I’m going to take a break from writing this blog. I’ll be back at the beginning of September. I have a couple of interesting (to me) bits of gear arriving from the US over the next month. I’m also planning a trip to Scotland in the second half of September. I’ll check for comments but there won’t be any more posts until September. Hope everyone has a great summer.
Wednesday
The rain overnight was ferocious, but the wind wasn’t too bad, although this might have been just perception as the Scarp remained rock solid throughout. If I had been in the Laser Competition, it would have been much noisier.
After first light, the rain slackened and became intermittent. During the night I had some concerns that might pitch might become flooded as I could hear the rushing water nearby. However, when I poked my head out of the tent I was still well above the level of the river. Despite this, the rain had turned the Esk into a raging torrent from the gently meandering beck of the previous day. It occurred to me that crossing it might be a bit of a challenge.
By around six o’clock the rain had more or less stopped and I had breakfast. I opened the door for the view. The clouds were constantly changing in a never ending dance with the mountains. Sometimes they blotted the view completely and at other times, they lifted to reveal the impressive cliffs of Dow Crag and Esk Pike. I also saw Cam Spout at its best. Every so often there would be a surge of water which hurtled out over the waterfall, suggesting a spout. If I had been on the other side of the river, I would have climbed up to have a closer look.
The next few hours were spent gazing out of the tent door at this ever changing scene. I was in no hurry to move on. A group of lads turned up at Sampson’s Stones. After pitching their tents, they ascended the slope to the crags, presumably for a bit of climbing.
By eleven o’clock, the weather had improved substantially, so I had lunch and packed. I was off just before midday. Instead of following the river, which was difficult as it entailed crossing a tributary, I decided to skirt eastwards around Great Moss. I was glad of the Gore-Tex over-socks as the ground was very wet.
It was hard work, with a certain amount of backtracking to find a reasonable route, but eventually I found a path below Gait Crags along the side of the valley, which was a bit drier. The respite was only temporary as opposite Little Narrowcove, the squelching resumed with renewed vigour. I gave up trying to avoid immersing my shoes and adopted a speed strategy.
I was beginning to get a bit concerned that I wouldn’t find an easy place to cross the river. I needed to get to the other bank to follow the path up to Esk Hause. Fortunately after a confluence, there were some boulders that made a crossing reasonably straightforward.
The climb up the Tongue was easy and nearly dry underfoot. However the passage through the gorge near the top was quite arduous, hopping from boulder to boulder and crossing the beck several times. I was being extra careful because I was unsure of the grip of the Roclites.
However, there were no mishaps. The higher I climbed, the stronger the wind and I was grateful for the hood on the Lightspeed jacket. Eventually I reached the Hause to be greeted by a break in the clouds and some sunshine.
I headed towards Allen Crags and then turned east in the direction of Angle Tarn. I met a couple of other backpackers coming in the opposite direction. The path was easy with mainly pitched slabs, although, again, I was careful on the wet rock. At Angle Tarn I had a brief stop to look at the crags and have a drink. Then, I headed down to Langstrath, following the beck that issues from Angle Tarn.
Where the beck hits Langstrath proper I had a major problem. I just couldn’t see a way across the raging beck. After about 15 minutes of fruitless searching and a bit of boulder hopping, I headed down towards the confluence with Allencrags Gill.
This looked fordable, so I took off my socks and over-socks. I figured it would be better to wear my Roclites as they were wet anyway. This was the one time where I was actually pleased that I had opted for the Roclites rather than the Fastpackers.
Using my walking pole as a third leg, I crossed. It wasn’t too bad. On the other side I dried my feet, squeezed out my shoes and put on my socks and over-socks. I was amazed that my socks were only damp, rather than soaked.
By now the sun was shining pleasantly. There were a number of small stream crossings and some patches of marshy ground, so my shoes remained wet. The wind freshened appreciably, which surprised me as I thought that Langstrath would be sheltered.
I was on the lookout for a pitch but couldn’t find anything so I crossed the bridge over Tray Dubs. This was the real Tray Dubs, not the waterfall that I took for Tray Dubs when I was last here, and mighty impressive it is too.
