Steven's Blog: Ennerdale Walk Day 1

Distance: 10 miles
Wainwrights: 6
Great Borne, Starling Dodd, Red Pike, High Stile, High Crag, Haystacks

The day started off fairly early getting out of bed by 5:30 and picking up all my gear I'd packed the night before, eating a quick breakfast then heading off to the start at the top of Ennerdale water at the Bleach Green car park.

As I was driving along the road towards the car park the road was just wide enough for 2 cars but there was a bull walking down the middle of the road, heading the same direction as me. It wasn't going to move and I hide to follow the bull slowly walking along the road until I eventually got to a corner where it walked to the side.

The weather was good, sunny with a bit of cloud and a very slight breeze. I threw the bag on the back, well maybe not quite threw, it felt heavy.

I set off following the shore of Ennerdale water which was a nice flat start to the walk and gave me a chance to actually learn how to use my pacerpoles properly.

I'm not going to describe the whole day or it will take me a day to write it all, so will shorten it.

I started off using the GPS quite a bit, not that I really needed it, but as the day wore on I began to use it less and less and just looking at the map now and again at times when I wanted to check I was on the correct path. When following a ridge line its not exactly hard in good weather.

I quite quickly managed to cover the tops once I had reached the first of Great Borne after that there wasn't too much ascent or descent to cover Starling Dodd, Red Pike, High Stile and High Crag. The biggest ascent once on the top was probably up to Red Pike, then another short but steep ascent to High Stile. It was taking some getting used to carrying a full pack over the hills, when normally I walk with a very light day pack.

I tried to spend a bit of time sitting and admiring the view but I find it hard to sit for too long especially when the paths were like a motorway (easter weekend) with lots of people. I spent quite a while sitting on the top of High Stile the highest point of the day, admiring the view and waiting for some of the day to pass. I knew it wouldn't be long before I would be at my camp for the night. I watched a fell runner run up the top, touch the cairn with his toe and run off, saying hello as he passed, I would love to be able to do that (a target for next year, maybe?)

I pushed on to High Crag and looked down at Haystacks, I could see why Wainwright likes Haystacks so much. It's like a mini perfect mountain, there seems to be so many places to explore on it. Many hills just have a boring top but there are so many little hidden places on Haystacks, you could probably spend the day exploring it. Not today though, my pack was now feeling very heavy on my shoulders after 6 hours. I spent a few minute trying to find the camp spot that I was looking for, I began too worry slightly when everywhere I looked seemed unsuitable for my tent then I suddenly rounded a rock and saw the view what I was looking for with a fantastic view of Great Gable.

I decided I would go and collect some water from Inominate Tarn (Wainwrights resting place), sorry if I drank any of you :-O

Normally I would prefer to of collected running water but there didn't appear to be any, without descending even further down towards Black Beck. The tarn water was crystal clear and tasted damn good after a full days walking. After collecting the water I headed back up to my camping spot for the night, worrying all the way up that someone else would of stolen it while I was getting the water. Luckily they hadn't :-)

I took my bag off my back for the final time that day (thank god) and pulled out the tent and quickly got the tent up with the door looking out towards Great Gable. Why would anyone want to pay for a pitch on the valley floor looking straight at dozens of other tents when you can have a spot like this for free.

View of Great Gable from tent

I was looking out my tent towards some of the targets of tomorrow walk, they looked very imposing when my shoulders were already tired from day 1.

Once the tent was up and I'd inflated my sleeping mat and unrolled my sleeping bag, I decided to get the stove on and made a Cappuccino (a bit of luxury), it was the best I'd every tasted. A hard days does that to food and drink. I then got one of my Wayfarer meals out (Sausage & Beans), put the foil packet in the kettle filled with water and heated the water. The Sausage & Beans tasted fantastic too, I used the water for a cup of tea :-)

It was still quite early (before 6). I sat looking out at the fantastic view for quite a while, I had a little wander near the tent looking down on Black Sail Youth Hostel (most remote in England) and sent a text to my mam just to let her know I was OK and having a good time.

I then settled down for the night and listened to some music because it was still very early.

Here's some of the picture from day 1: