We got up this morning to mist – a change for the worst it seemed. We managed to boil our eggs and cook soup for breakfast only with great difficulty – atmospheric pressure or something was the problem, I think.
We eventually got on the road by 10.15. We had an easy walk down to Styhead Tarn and then we started up the breast path to Great Gable. The mist was still with us but it appeared to be lifting somewhat.
The climb was fairly tough with a lot of loose rock and scree – but nothing as bad as Scafell Pike the day before and I guess that’s what kept us going.
As we approached the top the mist began to lift completely and when we got on op at 12.30 we had a great view. The mist had lifted completely and the haze was gone too.
We had lunch on the very summit. Everybody with a hard boiled egg, a couple of slices of ham and some bread on a plate. A crowd of 15-20 American kids arrived on top and proceeded to annoy us with their loudness and their cameras clicking every minute. They looked at us in surprise – it seemed we had brought everything but the kitchen sink up the mountain.
At about 1.20 we moved on down to the windy gap – about 250 feet down a fairly steep path. Then we started around the North Traverse. On the way we met 2 National Park Wardens – very nice and helpful.
By now it was very hot. When we had concluded the North Traverse we were in two minds as to whether or not we should do the South Traverse. We eventually decided that the way down was too steep from where we were already. So around the spectacular South Traverse we went. Across the giant scree runs and past the Napes with their curious rock formations, Spinx Rock, Needle, Cat Rock etc. But we were getting tired and we had run right out of anything to revive us – no sweets or chocolate left. So we eventually had a spoon of sugar each to keep us going! It worked.
We really booted it down to Wasdale once we got off the South Traverse. We hardly stopped the whole way down – quite a change from the beginning of the week. What kept us going was the thought of a shop at the end, full of bread and ice cream and chocolate. We got there before five and nearly bought out the shop!
Then we just relaxed – well some of us did. Martin and Sheila walked to another shop about a mile away to see if they had any eggs or fresh vegetables – it was almost a wasted journey – but we picked up a nice tine of lamb casserole.
Then Sheila and Barney went to a farmhouse and got a half dozen eggs. We finally got on our feet again and found a place to camp in Mosedale. After a feast of food we left the tents and rucksacks and went down to the Wasdale Hotel – a very nice bar – and a very enjoyable night was had by all.
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