Scafell Pike from Seathwaite – 31st March
Seathwaite (Borrowdale) – Stockley Bridge – Sty Head – Lingmell Col (via Corridor Route) – Scafell Pike – Esk Hause – Grains Gill – Stockley Bridge – Seathwaite
Distance 9 miles, Total Ascent 1200 metres
Hayley Goodwin’s account of the day:
So, the alarm goes off again at some unearthly hour on a Saturday morning, and I’m about to get up for my second training walk for the challenge. After numerous changes we have agreed on Scafell Pike – England’s highest peak (and incidentally the highest peak on day 1 of the challenge too)…
As designated driver again, this week I came better prepared with a full tank of petrol and a strong flask of coffee: minus a fleece. Diversion number 1 of the day – back home to fetch the fleece whilst everyone patiently waited at junction 16 for Susan and I. The journey was then up the motorway, but very much downhill from there. Designated navigator, Tyrone (aka Liam) also come well prepared with directions to our destination. What he hadn’t anticipated that half the roads would be closed and that in total, our journey to Seathwaite would last a whopping 2 hours 45 minutes. We apparently managed to view every lake in the Lake District bar 2 – some people would enjoy the scenic route, but I’m not sure that my passengers would agree having been subjected to my scenic driving.
Upon arrival though, whilst already exhausted, we were all chirpy and happily set off up the mountain. I proudly showed off my new “Water Lung” to everyone but was less than impressed when I couldn’t work it out. Parched and grumbly, I finally figured it out about an hour into the walk – and despite what you may think on reading this, they really are quite difficult to fathom.
William on the other hand, blissfully unaware of my moaning (and unaware of any conversation for much of the walk) happily trotted up the mountain listening to Wagner’s Funeral March collection, presumably in a minor key. Hmmmm… It would seem that every training walk is now considered a funeral march or death march by William, and so he was kindly renamed “Wagner” (emphasis on the the “Wa”), much to his disgust.
Sarah, nursing an horrendous hangover virtually ran up the mountain with Charlotte, and the same back down too. Part way down, Sarah and I decided to break up Wagner’s marches II, III, IV and VII by bursting into song with a bit of Dolly Parton, Madonna and a few others that Charlotte had the misfortune of trying to guess. It passed some time, but didn’t assist us in keeping up with Susan who seemed to rocket off into the distance back down the mountain. Whatever she had at the top of the mountain – I need some of that. On reflection, she did mention some eye-candy – maybe I need to become more aware of my social environment on the top of these peaks!
To be fair, whilst Susan made up time sprinting down the mountain, I made up some time diving down it. Not once, but twice. I should add that the second time was a result of trying to help my colleague Sarah who fell in front of me. She must have been trying to copy my new found go-faster technique. And whilst I’d say that I only hit my elbows and legs with these falls, there must have been a bang on the head somewhere in there as I went on to wave to Liam and Jackie further up the mountain, to subsequently realise that Liam had grown about 2 foot in height and developed the face of an Adonis. It was only the looker that Susan had already spotted at the top of the mountain earlier in the day (with his beautiful blonde girlfriend!). With this I got my mojo back too and sprinted back to camp with Susan.
Grindeys 24 Peaks Challenge 