Friday, June 15
Dear Diary:Saturday June 9th
The day dawned warm and very sunny, already over hot for any serious tramping, unless we really had to. Nice to have the choice for a change.
During the night Lay and Duncan (aka AktoMan) had arrived, and so we made our disparate ways back into Grasmere for a regroup and the obligatory second breakfast (for some!), whilst sizzling in the unexpected sunshine. This was the Lakes. Where's the rain? It's traditional.
Meanwhile Stef had gone peak bagging after a night of stargazing, the stamina of (comparative) youth!
For my descent from Alcock Lay and myself took the alternate path north from the tarn, and I was glad I'd used the more traditional way up on previous trips. Definitely less steep and easier ground to travel over.
So to another leisurely carb/coffee intake at the cafe; A quick trip to Cotswold Outdoors for a (sale item) wicking T shirt in WHITE (my dependable black merino top just too much for the day's heat) and then a slow saunter up to Easedale Tarn. Sour Milk Gill showing white, but again with water flow much reduced.
A pause to take in the scenery, and then the advanced party struck out northwards working our way up to Codale Tarn to establish that night's camp.
Sitting down in the tent porch, first brew in hand, Lay arrived with news of the heat's impact on some of our party, and after a quick discussion we struck camp for the return (Hey this was a meet-up and for enjoyment after all)
So we gamely wandered back down to the rising clouds of Easedale midges.
This left Geoff, who was travelling further afield the next day, to his own personal set of midges. And a quiet night from his own report. I know the Codale wildcamp spot well and in fact he'd inadvertently picked the place I'd used on my last visit (great minds etc etc) and once the absolute silence of the tarn is accepted, its is a very gentle place to stay for the night.
But again - water from the inlet feed was low and becoming very peaty due to its slowing flow rate.
But back to the group at Easedale Tarn. We spent the evening putting the world to rights, sharing our thoughts and observations, with a common thread that ran throughout the weekend, our enjoyment of the natural world around us. Little needed to be said on that subject.
The continued good humour and sense of well being shining through it all.
Easedale Tarn - down amongst the midges
Labels: Lake District, UK Outdoors Blogger Meet June 2007, walks
During the night Lay and Duncan (aka AktoMan) had arrived, and so we made our disparate ways back into Grasmere for a regroup and the obligatory second breakfast (for some!), whilst sizzling in the unexpected sunshine. This was the Lakes. Where's the rain? It's traditional.
Meanwhile Stef had gone peak bagging after a night of stargazing, the stamina of (comparative) youth!
For my descent from Alcock Lay and myself took the alternate path north from the tarn, and I was glad I'd used the more traditional way up on previous trips. Definitely less steep and easier ground to travel over.
So to another leisurely carb/coffee intake at the cafe; A quick trip to Cotswold Outdoors for a (sale item) wicking T shirt in WHITE (my dependable black merino top just too much for the day's heat) and then a slow saunter up to Easedale Tarn. Sour Milk Gill showing white, but again with water flow much reduced.
A pause to take in the scenery, and then the advanced party struck out northwards working our way up to Codale Tarn to establish that night's camp.
Sitting down in the tent porch, first brew in hand, Lay arrived with news of the heat's impact on some of our party, and after a quick discussion we struck camp for the return (Hey this was a meet-up and for enjoyment after all)
So we gamely wandered back down to the rising clouds of Easedale midges.
This left Geoff, who was travelling further afield the next day, to his own personal set of midges. And a quiet night from his own report. I know the Codale wildcamp spot well and in fact he'd inadvertently picked the place I'd used on my last visit (great minds etc etc) and once the absolute silence of the tarn is accepted, its is a very gentle place to stay for the night.
But again - water from the inlet feed was low and becoming very peaty due to its slowing flow rate.
But back to the group at Easedale Tarn. We spent the evening putting the world to rights, sharing our thoughts and observations, with a common thread that ran throughout the weekend, our enjoyment of the natural world around us. Little needed to be said on that subject.
The continued good humour and sense of well being shining through it all.
Easedale Tarn - down amongst the midgesLabels: Lake District, UK Outdoors Blogger Meet June 2007, walks
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