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Route details:
Day1 Day2 Day3 Day4 Day5 Day6 Day7
Day8

Ravenglass to Dalston backpack – 31 May to 7 June 2008

The actual route is shown below:

 

Map of route

Detailed itinerary
Note the timings shown are based on 4 km/hour and 600 m ascent/hour, compared with
Naismith’s formula which is 5 km/hour. Total time excluding stops may slightly exceed these estimates.
Note that steeper descents will take longer than estimated, but overall timings should be reasonably accurate.
The total distance was about 145 km (91 miles) [2007: 126km], with ascent of about 6227 metres [2007: 7000m] and a total estimated time, excluding stops of 46 hours [2007: 43 hours] walking.
   

                       

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Saturday 31 May
Rendezvous in Timperley to leave at 9.30 am. Gary arrives Friday evening, Sue E arrives via flight arriving 7.40 then train or taxi or bus,
Andrew drives to Timperley for coffee (at his leisure).

Drive to Ravenglass - park at narrow gauge railway station and donate £20 at ticket office.
Acquire lunch here or en route.

1      Ravenglass Railway Station            SD 085 964                                        
1->2     5.31km             166m ascent                1 hr, 36 mins                      
2
     High Eskholme                              SD 117 978                          
2->3     2.65km             48m ascent                    45 mins                     
3
      Muncaster Head                           SD 140 989                         
3->4     4.57km             74m ascent                 1 hr, 16 mins                     
4
       By Gill Force                               NY 178 002                     
4->5     1.56km             40m ascent                   27 mins                           
5    
Doctor Bridge                   NY 178 002                     
5->6     0.91km             24m ascent                   16 mins   
6
        Eskdale YHA                               NY 195 010            0870 770 5824        
One room with 4 beds, Sue E in a B&B.   Hostel meal, breakfast and packed lunch.      
Totals for Day 1: 15km, 352m ascent, 4.3 hours walking (actual 4 hours 10 mins including 45 mins stops).
Report here

View of the Ulpha Fells from near Muncaster Head
A view of the Ulpha Fells from near Muncaster Head

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Sunday 1 June                                 
6->7     7.07km           980m ascent                 3 hrs, 24 mins 
7         Sca Fell                                      NY 206 065          
7->8     3.12km           17m ascent                      49 mins                                      
8
         Maiden Castle                             NY 183 056                   
8->9     1.71km          312m ascent                     57 mins                              
9           Illgill Head                                 NY 168 049            
9->10    3.22km           75m ascent                     56 mins                    
10         Path junction                              NY 145 027                   
10->11   1.18km           1m ascent                      18 mins                 
11         Another Path junction                  NY 143 037                               
11->12   1.06km          21m ascent                      18 mins
12         Wasdale YHA                             NY 144 044             0870 770 6082    
One room with 4 beds, Sue E in a B&B.  Hostel meal, breakfast and packed lunch.
Totals for Day 2: 17km, 1406m ascent, 6.7 hours walking (actual 8 hours 30 mins including 2 hours stops).

Alternatively if Sca Fell is missed out – 14km, 708 metres ascent (Notchy did this).

Report here

Sue2 on Sca Fell
Sue climbs purposefully up Sca Fell, with Burnmoor Tarn and Illgill Head behind

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Monday 2 June                          
12->13   2.26km          46m ascent                      38 mins 
13          Path junction                              NY 157 061                 
13->14   5.35km        644m ascent                 2 hrs, 25 mins 
14          Col at 700 metres                      NY 148 108                   
14->15   0.41km         92m ascent                       15 mins    
15           Haycock                                  NY 144 107                  
15->14   0.41km          0m ascent                        6 mins
14           Col at 700 metres                    NY 148 108                
14->16   1.11km        136m ascent                       30 mins             
16            Little Scoat Fell                     NY 157 114         
16->17   1.21km         97m ascent                       28 mins                         
17        
Wind Gap                    NY 168 118      
17->18   0.43km        103m ascent                      17 mins                         

18            Pillar                                    NY 171 121      
18->19   2.28km         29m ascent                      37 mins 
19            Path junction                           NY 191 114              
19->20   1.42km         20m ascent                      23 mins                                     
20            Black Sail Hut                         NY 194 123            07711 108450   
4 beds in dormitories, Sue E has booked separately.  Hostel meal, breakfast and packed lunch.
Totals for Day 3: 15km, 1167m ascent, 5.6 hrs walking (actual 8 hrs 5 mins including 1 hr 50 mins stops).

