Howtown

Howtown on Sat 11th Aug 2012

I was a little concerned when Ash suggested I might have to try a little harder today as a potential third team counter; fortunately for me, on a rather warm and very pleasant Lakeland day, Joe Blackett turned up too to lead the DP quartet home, clearly running well again, albeit just eased out of the prizes by a trio of Borrowdale vets.  This may or may not have been due to a slight navigational hiccup on the final descent – certainly not the only DP walkabout on the day (neither Dave nor my GPS tracks should be trusted by anyone planning their own visit) – but with Ash taking chief bragging rights, having gone straight on from High Raise instead of turning right.  Luckily Ash’s intimate knowledge of Lakeland saved him the trouble of climbing all the way to the summit of High Street, but he certainly added a good few minutes to his outing. 

After a somewhat prolonged and sometimes damp climb to High Raise, the second two thirds of the route boasts some very fine Lakeland views – Angle Tarn and the panorama across Ullswater being particular treats – and a cute little sting in the tail ... ideally a gentle out and back up Hallin Fell, yet Dave, Ash and I each managed quite different, but all less than ideal lines.  The journey home was punctuated by good beer in Pooley Bridge, a fine view up the lake, some talk of nettles (it seems Dave and Ash both visited the same clump somewhere near the base of Cat Crag and nowhere near where they ought to have been), and quite a lot of Ash singing Scottish ditties off key.  This notwithstanding, I can highly recommend the trip to a less frequently visited part of Lakeland.  It’s rare indeed to enjoy a Lakeland AL for £3, with chocolate cake, flapjack and a dip in the lake to finish off.