Monday 9 May 2011

Walk 52
12m 4225' ascent
Time Taken 8 hours

191. Catbells 1480'
192. Maiden Moor 1886'
193. High Spy 2142'
194. Dale Head 2470'
195. Hindscarth 2385'
196. Robinson 2418'

Route taken by Phil G4OBK, Judy (XYL) and friend Geoff on 9th May 2011

This walk was something different....

As members of The Wainwright Society we were to celebrate AWs 1931 Lake District Tour and at the same time raise money for The Calvert Trust Charity.  


So. in early 2011 we applied to walk the section of his 1931 route from Keswick Moot Hall to Newlands Hause, taking in the summits of Catbells,  Maiden Moor, High Spy, Dale Head, Hindscarth and Robinson.  I was pleased that our application to do this section was accepted and we departed from Moot Hall at 9.20am, reaching the summit of the popular Catbells LDW-189 after 4.3 miles at exactly 11.00am.  The enjoyment of the day was enhanced as I had yet to activate all six summits for WOTA. 


The day had started fine and warm but we soon donned our coats as we proceeded on the well hewn paths beyond Maiden moor when it became cold and then damp. Thankfully the numbers of walkers thinned out considerably once we had descended beyond Catbells. Geoff had gone ahead and had mistakenly passed the hard to determine summit of Maiden Moor so we needed to call him back to gather at the few stones on the highest point where we completed our radio activation.  As the weather deteriorated it wasn't good for the photography, however as usual, we continued to capture what we could. 


The view into Littledale prior to climbing Hindscarth LDW-073
After our final climb up to Robinson and the activation I counted 45 contacts in the log for the day. We didn't linger and made our way off on what was probably not the correct route. 
Geoff clearing the beck coming off Robinson
As this was a linear walk we had put Geoff's car out earlier in the day at Newlands Hause, so from there we drove down the The Bridge Inn at Buttermere. On our way down the hill we were surprised to see a young lost badger on the verge trying to find its burrow. We left it in the hope it would found its mother and home but I still wonder whether we did the right thing. maybe we ought to have done something else such as contacting the police to see if they could put us in touch with Badger Watch or the RSPCA. 


As a contribution to a book which The Wainwright Society published to mark the 80th anniversary of the 1931 Challenge we had all to write about our experiences of our Challenge in poetry or prose.


This was Judy's contribution for Maiden Moor, based on her experiences on the walk:

We look across from Catbells at the rocky outcrop that is Maiden Moor
At least the path seems obvious
But the wind is getting up and there are spots of rain as well as sun

We pass a mother with two young sons, she has a potty hanging from her rucksack
(be prepared!)
There are lots of young bilberry plants underfoot with promise of fruit to come
And – oh good – I’ve found a walking pole basket to replace the one lost yesterday!

We reach the tiny cairn which marks the top, where we disturb two Herdwicks
Unlike Catbells there are no other people here
Just sheep, skylarks and a wheatear – so peaceful

Without the cairn we wouldn’t have known where the top is on this flat expanse
Although the top is bleak the views are beautiful –
Bassenthwaite and the end of Derwentwater

Just one complaint - No maidens!

© Copyright Judy Catterall

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