The wind increased considerably overnight and for a time so did the rain. This was my last day so I started to pack up a bit earlier than usual. It was very difficult packing the tent away in the wind and it was a very untidy tent bag that I strapped to my rucksack. It was about 6:40am when I started my precarious descent of the wet rocks down the east side of Kirk Fell. I soon got to the flat grassy area and found the line of old fence posts that marked the descent path. I’d taken a compass bearing to find them as the mist was still quite thick. The wind was still ferocious and I had to be very careful on the descent to Beck Head.

A wet and windy descent to Honister.

I was very thankful to see the small tarn appear out of the mist as I knew that was the end of the steep descent. Even with a less steep path it was difficult in the wind. After passing Stone Cove the long upward drag to Brin Crag seemed to take forever. The wind continued but the rain wasn’t as bad as earlier. Eventually I descended to the top of the old tram way and followed the path down towards the Quarry at Honister. I only got a view on the final approach to the Quarry buildings. I was in plenty of time for my bus so had to find somewhere to shelter while I waited for an hour. There was nowhere around the Quarry buildings and the café hadn’t opened yet so I walked to the Youth Hostel nearby and sat in the entrance foyer. The warden came out and we had a brief chat. I’m glad I’d found shelter because the rain began to fall very heavily and the wind increased. The bus was due at 9:50am so I went out just before and waited in the shelter of the building wall.

The rain bounced off the road and the wind blew it horizontal. The bus appeared out of the mist and I waited while it stopped. I was surprised to see a young woman get off, kitted out in walking gear and presumably heading for the fells. I got on the bus and bought a £9 Explorer ticket. As I found a seat the young woman that had got off the bus experienced the rain and wind and got back on the bus again. I think she made the right decision. I sat on the bus while we travelled to Buttermere and back to Keswick. I found out that my ticket was valid not just for Cumbria but also Lancashire so I decided to use it all the way home. In Keswick I waited for the 555 bus to Lancaster then changed for the Preston bus, then the 125 home. The bus is much cheaper than the train but takes forever. As I headed south the rain cleared and the sun came out.