It's been a hit and miss week in terms of my fell walking with showers dominating the week along with personal commitments, kept me off the fells more than I would have liked. Todays forecast wasn't the best for such a walk but I was so determined to get back onto the fell I wasn't going to let a bit of rain put me off, however yesterday I was gripped by a head cold followed by cold sweats through the night, bloody great. I woke with a thumping head but a couple of paracetamol saw to that and by the time I'd arrived at Glenridding I was starting to feel normal again.

I arrived a little later than normal to allow the heavy rain to pass through and parked with ease in the large pay and display car park in the centre of the village. One other guy pulled up in a VW Caddy who I nodded a 'morning' at. It was quite a mild start put with showers forecast throughout the morning I added my waterproof jacket to compliment the shorts I was wearing leaving my waterproof over trousers in the side pocket of my pack. I was soon ready to leave and joined Greenside Road passing a group of school kids then the Travellers Rest further up the road. By now I was sweating but not through load but cold sweats accompanied by another pulsating headache. It wasn't looking good.

The chap from the VW Caddy was soon on my tail and I didn't see any point in trying to keep ahead of him so I let him pass and we shared another 'morning' I somehow thought he hadn't recognised me from the car park.

The rain was actually welcome which along with a slight breeze helped to regulate my body temperature or at least that was my way of thinking...As my mum used to say, sweat a cold out.

The lad was staring out over Ullswater when I arrived at the summit turning around uttering 'would you look at that view' It was great to see such enthusiasm in the young lad. He asked me of my route and I pointed out it back out to him, bloody hell what time did you set off he asked? I told him and watched him work out my route in his head before adding, as If I needed to explain my time, that I'd been full of a cold and my pace was off. The lad told me he lived in Carlisle and had just finished work and couldn't wait to get out for a fell walk, I was again impressed by his enthusiasm. He left and thanked me for the chat telling me he was off to Sheffield Pike, watch it I replied, it's slippy! I too began my descent and arrived at the grassy col minutes later where I passed a young couple sat at the base of the path, I'd seen them ascending The Rake from my Heron Pike descent and couldn't blame them wanting to rest, The Rake from Greenside Road is a steep bugger.

The skies darkened and it began to rain but nothing of significance as I watch the shower drift over the southern tip of Ullswater towards Patterdale. I peered over towards Birkhouse Moor and the path I'd ascended by Mires Beck just under seven hours earlier, truthfully back then I was winging it, I didn't know if I'd make it to Helvellyn let alone complete the whole route as planned but as the saying goes, where there's a will, there's a way. With Greenside Road reached I kicked my feet firmly into the backs of my boots the shift quite painful but pleasurable at the same time. I could see walkers both ascending and descending the Mires Beck path as I began my descent back into Glenridding and reality.