"Er.......just a day in the Lakes then?"

 Well with the much-anticipated Mullardoch trip coming up, I thought we could plan a day of similar length and height gain to the three we would have on the Mullardoch Round. For good measure I chucked a bivouac shelter and a 9 mm rope in my sack to make up to a backpacking weight.

Howard and I made a big round of most things north of the A66 Keswick Road. Starting in Mosedale, we walked south into mist at 500 metres, crossed Bowscale Fell on a compass bearing, locating the outlet of Scales Tarn, then up again for the scramble across Sharp Edge and on to Blencathra. Still no views, just cold mist in a raw northerly wind. No lingering. Along the Blencathra edge, where fringes of snow curved round and seemed to fly out into gray nothingness above and below. Compass again to aim for Roughten Gill, and then views as we dropped down, down, down, to the stream. 15 minutes sat in sunshine.

Then up steeply onto Lonsdale Fell, back into mist and wind, and into the stony grey moonscape on Skiddaw summit, with large patches of snow. The compass took us north, down and back into the world of visibility at Whitewater Dash, (well named for our day!) for a "second lunch" stop. Soon away, it was uphill again to cross near Great Calva and uphill some more on to the 700 metre Knott. Downhill all the way now, tiring, past the Lingy Hut; 10 minutes by the stream - could have stayed longer, but finally weary feet plodded the last three miles down the track and then the tarmac of quiet Mosedale back to the car. Our Training Day worked out at 26 kilometres and 1700 metres. About right.

ANDREW ECCLES