Fairfield and Dove Crag

After a good walk last time out considering my dodgy knee, we set off again after a little more recuperation.  It was Peters turn to drive and he arrived for me in daylight just after 6.30 am.  We had already planned to do Fairfield.  On the journey I suggested we also consider Dove Crag as Wainwright suggested it was a fairly flat summit walk of just under 2 miles each way - it would seem a shame not to fit two in today!

We arrived at a very busy Dunmail Raise just before 8.30, strapped on the boots and crossed the road ready to start walking.  We were setting off on exactly the same descent of the previous walk to Seat Sandal, Grise Beck.  This was a fairly steady walk up to Grisedale Tarn taking in the black and white of the landscape at this still early hour.

It was quite warm as we climbed and I could feel drips of water on the back of my legs.  At first I thought it was dew being kicked up as I walked.  However when I stopped I realised my water bladder had sprung a leak and was dripping out the bottom of my rucksack.  Possibly the warmest walk of the year with a limited water supply, so much for my time saving gadget!  Fortunately Peter stepped in with a spare bottle he had.

We walked around Grisedale Tarn stopping for a bait stop before the final steep ascent to Fairfield.  As we were sat eating our bait, the summit was in mist but it was clearing up as the morning went on.  We set off for the final climb getting to the point where the path set off to the left and began to zig zag up the mountain.  It was at this point when we were eating our bait that the mist started, however by now it was clearing as we climbed and eventually cleared all the way to the summit.  It was a very steep climb and I knew it would be an even steeper descent.  We reached the top at 11.20, stopped quickly for a photo and then headed in the direction of Dove Crag.

Fairfield summit with Helvellyn behind

 My knee had been fine on the ascent but now we were on the flat, as soon as I set off towards Dove Crag I could feel a twinge.  I kept walking though towards Hart Crag but stopped at a short descent followed by a rise to Dove Crag and I thought it would be tough to add this part of the walk on AND still have that heavy descent of Fairfield.  We stopped for 5 minutes, had a cuppa whilst I decided what I wanted to do.  

Dove Crag with Fairfield behind

I set off on this short descent and it seemed OK so we decided to plough on, it would be such a shame not to get 2 tops in today when we were so close.  We arrived at Dove Crag around noon, again a quick photo and turned around to retrace our steps back to Fairfield.

Helvellyn and Striding Edge with Catstycam on the right

The views today were fantastic, in particular a great view of Helvellyn and Striding Edge.  We arrived back at the summit of Fairfield about 12.40.  It was a very confusing summit with a number of cairns and a shelter and it was difficult to tell which one was the actual summit.  We went to a couple of cairns just to be on the safe side before deciding that the first one we visited was definitely the top!

Beginning the descent from Fairfield

That long, steep descent was still ahead of us but I knew that once we got past those zig zags it started to flatten out back down to the tarn and then it was a steady descent back to the car.

Grisedale Tarn and Dollywaggon Pike

Seat Sandal from the Fairfield descent

Our last walk to Seat Sandal was on our left as we came down Fairfield and seemed tiny in comparison to where we were today

When we were back at the tarn and walking round it, I stretched to step over a large rock and my left thigh tightened and now I couldn't move.  We were still a good hour from the car.  I sat motionless for a few minutes whilst we had a cuppa and fortunately it was just cramp.  We got up and set off again - phew!

Looking back up Fairfield from Grisedale Tarn

Whilst we were sat though we got a great view back up Fairfield, a view that was shrouded in mist earlier this morning.  On closer inspection you can clearly make out the path we took and those zig zags to the summit.

A closer look at todays ascent

The walk down by Grise Beck was slow and very steady.  It was much tougher than exactly the same descent on the last walk but this time we had the extra height of Fairfield and the walk to Dove Crag in our legs.

On the final stretch back to the car

Nice cold Pear Cider

We arrived back at the car around 3.30 and stopped off for an ice cold Pear Cider at the Sportmans.  

Delighted to have got 2 tops chalked off today leaving only 22 to do and the milestone of top number 50 coming up on the next walk.

Seat Sandal

Looking back to Helm Crag on the ascent.

Our last walk (apart from the Christmas walk in Yorkshire) was back in October so we were long overdue. I put the walk off a week as my knee has been painful for a couple of weeks now without any walking.  It was still painful this week but not wanting to put if off again I strapped it up and headed for the hills.  It was my turn to drive so I picked Peter up at 6.30.  We had already decided to do Seat Sandal, parking at Dunmail Raise which already had a little height to make the walk easier.  We arrived just before 8.30, got the boots on and armed with the breakfast pies crossed the road and over the style. 

The path on the maps was by Grise beck to our left but there was a more direct clearly marked path straight ahead of us so we took this.  We immediately started climbing, quite steeply, very tough on the calves.  The route was very direct heading straight for some small crags where we stopped for a breather and watched a couple of farmers on the slopes of Dollywaggon Pike herding their sheep.  We had a quick cuppa and then carried on.  We couldn't see the top from here but we knew it was straight ahead.

