Grisedale Forest, August 2002
On Friday evening 13 people converged on the hostel attached to Forest Enterprise's Grisedale Forest Park visitor centre - braving some very narrow, hilly and twisty Lake District roads to get there.
Saturday featured a trip to the Langdale Pikes and a walk up Pavey Ark, Harrison Stickle and Pike of Stickle. The weather forecast was for showers - and it was right.
To wear or not to wear...
There was one downpour just as we approached Stickle Tarn, and then most people got caught by another on the last part of the descent. The clouds did clear for a while, and we did get some good views.
From Pavey Ark along Langdale and Mickledon to Elterwater
With uncertainty over the weather, we opted for a visit to the Eagle's Head Inn in Satterthwaite for dinner. The food was very good, with generous portions and an excellant ginger pudding. It was also a chance for a couple of pints of Jenning's Cumberland. So that the drivers could have a drink we headed back to the hostel after dinner, but the days walking had taken its toll and most people opted for a cup of tea and a reasonably early night.
Fiona just couldn't keep up
Sunday saw a drive to Tarn Hows followed by a walk up Black Crag, and then a trip to Ambleside for the obligatory tea shop visit and some gear shopping.
Atop Black Crag
Sunday evening and it was time for the BBQ, followed by a game of frisbee and a go on the children's playground. The frisbee continued well into the night, and only ended when it was too dark to see the frisbee. Several people made up for the lightweight effort of Saturday night, as testified to by the number of empty beer bottles taken to the bottle bank in Coniston on Monday.
After the BBQ
Having cleaned the hostel on Monday, it was time for another group photo:
One group headed of for a nearby steam railway, whilst another group hired bikes and rode into Coniston. However, the ride wasn't quite the easy woodland trails that they were expecting and a few nerves (and brakes) were tested.
The final group headed for Holme Fell and the fifth Wainwright of the weekend.
As we headed home we agreed that the Yorkshire Dales would be the location for next year, and possibly a ski trip the year after.