I'd wrote myself off this weekend after going over on my left ankle whilst descending Carnedd y Filiast last weekend which resulted in a bruised and swollen ankle which I rested all day Sunday, but there was no avoiding the working week. Sundays rest day along with ice, elevation and enough Ibuprofen to knock an elephant out saw the swelling subside but the bruising remained but at least I could pressure on it. By Thursday I was able to confidently take the dogs out on our usual 3 mile walks and truth be told, my ankle felt good and more importantly my confidence was returning so with the Bank Holiday looming I looked at the possibility of heading to the fells.

Given how busy Lakeland is right now choosing somewhere to walk is becoming a minefield and although I keep telling myself 'it's the school holidays' Lakeland has become a mecca with no signs of it slowing down and with that I had chosen to walk Harter Fell and Hard Knott from Jubilee Bridge, Eskdale before I remembered about the River Esk and Lingcove Beck pools which are attracting record numbers of not just youngsters but adults too, so I knocked that walk on the head for another day. A couple of weeks ago I had mentioned to David that I wouldn't mind returning to walk High Street from Mardale Head which I thought would be the perfect 'come back' walk for my ankle knowing how well I knew the terrain. The only thing keeping me back was how quickly the car park at Mardale Head fills up so I planned to arrive well before 7:00am. It had been a quiet drive north witnessing the cracks of pre dawn light open up across the eastern sky, the shock of finding the car park at Mardale Head almost full didn't come as much as a surprise these days where I managed to grab the last parking spot witnin the walls of the small parking area, outside, cars with dew on the them lined the lane as if they'd been there all night.

There's been some shocking reports over the summer with tents and rubbish left on the fells but the three I saw and spoke to today, appeared to be the genuine types. Anyway, moving on. I didn't expect to be adding a jacket with sunshine forecast from sunrise to sunset but the temperature was only just breaking into double figures plus, there was also a brisk wind howling around car park so I added a windproof if only to take the edge off before the morning began to heat up.

Despite how busy the car park was there was only me kitting up so I took my time ensuring boot laces were tight especially on my left boot putting full trust in my Meindl Bhutan's. The first few steps are always the most important my left foot felt confident to cope with whatever lay ahead. I had no real plan for today other than I was eager to get boot onto fell, the type of eagerness which dwelled on me last night wishing the morning would come quick, just skip the sleep so to speak. Today I also treated my bladder-pack to a new bite valve after my old one leaked Summer Fruits all over a spare pair of Meindls I carry in the boot. I'd known the valve had been leaking for weeks after having to blow back the fluid after sips but did I do anything about it, did I heckers like. A few minutes had passed and Mardale Head was still as quiet as I found it but there was no point enjoying the silence, I had fells to climb.

The low water levels at Haweswater are becoming more and more common as each summer passes noting how the water line now started half way along The Rigg exposing the ruins of Mardale Green so much so, the southern tip of the reservoir resembles a football pitch rather than a reservoir. I had made good time reaching The Rigg whilst cursing my decision to add the jacket until I was down to just a T-shirt.

I ignored the two short cuts one of which ascends steeply from the far right of the picture, the second less steeper and closer to The Rigg were both flanked in dewy bracken and I didn't fancy getting soaked so early into the walk.

I was feeling in good fettle and more importantly so was my ankle but I still didn't have a plan until I got to this point where I decided after visiting Mardale Ill Bell I'll cross the top of Hall Cove and visit Thornthwaite Crag next.

We were too far away for a chat but these must be the two tents the lads spoke about on High Street a few minutes earlier.

I left Thornthwaite Crag and headed north whilst looking forward to summiting High Street again wondering if I should officially count it as a second summit or not be so pedantic and just count it as one summit, one summit sat nicely.

I crested the summit and continued northwards finally passing the summit over my right shoulder from where I could hear voices above the wind. There was definitely no need for another trig point moment.

Four walkers were approaching Kidsty two from the direction of Rampsgill Head and two more from Kidsty Howes. I shook Daniel's hand and wished him good luck, Daniel smiled back and with that I left Kidsty and began the long descent as grey cloud began to take over above. It was incredibly mild the cloud doing a grand job of trapping the heat causing the humidity to ramp up another notch, with dried sweat etched across my forehead it truly felt like summer again and I tried to put it to the back of mind that this was the last Bank Holiday of the year. I continued my descent cracked peat underfoot as I topped out on Kidsty Howes seconds later my view back up towards the summit was gone. I was impressed to find that Fix The Fells had been carrying out work on the rock steps below Kidsty Howes building a stone stair case into the rock replacing the easy, but awkward step-downs - they'd done such a good job I thought.

I reached the lower half of Kidsty Howes where a wide grassy strip was flanked by bracken; their tips turning brown for as far as the eye could see. I'd spotted a family of four approaching Bowderthwaite Bridge below but they never emerged on the other side. Steaming hot now as I zigzagged my descent soon arriving at the marshy ground below which to my amazement was semi-dried. Feet aching now more so after the steep descent so I kicked them into the backs of my boots the shift feeling heavenly. I heard the family who I'd seen earlier who by now were sitting on boulders tucking into a picnic, I nodded a 'hi' as I passed and received hi's back in return. After a short pull I passed through the Riggindale standing stones which always feel like some sort of red carpet event, more so as I entered a small coppice of trees where I passed through a wooden gate which I remembered being replaced a couple of years back noting the return spring had lost some of its strength. Just a mile or so to go as I looked back through Riggindale grey topped the ridge line but I could see pockets of blue opening beyond. I rounded The Rigg and began the descent back to Mardale Head sighting the odd car attempting to park only to drive off after finding the car park was at bursting point. This was confirmed when I arrived back but there was only one other guy opposite me who asked me of my route and likewise. I think I knew there was no way I was going to let the last Bank Holiday of the year go by without a return to High Street.