Buttermere Sailbeck

Sunday 8th January

We start from the old purple house (not there any more) and head straight up Causey Pike. A good climb to get things going. No problem finding the trod in the heather, there is now a trod leading straight to it. Not how it used to be. Into the mist by the time we reach the top and the wind picks up. Hat and gloves time.

Steady progress over Sail and onto Eel Crag. A quick bearing almost brings us onto the trod towards Whiteless Pike but we soon recover and are heading down this brilliant descent to Buttermere. One of the best race descents there is. Honest.

It is much warmer down here, hat and gloves come off. A short climb on the road and we are on the muddy trod heading to the steeper climb to Knott Rigg. Not a checkpoint so we contour past the summit. Colder now with the wind back and rain. Hat and gloves back on. Quickly on to Ard Crags and the final descent. It is super slippy but I keep my feet until 10 yards form the bottom when I trip over myself. Nice somersault.

Change to warm clothes and then a coffee. Back to Hawkshead Brewery, Staveley and a pint of Stout.

Nice.
Russell