BGR 27th May Part 2

As we made our way from Clough Head over the Dodds the weather became increasingly worse. We were fighting against strong wind with hefty gusts and driving rain. My crew were brilliant. The navigation was excellent in very challenging conditions and the support was undoubtedly the best I could have asked for.

I was struggling to eat and Andrew McC badgered me relentlessly feeding me his own gels at half hour intervals. At some point a banana was produced which went down much easier than I anticipated. It’s hard to describe running and climbing with a stomach that feels like mine did, all I can say is that it felt heavy and ached, and I dearly wished it would settle. It wasn’t going to!

At one point (I think as we climbed White Side) Martyn, Stu and Andrew Mc C (I think, but in the dark it was hard to tell and Tom R was there too) made a human wall to shelter Helen and I. Helen made a comment about the great view which I suspect was the only time I managed a laugh on that leg. Fit men in tights, I will say no more!

When we reached the Helvellyn ridge the wind hit an all time high. I had Andrew McC on one side and Stuart on the other and between them they anchored me down but kept me moving. I remember seeing a dark abyss through the cloud; knowing there was a steep drop straight off the side with the wind blowing over it was a sobering experience. I didn’t see much of Bill and Tom P as they were up ahead navigating, with Bill sweeping for paths and trods.

The peak of Nethermost Pike is notoriously hard to find in the dark, not being particularly well marked and in a widespread sea of pointed rocks. It is even harder to find in low cloud but find it we did with no small amount of stumbling involved.

The descent off Dollywaggon Pike is grassy and very steep. In the wet, despite having the best footwear available, I slipped a few times and was glad to reach the bottom. It was sheltered there and I walked rather than ran to the foot of Fairfield relieved for a bit of respite from the wind.

I’d planned to take the grassy direct route up Fairfield but was feeling the toll of the effort so far and willingly followed the lead up the zig zaggy path. Looking at my times it was a slow climb and I remember being relieved to reach the peak. The return down was straight into driving rain, the sort that stings, making it very difficult to see. My eyes were red raw and stinging the next day.

I like the climb up Seat Sandal as it is a bit of a rocky scramble, steep enough to get my hands on the ground. It was very wet with water running down but it had the benefit of being sheltered.

The drop down to Dunmail Raise was another slippery affair and I found the going a little tricky. I was glad to see the lights below and even more pleased to hear Andrew calling me in.