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| Date & Time: 22nd September 2006. 10 am start. Location of Start : Brackenclose Car Park, Wasdale, Cumbria, Uk. Places visited : Brackenclose. Burnmoor Tarn, back to Brackenclose. The afternoon : Brackenclose, Lingmell Gill, and back to (yes) Blackenclose. Morning walk details : 3 mls, 800 ft of ascent , 1 hrs 50 mins. Walked with : Paul and Claire to Burnmoor, then return unaccompanied. (Don't panic - all will become clear) Weather : Wonderfully clear, warm and dry with slight breeze. Becoming cooler, windier and cloudier as the day progressed, but with a nice sunset. |
Today was a different sort of day I had been asked to assist in marshalling a charity Three Peaks Event in aid of the Railway Children Charity organised by Global Challenge UK . . . so I was Wasdale bound for the day.
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What was nice about it was the fact that the charity was not rushing a 24 hour deadline. They had been offered the free use use of a spare train, and all the participants were travelling from London, to Snowdon, to Scafell and on to Ben Nevis using their train as far as possible. They started Thursday morning, reached North Wales Thursday afternoon, and then slept on the train, reaching Ravenglass Friday morning. They travelled by La'al Ratty to Boot Station and started the walk up Scafell Pike, from Eskdale rather than Wasdale. After the walk they were bussed back to Ravenglass for the train journey to Scotland. The whole event would take the best part of three days. The initial requirement was that each team raise £5,000 in sponsorship prior to joining the event, and there were 52 teams. Considering many of the teams raised more than the required amount, I'll leave you to guess the excellent amount raised by the event . Six of us had been asked to supervise the Lake District part of the walk, so with first aid kit, pen, paper and personal radios we set off to count them out, and count them all back in at the end, to make sure they all made their way up, down, and back onto the train to continue their journey north.
I had been allocated the lowest checkpoint (above the footbridge in the trees) so had plenty of time to relax before the walkers came through. As a result, I decided to walk with Paula and Claire up towards Burnmoor Tarn and so enjoy the morning views before my work began.
The route between Eskdale and Wasdale was a traditional route whose origins have been lost in the annals of history. I had chance to climb to the the col above Burnmoor and then return, ahead of the walkers, to my checkpoint at the base of Lingmell Gill.
Burnmoor Tarn, on a beautiful sunny morning, with Raven Crag to the left, Green Crag in the distance, and Boat How, the rock outcrop above the far end of Burnmoor Tarn. Paul and Claire left to go on to their respective check points, and I turned back towards Wasdale.
Beautiful morning light, and the head of Wasdale looked amazing.
Middle Fell and Buckbarrow to the left. Seatallan is the high, rounded peak behind.
Two beautiful Rowans with their bright red berries, and the head of Wasdale behind.
Dropping back down now, I had a great view of Wast Water over Wasdale Head Hall Farm.
And so to work . . . . Brackenclose footbridge, and the start of the climb to Scafell Pike.
I found a strategic position just above the first footbridge.
The team members start arriving.
An hour and a half into their walk, my patch of grass became a suitable place to stop for some refreshments. I soon developed quite a crowd. If you are likely to know anyone, click here for a bigger photo. The afternoon continued with the comings and goings of teams, checking numbers, advising on route and a little psychological encouragement for the benefit of participants. By 6 pm most teams were down, and once the last ones were through the checkpoint, I was joined by the other marshals and we followed the last team off the fell side.
Early evening light on Great Gable as we descended.
Western sunset across Wast water, from Brackenclose.
Sunset behind Middle Fell, and the end of a very sociable day.
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- - - o o o - - - Technical note: Pictures taken with a Canon IXUS 400 Digital camera. Resized in Photoshop, and built up on a Dreamweaver web builder. This site best viewed with . . . everyone safely off the fell. Go to Top # © RmH # Email me here # Go to 2006 Archive Previous walk - 16th September 2006 Adding Wansfell to Troutbeck to make a longer walk A previous time up here - 11th April 2005 Wasdale Screes, Burnmoor and the Boot Inn By the way, only four walks to go for Ann's and my "double 214". Watch this space . . .
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