The trio are back together for a walk that Rod recommended a few weeks ago after a visit to Place Fell where he was lucky enough to spot wild deer during rutting season which in turn planted the seed for this walk. We were initially due to walk an extended route of the Lord's Seat fells but seeing as the rutting season is compressed into a relative few short weeks between the end of September and beginning of October, we put that walk on hold. The forecast was for a cold and windy day on the Lakeland fells but thankfully a bright one, so for the first time since March we were back in full winter clothing if only to keep the wind chill at bay. We had arranged to meet at Mardale Head at 7:00am where I found David gearing up at the back of his car wearing his head torch and after a 'morning' we both commented on how dark the valley was given its zero light pollution. With the head torches turned off you literally couldn't see your hand in front of your face, thankfully the skies were clear and the stars were shining bright.

We spotted two headlights heading down the valley and naturally thought it was Rod but it turned out to be a solo walker and his dog who, after a 'morning' set off with his head torch lighting the way towards Gatescarth Pass. A second set of highlights appeared and we confirmed it was Rod who parked his car adjacent to the car park wall. It's been some months since the three of us last walked together and already this walk had all the markings of being a belter. With Rod kitted up we locked the cars, left the car park and began to make our way back up the road towards the Mardale side of the Old Corpse Road three arc's of light illuminating the way. It's exactly one mile and in that time we caught up not really realising that we were giving it some pace covering the mile in about twenty minutes. Predawn light began to bless the valley and it was at this point I was finally able to take this photo of High Street over Haweswater.

We left the road and joined the Old Corpse Road and got stuck into the steep zigzags which wound their way through the ruined peat huts where Rod and I stopped for a quick photo, while my mobile struggled with the low light I gave up joining David further up the path. As the path rounded Ritchie Crag our horizon was filled with predawn light whilst our ears were listening out for the rut.

It was David who first spotted three of four deer in the hollows below Selside Pike who at first appeared as dark spots until they began to move, just an hour in and we'd spotted our first deer. As our eyes adjusted to the low light we began to spot more deer to our left and unbelievably, a Stag on the path ahead. I silently begged the Stag not to move whilst I slid my mobile from my pocket, Rod was already holding his camera and managed to get a shot as the Stag arched its head back and bellowed but I was too late, the Stag turned heel and trotted off in the direction of Hare Shaw, what a sight though...

It was during the descent of Branstree did we start to pass folk in ascent, top of conversation being the wind. As we crossed the top of the pass two walkers who turned out to be a Dad with his teenage son stopped to ask David would he mind answering a few questions as part of a field exercise degree he was doing based on the affects the rising popularity of the Lakeland fells are having on footpaths to which David agreed.

As the young man asked away I got talking to his Dad, a pleasant chap from Kendal both agreeing that social media played a huge part in Lakelands popularity. As the young lad was about to finish he asked David one final question "how do you feel personally about how Lakeland has changed post covid?" "Heartbroken" David replied.

All three of of us are seasoned fell walkers and we spoke fondly on how nice it was to be out of the summit winds "not as windy as it was on Whiteless Pike last year though" aye I nodded, back then we were fighting to keep upright, the severe windchill the furthest thing from our minds I replied. The descent from the top of Nan Bield Pass to Small water isn't quick, it's a ribbon of battered rock which twists and turns its way over stone and boulder, happen ascending is much easier. We were passed by a couple who were only wearing mid layers such the deception of the Autumn sunshine followed by two solo walkers, one a woman who kept herself to herself and then a guy with his dog who we stopped for a quick chat with "windy, and very cold up top" we explained. The guy thanked us before we joined the path which skirted around the tarn passing the two ancient stone shelters which are thought to date back at least 1,000 years. In the sunshine now feeling a world away from that of an hour ago as we watched fell competitors make direct ascents on Mardale III Bell via Piot Crag or any other unorthodox route for that matter.

The path continued to descend in and out of shade wet and dry underfoot Mardale Head looming closer with each step. At about the same time we spotted more competitors running along the west flank of Branstree, some had come to a stop on the verge of Woodfell Gill, a wide gorge easily visible from Mardale Head below but they simply climbed around the head of the gill before making their pathless descents onto Mardale Head, Mardale III Bell bound, they were like machines. Still in shade the light was fantastic illuminating the Rough Crag ridge to the north and valley below. We were to descend into chaotic scenes as the fell runners passed through Mardale Head, some not bothering to stop, others laughing and joking with one another as they took on fuel with accents I recognised and others in broken English and in amongst the crowds three blokes feeling content even if they did look like bystanders.