High Spy with my little eye something beginning with......

After well over a year of not blogging I thought it would be good to get back on track so to speak and start logging our walks.  Now some of you may know that since New Years Day this year 2017, Chris has been out of action after breaking his leg on our first walk of 2017 and was the Mountain Rescue Service's first rescue of 2017.  A nasty slip on some grass coming down of High Spy resulted in a broken tibia and fibula and 5 months of no hills and very little movement at all.  I'm pleased to say that his leg is very much on the mend, he's been discharged from the consultant and told that he can ease himself back into excersise so with that on board, this weekend, we headed for High Spy..........where else would we go !

With the arrival of Bob in our family last September, getting away for the weekend has never been easier so on Friday night  I left work and headed for Borrowdale.

Chris, working only 1/2 day on a Friday was already there, with Bob and had the BBQ going for my arrival.

It was a lovely evening and Hollow Farm Campsite in Grange had everything we needed for a chilled relaxing stay.

A walk after dinner down by the river was just lovely with the sun setting and throwing reflections around the pooled water area.  We saw a couple of herons flying up to roost in some nearby trees and then it was bed time for us also.  A quick spray of midge repellant and we were tucked up in our Duvalays before you could say nighty night with the prospect of sunshine and a few showers tomorrow and Chris's first venture up a hill since that fateful day earlier in the year.

The morning brought clear skies and sunshine and it was a perfect start to the day.  Breakfast eaten and sandwiches packed we popped our walking boots on, checked camera equipment and headed off up the path.

The initial path took us up past Castle Crag and then over the fence and down onto the valley path before heading up right towards High Spy.  The sky was filled with all sorts of clouds, some hanging over far away fells and some just floating gently past us overhead.

On the path up to High Spy, passing the old slate mines we saw a buzzard hovering over the ridge to the right.  It was a healthy looking buzzard and it hovered for quite a while watching its prey before making its dive.   Spectacular sight.  Unfortunately I didn't have the right lens on to get a shot but it was fun to watch.


As we got closer to High Spy Chris was trying to find the spot where his rescue took place.

 It was difficult as the differing season meant that the landscape was slightly different and he was coming at the hill from a completely different angle.  We had a good look around but it wasn't until we'd gotten higher that looking back he could piece it together and remember where it was he slipped.  Not the best of memory but what an achievement, 5 months later and here he was, back on the hill.  It's amazing.

The weather of the day was truly outstanding and better than forecast.

We reached the summit of High Spy and chatted for a few moments with some marshals in a charity walk that was taking place the day

and then we ventured on to Maiden Moor and coming down off Maiden Moor we decided to take a right and head down towards Derwent Water.   We had a choice here of heading over to the little ferry terminal or to take the path back down to Grange and as we could see clearly we had just missed a boat we headed back to Grange.

At Grange we stopped at the cafe for a milkshake. (milkshake face alert!)

We'd done a fair few miles and the ice cream was most definitely refreshing.  A short 1/2 mile walk back to the campsite and the weather was starting to change.  The wind was getting up and it was increasingly cloudy.  

Coats on and after a short rest we decided on a quick walk before dinner up Castle crag

although we decided to go the long way and 3 hrs later we were back and we had just enough light left to make dinner and fall exhaustedly into our Duvalays.  What a day! What a weekend! What an achievement by Chris!  So happy to be back in the fells and fingers crossed it won't be long before we're back.   I have around 34 before I've completed all the 214 Wainwrights and Chris has about 12 so fingers crossed we can get that milestone ticked off before too long......