A windy weekend in the Lakes

Kane, Andy and I decided to take advantage of the good weather forecast and the day off for some wedding thing down in London to head up to the Lakes for the weekend.  Arriving in Langdale at around 7 in the evening we headed up the valley and past Angle Tarn before finding a flattish piece of ground which wasn't a bog to camp on.  Not a bad effort in the impending darkness.  Having stopped short of our target we got up early and after a brew headed across Scafell Pike, having the summit to ourselves just before 9:00, to reach Scafell crag and the cool shade of Central Buttress.

Scafell Crag

I led up the first pitch, a right to left slanting ramp, and ran through the second pitch to the base of the great flake, taking a series of first leftward and then rightward trending ledges.  Taking time to admire the views out to the sunny crags of Scafell Pike and the more distant fells which paled step by step to a hazy blue it seemed to have become colder on our north facing crag.  However, Andy would soon warm  up leading the crux pitch first up and then out on to the face of the  great flake, making thin moves upwards with endless drops below till  eventually what feel like jugs are reached and the top of the flake can  be traversed. At least that's how it felt to me and I had the safety of a rope above. 

Andy stepping out on to the exposed face of the great flake

Kane then led the fourth pitch, traversing left across a  series of pinnacles before heading back left in a horribly off balance  traverse with a ledge for the feet but precious little for the hands. A short corner then led to the belay before the final pitch.  

Andy seconding the fourth pitch, belayed by Kane

I decided  not to lead the final hard pitch, not wanting to push myself too hard on  the first climbing since returning from a month of fieldwork so Andy  took the end of the rope and finished off up what turned out to be a  fairly simple pitch for the 5a tag.  At last we made it in to the sun but then were also faced with increasingly strong gusts whipping across the hill.  We headed back down and decided against upping the grade on Saxon in favour of dropping a grade and moving in to the sun in which Pike Crag was basking.  So it was in to the sun and to the base of The Nave, an interesting mixed bag of climbing.  The first pitch led up through slabby ground on to a fine arête and eventually to a commodious belay ledge by which time wooly hats had been swapped for shorts and t-shirts.  Kane led the second pitch which was bold and sustained but on surprisingly good, if small holds that certainly convinced me of my need for better fitting shoes. 

Kane at the start of the crux pitch on The Knave

Andy then led a fairly nondescript pitch before I set of on a rambling mountaineering finish to the route running through slabs, vegetation and a final corner before confronting the wind once more at the belay.  It was then down to set up the tents which we had placed behind a rock earlier in the day.  A time was spent enjoying the sun set before retreating to the warmth of the tents.

Sun setting through Broad stand after a great day

The wind rose during the night curtailing sleep and discouraging us from the high crags beside which we were well placed so instead we descended in to Eskdale and headed towards Esk Buttress.  Kane had an E2 in mind but in what was still some fairly blustery conditions I managed to talk him down to Square Chimney/Medusa Wall combination which in the conditions provided a great challenge.  I led the first two pitches, first up a 15 m chimney which contained more climbing than its length would suggest and then traversing leftwards across an exposed slab, avoiding the moss, which with every move was blown in to a cloud of debris which unavoidably became trapped in my eyes (I would still be retrieving pieces of moss when I got back to Cambridge).  The foot and hand holds were in fact pleasingly free from debris.  The route then headed up a corner to a narrow ledge which would become far more cramped when my two seconds arrived.  Gusts of wind were now hurtling down the crag trying to send me backwards from the belay.  As Andy came back in to view leading the third pitch his ropes were arching upwards in the wind but he found a sheltered perch and brought us up leaving the final and spectacular pitch up the arête of the headwall to Kane who carried on up the upper scramble on perfect rock.

Andy seconding the 4th and 5th pitches of Square Chimney/Medusa Wall

The wind had taken its toll and when we got back to the base of the crag we decided that an amble back to Langdale over Bow Fell and whatever else may take our fancy was the best decision.  We crossed the Great Moss and headed up the southern spur of Esk Pike, a fantastic pathless route away from any crowds.  By the time we reached Ore Gap we had nearly been taken off our feet on several occasions so once up Bow Fell we took the quickest and very pleasant descent down the Band and in to Langdale, pausing to enjoy the views of the blue backed pikes on the north side of the valley before enjoying the perfect recovery snack of a pint of coke, a packet of pork scratchings and an ice cream at the Old Dungeon Ghyll.

Gimmer and Pike of Stickle below beautiful blue

All that then remained was the drive back to Cambridge via Harrogate to drop off Andy and the Wetherby Whaler to gain some much needed energy.  Another great weekend out climbing but with the added bonus of camping and some fun walking thrown in for good measure.