This isn’t a democracy we’re running here. Lord Elpus designed our TGO Challenge Route for this May and Andy & I bowed meekly to his noble authority. Mad’n’BadAndy found and booked all the accommodation for the Challenge; Lord E and I simply acquiesced. I’m doing transport.
And the PreWalkDaunder.
It just works like that. So, the route has been sent out and so far there has only been one squeak of mild alarm from one Daunderer who shall remain nameless, so that’s pretty good. There’s usually a lot more wailing and gnashing of teeth. And so here it is. We are following the red line in a clockwise direction. To do it widdershins style would just be just wrong and invite all sorts of bad karma for the following Challenge. No. Clockwise it has to be. You can click on the map to make it bigly huge.
And now, for the cartographically challenged amongst our congregation, (it’s okay, there’s no shame – just don’t tell your mates) here it is in all its three-dimensional glory. You can click on it to make it fantastically huge and awe-inspiring. Go on. Click on it. You know you want to,
Shock and Awe, eh? The walk is about 24 of the Her Madge’s Imperial Miles long and has us clambering up hill for about 7,200 of her imperial feet.
That should loosen up the sinews and provide Lord Elpus with the stimulation he craves. It’s a tough job, organising the Daunder, but as Miss Whiplash won’t be there to beast him up those hills and plough him through those bogs (Bigert Mire sounds promising, heh!) he'll need all of Andy’s and my encouragement to get him into tip-top condition.
That's a cracking area, you'll enjoy it. I plan (Ho-ho!) to be at Coniston Coppermines in April.
ReplyDeleteConiston Bluebird will be taken. In quantity.
JJ
I went there a few years back and thought Dunnerdale to be a beautiful out-of the way spot, but as Alan says a bit further down this thread, it's just a spit away from the motorway and actually quite easy to get to. Last time we were here Phil was recovering from Radiotherapy (I never quite fathomed quite why he was forced to listen to Radio 1 for four weeks - the wonders of modern medicine, eh?) and so he didn't make it up Walna Scar.
DeleteThis will be his triumphal return to the Newfield Inn, Seathwaite and the sylvan beauty of Dunnerdale.
If you're around when we are there perhaps you could join us?
Looks fabulleyous. Nice and quiet for Cumbria. Well not once you arrive obviously.
ReplyDeleteThe Turner Hall Farm camp site, where we will be meeting up is a little gem, with lovely views. There's enough room so that we can be separate from any nicely brought up families. And we're there on a Wednesday night, so it shouldn't be too busy.
DeleteDon't want to go about frightening the horses, do we?
Might be worth keeping this place in mind as you walk right past it.
ReplyDeletehttp://alanrayneroutdoors.blogspot.co.uk/2012/11/new-camp-site-in-south-lakes.html
Always handy to know as it isn't marked on any maps yet.
Thanks for that reminder, Al. I had put it on my Routebuddy mapping at the time but these are my Anquet maps (Anquet can do 3-D views) so I had missed it. That camp site could be quite useful if we have any strugglers who want a shorter first day.
DeleteThank you.
:-)
Looks a bodacious ramble.
ReplyDeleteIndeed!
DeleteIt's not meant to be a gut-buster, but on the other hand it is supposed to get us in the right frame of mind for a bigger walk, and gives us the opportunity with a couple of weeks to the big one of sorting out last minute kit-niggles.
It is also supposed to be enriching; There are wonderful views to be had from these particular fells.
Oh gawd - I'd forgotten that. Indeed I had just finished the radio stuff. My insides were still sizzling. I was not a well man.
ReplyDeleteThe Newfield Inn was wonderfully therapeutic, though, and I take heart from seeing that the Woolpack at Boot isn't entirely out of the question if a FWA is required ;-)
Indeed. That would be a good bolt hole for DAY TWO's camp if the weather were to misbehave.
DeleteI have also been advised by the excellent Mr Keohane that we pass perilously close to another excellent licensed establishment: The Blacksmiths Arms at Broughton Mills, just a rockfall away from our camp at the end of DAY ONE.
I only point this out for completion's sake, of course...
Good route that Alan! One of my fave areas of the Lakes. Fab fab views of the Scafells from Birker Fell. You don't see many pics of those high hills from there - probably because no bugger often walks that way. I will be in the coming months ;)
ReplyDeleteI can remember paying Dunnerdale and Birker Fell a visit for the first time a few years ago (well, might be more than a few now) and I was in awe. Lovely, nice feeling of being remote, great views and something really rather different from other parts of the Lakes.
Evening, Terrence!
Delete:-)
Apart from our merry band I don't expect to see too many folk clambering up the same hills. This will be in marked contrast to our last year's PreWalkDaunder, when, as we were coming down from Pavey Ark there was a crocodile of hundreds of walkers coming up.
The views from the Outlying Fells are reckoned to be amongst the finest in Britain. There should be great views of the Scafells.
Looks like a superb route. Something squiggly happens in the vicinity of Green Crag - is that to incorporate a wild camp?
ReplyDeleteHi Mark
DeleteYou can now see what I was banging on about over at your place the other day.
I see our route has been well & truly "scruted." There is indeed a squiggle just to the west of Green Crag - hopefully a great spot for a wild camp in fine weather, with wonderful views. of the bigger fells. If it's shitty we'll be dropping down to the east of the crag for a bit of shelter. Of course, if it's *really* shitty we can, as Lord Elpus has suggested earlier, drop down to the Woolpack in Boot...
The entire route has been built on having great views - so the clouds had better bugger off for those few days.
:-)