

Nearly recovered

It's rather typical that we should have chosen the middle of a heat wave to go back packing in the Lake District, but you just don't expect up to 30' without the slightest drop of rain up there, for days on end, even in July. Our Youth Hostel rooms and B&Bs were booked and the route planned so that DH could 'tick off' a few more peaks (he's trying to bag all of Wainright's peaks, and of the 214 he now only has 11 left to do!) So off we went.

I've done plenty of long distance walks, and miles and miles in the Lakes, but this is the first time I have carried all my stuff - it actually worked out fine thanks to a well fitted rucksack and a careful choice of what (not) to take.

It was so hot one day that DH skipped breakfast and set off very early as he was determined to bag Lingmell having failed twice before due to bad weather making it inadvisable.  (but not at 3am as the shepherd of the farm we were staying in did, to gather the sheep for shearing before the heat of the day, for the sake of the sheep and the dogs
This left me to have a leisurely breakfast in the lovely old farm house and then make my own way across the pass to meet him later on.

              
                                              The view back to the farm
               
This was another first for me, walking on the fells alone, but it was a reasonable path and folk were friendly to a single female. We miraculously arrived at our meeting point within 10 minutes of each other despite DH setting out 2 hours before me and the completely different routes we took. 

The heat continued and by our 4th walking day we were very glad to only be going 7 miles part of which was on the wooded (and so nicely shaded) path along Derwent Water 

                  
   
                                          Elevenses on the banks of Derwent 

Now, I may have had to cut down on everything I wanted to take, but there was no way I was going without knitting, I mean there were the long train journeys for a start, but I had to keep it minimal so I gathered some oddments of 4ply and the Perfect Preemie Hat pattern, and then in Keswick, in the lovely wool shop, Needles and Pins, which I always have to visit (a condition of going there!) I bought a ball of yarn and knit my memory square on the way home.