I was pleased I had strapped my knee up as it was fine at this stage.  This was going to be one of the quickest tops in a while as the summit came into sight.  There were great views from here of Dollywaggon Pike, Fairfield, St Sunday Crag and it was quite clear now.  We arrived at the summit around 10.30 and got a few photos.

The summit

Fairfield and St Sunday Crag on the left

Right in front of us was the imposing sight of Fairfield, close enough to touch but with a massive descent and then ascent it was going to be too much for my knee today.

However it was doing fine still and obviously keeping it compressed is the way forward for future walks.

Grisedale Tarn

We dropped off the top slightly heading for Grisedale Hause and had a little lunch.  As soon as we began to drop the wind completely disappeared and it was very peaceful sat having our lunch above Grisedale Tarn.

Dollywaggon Pike

The path went straight down towards the tarn but we decided to cut the corner and join the path to our left. However as I started walking and saw the the rocky descent in front I doubled back and went back to the path.  I didn't want to take any risks with twists to my knee today.  The path was quite steep heading down to the tarn so I am not sure if it was any easier.  The path went off to the left which we followed and then we began to descend by the side of Grise beck, a very nice waterfall which would be excellent in the summer.

Looking back up the cascades on Grise Beck

And looking down Grise Beck

It was a very steady descent or at least it felt like it was and I was very pleased that my knee had held out after a painful 2 weeks.  We arrived back at the car just before 1 pm so plenty of time for a pint at the Sportsmans Inn.  This was top number 47, only 24 left to do now and hopefully with the right physiotherapy I may avoid surgery on the knee and complete these quicker.

See you on the next one.

Helvellyn and Dollywaggon Pike

So we haven't been out much this year have we? No excuse either, so we must put that right.  We made a start with that today, the morning the clocks were put back so we gained an extra hour.  Peter came for me at 6.00 am (GMT).  The forecast, depending on which channel you watched was either rain or showers, clearing at lunchtime, so we set off deciding to go round the back of Helvellyn and also fit in Dollywaggon Pike which I had attempted twice before but turned back due to poor weather.  I had done Helvellyn many years ago but it was before I was recording dates so I had to do it again.

We arrived at Wythburn car park just after 8.00 am but to our surprise the cost to park was £7 and we didn't have enough change.  So we drove to Grasmere village to get some change and then back to the car park.  It is unusual for a car park, outside of the towns to be so expensive but as we did not have much choice, Peter paid the fee.  It was raining already, too wet to stand and eat breakfast so we set off on the walk just after 8.30, heading towards the trees to get some cover.  I had brought my home-made scotch eggs and Peter had brought a pasty so we had a good start to the day.  We climbed quickly through the woods coming out onto the open fell and continued to climb steadily.  The path was very clear and good allowing us to keep a reasonable pace.  However it was very wet and with no cover there was nowhere to stop for a cuppa.  As we got to the ridge, the rain was sharper and it was getting colder. I stopped for a few minutes to put on another layer and gloves for the final push to Helvellyn.  On the way up we walked past the junction we would later come back to on the way to Dollywaggon Pike, we also saw the plaque just below the shelter near the summit commemorating a plane landing here in 1926!  We walked past the shelter and were shortly at the summit, arriving just after 10.30, two hours up was a decent pace.  No time to stop for photos as it was so wet and cold so we quickly went back to the shelter to try to get a cup of tea.

Looking back from the shelter

Dollywaggon Pike summit

We quickly had a cuppa and Peter put another layer on and we set off back down the track, retracing our steps to the junction I mentioned earlier, taking the left fork this time which was heading towards Nethermost Pike first and then on to Dollywaggon Pike.  Whilst it was cold and wet, I was feeling very good at this point.  Losing 2 stone over the summer was making me move slightly quicker than normal and at this point in the walk I was very pleased with my pace.  We passed Nethermost Pike and quickly went on to Dollywaggon, arriving about 30 minutes after leaving the summit of Helvellyn.
A very quick photo just to say we were there and then we wanted to get down as quickly as possible.  It was a steady descent at first as we looked for Grisedale tarn below, which was where we would descend to first.  There was an old metal fence post marking the path down.  At this point the path became very steep and with slippery rocks as well it was a tricky walk and I could feel my knee and for the first time ever I think, my feet were wet!

As we got near the tarn, we turned to the right across the grass.  As we were walking across what looked like just wet grass, I put my foot in a bog, straight up to the knee.  Fortunately it was not possible to get any wetter, but I was trying my best!  Eventually we came out at the top of a gully with a very fast moving stream running down to the road, this was our path back to the car. Once again however slippery rocks and a quite steep descent conspired to slow me down to a snails pace.  The road was not getting any nearer!  Once we did get down to the bottom, we had another boggy walk back to the woods and then on to the car.  The wettest walk we have ever done with non-stop rain from setting off to getting back - don't believe the weather forecast!  It was now after 2.30 so we got changed and got into the warmth of the car, heading for home - to a nice Chilli con carne for me!

Christmas walk planned for early December so see you then!