Walk 44: Did I mention it was a bit wet?

Having been given something of a soaking on top of Yewbarrow last time out, walk 44 surpassed even that: drizzly most of the way round I then had to get through the last two miles in a soaking, then torrential, downpour. Add to that some public transport hassles that meant I couldn’t do the walk I originally planned (probably just as well in that weather, however) and there was plenty to moan about today.

Looking south at the point where the A593 is crossed, near Oxen Fell. Holme Fell is the right-most summit.

But then of course I might do the occasional justified whinge about the trains/buses, but I’m not moaning about the walks. There was plenty to see on this one, even in the clouds: two cute summits at comfortably low altitudes (Black Fell and Holme Fell are the 3rd and 2nd lowest Wainwrights of all), a couple of waterfalls and the amazing hole of Hodge Close quarry, which it’s almost hard to credit as being real.

As of today, then, I have bagged 138 of the 214 Wainwrights, so have 76 to go. I have walked a total of 445.51 miles and ascended a total of 127,719 feet.

I have had a run of quite long walks and would quite like to make my next one a short one… It’ll happen in 3 weeks or so, I hope.

Two days of drama: walk 43

Steeple (and its own shadow, below), from Scoat Fell. The back of the High Stile range is in the background.

1st and 2nd September 2011 saw me on the second of my two-day hikes, broken by a night in the Wasdale Head Inn. Walk 43 took in 27 miles of dramatic territory; beautiful weather and then some of the foulest conditions I have yet encountered, on top of Yewbarrow; six summits; great situations and places like Steeple (left), Great Door and Red Pike; lovely views and all the other things you can expect from the Lakes. Also lots of tramping along roads, but at least there were wild blackberries aplenty.

As of today, then, I have bagged 136 of the 214 Wainwright fells and have 78 to go. I have walked 431.55 miles and ascended approximately 124,819 feet.

You may have seen the page on which I offer you my 2012 calendar to help raise money for my chosen cause, the Search & Mountain Rescue Association (£3 from every calendar sold goes to the LDSMRA). Because I cannot put a PayPal link on a WordPress site, there is also now a mirror of this page on which you can buy one using PayPal. However, because we have to pay a fee for this, it is still better, if you want one, just to email me on drew.whitworth@manchester.ac.uk and we’ll sort it out.