Ludwig goes North

 Really cold night because of the clear sky. Winter pjs worn! Sheep farting, crows crowing, owls hooting. I unzip the roof window to see the sunrise.  We are heading off on bikes today across two passes. The first rises steadily from Slaidburn towards Bentham, on the route I last cycled 13 years ago as part of LEJOG. We’d stayed at the YHA at Slaidburn (still there but looking closed) and eaten in the Hark to Bounty (still open) and then made our way across the Lake District, up the Kirkstone pass to get to Carlisle. Today we are just going to Bentham and back over another pass to the east. From the top we get fine views of Yorkshire’s 3 peaks: Whernside, Ingleborough and Pen-y-ghent. Over to the West we can also see Morecambe Bay and the Lake District fells. Coffee stop (eventually) at Bentham, we seem to be refused entry the first time because it’s allegedly so busy. Then we head East to pick up the second pass which has a very long ascent with lots of false summits. Lunch a...

 We have learned a lot about sheep on this holiday the latest fact being that they cough and fart just like humans! Apart from this though our night was peaceful with a bit of rainfall in the early hours. After breakfast the skies clear so we head off in our walking gear on our bikes initially so we can do a circular walk from Slaidburn that I’d found on the internet. Simon reminisces about his night in the Youth Hostel here when he cycled LEJOG 13 years ago. It looks a bit grim! Our walk takes us across fields (of sheep of course) and through farmyards and despite written instructions, a map and the OS app we still get lost several times. They are not keen on clear FP signage here either it seems. Eventually we climb up onto the open grouse moor of Newton Fells where we spot two deer and surprise several pheasant. Glorious views back towards the Slaidburn valley. Then down towards Newton and the Hodder River where they are holding their annual duck race by the bridge (yellow plast...

  The Langdales are shrouded in mist as we wake. Crows fly across in large numbers. Misty and murky. We decided last night to head back home today as we are both pretty weary and the forecast isn’t great for the next few days and we haven’t done any planning for the Forest of Bowland. So having packed up and headed off the weather brightens and the sat nav tells us there’s a crash on the M6 adding 44 minutes to our journey. After much indecision we change our minds and decide to head off to the Forest of Bowland after all.  A nice pitch right next to a field of blue faced Leicester rams with massive pendulous testicles! We head off for a walk to the nearby reservoir and visit the St James’s church where I briefly play the pedal organ.  Lovely evening sky as we sit outside and look at maps to plan the next couple of days. Harvest moon rising slowly in the south east sky. Harvest supper at St James’s church this Sunday. Citronella Joss stick on the table and glass of wine a...

  Low cloud enshrouds the surrounding Fells this morning. It is so peaceful and many people seem to have left. We decide to have an easier day today so abandon the Great Mountain Days walking book and go off piste. Simon works out our route up towards Pike O’Blisco over to the top of the Wrynose Pass to the Tilberthwaite ridge beyond. A gentle day he says. Red Tarn is in the mist so we are pleased we’re not planning to go any higher. We have coffee (thermos) and catch up with emails and blog writing (no reception or WiFi at the campsite) I even manage a bit of online shopping for the new season! Terrible I know. It is beginning to brighten up as we watch cyclists struggle their way up the pass. I am not envious. The view improves and we see all along the pass to Wrynose Bottom. The annual Fred Whitton cycle challenge is taking place this Sunday: 113 miles of extreme hill cycling. I am even less envious of that! We descend down into Little Langdale and then over to Blea Tarn where w...

  Beautiful sunny day. We decide to walk to Bow Fell (902m). We set off through the campsite to Stool End farm and then up the Band. A steady climb. Hot and sweaty. We pause for coffee and flapjack at 3 tarns in the clouds! As we set off for the final ascent to the summit the cloud evaporates and we get fantastic views.     We reach the top after 2 hours climbing.   Then the descent to Angle tarn where we have lunch and then towards Mickelden for the dreaded knee and ankle crunching descent. I have a quick dip in a pool in the beck. A pint outside in the sun at the Old Dungeon Ghyll completes the 5 and a half hour circuit. 

  We wake up to find blue sky and the sun shining on the fells in front of the van. What a spot! We pack up in fairly good time and head off over the Kirkstone Pass and down the Struggle to Ambleside. Simon has become very expert and negotiating the bends and narrow gaps from passing cars. We are shocked to find the town already busy and manage to find almost the last space in the car park before a bit if tabbing and reminiscing. We then walk up to Loughrigg Fell and do an out and back loop trying to avoid the crowds who are also enjoying this glorious day. A few detours through head high bracken and picturesque tarns with autumnal Bog Asphodel. Another winding and fairly perilous drive along the Langdales valley to our next campsite. Great Langdales campsite is run by the National Trust and the facilities are superb. We don’t have a designated pitch and it all seems rather random. The site is full so we’re pleased that we prebooked. We actually find an idyllic spot beneath the sha...

Drizzle on the roof of the van overnight. A damp start to the morning but the tops of the fells seem fairly clear.  We are cycling today and head off towards Ullswater. We pass Patterdale and turn left making the ascent up to Matterdale. A long steady climb. We continue to Troutbeck and then follow the NCN route 71 to Penrith passing through Greystoke. After refreshments we head for the main road to Ullswater via a horrendous roundabout for the A66 and M6.  We get to Pooley Bridge and cycle up the Eastern side of Ullswater along the dead end road to Martindale stopping for lunch at a beautiful spot right on the lake shore.  Then back to Sykeside stopping for lots of photos on the way along the banks of the lake. A 45 mile round trip. We are eating tonight at the Pub and so are dressing up in our best clothes…… oh, they’re the same as our normal evening wear!

 We wake quite late and are sad to find a bit of drizzle and quite a lot of low cloud. We consider a Plan B as it doesn’t feel worth another climb up towards Fairfield in the mist. We set off to do Place Fell, an old faithful over the years. We start along a low path and then hit the steep gradient. An hour of climbing and we reach the summit cairn where it is a bit cold and windy. We find a sheltered spot for a warming coffee before enjoying flatter terrain across the top of the fell along mainly springy turf. Down along the beck to the shores of Ullswater where we meet a few more people. Picnic with fine views. It is warmer here. It always feels a long way back to Patterdale and we have to add at least another 2 miles to get to Brotherswater via Deepdale thus making a complete circuit. Tea and chocolate digestives before showers, washing some clothes and a pre prandial beer in order to get WiFi to do this blog! No signal or WiFi anywhere else! 

 Calm warm night so the church bells drive us mad in the early hours In addition the cattle are lowing and the sheep baaing. Owls hoot. Anyone would think we were camping on a farm….oh, we are! We pack up and head off to Penrith to stock up at Booths. Then to Sykeside camping at Brotherswater. Great pitch overlooking the fells. Coffee and Spanish date and walnut cake and then we head off up the Skandale pass to Dove Crag and make the return via the knee busting descent down Dovedale Beck. We see the Priest’s hole high up above us. We can see the pub in the distance. However  it never seems to get any nearer! Four and a half hours later we get back to the Brotherswater Inn for a well earned pint.  Spaghetti carbonara with mushrooms for supper and a lovely Rioja.