Lake District Weekend: Day 2

After a pretty cold night with the milky way dazzling overhead., that had Lord Elpus explaining something complicated about Orion disappearing during the winter (or was it the summer?) and the Plough tipping up at weird angles at some such time or other, that was completely lost on me, we awoke to the tents crusted in ice and water bags frozen almost solid. The joys of winter wild camps...

Illegal Wildcamp

Before too long we were up and away and heading up for the disused quarries. There were numerous very organized spoil heaps just down the valley below us and it wasn't difficult to imagine scores of men hard at it sorting and loading minerals all those years ago. We remarked to each other how strange it was that this industrial landscape now looked as though it was all part of the scheme of things; nature had taken it all back over.

We climbed over the first ridge to view a beautiful sight: The descending ridges fading into the distance in a blue haze.

Once on the ridge we took a break in the warmth of the morning - dressed just in base layers, with snow capped Helvellyn just behind us. At that moment two chaps appeared out of nowhere and I have to say they did look slightly miffed to find that we were alredy here looking decidedly fresh. They pointedly ignored us and headed off up the hill. It takes all sorts, but it just made us giggle.

Giggling Phil

The view to the north west was brilliant - a cloud inversiion had completely covered Ullswater. It must have been cold and horrid when those two chaps had started out.

We made our way deliciously slowly back towards Dockray in the morning sunshine, enjoying the winter break to it maximum.

The last time we had come here, on Phil's birthday weekend back in October, we had had similar weather. The suns shines... etc.

Looking south-ish to the head of Ullswater

All in all, a lovely break, with a sound companion.