This was journey 1 of 2 journeys over the weekend.
I parked up at New Dungeon Ghyll for a few days - my National Trust Badge on display. I arrived at 5pm and knew it would take a couple of hours to reach my evening camp - Angle Tarn.
Following my pre-planned route (plus route card) I headed along the Cumbrian Way past the Langdale Pikes on the right. I kept on walking the Cumbrian Way until I approached the head of the valley where the path splits at the bottom of 2 ancient mountain passes Rossett Gill and Stake Pass. Crossing the FB and heading up the path with Rossett Gill on my left. The last zig-zag of the ascent I calculated the time it would take me to reach Angle Tarn - 30 minutes with great accuracy - Angle Tarn was my base for this evenings wild camp. Camp was setup and food cooked on my stove by now it was after 8pm and beginning to darken. I was trying out some new equipment on this trip - a newish one man tent (think i will stay with my other tent, slightly heavier but more head clearance), new boots Scarpa Rebelles - these are awesome, a new blow-up Thermarest - an excellent purchase.
So that evening it was to snow, however I was to be snug as anything in my duckdown sleeping bag. There was another person sharing the Tarn with me, he was West of me. In the morning we were both up early and on our way on our next journeys - probably heading in completely different directions.
The photo shows my base camp and a fabulous morning sunrise.
My first summit was Allen Crags and here I was able to practise steep ground ascent. From here I summited Esk Pike and Bow Fell. Descending to Yeastyrigg Gill and ascend Pike de Bield and down to River Esk.
The ground conditions around Great Moss were very peaty and marshy - at this point I’d wished I had put my gaitters on. I made my way round to Lingcove Beck at GR 232 043 - the whole area is a lot more difficult to navigate and care was needed. From here I handrailed Moasdale Beck all of the way down to Cockley Beck Bridge.
This was the end of Journey 1 and the start of journey 2...
Area :
Southern Fells (Scafell Pike)
The Southern Fells Include Scafell Pike, the highest peak in England, occupy a broad area to the south of Great Langdale, Borrowdale and Wasdale. High and rocky towards the centre of the Lake District, the Southern Fells progressively take on a moorland character toward the south west. In the south east are the well known Furness Fells, their heavily quarried flanks rising above Coniston Water.
