A Wild Camp on Yarlside
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| Paul, Me and Dave |
I had a week off and the weather as normal didn't want to play ball, trying to plan a nice weather trip was like, trying to dive into a swimming pool without getting wet.
Plan A was to meet up again with friends of mine doing the coast to coast, Chris & Alex. Dave, me and Paul were to meet up with them, in short it went tits up and Chris had another injury, plan A was fooked.
Plan B I would plan to wild camp on top of Pillar summit meet up with Alex on the way either before or after depending where he was. Have you guessed it yet? plan b down the drain, Dave who was coming with me had to work night shift meaning he wouldn't be finishing till morning and then after a few hours sleep, he would be too late for my planned trip.
So all plans well all 2 of them had gone tits up within minutes of a few texts messages and phone calls.
So we needed somewhere close so not to be travelling for hours, Yorkshire Dales or the Howgills it was to be, I left it up to Dave to pick where as he had been to both areas more than me. The Calf was his first choice and then he came back with well in fact he did like Yarlside better. So not to get all confused I agreed to the Yarlside and set it in stone so to speak.
I kept Paul in touch on what was happening am sure he would have been dizzy with all the mountains we had planned to camp on lol. All done and place to meet fixed, the excitement began.
I can't help feeling like am going on holiday, even if it is to spend 1 night on a hill in my tent. I spent the whole morning with my gear on floor making sure I had not forgotten anything, then packed it all up.
I was to take my summer bag first time this year, and the thought of me being freezing kept passing in my head was I making the right decision?, I took it anyways, I had my down jacket and would sleep in that.
Picking Dave up at 2pm I set off a few minutes early and text him to say I was on my way, I soon got a text back to tell me to take my time, he had only just rolled out of his cot.
Picking Dave up he sat in car and I went through a few things "you haven't forgot anything? sleeping bag, bivi, food etc" he jumped out and back in the house he went, he forgot his walking poles for his tarp/poncha.
Off we went to meet Paul, near on 20mins into the drive, Dave had forgotten his sleeping mat, what to do turn back and be 40mins late, a bit chat and we continued to the Howgills, Dave was going to see if had just packed it and not realised.
We got on the A66 and not too far along this road to the lakes, a car pulled along side me, I turned and looked at it but it hit the brakes and went back behind me, very strange was it someone having a kick off, I had been chatting away to Dave and maybe I had been driving too slow.?
Looking in my rear view mirror I could see a massive bloke in a fiesta, it was only Paul. Chances of that happening was unreal I was about 10mins late off waiting for Dave, so we both drove the Howgills.
Once we had parked cars and had a little chat (can't stop me once I start talking). We headed up following a path we shouldn't have been on, too busy gassing like old women. So a short cut to the ridge of where we were suppose to be on was had.
It was hard on my feet walking on the side of a very steep hill is never a joy, until we got on top of the ridge and my feet could relax back the way they should be flat and walking straight. With plenty of stops just to take in the views and enjoy the surrounding area, fitness had nothing to do with it (honest) ;-)
We reached the top which took us hours, I reflected on how hard it would have been walking up Pillar from Wasedale for my poor unfit body, was knackered of this little hill.
We all got straight on with putting our shelters up, I had my Hilleberg Soulo, Dave with his Terra Nova Jupiter and his rubberised poncha/tarp, Paul had his Terra Nova Voyager.
With all our shelters up it started spitting onto rain, which made for a good excuse to get some food on I was starving, a Look What We Found meal was on the Reactor Stove within minutes of thinking about it, I was eating it, the biggest reason why I keep going back to my MSR Reactor.
I would continue this method for every time it started to rain I would stick another meal on , I had 3 in all with 3 small bread rolls and washed down by a mixture of Brandy & Coke. We stopped up till after 11pm, talking about everything from gear to things that were going on in our lives, a truly good night only spoiled by rain.
I had rented a film on the google play thingy, so when we all called it a night, I had the documentary film called Knuckles, which I enjoyed for 99p, it was on special it passed the rest of the night away.
I have missed out that Dave had in fact left his sleeping mat and Paul give him a fleece to wear or put under him to stop a bit of the cold getting to him, Dave being Dave he used it as a pillow and was freezing, he didn't get much sleep.
I woke at about 4am and took a look outside to see what weather was doing it had cleared a bit but it was far too early for me to be getting out of my pit, so off I went back to sleep.
Waking to Dave shouting rise and shine I had slept in, it was well past 8am so up and about I was laughing at poor Dave and his restless night, I may add he fully blames me for rushing him, sorry Dave lol.
I got my bacon on and drink of orange, once that was eaten and drank. I started packing away, Dave was all packed ready to get down and back into the sun for a warm.
We headed down and not far from the bottom at about 10:30am I suggested a relax, we all agreed it was lovely and sunny, we kicked back for half an hour just having a laugh, chilling on the hill.
After that we decided to hit the pub for a quick pint and more laughs at Daves expense. It was a good trip in the end and am sure one Dave won't forget soon.
