There was little wind overnight but for a short while it rained quite heavily. The main problem however were the midges which were a problem last night and also through it. I started the day by lighting the stove at 5am for a brew of tea, cooked my breakfast, packed up camp and was on my way by 6:30am. There was cloud and mist as I walked along the stony path on the south side of Ennerdale Water. It was quite rough in places and I also commented on this in my diary of 1980.

Ennerdale Water

Moody Ennerdale

Yesterday’s route was unfamiliar as I’d only walked it the once with Charlie on the original walk. Now I was on familiar territory as I’d covered most of today’s route on day walks over the past 9 years. There was still low cloud as I left Ennerdale Water and joined the forestry track near Low Gillerthwaite. I knew the next few miles would be more of an endurance walk as its just boring track in dense pine forest with nothing to see. I passed the Gillerthwaite Outdoor Centre then the youth hostel. Then I just forged ahead until I eventually came to the open fells and Black Sail Youth Hostel. On the way I passed Pillar Rock but the low cloud had obstructed a good view.

I reached Black Sail at 9:42 but didn’t stop as the benches outside were occupied by several people. They looked like residents as there were no ruck sacks around. To be still sat around at 9:42 is not a good use of the day. I continued for a while until I came to a sheltered spot by the path to stop for a while for a mars bar, apple and drink of water. Having just said I was on familiar ground I was climbing alongside Loft Beck for the first time since 1980. The path was well made with stone steps on the steepest bits and presented no problems. The summit can be confusing if you don’t know what to expect. A saddle seems the obvious way ahead but the correct route continues up the gill to the right. I’d climbed into the cloud and for a while the visibility was bad. As I climbed it cleared a bit and I was able to see the stile crossing the fence which showed I was on the right track.

Breaks in the cloud revealed Buttermere and soon the cloud lifted quite a bit revealing all the fells ahead. Being a Saturday there were lots of people about as I descended to the old Tramway above Honister. The car park at the Honister Quarry information centre was packed with motorbikes. As I got closer I noticed that many were very old and vintage bike. A marshal’s jacket had vintage rally on it so that’s what must be going on. The most nostalgic thing about it was that special smell of oil that accompanies old bikes.

Motor bikes on Honister Pass

The old road descends into Seatoller

I had a short rest at the Youth Hostel then descended down the road a short way before leaving it to follow the line of the old road. It took a steady and winding descent into Seatoller and I can’t see how the modern road is an improvement on it, except that its shorter and probably steeper at the bottom end.

I followed the road to Stonethwaite and didn’t follow the official coast to coast route through Rosthwaite. Over Stonethwaite Beck I turned right along the stony track and stopped at the circular sheepfold. Nearby is where I’d buried a food depot on a walk last Wednesday. It was undisturbed so with a good days food supply I followed the path up Greenup Gill until reaching a nice flat spot to pitch my tent.

Camp in Greenup Gill