11.02.2014

A One night camp with Mr Rye in the Peaks

25th and 26th Oct 2014

Well, as luck would have it the forecast was looking pretty damned fine

SIA- Big Girls Cry

I do a heap of rock and blues, but SIA has a superb voice, and deserves a listen.

To be honest the whole album (1000 Forms of Fear) deserves a listen

But back to the trip.

We had a bit of a plan.
Meet at Kings Lynn at the UNGODLY hour of 7.20 on Sat.
Drive to Ashopton
Park the car
Head into the hills above Derwent Water, heading out to Howden Edge
Wild Camp (don't tell the rangers - ooohh Err No sir) and then walk back on Sunday

Which is exactly what we did.

The weather was quite kind, with a couple of annoying showers, during one of which I may have put my Paclites on inside out, and here is the thing.
They worked just fine...

Try that with Paramo!!!

It was I have to say BLOODY WINDY when we were walking along Howden Edge. Probably gusting to about 40mph based upon the bufetting and being pushed a bit sideways.

None of this "Oh we managed but it was blowing about 80 mph" bollocks you hear people spout
Listen at 80 to 90, you start to behave like tumbleweed.

Anyway, enough of that.
We had a bloody good walk out.
A bloody good walk back.

In fact, the ONLY downside was the fact that due to parking restrictions in Hathersage on the way back (which as far as I could see was most of it) we did not manage to get the cup of coffee and bacon butty we had dreamed about the night before.

So, here are a few of the photos

There will be no more commentary other than the odd caption


Heading Up looking towards Lady Bower


Lady Bower Reservoir.
Unless we had got as far as Derwent Reservoir.
It's a bit vague.
The last week has been a bit tense what with Ollie going off to Australia

Rather Fine Views

Martin heading along the Pavement


How the **** does that stay there?

Does this look like K9 from Dr Who to you?

Heading out over the Moor.
I admit we did miss the start of the track.
It was not a navigational error.
It was a talking too much as we walked along error.

Having said that, it is great practice for Scotland.
Martin showing off his NEW GG Gorilla

Go ON!
You know you want to go and stand on them


Just a couple of Panoramas from up along the ridge
Bathed in Autumnal Colours

It was getting a bit blowy up here by now.
Swift moving clouds.
By the time we started down to look for a camp location, we were getting pushed about a bit

We were very lucky that those distant dark wet clouds missed us by

Martin heading down


Looking out from Helga with my NEW
FLAT CAT GEAR SNOW LEOPARD Stove.
Bloody good bit of kit.
Lighting the Esbit with my old lighter was a bugger.
But I have a new Tor Jet now.
5 for £5.95 from Amazon.Tor Jet Link
Flame Thrower
YES YES.
I am a Gear Tart, but it was time to move away from GAS.
Having said that the KOVEA Spider is bloody tempting
Big thanks to Alistair Whittaker for pointing these boys out to me.


View from Camp.
It was a tad blustery and a bit of drizzle when I took this, hence the image quality.
But it soon blew through, and it was a great wee spot.
Can't say where it is though.
I mean what would the rangers say?

Back down along Derwent Reservoir heading to the 1st Dam the next day.
We actually went down and walked along the edge.
The water level was the lowest I have seen it for years.
I would say 15' down from its highest.
That'll be Man Made Global Warming then.
Than God for Wind Turbines Saving the Planet.

OR

It could just be the COSMIC level of Climate Cycles eh???


Looking from the edge towards the Dam

One of the last bits off the old edge left.
Most has long ago been washed down into the reservoir.
It doesn't look that steep, but it was, and wet and slippery

An Old piece of exposed tree stump

Martin Heads up through the Woods on the other side after our coffee stop.
It was nice and sheltered in the woods.
A pleasant change from the buffeting wind, until we got back out onto the top



We found a whole cluster of these beauties just by the edge of the wood.
Apparently, if you look them they make you fall over?
I resisted the temptation


A final look as we walked down towards the reservoir and the road to head home.

It had been a short, but excellent walk out and back.
For the end of Oct, the weather had been remarkably good.
In fact I could probably used shoes rather than boots.

Having said that, my feet were as dry as a bone in my Ecco Terrain II's

And then we drove home!


I Thank You!

24 comments:

  1. 7.20am pick up mate. A fab wee walk. Onwards to more.

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  2. What a lovely set of rocks!
    I'm not at all familiar with your shelter - I assume that's the one we were chatting about earlier today. I see that your walking pole peeks out of the top - does it not let water in?
    JJ

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  3. That's the hope on the top, not the poles.
    It's so in theory, you could pitch it hanging from a tree rather than use poles.
    Not sure I would do that. I think it may pull off.

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  4. Hope? I'd want more reassurance than that!! I suspect a typo....hoop? Loop?☺
    JJ

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  5. A 2.20 pick up on the Sat, is that am? Now that is just a silly time to set off for a backpack!

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  6. See my comment James correcting the times. A spot of proof reading will help polish this blog up :)

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  7. Listen. I have fixed it.
    You wait until you need glasses.

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  8. Oh good grief.
    You lot.

    Yes.

    HOOP!

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  9. "Meet at Kings Lynn at the on Godly hour of 7.20 on Sat" - more like ungodly, and to think I wrote that with my glasses on ;)

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  10. Thanks Craig..
    Ungodly... OK. Some people are so bloody pedantic

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  11. Now, if you'd set off from Hayfield, you could have had free parking outside our house, and I would have done you free coffee both before and after....
    And if you'd been very good, I might have let you have some choccy biscuits and stuff.

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  12. I am now GUTTED.
    If I had known I would have forced Martin to drive to Hayfield.
    It was our original start point.
    I don't know what to say.
    Would you have had BACON?
    No.... Don't tell me!

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    Replies
    1. Well, we don't always have bacon, but there was some today coz His Lordship had a bacon butty for breakfast.... And, he makes a mean fruitcake (ask Martin).... and, he makes mean chocolate chip cookies (ask James).....

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  13. Fruitcake is the best. But it was windy on Kinder, so we made a good call. Next time then we do a Kinder route. Or White Peaks. Bacon rolls and tea is a big draw mind you!.

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    Replies
    1. Well, we've always got plenty of tea :)

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  14. You is smashing them hills and wild camps this year innit.

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  15. But you need to get chillin over the winter bro so you can be like "I is well rested an ready for more stuff an shit" when it is Daunder time.

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  16. incredible journey and great photos jon from California USA at flat cat gear sent me to look at your kit and your tent. I will have to share this with my young England Scout in my troop here in California USA he will really enjoy your photos of his home. He is currently living here because his father works at evil bay. Incredible places you get to see. Cheers from across the pond.

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  17. Hi.. Great gear from Jon..
    Really love the quality and also the experimental meths stove is superb.
    There are some better posts further back of the hexPeak tent. It is rather good value.

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