A Day For the Knees And a Day For the Knees

After the two long days with loads of mileage and loads of load on my back my limbs desperately needed a break. So I didn't do much at all on Friday. Chilled quite long in the tent in the morning and eventually walked slowly into tow. First stop Costa to charge my laptop, phone and camera while having a coffee and doing some stuff, that needed doing.

Then went for a bit of window shopping and actual shopping. Man, I could spend a couple of hundreds here on food. Got some cumberland sausages for brekkie and a nice chilli sauce and some more beef for another chilli.

Found the Keswick Bookshop as well, as I was looking for somewhere to hide from another rain shower. Bad idea!!! Such an abundance of old old books!!! And I love old old books, ahhh. Spent at least half an hour looking through their collection and restrained myself to only buying two books. One complete Shakespeare given to a student at a Carlisle school in 1925 and an equally old book with two people from his time describing the greatness of Charlemagne. Nice!

Rest time over today. The weather was again promised to be reasonably good. Maybe some low cloud, but very likely dry all day. I thought I give a big round from Rosthwaite a go. Heading all the way to Great End and back ticking off some left over Wainwrights from my first visit.

And so I did just another day with 17 miles and over 4000ft elevation gain. I'm proper shot now. Ten hours of walking are enough and the final descent just didn't want to end.
I started off in Rosthwaite and could be convinced to join the National Trust as a member. I think it's a good thing to support their cause, plus I didn't have to pay at all for parking today, which would've been £7 otherwise.

Walked on the Cumbrian Way through Borrowdale and Langstrath valley with prime views ahead to Bow Fell. On the top of Stake Pass I turned right to walk along the back of Rossett Pike, which I had done before, but without actually bagging the peak back then. This time I did and what a pretty sight from it down into Langdale!!! Absolutely superb!. I had been in shorts and shirt so far, but a constant and icy wind forced me to put some layers on.
After a lunch break I went up towards Ore Gap which is a pass between Bow Fell and Esk Pike, but veered right toward an outcrop ridge of Esk Pike. There was a grade 1 scramble to be had and I certainly wanted to have a look. Found a nice grippy first bit of a scramble and started only to realize I was soon stuck on a wet slippery slab, which couldn't be seen from below at all. No hand holds or foot holds that could be trusted. Ah. So gingerly I climbed back down. Phew. Almost had a bit of an epic there. But I'm not taking any risks.

Heading over to the Ore Gap Pass again I found some more steep but grassy slopes and just went up there. I could even throw in some very short and safe scrambles.

Looking back down beautiful Langstrath Valley

Never seen a horde of sheep coming my way on the path

On Rossett Pike. Best view so far!

Scrambly bit up to Esk Pike

I had taken my good time so far and it was already getting a bit late, so I hurried down Esk Pike up to Great End. Another one I had missed a year ago. The wind was getting ever more icy and a right pain in the backside. I sipped some more magic potion sports drink and sped up.
Touched base at the top and was back at the big cross roads and shelter for 4pm gulfing down some canned fish and the rest of my humous. Not a great meal, but I was hungry.

Next up was Allan Crags and Glaramara. I rushed as fast as I dared to, but was getting quite tired and weary by now. I had been on my feet for 7 hours already and was looking at another two. I didn't expect Glaramara to be such a huge rocky bugger. Wow. It could easily be mistaken for a Scottish munro, including at least two false tops. Each being a copy of the actual final big round lump of rock with a cairn on top.
On the way down there was a path forking off which would get me to the end of the valley floor and a bit off the mark. When the path forked I stayed right only to realize my path ended just around the corner. What the.... Also the ridge ahead looked massive and would take me ages! I thought, well better be down somewhere than stumbling on some rock when darkness hits, so I walked back to the path and followed it. Turned out the be the right one in the end and the left turning never came. Stupid path. Not that I made an error at the end of a very long day, noooooo.

Glaramara from Allan Crags

The decent down to the road took forever. My knees and feet were hurting and after walking the last bit of my epic round next to a river I finally got back to my car after 10 hours of walking. I was shot. Dragged myself to the loo and then drove home. Whatever the weather tomorrow, it's gonna be an easier day. Has to!