It was well after five o’clock and I was beginning to get worried that I would have to go much further down the valley. Fortunately, just after the bridge, on the western side, there was a reasonably flat site that gave some protection from the wind.
The tent was up in a jiffy and water boiled for Pasta Bolognese. The weather was becoming progressively cloudier, suggesting that it might rain overnight. However, in the late evening, the clouds dispersed and the wind dropped.
Thursday
After a good night’s sleep, I awoke to find there had been no rain overnight but the cloud had returned and looked threatening. I decided to return to Langdale via Stake Pass, partly because my ankle was a bit sore from turning it the previous day but mainly because the lure of a shower was irresistible.
Breakfast was over quickly. I surprised myself with the speed of my packing and I was away by 8.30. I figured a leisurely stroll should see me back to Langdale by lunch time.
While the climb up Stake Pass is not very inspiring, the views back to Langstrath and the spectacular waterfalls of Stake Beck maintained my interest. I felt a spot of rain, so I put on the pack cover and resumed my climb.
Further up, the path was being restored, making the climb a bit tame, although it was clearly needed as the erosion on the lower path testified.
Near the top of the pass, the valley widens out to form an impressive drumlin field. Indeed, if you know what you are looking for there is plenty of evidence of glacial erosion and deposition in the Langstrath and Mickleden area. As an ex-geography student I rather enjoyed indentifying these as I went along.
As I reached the summit of the pass, I could see Bowfell capped with cloud. As usual, Mickleden was dark and mysterious. However, Langdale was dappled with sunlight. Perhaps the weather would hold off.
On the zigzag path down to Mickleden, I met numerous walkers toiling upwards. Passing the ruined sheep enclosure there were three tents not very subtly positioned for a wild camp. The path back to the camp site was quite rough on my feet. I stopped briefly to remove my Gore-Tex socks to give my feet some air.
On the crags below Harrison Stickle there were some climbers scaling one of the rock faces. By noon I was back at the camp site and after a quick shower I had lunch. Returning to the Thor for a snooze, disaster struck. As I closed the inner door one pole snapped. I tried to detach the pole but in doing so it ripped the roof of the tent. After removing the pole I patched the hole with some duck tape.
It was lucky that I had enough tape as it rained overnight. I spent the rest of the afternoon lazing around and writing up some notes. It had been an enjoyable and interesting stroll. Although I hadn’t walked a great distance, the camp beneath Scafell had been a wonderful experience and I intend to return soon.
Apologies for the tardiness of the write up, but retirement means a different pace of life: there’s always tomorrow!
Monday
The vague plan for the week was to camp in Eskdale, Langstrath and on the ridge of Glaramara if the weather was OK. I had never walked up Eskdale and the prospect of camping under Scafell was exciting. I was also eager to renew my acquaintance with Langstrath and camp a bit further up the valley.
I don’t like leaving the car in public places, so I decided to use the National Trust camp site at Langdale as a base to leave the car and my base camp tent. It’s been 21 years since I’d last camped there. It’s not changed that much except it’s become more hi tech with card operated entrance barriers and better showers. The position is second only to the NT Wasdale camp site, with glorious mountains all around, but dominated by Bowfell glowering over Mickelden.
The fees have increased, costing £44 for four nights, but at least the showers were free. I hadn’t booked but there was plenty of room. The downside though is that the field set aside for those arriving on spec is rather lumpy and stony. However, with a geodesic tent, it didn’t really matter.
As I started putting up the tent, there was a smattering of rain, but it soon cleared and the rest of the afternoon was quite pleasant. I had a lazy afternoon and evening, sorting gear and finalising what I was going to do. In the evening sunshine, there were an amazing number of almost tame rabbits grazing between the tents.
Tuesday
After a good night’s sleep, courtesy of the camper’s best friend: ear plugs, I rose reasonably early. I had a final sort of gear with a few last minute inclusions (mug and long sleeve base layer) and exclusions (shirt and silk pyjama trousers).
