What is a Blisco anyway? - No photos today

Having spent all week planning a new route (OK, 10 minutes on Friday night) I set off for Wasdale, but as I got closer to the fells it was clear that Rule 1 would have to be applied, Rule 1 says don’t do a new walk in bad weather.

Having failed to recognise Crinkle Crags in a recent quiz it is obviously time I paid them (it?) another visit. From the Old Dungeon Ghyll hotel, set off up the road towards Little Langdale and at the zag of the first steep zigzag an obvious path on the right leads to Pike o’ Blisco.

The first half of the climb is mainly on a well-constructed path, it is a bit of a slog but the improving views of the mist through the rain make it worthwhile. The second half of the climb is through a series of small rock gulleys that make it feel like a “real” mountain and the rocky top and impressive cairn are as good as any.

Whilst I’m here I’ll see if I can find Cold Pike as an alternative to the usual direct path over to Crinkle Crags. I find the path that should lead to the southern end of Red Tarn close to the path up to Cold Pike, but having faithfully followed a good path I find myself at the northern end of Red Tarn at the start of the usual path to Crinkle Crags. Rule 1 justifies itself again, I’ll get to Cold Pike another day.

The path over Crinkle Crags is excellent, full of interest and the views of the mist through the increasingly heavy rain make it all worthwhile.

Do I climb up the Bad Step rockface in these conditions? You can’t let the mountain know you’re afraid of it can you? The Bad Step gully is usually calm but today the wind and rain are blowing up through it, there is a slight moment of anxiety as my hand slips off the second handhold but a more determined effort gets me up.

The summit is an easy place to get lost, I’ve wandered around for a while on a couple of occasions but it’s easy to find the right path when you know where it is. At the top of the third crinkle I see other walkers for the first time coming in the opposite direction, at Three Tarns there are a couple of other walkers arriving from the direction of The Band.

There a quite a few people coming down from Bowfell as I climb up but as I get to the top I am alone. Down to Angle Tarn the footpaths are increasingly flooded, I was going to scramble down Rossett Gill itself but today it is a torrent of white water so I use the old path which is much easier.

Mickleden Beck's usually empty, wide bed of rocks is full, it is marginally wetter than I am, I don’t think JP could have picked a wetter day for his barbeque.

Andy Wallace 11th August 2001