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Wasdale 2006

 

To Wasdale : Establishing our Base

 

 

 

Saturday 12th August

We woke to bright sunshine and brilliant blue skies! The scenery everywhere was superb. We sat in the patio and had a cooked breakfast (dad had 3 and a half cups of tea) and then we set off.

 

 

(above: setting off from Forest How ... below: Pete with the hill we climbed the previous evening)

 

We could see the hill we climbed yesterday. As we crossed the railway bridge Pete and I decided everything here was like Postman Pat. A Post Office van with an old version of Postman Pat drove by. Soon after leaving the village, our road turned steep left up a tiring hill through forests. Then we strolled down the other side until we got to Santon Bridge where we stopped for water. After Santon Bridge we started to get brilliant views of Great Gable and Wasdale came into sight in the distance.

 

(Above: On the way to Gosforth - Wasdale in the background)

Peter chose a footpath off the road, which took us through a field of cows and sheep. The sun was still shining brightly as we entered Gosforth and found the village shop and - to our pleasant surprise - a café complete with very talkative parrot. Pete went over to try to talk parrot language to it, at which point it went totally silent. We had lunch including milkshakes (and dad had more tea), then it was time to do the food shopping for the week. We ended up with 8 bags of food and an assistant helped us carry them out to a waiting taxi. We drove up to Wasdale in the sparkling sunshine, saw the lake for the first time, and the mountains got closer and closer. The taxi-driver kindly offered to drive us up the landrover track because we had so much shopping, and so we finally arrived at Burnthwaite Farm. There we were greeted by Rachel and three dogs.

 

(Above: Pete at Burntwaite Farm with Great Gable in the background ... Below: the cottage and one of the farm dogs)

 

The cottage was excellent. Peter and dad unpacked all the food and their clothes and equipment, then went for a walk. They visited a tiny church, and walked across the fields, past the Wasdale Head Hotel, and over a small bridge. This led up the Mosedale valley, and Peter led the way into thick bracken once again, then we went down to the stream where Peter was stepping stone expert, but dad won 4-2 in the races with floating bracken down the stream.

 

(Above: Pete on the bridge at Wasdale Head)

(Above: Peter in Mosedale - we would return later for the river walking and midnight trip - Pillar in the background)

We then headed back, with views of the cliffs of Scafell, past waterfalls, and back to the cottage, where we had supper of macaroni cheese. Afterwards we went out to play frisbee, where we managed to do 23 catches in a row in rather breezy conditions and some curious cows. When we got back in we had hot chocolate and played cards. Peter now leads 15-14. We are ready to attempt Great Gable in the morning. The weather is expected to remain dry, but it is meant to be cloudy, so we will need to see if mist comes down on the mountains.

 

next section: the ascent of Great Gable