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Walk: Lakes 3000's
Group: 4 people
Weather: Cold, windy, and wet
Distance: 24Km
Comments: We had been planning this route for a while and the intended plan was to do Skiddaw, then Scafell and Scafell Pike and Helvellyn. We got up early about 5am and had bacon butties. We walked from Dale Bottom Farm into Keswick so that we could touch the Moot Hall and then proceed up to Skiddaw. There was hardly anyone else about, in fact we were only overtaken by one group as we neared Skiddaw Little Man. By the time we got to the summit ridge the wind was quite strong and the rain was in evidence. i was rather surprised to find someone sat in a shelter on the top - they were marshelling for a charity event. what was more surprising was that it was my ML instructor. Seems i am still remembered for a tolerance to the cold.
We returned back to Keswick via the same route and went for a quick coffee. It was at this point that Tim and Chris decided they would give up. Myself and Chris W decdied that it was far too early in the day to stop and proceeded alongside Derwent Water and down Borrowdale. We stopped for a break just past the Hilton and then again when we got to Rosthwaite where we topped up with drinks. We were again pleased to stop at the trout frm and have a cup of tea.
After some indecision we started up the route and made reasonable progress to Esk Hause. It was at this point that Chris W decided to go back. The mist had descended quite low - limiting the visibility but i was stil prepared to carry on. the only problem as I soon realised was that It was Chris R and Tim who had the maps and with the conditions it was debatable whether i could have navigated the remaining 11k to my car so i was forced to come back down to the trout farm with Chris W. We sat there for half an hour waiting for a lift and only later discovered that Chrois had been sat in his car about twenty metres away, it was only coincidence that we spotted him. We managed to get back to Keswick for dinner in the king George.