Bad Day at Black Crag - No photos today
With more high winds forecast, I am going to take the opportunity to visit a part of the Lake District that I haven’t been to for a long time, and to make a single walk out of four separate fells between 1000 and 1500 feet in height.
Starting from Elterwater I walk along the river and it is so calm and peaceful, then walking along the minor roads and through fields to the start of Loughrigg Fell. Instead of taking the clearly way-pointed path I set off directly up the fell thinking that I was on the small path that I could see on the map. The only way I could keep my footing on the steep, wet fell was to walk over the dead bracken, this is obviously not the right way.
The slope eases and I arrive at a stone wall with no gate, a look at the map shows that I have missed the path. I have climbed up the steepest part of the fell and now I have a stone wall that I have to climb over, but the view to the north towards Dunmail Raise is excellent.
I’ve seen a bit more of Loughrigg Fell than I had expected, but having climbed the wall and climbed up to the ridge the highest point with its triangulation column is obvious. The top of the fell is very windy, but refreshing rather than difficult as I take in the views of higher fells to three sides and the length of Windermere to the south, lots of bad weather on the way.
Down the easy but wet and soggy path to the bridle path leading to Loughrigg Tarn and then down the lanes to Skelwith Bridge, when the rain arrives. The rutted path up to Black Fell looks as though it is used by a Landrover, keep to the grassy bit in the middle.
The guide-book says “north”, the map says “south” so I climb the nearest slope whose summit is crowned with a 7 feet tall cairn – impressive enough to be the summit I am looking for, but it is only a subsidiary. The real summit that should contain a triangulation column is obviously south, as I am walking along an excellent little ridge the rain turns to hail. The wind gets stronger and when I climb to the top of another subsidiary summit the weather has become extremely unfriendly.
In the strong wind and heavy rain I keep my head down and follow the Landrover ruts, I am beginning to wonder if I am on the right fell. I eventually reach the summit complete with column that has a National Trust name plate on it so I know that I am in the right place.
The prospect of climbing two more fells struggling against the wind and rain does not appeal to me so I decide to head for home. As I descend the wet fell I can tell that I have made the right decision, when the sheep are sheltering behind the walls you know you shouldn’t be up there in that weather!
At least I have given my new boots a real waterproofing test for the first time since I started wearing them a month ago, they passed with flying colours.
Andy Wallace 9th February 2002