It had been an incredibly hot and humid week but I was still looking forward to walking Pen and The Scafells from Eskdale, a walk that I had to put off at the beginning of June to a poor forecast. As the week progressed I began to have second thoughts, maybe I was taking too much on in that temperatures were reaching the high twenties. A couple of years back I climbed Cam Spout Crag in similar heat and was caught out by heat stroke during my ascent, feeling nauseous coupled with the cold sweats and the shivers I persevered; but to fall ill so far out was a tad nerve racking, anyway I ended up looking for different options surrounding my favourite fell, High Street.

David had emailed me on Thursday evening asking me a question about his new car and in the same email the subject changed to where we'd be walking the coming weekend. David had climbed Helvellyn that afternoon (Thursday) and explained how the heat and humidity made the walk twice has hard adding he wouldn't be going out on Friday as planned. I explained I was looking at walking High Street from Moorahilll Farm in Cawdale which was when David chirped in "that would make a great two car walk" With Rod and Michael walking a rather epic route up onto Seat Sandal, down the south ridge before ascending Helm Crag for a complete round of Greenburn David and I concreted our plan and had arranged to meet at Cawdale at 6:45am.

I arrived early around 6:30am after a witnessing a beautiful sunrise to find David already parked up, he was even facing the right way for the return journey later. After a quick swap of gear from my car to David's we left Cawdale, drove through Bampton before heading south to Mardale Head arriving about twenty five minutes later where we managed to grab the last parking space sparking the words "7:00am starts are the new 8:00am starts of old" It was a lovely mild morning with just a hint of a breeze to keep the rising temperature at bay. More cars began to arrive each struggling to park as I performed a sweep of the boot making sure I'd packed my waterproof jacket as rain was forecast for early afternoon, with any luck we'd be in Cawdale by then. Wearing just shorts and a T-shirt and with laden packs, we passed through the deer gate and began our walk towards The Rigg.

We made good time ascending Long Stile taking the ascent in our stride until we reached stone cairn at the top. The heat was stifling, oddly the wind had weakened at summit height and we found ourselves walking into pockets of heat as if we'd 'just opened the oven door'

From the direction of Thornthwaite Crag a fell runner appeared and we stopped to chat for a good ten minutes, turns out he was from Workington and was reckying what he said was 'The 50' which we guessed was the Montane 50K fell run. He'd set off from Kentmere and was heading back via Mardale III Bell, Harter Fell and Kentmere Pike, a really likeable fella who we could level with. Top chap, didn't get his name though.

We followed a familiar grassy trod before linking back up with the main path just below Kidsty Pike summit where we spotted a chap lying down looking at his phone, the wind didn't seem to bother him as we passed with a 'morning' before reaching the summit rocks from where we took in the view into the Riggindale Valley below.

It was David who first spotted half a dozen Deer on the slopes below the summit when we were joined by a young girl who came over to see what we were looking at. By this time more Deer were starting to appear arround the dammed corrie below the summit. While it was blowing a gale up here it looked nice and peaceful down at valley level.

The rain, and thankfully no thunder eventually reached us tapping at tanned skin while being whipped around by the ever strengthening wind. We still had a good mile and half to go and wondered if we'd make it back to Cawdale before the onslaught arrived. The rain continued to fall but the humidity remained, do we or don't we add our waterproof jackets? Sod it we'll continue a bit further. We could hear the gusts coming from behind and with it, more rain causing us to eventually stop and give in. Out came the jackets flapping in the wind as my arm failed to find the sleeve, I only zipped my jacket a few inches just so my chest could breathe out the humidity, I suspect David, the same.

We reached The Hause and passed between the tree copse as my car came into view. It was still half an hour away and during that time the rain teased us, looking back I should have never added my jacket, I'm sure David felt the same. We reached the valley floor and passed through an open field my car getting closer and closer before crossing Cawdale Beck at a wonderful clapper bridge. From our right we crossed paths with two women who told us they'd been for a swim, or did they mean paddle? not sure, friendly though and we joined the tarmac together both our cars just minutes away now. I looked back at The Hause to find blue skies appearing between the grey, rolling my eyes I turned to David "would you bloody adam and eve it"