Borrowdale (Tebay) Tues. 19th. May 15

The weather forecast was for frequent heavy showers, some maybe wintry later in the day on high ground. In fact, as we drove up the motorway to the start of the walk it looked even worse than that. The Howgills and the Lake District were totally shrouded in black cloud, and rain was bouncing off the road. Would this carry on all day we asked ourselves?

At least we were able to put our boots on in the dry, but it was cags. and overtrousers on as our group of 11 members set off up Borrowdale at the start of the walk. Our route soon headed up the track on the south side of the valley, made very muddy by tree planting contractor's vehicles, to join the ridge near the repeater station masts, Low cloud and showery rain spoilt the walk over Whinfell Beacon. However by the time we reached our morning coffee stop below Mabbin Crag, the sky had cleared, and there was an ever improving picture as the day went on. We were now able to enjoy very fine views for the remainder of the walk.

Our route from Mabbin Crag followed the ridge to Ashstead Fell, then dropped down to the stepping stones over Borrow Beck, before taking the bridlepath up Breasthigh Road to Borrowdale Edge. Now on the Northern ridge overlooking Borrowdale, we followed this to it's end on Jeffrey's Mount, taking lunch partway along. We then made our way down to Roundthwaite and along the road to Lune Bridge, where Julie felt she'd had enough and headed back to her car. Under the conditions (very wet underfoot) most of us were feeling the effects and we had to grit our teeth at times as we climbed onto the ridge to the east of the M6, and along it to Blease Fell. After taking in the views for the last time, we dropped steeply down to Carlingill Beck, then along the quiet road back to our cars. A little more than 16 miles in all, although judging by people's comments at the end, to most of us it had seemed further than that.

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Stan.