DALES DAYS & FINE FRIENDS (oh, and a bit of Gear)

A one and a bit day trip to the Dales with Lynsey Pooler and Carl Mynott.


One Upon a Summer Evening - By  errr... ME! :-) 

OK, the music title doesn't quite fit because it was late September but....

I made my way to the Pooler's domicile in Stockport courtesey of Alistair who had been for a bimble in the Lakes.
Of course if you know Alistair, he does NOT bimble.

I had been working in Cumbria since Wednesday, so this was a lucky coincidence, and made my journey a lot easier.
By the time we got back, Carl had already arrived and eaten all the Pizza, si it was just as well we stopped on route.

And thus it came to pass after a fine evening, that may well have involved beer, that we got up on the Saturday and after some navigational discussion, arrived in Settle via a lap of the town and a small excursion outside, and a visit to Booth's to buy a bacon roll and coffee.

Back to park the car (quite legally I might add) under the eye of the lady in the house with the net curtain eyes.

So eventually at a time that may or may not have been approaching gone the hour of 11.00 am which is really quite a late start, but of course we had now had late breakfast, we meandered our way out of Settle via a short excursion up
a cul-de-sac (I hate navigation in towns) and out towards the Dales

Here is an approximate map.
With hindsight on Sunday we should have gone left at the road and come in via the track, BUT, we had a deadline for getting back, and it is a LONG drive from Stockport back to Fenland, and the proper walk was Sat with the wild camp

I am not going to write this up as a route.
It was just a couple of days in fine company taking a genteel stroll.

Weather turned out nice as well.

Apart from lunch on day 1.
That was horrid.

Looking back to Settle

By now we had navigated past the long horned cows.
I was going to take a picture of the small calf.
NUT there was this bloody great bull.
Or was that later in the day?
To be honest Sat night wiped out a LOT of memory.

We carried on until about 13.00 when as the cloud and mist started making it cold, we squatted down behind a wall for shelter and had lunch.
It was not nice weather, but Carl had brought a large groundsheet, and we used that to sit on.

PICNIC TIME!

As we started to head off, the mist and rain blew away.
As it happened, far far away.

"Which was NICE!"

It looks ok.
BUT, WTF is the point of the little gate thingy?

Dropping down to Malham after lunch.
The rain suddenly went, and the views were back.
Then the sun came out.
BRILLIANT!

The biggest problem with Malham, and I have no problem with people going out into the countryside. As long as they respect it, I think it is healthy and increases awareness of our wonderful country.

But it was a nice day, and a Saturday, and Malham was heaving with drive in tourists.

Top of Malham Cove

Malham Tarn

Malham Tarn

From the top right end of the Tarn, having directed a chap with a dog and a MAP, which he seemed incapable of being able to work out, we headed right up and over towards Out Pasture.

I meet a lot of people with MAPS out in the fens trying to find out where they are. It never ceases to amaze me how little they understand the map. No ability to look at the geography around them.
Maybe when people buy maps, they should be tested.

Sorry a momentary lapse there.

The actual location of the wild camp is not exact.
Nor is the route to be honest.
But I think, having not looked at the map, cos I didn't have that bit with me at the time.
It's a long story!

Anyway, it was getting late now, and we needed to be getting tents up by about 6.30, so we could PARTY.
Trouble is we needed water, and there wasn't any.
Should have been.
Just wasn't any.
Too dry.

Had the same thing with martin a couple of weeks before in the Lakes.
Were there should have been streams there was **** ALL.

Eventually we got to where there should have been a stream.

Carl dropped his pack, and taking all the water bladders headed down the stream to find some flowing water.
I popped up to the top of the hill right to get a better view of likely locations.
As it happens, there was a superb limestone pavement at the top.
Nowhere to cam, but I could see some likely locations.

The next 3 photos are phone, I left the camera at the bottom with the pack, but they show the terrain.

I headed back down to Lynsey.
Carl was not back yet, but we headed off leaving a large grass arrow pointing in direction.
I carried Carl's pack as well, because he was carrying (we hoped) all the water.

A few hundred meters further on we found a couple of likely spots.
OK, but a bit exposed.
I said to Lynsey I was going to pop over a bit further to see if there was anything over the edge.

AND as luck would have it, we found a BRILLIANT spot, with just enough shelter.
I went back and got Carl's pack.

By now he had come back up with water, and as luck would have it, had spotted us so didn't have to go all the back up to the top.

We found some good spots, despite SHEEP shit, and set up tents ready.

As our food was cooking, we may have had a beer.
I say beer.
Carl had brought some cans of Tennent's Super which those that know it, is 9%. 

In fact I had carried one of them.

Look, it was a high wild camp and beer.
Don't knock it.
It gets the job done.
Bloody quickly as it happens :-)

The fact that between Lynsey and I we also had about half a litre of single Malt may also have added considerably to lack of memory in writing this.

We tried to tempt Lynsey with the Super, but being a purist, she declined with a look of total disgust.

