Where are we going?

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Weather forecast indicated light wind, no rain and patchy cloud. I therefore set off after breakfast looking forwards to a lovely day on the summits, with great views.

Buttermere was like a mill pond with no obvious movement in the water and this made for some great photos. Sour Milk Gill, however, was running a torrent due to the recent heavy rain and this indicated that it would be rather wet up near Bleaberry Tarn.

So, in the sunshine, I headed straight up the path to Bleaberry Tarn, arriving rather hot but grateful for the cooling breeze. I carried on up to The Saddle and then noticed that the recent rain had washed much of the path up Red Pike away. Ironically, the route was now easier as the path was looser and it was now possible to avoid the scree near the summit.

Stopping for coffee, I watched the clouds building up over Ennerdale and before long, felt the first spots of rain. Seeing the combination of cloud and rain, full waterproofs went on rather quickly and just in time, for within seconds, the summit was in thick cloud, rain and wind.

Fortunately, I know the route along the summit, although there are dangerous drops on the Buttermere side. So, carefully, ensuring I was on the correct side of the cairns and old fence posts, I crossed Chapel Comb and began the climb up to High Stile.

The weather deteriorated and the mist thickened and soon, it was difficult to see the next marker. Care was the watchword!

I didn't stop long at High Stile and opted to carry on to High Crag for my lunch stop on the basis that it was a little lower and I may be out of the cloud. Sure enough, it was a little lower but not out of the cloud. My view over lunch was therefore a uniform grey mist!

Once lunch was over, the descent began and it was only a matter of time before I came out into the sun. This happened a third of the way down towards Seat. The heat felt intense and so, not only did the waterproofs come off, but so did the fleece - it was nice being back in a T-Shirt!

Looking back up, the summits were still in cloud. The walk down the Scarth Gap though was whilst bathed in hot sunshine - just a shame that the rest of the day couldn't be like that.

Tomorrow? Where shall I go? More Wainwrights? Wandope? Grasmoor? I think tonight.

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