[14TH JULY 2026]
|
|
Extreme... that's the only word to describe the heat today. It was 29 degrees with no breeze in Wythburn and in temperatures it's important to keep on top of your hydration and exposure to the sun. I was pleased the car park at Dob Gill was in the shade... what I wasn't so pleased about was it's temporary closure for the day. Just my luck! At least the next car park was only 1km out, no big deal... only the ticket machine wouldn't allow you to pay by card and I had no coins. So a further 2km away I parked at Wythburn Church, grabbed my gear and began my treacherous journey along the A591 back to Dob Gill. While inconvenient it allowed me to take in the beauty of this area and admire the grandeur of the mighty Helvellyn.
|
I began the ascent up the path that parallels Dob Gill and instantly you're met with jagged rocks with points you're on all fours dragging yourself up. It's tough but the reward is almost instant as you're presented with a glorious view of the area... like it needs to get anymore beautiful than it is. After the talk I do on sourcing water from a puddle I continued on and as everything was so dry up here there's no chance of falling is there... surely?? BANG, down I went. I slipped on a stretch of algae where water must flow down over winter and it was like a sheet of ice. Unfortunately the camera took a bad knock and not only did the screen protector shatter but the mic become disconnected slightly so the audio was recorded through the on-board microphone. To most this won't seem like the end of the world but to me looking through the footage it was a complete disaster. Thankfully I could resolve most of the issue in post production... i'm boring both you and myself with tech talk aren't I?! Moving on and through a slight dense woodland we break through into the open and was greeted by the stunning Harrop Tarn.
A mountain lake surrounded by mountains and coniferous woodland... my absolute idea of paradise. Here I was greeted by a couple of dragon flies, one bright yellow and the other a deep pure blue colour. They're absolutely stunning to watch and adds to the magic of the area. I reluctantly pushed on when to my left a small trail appeared and was all too tempting to ignore. After I crossed a stream I was in an amazing woodland which I was tempted to set up camp in. There were plants to discover, birds and rabbits all living in harmony in the midday sun. It was glorious BUT my spirit for adventure wouldn't let me stop here. I stopped to take one last look before putting one foot in front of the other and head for the edge of the forest and back into the now 34 degree sweatbox.
As much of a bang was made when I slipped this equalled that in it's impact. The sun's rays were punishing and relentless yet, mad man that I am, they didn't stop me considering bagging a summit. Ullscarf had towered over me since the tarn and looked absolutely stunning. I noticed there was a track at the perimeter fence that could either take me to the top OR slightly down to the beautiful Blea Tarn. I figured i'd decide when at the turning point what would be best. Once at the perimeter i'd lost a lot of water due to sweating so much that I made my judgement. The route to Ullscarf from this point had no water sources and was a significant distance up. Today, heading down to guaranteed water was the safest option and I may be able to find some shade in the craggy area noted on the map. When Blea Tarn came into view not only did my heart sing but I instantly knew i'd made the best decision.
A mountain lake surrounded by mountains and coniferous woodland... my absolute idea of paradise. Here I was greeted by a couple of dragon flies, one bright yellow and the other a deep pure blue colour. They're absolutely stunning to watch and adds to the magic of the area. I reluctantly pushed on when to my left a small trail appeared and was all too tempting to ignore. After I crossed a stream I was in an amazing woodland which I was tempted to set up camp in. There were plants to discover, birds and rabbits all living in harmony in the midday sun. It was glorious BUT my spirit for adventure wouldn't let me stop here. I stopped to take one last look before putting one foot in front of the other and head for the edge of the forest and back into the now 34 degree sweatbox.
As much of a bang was made when I slipped this equalled that in it's impact. The sun's rays were punishing and relentless yet, mad man that I am, they didn't stop me considering bagging a summit. Ullscarf had towered over me since the tarn and looked absolutely stunning. I noticed there was a track at the perimeter fence that could either take me to the top OR slightly down to the beautiful Blea Tarn. I figured i'd decide when at the turning point what would be best. Once at the perimeter i'd lost a lot of water due to sweating so much that I made my judgement. The route to Ullscarf from this point had no water sources and was a significant distance up. Today, heading down to guaranteed water was the safest option and I may be able to find some shade in the craggy area noted on the map. When Blea Tarn came into view not only did my heart sing but I instantly knew i'd made the best decision.
What a mountain paradise! Once i'd located my spot for the night in the crags I quickly head back to the waters edge and went for a swim. It was cool, the sand was nice and soft underfoot and it's purity is absolutely amazing. With my eyes open I could see fish swimming all around. It was one of the best, and desperately needed, experiences of my life. Just... no words to truly reflect how special it was. Unfortunately my stomach started grumbling so time to get out and up to the Rucker Galley where tonight i'm having Chicken Tikka with Rice heated by a Ration Heater Pack. Did this go to plan? Absolutely not! After an hour of faffing with them and pouring water all over my shorts I was still left with cold food. Still, sat up on a rock eating my food with the purest orange glow of the sun drenching the land more than made up for technical issues. I didn't want the day to end but the night brought it's own surprises with a beautiful night sky. It was so peaceful I don't think it took me longer than 5 minutes to nod off. 04:00 hits and I thought something was a bit off. The temperature had dropped down from the day's high of 34 degrees down to a meagre 8 degrees! How does that happen? I'd brought out an old sleeping bag that simply couldn't hold up to the low temp. That definitely needs a replacement as soon as but still, it wasn't the end of the world as an hour later I was sweating again as the sun begin to rise.
Morning, 06:00 and it's already 22 degrees! I can see the cloud is being held down by Thirlmere Reservoir and over towards Keswick and Threlkeld. Glorious! With the temps rising rapidly I decide to get my breakfast down me, get things packed away and off to "Go See Some Stuff". Soon the tarn was no longer visible and i'm watched over by Ullscarf once more. I will have to head back here to bag that summit but for now, I was pleased i'd made the correct call, had an amazing night in the wild and was back down and survived the treacherous delights of the A591. Back at the car I realised i'd completely walked past Wythburn Church. I was surprised there was no one on site and the door was open for goers to either pray or seek some peace to reflect. This 1640 building truly is beautiful. There's always a feeling you get in a church and especially one that you're on your own in. I can never put my finger on what it is but it's there and as I sat there for 5 minutes I left feeling all the more enriched by the entire experience of the past 24 hours. Thank you Wythburn and Blea Tarn. This was truly something else!
Here's to the next Ruck and the Season 2 Finale!
Here's to the next Ruck and the Season 2 Finale!
