It's a few days more than two years since I last spent a night in a backpacking tent, and that was only a one-nighter. My last 'proper' backpacking trip was on the GR10 in the summer of 2016. It's a bit like riding a bike, though, in that I found I hadn't forgotten how to pitch a tent, prepare an evening meal or any of the other tasks required for a comfortable night on a hillside. There was just one 'how to' that had apparently fallen out of my memory: sleep.
The upside of a wakeful night was that we got an early start. Everything was packed, the tent stowed and breakfast had in the bothy (I did peer through the windows first to ensure it hadn't become occupied during the night; a late arrival wouldn't have appreciated us clattering in just after 6am!).
Well fed and watered and with our packs feeling light (even though we were carrying almost everything we'll need for the TGO Challenge - we didn't repack to remove stuff unneeded on a one-nighter in excellent weather), out of the building we strode whereupon a decision had to be made: left or right.
The plan had been to return by following the track towards Garrigil, then skirting back around Cross Fell. The whim that took us when faced with the decision was to go back over Cross Fell. It's taken me 11 years to get around to visiting its summit, so why not do it twice in 13 hours?
In contrast to Saturday, when I scampered over the hills seemingly effortlessly, even with the pack on my back, on Sunday morning I felt positively sluggish and my legs protested at the reascent. I drew on the recollection of many mid-trip-weary Marilyn-bagging days when, during my first ascent of the day, I felt like I couldn't possibly do another X hills that day. So it proved to be. By the time we were on our way up the next lump on the ridge (Little Dun Fell), my legs had come to accept my expectations of them.
It was in between Little Dun Fell and Great Dun Fell that we passed the tent of a couple we'd spoken to on the other side Great Dun Fell on Saturday. We'd wondered what had become of them.
Our retracing of Saturday's steps only lasted as far as Knock Old Man, where we shunned the Pennine Way in favour of what could be described as 'good TGO Challenge training' as we set off across tussocks (fortunately no bogs to speak of in the current dry conditions) towards the old mine track above Great Rundale Beck.
By the time we made our way down the steep grassy slopes to the track below, the day had warmed back up to 'shorts and t-shirt' level. Being the weekend (indeed, Easter Sunday), we soon started meeting families walking up towards us and could see people making their way up and down the SE ridge of Dufton Pike.
My plan for Dufton Pike had been to head straight up its east side, visit its summit and descend the path down its SE ridge. Then Mick said he wasn't joining me on this little side trip, which meant I could stick with the plan, or walk slightly further, adding on a bit of descent/re-ascent, in order to take the side trip without my pack. I opted for the latter.
It's a steep ascent even on the path, but the ground was packed hard and was relatively smooth so I was able to make good time* and Mick wasn't waiting for long. Save for two people just finishing their ascent as I set off, I was lucky enough to have the hill to myself.
It was then just a matter of following the track into Dufton and retracing our steps back to Brampton, where we arrived just over 23 hours after setting off, having covered a total of around 22 miles with (for me) around 4700' of ascent (3000 on Saturday, 1700 on Sunday).
A successful shake-down trip, except for the small matter of sleep. I'm wondering whether we can manage the logistics of another overnighter next week so I have the opportunity of practising that aspect of backpacking one more time before embarking on a longer trip.
(* I reached the top in 13 minutes and trotted down in 5. Later in the evening I saw that the route I took (0.35 mile with 170m ascent) is a Strava segment. Admittedly the entries on that list will have been running it, but their times made my times look very leisurely.)
The upside of a wakeful night was that we got an early start. Everything was packed, the tent stowed and breakfast had in the bothy (I did peer through the windows first to ensure it hadn't become occupied during the night; a late arrival wouldn't have appreciated us clattering in just after 6am!).
Well fed and watered and with our packs feeling light (even though we were carrying almost everything we'll need for the TGO Challenge - we didn't repack to remove stuff unneeded on a one-nighter in excellent weather), out of the building we strode whereupon a decision had to be made: left or right.
The plan had been to return by following the track towards Garrigil, then skirting back around Cross Fell. The whim that took us when faced with the decision was to go back over Cross Fell. It's taken me 11 years to get around to visiting its summit, so why not do it twice in 13 hours?
In contrast to Saturday, when I scampered over the hills seemingly effortlessly, even with the pack on my back, on Sunday morning I felt positively sluggish and my legs protested at the reascent. I drew on the recollection of many mid-trip-weary Marilyn-bagging days when, during my first ascent of the day, I felt like I couldn't possibly do another X hills that day. So it proved to be. By the time we were on our way up the next lump on the ridge (Little Dun Fell), my legs had come to accept my expectations of them.
It was in between Little Dun Fell and Great Dun Fell that we passed the tent of a couple we'd spoken to on the other side Great Dun Fell on Saturday. We'd wondered what had become of them.
Our retracing of Saturday's steps only lasted as far as Knock Old Man, where we shunned the Pennine Way in favour of what could be described as 'good TGO Challenge training' as we set off across tussocks (fortunately no bogs to speak of in the current dry conditions) towards the old mine track above Great Rundale Beck.
By the time we made our way down the steep grassy slopes to the track below, the day had warmed back up to 'shorts and t-shirt' level. Being the weekend (indeed, Easter Sunday), we soon started meeting families walking up towards us and could see people making their way up and down the SE ridge of Dufton Pike.
My plan for Dufton Pike had been to head straight up its east side, visit its summit and descend the path down its SE ridge. Then Mick said he wasn't joining me on this little side trip, which meant I could stick with the plan, or walk slightly further, adding on a bit of descent/re-ascent, in order to take the side trip without my pack. I opted for the latter.
It's a steep ascent even on the path, but the ground was packed hard and was relatively smooth so I was able to make good time* and Mick wasn't waiting for long. Save for two people just finishing their ascent as I set off, I was lucky enough to have the hill to myself.
It was then just a matter of following the track into Dufton and retracing our steps back to Brampton, where we arrived just over 23 hours after setting off, having covered a total of around 22 miles with (for me) around 4700' of ascent (3000 on Saturday, 1700 on Sunday).
A successful shake-down trip, except for the small matter of sleep. I'm wondering whether we can manage the logistics of another overnighter next week so I have the opportunity of practising that aspect of backpacking one more time before embarking on a longer trip.
(* I reached the top in 13 minutes and trotted down in 5. Later in the evening I saw that the route I took (0.35 mile with 170m ascent) is a Strava segment. Admittedly the entries on that list will have been running it, but their times made my times look very leisurely.)
Good to see yu blogging again. Yesterday (Sunday) I had a hastily arranged visit to my friend Gimmer who lives in the area you have been covering. On the way I ascended Murton Fell, another trig point for my OS Sheet 91, so I must have been not far away from you. I'm back home now - 11:00am Monday. I look forward to your further adventures.
ReplyDeleteNice one Gayle, and Mick of course. It’s been so long since I backpacked I’m not sure I’m looking forward to it. We will see soon. Hope your chally goes well. ( I know it will).
ReplyDeleteWell done, that was a more robust test than the one Sue and I did last weekend, but I suspect neither of our trips tested water ingress! So the seam sealer is out, for a 'just in case' application.
ReplyDeleteI didn't realise how long it was since you last backpacked - my last outing was TGOC 2017, and Sue's was a year earlier than that!
So we're all pretty much in the same boat.
Enjoy the Challenge, and see you at Montrose parkrun on 25 May, if not before...