Whittle Wanderers

Shap, Keld, Swindale, Wet Sleddale. Wed 13 Oct 2004
I picked Eric up at the usual time of 6:15am but this time we have an extra member in the Whittle Wanderers team, Eric's grandson Jimmy. At least he reduces the average age of the group quite a bit. The drive up the motorway to Shap seemed extremely dark and gloomy. At the northern end of the village we turned down the narrow lane to the SW and on to the small group of dwellings at Keld. It wasn't quite 7:30 when we arrived but at least it was light. We parked the car here and headed off under an overcast sky. A couple of local men were just in front and asked where we were heading, so I told them. "It'll be raining within 3 hours," we were told. "When it does we'll think of you" we said, and carried on. The narrow tarmac lane took us as far as Tailbert Farm where we left the dry ground and headed off SW towards Swidale across some very boggy ground. Bog and wet are to be the 'theme' of this walk. Approaching the valley the views opened out quite a bit and although still gloomy and dull the fells were picturesque, though a bit of sunshine would have helped considerably. The well-made path dropped to the valley bottom and we crossed by a footbridge just above a water intake weir. We then followed the narrow road to the head of the valley and south into Dodd Bottom.
	No shortage of waterfalls in Swindale.
The area was mainly ancient drumlins left behind when the valley glacier retreated. After a short coffee break we followed the old quarry access track steeply up the fell side. Then we were following the west bank of Mosedale Beck across fairly wet ground. The bridge across the river soon came into view and although that was our way back to the car we still had another call to make. About a mile further on was Mosedale Cottage, a perfect place to stop for lunch. In 1999 it was extensively renovated by the Mountain Bothies Association and is now a perfect haven for walkers. Inside we found comfy chairs and flag floors.
Mosedale Cottage.

	Eric filling in the logbook in Mosedale Cottage.
Jimmy soon became a bit too comfortable and after lunch took some persuading to 'rise and shine'. Wherever a logbook is to be found Eric makes an entry and this was no exception. I'm not sure what he wrote but he was at it for quite a while.

Boyd, Jimmy and Eric by the entrance to Mosedale Cottage..
When our flasks were empty we retreated down the valley and over the bridge. Yet another soggy path headed to the NE and soon we were in Wet Sleddale. I suppose the clue is in the name. The sky still threatened rain but it managed to hold off. After passing the reservoir we cut across the fell trying to find the path shown on the map. But there was no sign of it. We crossed Thornship Gill at the dam and followed the track back to Keld. About 15 mins before we arrived the rain started. The man we met at the start of the walk was almost right, except for the time.