Route finding near Arthur’s Pike

Well, today’s weather was marginally better than yesterday but only just. It would be only the most optimistic person who would have noticed the difference. Perhaps the winds were a little lighter.

The conditions made all sorts of photography challenging. The big camera stayed in the rucksack. These were all taken with the iPhone .

We walked with Jane and Adam, a couple from Keswick who we’d met in the Dolomites last February. We kept in touch and this was the first opportunity to catch up with them since then.

Despite the conditions it was a great day out in wonderful company. Jane has already done all the Wainwrights, twice. Adam has done them once and all the Munros. They’re now doing all the Wainwrights again as a couple.

Today’s walk was a touch under 10 miles and took in Arthur’s Pike and Bonscale Pike, above the eastern shores of Ullswater, both Wainwrights they’d not done as a couple and Wainwrights we had not done at all. So that’s two more ticked off for us. And two of the lesser peaks too, both under 2000 feet.

We came off piste on the way down, descending several hundreds of feet down a very steep, grassy slope. That made the muscles burn and pushed the toes into the front of the boot.

The day ended similarly to how it started, refreshments at Granny Dowbenkin’s tea room in Pooley Bridge. Very good scones and the lentil and bacon soup was good by all accounts.

On the walk back to the carpark we heard owls in the woods and driving back to Glenridding an owl flew across the road. The moon was out and clouds had dispersed. Too late for us, we’re back south tomorrow.

A final pleasant evening in the hotel awaits. Thanks to Jane and Adam for an excellent day out.