Dodgey Knee

Clear and sunny. A leisurely start as the only breakfast slot the farm had left was at 9:00. Never mind, we haven’t anywhere booked today.

Away a 10:30 with very full stomachs.

We retraced our steps through Ennerdale Bridge and made our way to Ennerdale Water. On the way we crossed a field towards a wood and got attacked by swarms of mozzies, horse flies and giant alien blood-sucking vampire flies. Mike pulls out some new fangled sun spray/bug repellent stuff and we all slapped some on.

After the wood, we realised we had reached the Lake District National Park!

Mike tasted some ‘spring’ water at the start of the reservoir. (cue menacing music).

Rather a long walk along the edge of the reservoir was made interesting by Angler’s Crag and the ever growing views up the valley.

Angler’s Crag

Angler’s Crag - this was talked about with some interest on the forums, as was the decent off Dent, as something to worry about. As it turned out, both were quite straight forward. The decent off Dent just needed a little care and Angler’s Crag added a little interest to a rather tiresome and rocky path.

There was a little confusion at the head of the Water, partly because Machine Man Keith had disappeared with the map. It was made worse because the forestry commission had decided to build some new roads. After a wander around a wood, tripping over JCBs, we finally worked out where we were and so took a little used path to a bridge and from there, on up the valley.

Gillerthwaite YH - What a surprise! No one home, full kitchen, honesty boxes and a dining room, signs saying ‘make yourself at home’ It made for a very relaxing lunch. If they tried this in London, the place would be stripped and ‘redecorated’ with spray paint and the contents put on e-bay within the hour!

Some time later...

We reluctantly left the YH and spied a rather vertical path to Red Pike, not our planned route but what the heck...

View from Red Pike

Up we went. The ever increasing views promised a stunning camp on the ridge. Unfortunately about 3/4 of the way up Mike started shifting his stomach contents to the outside of his stomach. He doesn’t make it to the top without some serious help. Meanwhile David and Keith have set up camp at the saddle between Little Dodd and Red Pike (600m). Extra credit is awarded to David who immediately took charge of the situation and he and Keith swung into action like a well oiled machine, fetching water and stuff (no mean feat in itself as the nearest spring was halfway down the mountain!). Mike on the other hand rolled around and groaned, and just seemed well-oiled!

Unable to use the full gas canisters they have with them and sensing a wilderness survival situation brewing, an unquenchable desire to desecrate a sensitive mountain environment took them over and they started to dig a fire pit.

Mike was now yodelling for England, and not wishing to be left out, bravely made an occasional crawl outside to help terra-form this once beautiful, pristine mountain top into an uninhabitable toxic waste dump. Luckily no important organs were lost.