The first sequence describes a short trip made shorter by being unable to get an early taxi from Seascale to the foot of Yewbarrow. The ascent of Yewbarrow I found tough with my heavy sack and, due to the late hour, camped at Dore Head. Next day, with no water left (there was a drought and the small tarn was dry), traversed Red Pike, skirted Scoat Fell and climbed to Pillar mountain top. From there I dropped to the Black Sail Pass and found water just beyond. Made the traverse under Kirk Fell to Beck Head and further on camped just below Grey Knotts. A ten hour day. A descent next morning to the Honister Pass and, via pub lunch in Staveley with a friend, travelled home. Very hot weather.
The second shows how an ambitious idea to travel from the Kirkstone Pass to Blencathra was made short by long delays in transport, bad weather on Red Screes and serious indications of back problems. After traversing Red Screes I camped in heavy rain at Scandale Tarn. In clear and hot weather the next day I traversed Dove Crag, Hart Crag and Fairfield, descending to Grisdale Tarn to camp. I decided I could not go on because of lower back pain. The next morning I walked down to Patterdale and booked into a hotel. I realised that this had been my last solo wild camping walk. But the map of my journeys in the Lakes was now almost complete after six years.
But it left just an ascent of Sharp Edge on Blencathra to complete to whole tour. This happened but only after one abortive attempt. See below.
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