Alternatively just go over Black Sail Pass – 14 km, 674 metres ascent, or (much longer) go over all the tops.

Report here

Ennerdale
The view down Ennerdale, with Haystacks above Black Sail Hut, and High Crag beyond,
with remains from the notorious forest (now partly felled) in the foreground

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Tuesday 3 June                       
20->21    1.47km       247m ascent                      47 mins                                   
21            Path junction                           NY 205 124             
21->22    1.72km       116m ascent                      37 mins                                     
22            Hay Stacks                             NY 193 131           
22->23    0.48km         5m ascent                       8 mins                         
23             Path junction                          NY 189 133         
23->24    1.24km      327m ascent                       51 mins                                
24             High Crag                              NY 180 140            
24->25    1.59km      166m ascent                       40 mins                         
25            High Stile                              NY 167 147            
25->26    1.19km       55m ascent                       23 mins                               
26            Red Pike                                 NY 160 154        
26->27    2.21km        0m ascent                       33 mins
27            Scale Force                            NY 150 171             
27->28    1.46km       13m ascent                       23 mins                                    
28        Path junction                NY 163 169        
28->29    2.21km       44m ascent                       28 mins
29
           The Fish Hotel                       NY 174 169          
29->30    1.84km       55m ascent                       33 mins
30            Dalegarth                               NY 186 159            017687 70233
1 double and 3 single rooms.  Eat in Fish Hotel and get lunch from Dalegarth.
Totals for Day 4: 15km, 1028m ascent, 5.4 hours walking (actual 8 hrs 40 mins including 2 hrs 20 mins stops). Plus the 4km return trip to the Fish Hotel for a meal.

The shortest route is only 6 km, the one described is the longest. 
There are many possible short cuts.

Report here

Crummock Water and Grasmoor
Descending from Scale Force towards Buttermere, with Crummock Water and Grasmoor in view
Buttermere and Fleetwith Pike
Buttermere with Fleetwith Pike and Haystacks, from the lakeside path

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Wednesday 4 June                         
30->29    1.84km      42m ascent                        32 mins                                     
29           The Fish Hotel                        NY 174 169            
29->31    0.26km      24m ascent                        7 mins                                  
31            Camping Barn at Buttermere   NY 173 171                                          
31->32    0.84km     183m ascent                       31 mins
32             Path junction                         NY 179 177              
32->33    1.91km     435m ascent                   1 hr, 12 mins 
33             Path Junction                        NY 183 195   
33->34    1.86km     166m ascent                       45 mins           
34            Grasmoor                               NY 174 203     
34->35    2.91km     181m ascent                   1 hr, 2 mins
35            Hopegill Head                        NY 185 221       
35->36    3.49km     32m ascent                        56 mins         
36            Path meets road                     NY 175 252                    
36->37    1.03km      8m ascent                        16 mins
37             High Swindale                      NY 169 245                
37->38    1.61km      1m ascent                        24 mins                                     
38            High Lorton                           NY 161 255            
38->39    0.98km      1m ascent                        15 mins 
39            Path Junction                        NY 155 260   
39->40    0.69km      0m ascent                        10 mins 
40        
Path Junction               NY 152 263   
40->41    3.38km     61m ascent                        57 mins                          
41
           Byersteads                            NY 147 288            01900 822223
2 double and 1 twin room.  Eat across the road at Hundith Hill.
Totals for Day 5: 21km, 1134m ascent, 7.1 hours walking (actual 7 hrs 40 mins including 1 hr 45 mins stops). Plus the 1.5km return trip to the Hundith HillHotel for a meal.

Alternatively avoid Grasmoor – 19 km, 600 metres ascent.

Report here

Grasmoor
The last lap to the summit of Grasmoor, with Crummock Water behind

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Thursday 5 June                             
41->43    5.32km      55m ascent                   1 hr, 25 mins                           
43
            Cockermouth centre                NY 122 307                        
Buy lunch for the next two days in Cockermouth.
43->44    7.70km     175m ascent                  2 hrs, 13 mins 
44             Path junction                          NY 166 336 
44->45    4.21km      49m ascent                   1 hr, 8 mins                
45             Junction                                NY 199 321
45->46    1.62km      25m ascent                     27 mins    
46             Link House                             NY 197 312           017687 76291
2 double and 1 twin room.  Eat at the Wheatsheaf Inn, Embleton (a half hour walk, but we got a lift from Keith),
or more luxuriously at the famous Pheasant Inn (a 10 minute walk).

