Solo Lake District Walk – March 2014 – Day 6

Day 6 was a spare day. As such the journey was a short 3.4 km with 40 mtrs ascent and 179 mtrs descent.

Day 6 was the other spare day of the walk plan, as such there wasn’t much in the way of walking to do.

For this walk the spare day was a necessity as the train journey from the Lake District to my home is around 8 hours, so I had to be camped nearby overnight to allow me to catch an early train so that I could get home at a reasonable time.

Here are a few photos from my Facebook journal to describe the last short day:

The view out of the tent on the morning of day 6. Here I’m getting the breakfast on. I decide to just have a hot drink and a cake, as I will be on a train within an hour or so and can eat properly then.

The tent is all packed up and I’m now starting my journey to the Southwest to get to Ravenglass railway station. The rain is absolutely hammering it down, but I don’t mind as today’s walk is going to be a very short one!

Soon I enter Tarn wood. The going is very easy if a little muddy.

A fallen tree, another victim of the high winds that this area has been experiencing.

Here I see the turn off to the South East that I took at the start of my journey to walk through Ian’s Wood. Up ahead is another fallen tree

I have now made it to the logging camp that I hiked through on day 1. It looks very different in the mud and rain. For some reason this T junction is not on the map, but I just take an educated guess and hang a left 🙂

I finally make it to Fell Lane. This lane will take me directly to the road and then on to Ravenglass.

Up ahead I get eyes on the road to Ravenglass. I know I’m only around 1km away from my destination, so I will soon be at the train station.

The weather is still pretty dire, but so far the eVent hardshell is holding out, despite its poor performance on Day 2.

Woooot! Nearly there!

The final turn off toward Ravenglass. I remember walking this on my first Lakes walk in the summer. But the walk back on that day was in sunny weather which makes for a bit of a contrast!

And there it is Ravenglass!

Ravenglass railway station is in fact two railway stations. One to service the narrow gauge steam railway and the other to service the main national line.

Made it. Time to put my feet up and wait for the train. Luckily for me my timing was spot on as I only had ten minutes to wait. So ends a rather action packed winter walk in the Lakes!

This walk had been a good one with much learnt on the way. I got an opportunity to learn how to walk in snow and negotiate steep snow laden slopes using an ice-axe.

I also got to experience hypothermia – which in some ways is a good thing as it has lead to an improved awareness – ie as soon as you feel cold add a layer –  don’t wait around! This has lead to some improvements to my kit for the next walk.

It was also the first walk where I deliberately cut a day short just so that I could camp in beautiful scenery. This was at Seathwaite Tarn on day 3, the new banner photo on my blog.

The decision to stop early turned out to be an inspired one, even if I did feel a little guilty at the time! I have many fond memories from that wild camp spot that will stay with me forever.

Anyways that’s it for the first walk of 2014!

Laters

RobP