As I was putting my surplus gear in the car, the guy from the car next to me sidled up and asked whether I wrote a blog. Fame at last! It turned out that this was Alan Rayner, who also writes a blog and he recognised me from my pictures. We had a pleasant chat for about half an hour, mainly about gear, than I was ready for the off.
As I sauntered down the lane towards Stool End, there was a tremendous commotion behind the trees. A helicopter took off from Middle Fell Farm, with some kind of shed panels dangling from it. I watched it for a few minutes as the pilot carefully inched his way along the valley, taking care not to let the panels swing too much, which was a bit of a feat as there was a gusty breeze. It disappeared around the end of The Band towards Hell Gill and I didn’t see it again.
Just after the farm I passed an old chap with three dogs, who may have been the farmer, but he wasn’t very communicative. Originally I was going to take the path up Hell Gill, but AW recommends The Band, so The Band it was. While the views are good and either side and back to Langdale, The Band is a bit of a trudge.
The Weather was cloudy, which was not ideal for photography at times the breeze was quite brisk. Not far from Three Tarns, Alan and Sheila caught up with and overtook me. Brief greetings were exchanged and the observation that the weather felt like it was on the turn and there could be rain by the afternoon.
At Three Tarns, I decided to have elevenses. I sheltered behind a large rock outcrop and elevenses turned into lunch as I devoured my cheese sandwiches. I can remember camping at Three Tarns as a lad, but couldn’t remember exactly where we pitched, but it brought back some good memories.
The descent to Lingcove Beck was more difficult than I had anticipated, partly due to the path and partly due to my Roclites, which are a lot less secure on loose rock and steep grass than my normal Fastpackers. As I result I was slower and more circumspect than I normally would be.
As I reached the beck the weather brightened. I found some debris from an aircraft or helicopter. Subsequently, I’ve had a look on the internet, but can’t find any reference to it. As there are only two pieces, I presume that it wasn’t from a crash, rather some pieces falling off.
After crossing the beck dryshod, I started to encounter some marshy ground. Having revelled in the breathability of my shoes, I now found the downside and my feet got wet. As Lingcove Beck turns west, the path improved and the beck entered a ravine. Unfortunately the path is a little way from the ravine so I couldn’t inspect it at close quarters.
I was hoping that the improvement in the path would help my feet dry out, but this remained a forlorn hope for the rest of the day. Just before the confluence with the River Esk, there are a series of spectacular waterfalls, which required some detailed photographic examination, slowing me down further.
The bridge just before the beck joins the Esk is a graceful arch of stone. After crossing the bridge, I joined the Esk with a sharp pull up Throstle Garth. I passed a couple of groups, who were dressed in gear for “canyoning”. Unfortunately the path up Throstle Garth is a little way from the river, so there were only glimpses of the various waterfalls.
Just before Scar Lathing, the river goes through a delightful gorge. To the north there were tantalising glimpses of Scafell and Scafell Pike. The path on the eastern side that I was following is easy, but the one on the western side looked a good deal more challenging, crossing small scree slopes and hugging the gorge wall.
On reaching Scar Lathing the valley broadens out, but only when the river turns north is the true majesty of the upper Esk revealed. On the west are the crags of Scafell and Scafell Pike, to the north Esk Pike and to the east Bowfell, a truly spectacular amphitheatre.
Great Moss is aptly named as it is a huge squelchy marsh. I decided to put on my Gore-Tex over-socks (somewhat belatedly) to prevent a further soaking. Opposite Sampson’s Stones I came across a reasonable pitch just above the river. Not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, I decided to call it a day, even though it was only half past three. As I put up the tent it started to rain.
After putting up the tent as quickly as I could, I dived in. The shower only lasted a few minutes, but it was a foretaste of what was to come later that night. When it stopped I filled my canteen with water. I did consider whether to pack up and cross the river but I was unsure whether there would be a better pitch on the other side and whether the weather would hold, so I decided to stay put.
