Sunday, June 17

Dear Diary:Tuesday June 12th (14:00)

CASTLE CRAG (GR 249 159)
294m


The Lakeland weather can be so contrary. Last night I lay on the top bunk in an airless room, sweating ever time I moved. Now I'm writing this dry inside my Akto aperch the edge of Castle Crag, my wet kit outside in the porch, and a general feeling of dampness throughout after a 4 hours of deluge.


Sweet.


Another kicker. Now awash with rain I carried 4 litres of water to this spot, aware that that would be my only supply until the following day. That's 4kg extra weight. And even with the original week's supply of food depleted that weight is as much as some of the base weight carried on the TGO Challenge.



And now? Well I'm surrounded by more water than I know what to do with. Well that is except stay here in the Akto, dry and warm and it finally decides to let up.




On the plus side despite the steep ascent from Rosthwaite to this top was quickly reached despite the trudge upwards over wet ground. And as I look out of the porch the magnificent views north across Derwentwater towards Keswick and Skiddaw appear and disappear as the cloud swirls around. Surely I must be perverse to get such pleasure out of all this?

But then again, hot coffee and food, smokes, MP3 player on random, a good book to read and this paper and pen. And if I tire if these I've only to unzip the tent flysheet door from the top (a nice Akto feature this) to give me a window up the lake. At least it does when the rain thins.


Not that weird really I guess.


I've had an extremely good run with the excellent weather, but this feels like a good point to call it quits for this trip north. For this time around.

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Comments:
Looks like the rest of your week was a really good time, it certainly made for a good read.

I don't know if you keep an eye on such things, but I would be interested to know your mileage and height-gain figures.
 
BG - I always do, and I'll roll them up on the latter wash-up bits

Overall the distances weren't very long at all. Nor the height gained.

But overall the change of approach for this trip seemed to work out quite nicely.
 
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