Meet Report: 6-8 January 2023.

We held our traditional start to the calendar year with our winter LHG meet during a very wet period  over the first weekend in January.

Members assembled at LHG during Friday afternoon and evening with only John and Carol managing any activity during the day.

They arrived at LHG on Friday lunchtime. As first to arrive, Carol lost no time in getting the fire going. They then headed for Chapel Stile via Slaters Bridge, Dale End and the Burlington Slate Quarry, taking shelter from a heavy shower at the gated slate mine.

Refreshment at the Wainwright Inn was followed by a return via Elterwater, taking the rough Coniston track branching right from the road and signposted “Coniston by challenging route”. This joined the outward track where the latter headed into the woods. They checked that the Three Shires was indeed closed, as is usual in early January. It was now dark so, lacking headlights, they returned by way of the footbridge by the ford.

Martyn arrived about five minutes after our meet leader Robert who was accompanied by son Michael and John Jenkin. Cars unloaded, we were able to enjoy a cuppa and Carol’s fire. After a jacket potato dinner and Alpaca cake we contemplated the following day’s activity as the rain continued to fall.

Saturday brought more early morning rain, however a fabulous full English breakfast steeled those assembled to head out for the day. Prior to setting off we were joined by Steve and Wendy Richards who had come over from Grasmere and shortly after by a dripping President.

We set off with the idea of a circular walk that would keep us off the boggier ground and below the worst of the cloud. We headed off towards Wrynose Pass from the hut past High Hall Garth and dropping on the bridle path past Bridge End and towards Fell Foot farm after joining the road. Going past the Ting Mound we followed the road up to the Three Shires Stone near the summit of Wrynose and at that point split into two groups.

The first group of Becca, Steve, Wendy, Michael, Robert and Martyn set off on the path up to Red Tarn Moss and taking the route between Cold Pike and Pike o’ Blisco with good views of the Langdale Pikes when we had breaks in the weather. Dropping into Great Langdale, the waterways off the fells were carrying plenty and Browney Gill looked impressive compared with the summer months. Heading down past Brown Howe, after a bite of lunch, into Oxendale and past Stool End Farm we followed the track onwards to the Old Dungeon Ghyll for a brief break and a pint of local ale or a mulled wine depending on taste. Whilst in there the heavens truly opened, however the need to return the chef to LHG to prepare dinner meant that we put coats back on and headed out to return, following the track up the hill to where it links up with the road adjacent to Side Pike. We then followed the road passing Blea Tarn and dropping back into Little Langdale where Steve and Wendy recovered their car to head back to their warm cottage in Grasmere. The rest of us walked back to LHG past Bridge End to the warmth of the hut with just over eleven miles in total.

The second group of Carol and John upon arriving at the Three Shires Stone decided that they would not move as quickly as the rest of the party and so elected to go back down until they could traverse round to Blea Tarn, returning to LHG via the road and Slaters Bridge.

John and Ged, who arrived whilst we were out, formed a small working party doing some jobs around the hut including keeping in a warming fire, and a brew and Eccles cake that were enjoyed by all once dried off.

Saturday evening brought plenty of conversation and a hearty meal of carrot & coriander soup, beef bourguignon, apple strudel and custard before both Ged and Becca headed back to Ingleton in the rain.

Sunday morning brought more of the same from a weather perspective so after breakfast most headed back home.

Our thanks go to Robert for organising and leading the meet.

It would be nice to see more next year at this meet which will be held a week later and when the Three Shires should also be open.

Attending: Robert Crowther, Michael Crowther, Martyn Trasler, John Whalley, Carol Whalley, John Jenkin, Becca Humphreys, Steve Richards, Wendy Richards, Ged Campion.