KYQ4: Wainwright Finish

Monday 10 July 2023

Wainwright Finish

Rannerdale Knotts

Friday, 7 July 2023

Walk 1

Ascent: 441 metre

Distance: 7.5 metres

Time: 1 hour 43 minutes

Low Fell 415m 46mins

Fellbarrow 415m 1hr 11mins 1hr 43mins

Rannerdale Knotts 354m 29mins 48 mins

Wainwright identified 214 fells in the Lake District that have become known as the Wainwrights and the nearest thing that England has to compete with Scotland's Munros, Corbetts, and Grahams although they are generally easier to climb with good or well-worn paths that are never that far from the road network. Nevertheless, the Wainwrights are a good if idiosyncratic challenge. Gregor completed them today during our annual week in Langdale. He had started at the age of three by walking up Helm Crag and embarrassing a reluctant school party whose teacher reprimanded his charges by saying that if that small boy could do it so could they.

Today was our easiest walk of the week We did not start until 2pm and tackled the two fells: Low Fell and Fellbarrow which are accessed via the remote and beautiful Lorton Vale from Thackthwaite. The tracks are over grassy slopes. After the last couple of days, when the wind and cool weather had been autumnal, we were subject to strong southerly winds from the Sahara. We found a parking place just shy of Thackthwaite and took a path from the hamlet through a wood to some open fields that were alive with birds including some wheatears.

It was the easiest walk of the week with no need for rucksacks or anything other than a mobile phone for the map (OS Maps online) and photos. The RAF were getting in some low-flying practice over Crummock Water and Buttermere. It was a leisurely stroll with good views from both hills with the Cumbrian coast, the Isle of Man, and Dumfries and Galloway visible. We made good time and drove the 6 miles to Buttermere and parked at the National Trust car park. We crossed the road and hacked our way on a path through the giant bracken. The grassy path climbs steeply at first and then follows the ridge to Rannerdale Knotts. Gregor was moving with the same determination as the three-year-old going up Helm Crag.

I guess he had no option for the first hundred or so fells, they were part of the families' annual ritual of hill walks when staying at Langdale. But for the last few years, he has been more focused and the Lakeland fells are a bit of a treat compared to the long hard days on remote Scottish Munros. It was about 5pm and although we had thought about taking some bubbly, we decided to return to Langdale and go to Wainwright's pub and have a pint of Wainwrights Ale. We sat outside in the best weather of the week admiring the perfect evening light on Red Bank and Silver Howe, both cradling fond memories of many happy days in the Lakes over the past 60 years. As always at this pub, I reflected on whether this is where my life began. The Langdale Hotel as it was then was the place my parents had their honeymoon just over 9 months before I was born.