So, all the more for us then :-)

And thus with pictures of a brilliant pitch, and fine sunset, we ate and then partied into the early hours. Well to be honest much earlier. More late hours.

Lynsey's Laser Comp.
Carl's TS
My sil hexPeak

Cracking Views

Cracking Weather

My hexPeak, with setting sun.
Getting to love this shelter

As the sun set, the food cooked, and I finished the can of Super

A couple of Phone camera shots, since I had left the camera in the tent

Food was eaten.
Mine was a 3 cheeses pasta and then it was time to head to Carl's Party Tent for more beer, and much Malt Whisky.

A great wild camp, with great people, who I hope I can call friends.

Suffice it to say, that the next morning Carl and I had headaches.
Now it may have been the Super is all I am saying.

And then it was morning.
I had somehow managed to eat all my breakfast bars in the night.
I have no recollection of this, but heh.

Camp all tidy and checked, we headed down to the stream to pick up a route down to eventually pick up the track through to the road.

The Ecco Ulterra Hike shoes c/o Ecco.
First time out and excellent.
I will review these separately, but I really liked them.

Looking back

Descending to the stream

Looking down to the farm

We crossed the small stream on a fabulous little bridge.
It very wet underfoot for the first time despite the fact there was no rain. Probably some mist and dew in the valley overnight though & the Ecco shoes were totally waterproof.
I stopped to take some photos.

We crossed round the farm and then back to the road, where this fine door awaited us.

And this old building

There was bit of a road bash now until we cut off again back onto the track.

Somehow here, we missed the path on the ground.
This may have been because there was no path on the ground.
Anyway, we ended up dropping down a bit early and having to follow a tough track and then the wall.
I followed the wall along to eventually come out by a gate on the road.
Lynsey and Carl went over further back, but I hat stinging nettles.

View across to Malham Tarn

On the way down there were quite a few of these

And one of these

Sadly the frog leapt just as I was taking the photo of it in Carl's hand.
I need to practice more with close up photos.
I guess it would help if I wore my ******* glasses.

 And after this I took no more photos.

I should have really taken one of the bacon sandwich in Settle.

And here are my two fine companions.
Nay I should also say, MUCH YOUNGER companions.

So we got to the road, and headed into Settle.
Stuffed gear in the car, and then went and got a BIG pot of tea, and bacon sandwich before heading back to Stockport to drop Lynsey Off.

Say bye to Alistair, and then drive the loooooonnngg drive home to the Fens.
Carl dropped me off in Bottisham and then headed home too.

It had been a cracking reunion, all be it a year late.

Maybe we should do one in 6 months time to fill in the gap.

YEP... 
That sounds like a cracking good idea to me.

A VERY BRIEF ESSENTIAL GEAR LIST

For those that like this sort of thing

SHELTER  -  Luxe hexPeak

hexPeak from BOB

This shelter grows on me the more I use it.
It is appearing more and more bomber.

SLEEPING MAT

NEMO ZOR Regular Sleeping Mat

SLEEPING BAG

Marmot Arroya

Had this for a while and it is good down to about -2 C
Will probably use the RAB from now on in though until the weather gets warmer again

RUCKSACK

I had used my Mariposa (now sold) on a trip earlier.
But since I got this Gossamer Gear Gorilla from Martin, I thought I would give it a go.

I still like the Mariposa, but this is a cracking pack.
In fact, the best pack I have used, even though
I really, really, really covet the new one.

That and a Set of the LT4 poles.
Maybe Gossamer Gear will let me try a pair for the TGOC and PRE TGOC Training next year.
I chap can dream...


SHOES

Ecco Ulterra Low Cut Hiking Shoe

I was given these by Ecco to use and review.
And I can say that I am very grateful and lucky.
I have no affiliation with ECCO, but they have been kind enough to let me have them.
I will be doing a proper full review during this week.
As anyone knows, I tell it like it is,
so if they are good I say so,
and if bad, I also say so.

And I have to say "I like these!"

In fact so much I have already decided that they will be my choice for the TGOC next year, unless I wear them out before then.
Could happen, I have a lot of trips planned.
Well, most are in my head but...

A proper approach shoe rather than a trail shoe.
But much lighter than your average approach shoe.
Yak leather and Gortex lined.
Comfortable out of the box and no wearing in.
I find Ecco come up slightly big, so got a ½ size down. (Just as well)

Anyway.. more in a later post, but a great shoe.

STOVE

I have always been a gas user, and in certain conditions, I will still use gas.
But for a short trip like this I thought it was time to take
the Whitebox stove from Bob and Rose & Backpacking Light
I had used it with Martin a few weeks earlier and it needed another outing.

It performs very well, but does need a stable base, or a pot holder.
Balancing the pot on the stove I think is a potential hazard.
I would NOT use it inside the porch until I have figured out a way to support the pot on something else.

However, next time out will be the Flatcat Gear Snow Lepoard

That's enough gear for now.