A camping trip come walk was this weekends escapades, again planned a few months ago between me, my mate Ste & Owen my young son, nothing too out of the ordinary as the weather played a big role in this weekends trip, if it was to go ahead at all, but me being the old softie & not wanting to let Owen down both me & Ste decided to go ahead despite the god awful weather we’ve been recently experiencing & make the trip towards the beauty  that is Blea Tarn in Little Langdale, an all time favourite spot for me personally & as Ste hadn’t had the chance to visit this place I thought I’d better show him what he’s been missing out on.

The weather can spoil alot of things, tenting up in the rain isn’t the best experience for anyone especially when we’ve got Owen who incidentally plays a big role in the back of my mind in how am I possibly going to keep him occupied, its not like we can go for a stroll or play games, everywhere was wet, you know where I’m going here not very nice at all.  But we all chucked in, Owen from the seat of his fold out chair I might add! but we made the best of what we had & come early evening the rain eventually stopped & we managed a stroll around the tarn, we also had the company of many Fell Runners competing in the U.T.L.D (Ultra Tour of the Lake District) a 50 mile! yes 50 mile Fell run which passed our intended camp spot throughout the night & into the early morning, which was fine, it was nice to see the runners pant there way past our tent as we lazed by with a few beers in hand, what wasn’t nice was the wooden gate they had to pass through! If I hear a gate slam one more time… no seriously we had a great time in Langdale & day two meant for me a walk in valley of Eskdale

Wainwright Guidebook

DAY 1,

Its not exactly rouging it!! we have everything from bottle openers to a pan of home made hotpot

Steve & wellies, are two words usually associated with ste,  he’s worn them come rain hail or shine since being a kid, tickles me! We’d picked a spot to camp in the wooded area behind Blea Tarn well out of sight of anyone & at least unlike outside the woods its dry in here.

We’re cooking…literally !

Owen trying out his catapult as we take a walk around the tarn, not to easy to see but it is still raining here, this is our second outing so to speak in between the showers all the walkers & family’s have long since gone so we more or less have the place to ourselves (except for a couple dozen fell runners that is!)

This spot on Blea Tarn is definitely up there in my top five places to photograph, even as damp & gloomy as it is I still love it.

Losing light as we head back to the tent over the out flow of Blea Tarn.

DAY TWO,

5.50 am In the morning & I’ve had a terrible nights sleep, as dry as the ground was, flat it wasn’t, not even in the best of places, it had took me a life time to try & get to sleep then when I finally did the Fell runners steaming through the puddles & opening & shutting the gate just made it for me anyway neon impossible to doze off, I found my self more awake & clock watching until daylight came, me & sleep work well together, I don’t need much of it & it doesn’t need much of me! So as soon as I got the chance I kitted up & walked back towards the car park & headed off towards Eskdale a mere five or so miles away & a fell I’ve had my eye on for a few weeks, Harter Fell.

Reflections on Blea Tarn

I couldn’t resist passing my favourite spot without taking a picture.

The Langdale Fells still shrouded in cloud.

Jubilee Bridge situated right behind the car park on Hard Knott Pass where I’ve just parked up,.I’m guessing this little pack horse bridge is a lot older than stated.

Obviously to celebrate the Queens Jubilee this bridge has been renamed, I might of only been 3yrs old but I do remember the street parties!

Once on the main path you get this view of the wide open lush green fell side.

Looking back along the path into upper Eskdale.

And down into lower Eskdale.

Morning ears !

I’ve chosen the more in-direct route today which flanks the fell until I reached this bracken, the path here marked by this small cairn, all around me I can see the cloud is coming in as quickly as it rolls back out again, it’s early & I’m a little groggy so I’m taking the easy way out today!

Looking over towards Green Crag.

The camera up until now has stayed in the bag, not much to see I’m afraid as the last few hundred meters were engulfed in cloud.

A viewless Harter Fell summit.

Angry clouds over Sellafield from just below the summit.

Out of the cloud & making my way back, here we have Esk Pike & Crinkle Crags in the distance.

And the Scafell range towards the North West.

Zooming in on Hard Knott & what isn’t completely visible is Hard Knott Roman Fort just below Hard Knott itself, I did promise myself that If I had the time today I would pay the Fort a visit,..not before bumping into Martin Rye & his friend from http://summitandvalley.blogspot.com/ just above Jubilee Bridge, we passed comment on the weather, it wasnt until days later we finally regonised each other after reading each others blog’s!

Next stop, Hard Knot Roman Fort.

Arial view of Hard Knott Roman Fort, courtesy of English Heritage.

The fort dates back to the 2nd century AD, under rule by Hadrian the Emperor.

Inside the Fort now walking towards an original outlook post.

Angle Tower.

This section of the Fort was the Granaries.

Hard Knott Fell form inside the Fort.

Overlooking Principia.

The Praetorium.

And finally the Commandants House.

The Commandants House.

The western entrance, & I’m having a guess this tablet of rock with a perfectly shaped cut out circle had something to do with a hinged gate maybe?

Or I could be way off! but what a way to end the weekend’s activities,. yeah its been damp & cold( I still cant believe I’m writing that in the middle of July!) but we’ve made the most of it, so its back to Wigan for a bloody good bath & a decent cup of coffee