bourbon

I don’t usually eat biscuits but when your legs and lungs have worked hard to get you up a big hill, they need some fuel and you can’t beat a Bourbon (or 5). They made up for the lack of a view, anyway.

I was up on Blencathra and it was clear until the last few hundred metres, when suddenly quite heavy rain arrived and my waterproofs went on. It didn’t last too long, though. I had intended to come down via the ridge of Halls Fell, but soon chickened out as the rocks were wet and greasy. Instead I descended into the Gatesgill ravine. Wainwright calls this “Middle Tongue” and I found nothing resembling a path until near the end. I did a lot of shuffling on my bottom down heathery slopes and then climbing up heathery slopes again when I reached rocky ravines with no room to get by. It was tiring but very peaceful.

When I eventually got back to the house, Freddie and Chris had arrived and dinner was being cooked - very tasty butternut squash chilli with rice. Soon I’ll be going out to fetch Luke, Laura and Otter from Penrith.. the house is filling up and tomorrow there will be even more people arriving.

Excitement mounts…