Well its nearly a month since I came up for the marathon 3 week trip and I have done very little walking since then and I can feel my hill fitness draining away. The snow had certainly fell on the tops and I had come prepared with some new slip on spikes and plenty of warm kit should I need it.
The plan was to take in 4 fells today Kentmere Pike, Shipman Knotts, Harter Fell and Ill Bell but due to weather and me not feeling 100% I had to miss out Ill Bell which is a pain as I will have to come back up and do that one on it’s own.
As you can see from the picture there was plenty of snow down and I had forgot how much difference it made a lot tougher than i can remember from last year
Parked up just past the cattle grid on the right before the main path and followed this up to the summit of Shipman Knotts then a long simple track onto Kentmere Pike and finally Harter Fell. By this time the weather had seriously changed and I donned the new spikes and made a rapid descent via the shelter and decided to give Ill Bell a miss the snow was coming down pretty heavy so it was back to the car and hotel to get warmed up….
These 3 take my tally to 145/214 so I am still in with a chance of completing all the Wainwrights for my 50th in April
Kentmere Pike View
Kentmere Pike Route
so I turned back and then went up the very clear path opposite the tarn. By the time I summited one of the others had turned back and followed me so it was reassurning to know that the conditions were not right even for the Munro baggers.