It was a wise move as soon the rain started in earnest. The wind freshened, although it was not as strong as I expected. Tent induced lassitude took over and I dozed, had my dinner and generally lazed around.
As the evening drew on the rain became heavier. I discovered that the Scarp was not as watertight as I thought and adjusted the fastening loops on the inner to ensure that any drips fell harmlessly on to the inner tent material rather than the more vulnerable seams. With darkness, the rain and wind picked up in intensity and repaired to my sleeping bag for some kip.
During the night, at about one o’clock, I was woken by flashing lights. At first I thought it might be lightening. I poked my head out of the tent and saw torch beams lighting up the cloud near Cam Spout. They lasted for only about five minutes. I was glad that I was safe and dry in my tent.
On the “One pot to rule them all” post yesterday “Obvious” posted a comment about a new material called “Sugru”. This is a silicone based substance that can be used to modify or mend all kinds of materials. After moulding it to the desired shape it takes about 24 hours to cure. I can see lots of uses for backpacking, in particular, insulated pot handles. The web site is here. There’s a Daily Telegraph feature on it here.
My photos are now loaded on Picasa. Hope you enjoy them. I used my usual strategy of taking loads of photos in the hope that some come out OK!
P.O.E. Ether Elite 6. Just when you thought the NeoAir was the ultimate sleeping mat solution, up pops this baby. The main reason for buying one was Chris Townsend’s comments in TGOM and the fact that he’s using one on his next trek.
The Ether Elite was the star of the trip. It was very comfortable, even better than the NeoAir.The longitudinal air chambers are better than the horizontal ones in the NeoAir. Firstly, they help to keep you “centered” on the mat, helped by the outer tubes being slightly larger. Secondly, the deep valleys between the tubes meant that the sleeping bag has a small amount of loft under most of your body. There is also some wadding stuck to the inside of the upper surface of the tubes on the torso area to help insulation (shown above). I was a bit sceptical that it would make any difference, but it seemed to work and I never felt cold. Even my feet on the uninsulated part felt fine.
I didn’t count how many puffs it took to inflate, but it seemed quite easy to inflate. The valve is very positive and the mattress didn’t seem to lose air overnight, in contrast to the NeoAir which seems to deflate modestly. The surface is quite slippery but warm to the touch. Again, I prefer this to the NeoAir, where I find the grippy surface prevents me from turning in the night.
I really liked the mummy shape as well. It doesn’t dominate the tent in the way that a full rectangular mat does. I was concerned that my pillow (Exped inflatable) would slip off the mat. The simple solution was to use a bit of shock cord with a cord grip and tighten it around the pillow and mat (below). This worked perfectly. The mattress folds down neatly, taking up next to no room and weighs 390g. I’m really impressed by the Ether. It’s the best sleeping mat I’ve used. My only word of caution is that it may not be long enough for taller people. I’m 5’9″ and my feet were right at the end of the mat.
Evernew 640ml pot. There’s not much to say about this except that it worked. I liked the extended handles with silicone grips. Unlike my Snow Peak Solo pot, I didn’t need to use a cloth to pick up the pot. It was very useful to have volume markings. However, I did take a mug. I just prefer drinking tea from a proper mug. Joe is probably right, if you want just one pot, the pasta pot may be better as is has mug type handles.
Rocky Goretex socks. These were a real saviour on the second and third days. I really hate wet feet. Using these in conjunction with some Chocolate Fish merino and possum wool socks were an excellent way of keeping my feet more or less dry and warm. Yes there is some sweat when the shoe is soaked, but it was at a surprisingly low level. These have a more fitted shape than the Trekmates socks. A definite thumbs up.
Cumulus 350 Ultralight sleeping bag. Although the down quality is not as high as some others, this bag is the most comfortable I have. I think the rating of -3c is way too optimistic for me, more like +3c. I’m thinking of getting the Cumulus Quantum 350 as a slightly warmer bag as it has higher quality down.
Ibbo peg trowel. Just the best solution for a toilet trowel.