Totals for Day 6: 19km, 304m ascent, 5.2 hours walking (actual 7 hrs including 2 hr 10 mins stops). Plus the 2.5km walk back from the Wheatsheaf Inn.

Alternatively take the southern version of the Allerdale Ramble, and save 30 minutes.

Report here

Team photo
The team assembled outside The Old Homestead

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Friday 6 June                     
46->45     1.62km      17m ascent                   26 mins                                   
45            Junction                                NY 199 321       
45->47     1.09km      17m ascent                   18 mins                                     
47        
Armathwaite Hall entrance    NY 208 323        
47->48     2.58km      51m ascent                   44 mins                                     

48            Bassenthwaite                         NY 231 322            
48->49     3.60km     186m ascent                1 hr, 13 mins                                        
49            Orthwaite                              NY 252 341 
49->50     2.39km      62m ascent                   42 mins
You may find one of these on this section

50            Longlands                               NY 266 359       
50->51     2.53km     105m ascent                   49 mins    
51             Green Head                           NY 286 370              
51->52     2.07km      53m ascent                   36 mins   
52             Fell Side                              NY 304 375   
52->53     2.58km      46m ascent                   43 mins           
53             Path junction                         NY 323 378         
53->54     3.32km      14m ascent                   51 mins    
54             The Oddfellows Arms Caldbeck  NY 325 397          016974 78227                             
1 double and 1 family room.  Eat in the pub.
Totals for Day 7: 22km, 551m ascent, 6.4 hours walking (actual 7 hrs including 1 hr 40 mins stops).

We should really have gone over Skiddaw…31 km, 1447 metres ascent!

Report here

Buttercup field
A buttercup meadow near Green Head

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Saturday 7 June                     
54->55     4.92km       78m ascent                1 hr, 22 mins                                 
55            Sebergham                              NY 356 418   
55->56     9.19km       76m ascent                2 hrs, 25 mins             
56             Bridge End                             NY 369 487  
56->57     2.26km       10m ascent                  35 mins            
57             Dalston Station                       NY 365 505            
Train back to Ravenglass - £12 for a single ticket. (Sue and David adjourn independently to Langdale.)
Trains leave Dalston at 12,49, 14.36 and 15.53, arriving at Ravenglass at 14.24, 16.06 and 17.21 respectively.
Totals for Day 8: 16km, 164m ascent, 4.4 hours walking (actual 5 hrs 15 mins including 1 hr 30 mins stops).

Report here

Caldbeck
Caldbeck village

Total trip   145km  6,227m ascent   46 hrs      

Essentials

All participants are recommended to be members of the Youth Hostels Association or an
affiliated body.  YHA membership costs £15.95 and can be obtained by completing
the on-line form.
Alternatively you can pay a supplement of £3 each night.

 

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Kit List

This list may include items not everyone will need - it's intended as a checklist and
whilst not exhaustive does cover both essentials and luxuries!  Obviously weight should
be kept to a minimum and advice on the most effective kit can be provided.

Rucksack – 35 to 50 litres plus waterproof liner
Silk liner for use in youth hostels if you don’t like their cotton liners
Cagoule / Overtrousers / Fleece / Sunhat
Gloves / Balaclava or woolly hat
Torch (small)
Walking-poles (optional)
Walking Socks (2 pairs) / Underwear / Wicking shirts (2) / Handkerchiefs
Water Bottle(s) / mug
Food for snacks / special teas / other special requirements / Lunchbox
Trainers or sandals for evenings/ Boots or all terrain shoes
Camera / Binoculars / Film / spare batteries for torch and camera / Tripod
Pen / Paper / Book to read / Bog roll
Clock / watch
Glasses / contact lenses (for the poor sighted )/ Glasses case / Cloth Cleaner
Sunglasses / Suntan cream / lip salve
Boot Wax
Toothbrush / Toothpaste / Dental floss / Shampoo / Razor (if prone to hairiness)
Comb / Travel Towel
Lux Flakes or similar to dunk sweaty underwear
Cash / Tickets
Timetables / other papers / Addresses for postcards / This List / Keys
Favourite tapes / CDs / personal stereo)

Additional items for leader:
Maps
Emergency shelter
Stove / Pan / Mugs / JCloth / Knife / Spoon / butty bags
Matches / needle / thread / tape
Elastoplast/ Aspirin / Diocalm / Savlon / Wipes
Compass / Whistle / First aid kit
Can Opener / penknife

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