Annual May Day Gathering

May Day Bank Holiday Weekend is time for a gathering of our band of friends from across the span of time!

As for the past 11 years we headed to the fine Church Stile campsite at Nether Wasdale

As we did last year, me and TBF headed up a day early and parked up overnight in Dunnerdale.

Despite a poor forecast it was a pleasant, if grey morning, and we managed an alfresco breakfast before setting out for a walk up Harter Fell (the western one). I should mention that the original plan was Grey Friar but we were stopped in our tracks by an expansive section of felled forest that had completely obliterated a path and right of way, no warning signs or diversions. Just as well we didn’t come across it on the way down.

Harter Fell is a very good substitute. The lower slopes are a bit of a grind but once at Maiden Castle the rest of the walk is on open fell with numerous rock outcrops for scrambling.

TBF trying to keep up!

Maiden Castle.

TBF took the path to the summit while I took on the scrambles. The summit itself is quite an exposed if easy scramble to reach the highest point. One of Lakelands finest peaks in my humble opinion.

Feeling pretty pleased with myself.

The “summit” from the highest point.

We had a nice leisurely lunch with a grand view over Hardknott Roman Fort below

Rather than go back down the same way we took a circuit down the SW slopes and back through the forest to Birks Bridge where we had another food break.

Its a fine spot for a swim but this early in the year on a grey day we thought better of it.

Much better to just enjoy a nice riverside sit down.

As seems to have been the case for the past several years the Saturday was an awful day. It rained non-stop from dawn till dusk and beyond. We spent a little time at the May Fair and listening to the excellent local Brass Band.

After which we went for a wet walk around the local bluebell woods.

And around to the shores of Wast Water.

Our little band of very wet walkers. The rain didn’t dampen spirits too much on account of the fact that me, R and UF went to the pub for a few pints to warm up and rather than camping most of the party now stay in caravans, a facility us van campers took full advantage of in the evening.

Sunday on the campsite was equally wet and miserable. We decided to head to the coast, hoping it might be drier there. Whilst it was windy and much colder it was indeed dry.

We headed out on a longish walk around to St Bees Head with great views back to the long beach at St Bees.

Its a fabulous stretch of coast and a shame it wasn’t the best weather to see it. We were actually in the cloud at several points.

The beach at Fleswick Bay.

At some indeterminate point it turned extremely warm and muggy – more British weather fickleness.

A wise decision to stay away from the mountains and by the time we arrived back at the site the rain had stopped and we were able to eat our pizzas outside.

On the Monday a few people began the long journey home and a hardy band decided some hill bagging was in order.

There is a small clutch of hills out to the west near Ennerdale that few of us had done so that decided things.

The plan was a circuit of Grike, Crag Fell, the brilliantly named Whoap and Lank Rigg. Lots of Wainwrights and Marilyns.

Its a fine area of little walked hills and I was pleased to see some views new to me having never walked this far west in the Lakes before.

We were enveloped in cold cloud on Grike and still in it when we stopped for lunch on Crag Fell.

However, while we were eating the cloud lifted a little and we were treated to some views of Ennerdale Water and its surrounding fells.

A little bit of weather luck for a change.

One of our party wasn’t feeling 100% so we decided to accompany her back down and leave Whoap and Lank Rigg for another day. A circuit of Worm Gill to take them, Caw Fell and Iron Crag looks to be a fine walk.

Another great weekend despite the poor weather and no sunshine. Apparently pretty much everywhere else in the UK was bathed in sunshine!