Bivvy boots. I took my fleece bivvy boots. Just great for lounging around the tent and keeping your feet warm. They also help to dry out damp socks.
Things I wished I’d taken. Waders/DryWalkers, it’s quite rare that stream crossings are a problem in the Lakes but they were on this trip. Fastpackers, you know the story. Paramo 3rd Element Jacket, enough said!
It was a bit naughty to write the previous post hinting at some gear issues and leaving you lingering! I’ll write up the actual trip notes a bit later, but I thought you would like some feedback on gear related issues. It’s worth putting this into some kind of context. From around 3 p.m. on Tuesday until 6 a.m. on Wednesday it rained a lot and was quite windy. It was particularly bad overnight. Here’s a picture of the River Esk, before and after.
Before
After
Scarp 1. Generally the Scarp held up well to the wind and rain. It was much more stable than the Comp (or indeed the Akto), even without crossing poles. I had no problem with “misting”. However, there is one area of weakness. The loop that secures the crossing poles at the apex of the arch wicks water into the interior of the tent. It drips down onto the loop that secures the inner tent and then into the inner itself. I disconnected the link at the apex and left the apex hook connected to one of the vent hooks, so any drips fell on the inner fabric, not the seam.
I’ve been in correspondence with Henry about this and it appears that I’m the only person to have suffered this. It was heavy, horizontal rain, like having a hose directed at the tent. I think the issue is with the loop rather than the whole pole arch. Nonetheless, I am going to seal the entire pole arch inside and out and work some sealant into the loop and see whether this cures the problem.
Let’s put this into context, it was an inconvenience in some severe weather and not a major problem. It was annoying as I have never suffered on single drop of water inside the Comp (proving the pole hood works!). Hopefully a bit more sealant will cure the problem. Overall, I’m still really pleased with the Scarp. It’s very stable and I love the amount of space and two porches. All the mods worked. Under the groundsheet I used a space blanket weighing 50g. To me this seems worthwhile protection against stones and moisture. To others it will seem superfluous.
Inov8 Roclite 320s. I really tried to like these, but they just don’t suit me for this kind of walking. It is worth emphasising, that I’m not criticising the quality or functionality of the shoes themselves, just how they affect me. Firstly, the good points: lightweight, flexible, and breathable. Now the bad ones (for me!):
I’m going back to my Fastpackers. For me, they are much more comfortable in just about every way. I will use the Roclites again in more undemanding territory as they are generally quite comfortable. I’m glad I tried them out, but they are not the right solution for me.
Gossamer Gear Mariposa Plus. While this is a really fabulous pack, comfortable to carry and holds a surprising amount of gear, some of the stitching is coming away on one shoulder strap and there is a hole in one of the mesh pockets. The stitching is not critical as the vertical stitching appears to take the load. Nevertheless I’ll see if I can get it repaired. It is almost inevitable that the mesh pockets would be vulnerable. I probably should have taken more care. I am now wondering whether to get a more robust pack. The ULA Ohm looks the most likely candidate.
Shoulder strap
Pocket mesh
Marmot Thor. What killed the Thor? As Jeff pointed out, it’s built like a tank. Unfortunately I had a pole failure which led to a rip in the outer tent. I closed the inner door and there was a loud crack. The pole had splintered. In trying to release it, the sharp edge pieced the outer tent producing a 5cm rip. I patched it up with some duck tape. Ironically, even without the pole, the Thor is still amazingly stable. Had I not ripped the outer, I could probably still use it. However, it is an excuse to buy another base camp tent. Even though the Thor is massively over specified for my use, I love it and might get another. I’ll have a look around and see what alternatives there are.
Pole failure
The patch
I’ll do some more gear observations in another post.
I’m back from the Lakes. I feel a bit disoriented! I had a very interesting Tuesday night camping by Sampson’s Stones underneath Scafell. A severe test for the Scarp 1, which survived but I’ve found a problem. Eskdale is one of the most fantastic places on earth. There were a couple of other gear disappointments and the demise of the Fortress to report. I’ll put everything back in order when my brain starts functioning again. Over 200,000 pages views since starting the blog. How much free time do people have???
