Crinkle Craggs hike - oh for a clear day - never mind!

---

Inspired by our two peaks challenge the previous year, we took another trip back to the lake District, this time for the slightly more “sensible” option of an 8 hour day walk that summited five peaks and was described as “Very Hard with strenuous climbs and descents” by the website we found the walk on!

Unfortunately, Fleur and Ed weren't able to make it this year, but Mandi and I did rope in Steve, James and Sarah so as a quintet we headed north.

James had done brilliantly to find a stunning campsite in Great Langdale run by the gruffest northern farmer I could imagine. It had great facilities, a river flowing through the lower end of the site and even more incredible a breakfast van that opened up on Saturday and Sunday mornings to feed the hungry hordes their bacon and egg sangers!

The walk we had chosen was across the brilliantly named Crinkle Craggs. Apparently so called because of their profile, a succession of abrupt undulations on a high long ridge. To get to the Craggs there was a gentle walk along the bottom of the valley, followed by a steep ascent up the valley side. There are supposedly five distinct 'crinkles' - not that we had any clue about this as the clouds closed in once we had climbed the valley side, and we couldn't see a thing for virtually the whole time we were high up on the ridge line!! Nevertheless, when the occasional break in the cloud did occur the views were brilliant!

Despite the lack of visibility, which was an obvious disappointment, I think everyone enjoyed the walk and the fact it was a good challenge. What I can definitely say that everyone enjoyed was the couple of pints of local ale that we sank in the hiker's pub at the foot of the trail!!

After a quick turnaround at the end of the walk we wandered into the metropolis of Great Langdale to find the local pub and tuck into some well earned food and beer! The night flew by with beer, banter and card games and too soon it was well past last orders and we were being ushered out of the pub! As Mandi's hangover testified the next day, a few beers had definitely been consumed and a good night was had by all!

The next day dawned with incredible blue skies and the the majority of us (guess who couldn't make it!!) took advantage to go for a wander round Lake Windermere. The flat terrain was a welcome relief after nothing but hills the previous day!

Sarah, James and I left to head towards London, while Steve and Mandi continued northwards to Scotland to climb Ben Nevis later in their holiday!

The journey home was broken up in the most wonderful way going via Sarah's parents house, and they had laid on a superb BBQ for us. The great food and crazy family banter kept us massively entertained, but eventually the Sun set and there was nothing left to do but complete the drive back to London.

---