My first real hike

April 13th

The previous weekend I was invited to a dinner with some fellow expats. They asked the usual questions and eventually we talked about what to do in Cumbria. I shared that I was doing some walking and they all lit up. Turns out they are serious hikers and try to do a decent hike every weekend.

We talked about some decent walks just around Gosforth, and eventually Jeff and Tatiana invited me to join them in a hike on Saturday. Ernie and his wife, Jenny also would join us.

We met up in Keswick (pronounced Kessick), about 45 minutes from here to the northeast. Tatiana says it will be a 4.5 mile walk. We drive up a fell road to the trail head, actually a farm where the owner allows hikers to park along the stone fences leading up to his farm. We walked past the milk cows, a border collie that was a ball of energy and a border terrier that was sitting on top of a four wheeler - he was obviously running the whole show!

Just past the farm we walked through a small herd of sheep and headed up the rocky path towards the fell. It was sunny, a few clouds and the temperature just shy of 50. The forecast was for rain late in the afternoon, but at our 11am start we could plan on the sun for our walk up. Of course we weren't alone as there were quite a few other folks on the rocky trail.

A waterfall could be seen over to our right, and of course I figured this gentle slope would be an easy and enjoyable hike...

What from down at the farm looked like the trail turned out to be a stream bed, the trail is off to the left.

As we continued up the fell trail we approached this bridge across the stream.

For scale, this next shot shows Jenny (l) and Tatiana (r).

Just past the bridge we met some walkers coming down who said there was too much ice up the way to the left so we decided to go right around the fell instead of left and up the fell. The slope quickly got steep and my legs were burning trying to keep up. We made it to a promontory and I took this picture looking back towards the farm where we started.

I thought that was the end of our walk, but nooooo! We headed on up and as we rounded the top of the fell, we walked onto snow and this lake met us.

It didn't feel cold because we were warm from the hike. I actually had to take my sweater off because I was sweating so much. Up we went, around to the right some more to a saddle back. The trail led up and around and we were greeted by this sight.

We stopped here and enjoyed a snack. I had a scotch egg (boiled egg wrapped in sausage and breading). The view is towards the west, and actually towards just north of where I live. In other words, if you follow that valley out and to the left you eventually arrive near my place.

This ice covered peak to our left is Scafell ridge, Sca Fell peak is just behind it, out of sight. Sca Fell peak is the highest point. You may not be able to tell, but there are people up there!

We headed back a bit, keeping Scafell Ridge to our right and the valley we originally came up to our left. This is a view towards that lake we came on earlier.

And as we rounded another small rise, another lake! They call this the Lake District for a reason. We kept on to the right, it was snow all around and I kept my camera put away because the footing was difficult. I kept slipping in the snow, but it was flat here so safe.

Eventually we rounded around to the left more and through this opening you can see the valley we came up. Essentially we had come up and gone around a fell counterclockwise.

The trail (what there is of it!) leads up and around to the right, but always curving towards the left. We're at the top and need to work our way down through the snow.

Here's a shot of me at the top.

The camera went back into my backpack and we worked our way down, back to the bridge. Very slow going, I should have brought a walking stick from home. I'll need to get one. After a bit my legs were like lead, I was just plodding; the rocks felt like sledgehammers on the bottom of my feet.

As we headed out past the sheep, we saw this girl cleaning her newborn lamb. Five minutes earlier and we would have seen it born! I didn't get any closer because she was not happy about us being there and she had a job to do.

4.5 miles, 5 hours. The rain started as we reached the bridge, coming down the fells onto our backs. Dinner was a beer and pasta...I felt like I could not eat enough! I'm looking forward to the next walk.

Until next time...