Wednesday morning apres le deluge in upper Eskdale
I’m off to the Lakes this morning. I won’t be back until late Friday. I doubt whether I’ll do any live blogging as there’s unlikely to be a phone signal for most of the time. Toodle pip!
Looks like the weather curse is striking again. I’m off to the Lakes on Monday. The forecast is for rain and high winds on Tuesday night and Wednesday after weeks of fine weather. I may have to tweak my gear to accommodate a sudden turn for the worse. I’m wondering whether to take a better jacket than my DIAD.
My POE Ether Elite sleeping mat arrived today. It actually weighs slightly less than the manufacturer’s specs at 390g vs. 396g. First impressions are good. After inflating it, I had a little lie down and it seems very comfy. The insulated area seems warmer. I like the tapered shape and the longitudinal tubes. The deep valleys between the tubes give the down in the sleeping bag modest room to loft, which might help insulation. The proof of the pudding is in the sleeping. I’ll report back next week.
I’ve been writing this blog for nearly three years now. In that time I’ve commented on a lot of gear, giving views and occasionally suggesting areas for improvement. I’ve not sought out manufacturers and distributors. Neither have I solicited gear for review. What has surprised me has been how few comments I have received from the outdoors trade. Do the “professionals” read blogs and do they care?
The biggest surprise has been that Terra Nova haven’t been in touch about my Laser Comp mods. In my view, these have significantly improved a good tent. In fact, if they were to allow me, I could suggest a few more that could be designed into the tent that would make it an even better tent.
I’m not bothered about charging for my time or ideas or, indeed, blagging free kit. I do this for fun. My restless mind is always looking for improvements in whatever I do, and that includes backpacking gear and techniques. What prompted this line of thought was a blog entry where POE had bothered to answer some issues on their Ether Elite mat. Well done POE for engaging with the bloggersphere.
I’m off on Monday to the Lakes. This has been brought forward slightly, so the planning is a bit more fuzzy than usual. I was interested to read that Chris Townsend doesn’t do detailed planning for his long treks. While I’ve always been quite flexible during a trip (my influence on the UK’s weather patterns is legendary), I’ve usually had a quite detailed plan of where I’m going.
This time I’m aiming to walk up Eskdale, possibly Scafell Pike, along the Glaramara ridge and back up Langstrath. This will be a comparatively gentle walk as it looks as though it will be quite hot. I’m putting together gear at the moment.
It looks as though the base weight will come in under 8kg, but it depends on electronic and photographic gear. I wish I had my Duomid, as I could be knocking on 7kg, and it would be ideal for this kind of weather.
Two bits of new gear will be on test. First is the portapow USB charger that John Hee featured. This looks like a great bit of gear for charging my iPhone. I used it to charge my iPhone with two ordinary alkaline AA batteries last night. It did so very quickly. The batteries got quite hot. I tested them for charge at the end and I suspect I might be able to get another half charge out of them. I’ll test it with lithium batteries next.
The other bit of gear that should arrive today is POE Ether Elite 6 sleeping mat. I was interested that Chris Townsend had chosen this for his next trek out of all the mats he tested for TGO. While I really like the NeoAir, I don’t like the grippy surface, hence my silk cover. The Ether appears to have a smoother surface.
The short NeoAir with cover weighs 360g. The Ether Elite is around 400g (it will be interesting to see whether the manufacturer’s weight is accurate!). For 40g more, I get a full length mat with good insulation around the all important torso area. While I don’t mind sleeping on short mats, it can sometimes lead to a pain in my knees as I’m a side sleeper.
Over the last week, I’ve been wearing the Roclite 320s rather than my Hi-Tecs for dog walks. I’m really pleased with them. They are probably the most comfortable pair of shoes I’ve ever worn. The ache that I had in my right foot has disappeared. They feel like walking in bare feet except that the sole is pleasantly cushioned. Walking on pavements and grass is not a huge test. Next week they will get a bit of a bashing in the Lakes.
