I had a later than normal start to catch the train for Windermere. I left home just before 8am to catch the Preston bus then walked to the rail station. By buying an advanced ticket for the 10:06 train I was able to buy 2 one way tickets, out and back, for £3.30 each way. A saving of about £10 in total. I was ridiculously early when I arrived at the station and firstly bought a paper then one of the large paper cups of coffee which seems fashionable to carry around. The departure board showed platform 3a for the Windermere train but walking the full length of platform 3 took me to 3c. I had to ask and was told platform 3a was just platform 3. Just after 10am a train arrived with Blackpool on the front. I heard mutterings that the first part of the train was for Windermere so I had to ask again. The train was to be split so I got on the first part only to see the rolling text screen inside showing Blackpool North and the internal announcement saying the same. Then the announcement said Windermere. No wonder people were confused. I mentioned this to the ticket inspector who wasn't at all concerned about people’s confusion and said there would probably still be some people on the train who heading for Blackpool. I sat back and hoped we would get there on time as there is only a 2minute connection time for the train / bus transfer. I needn't have worried because when we slowed to negotiate the crossings at Staveley the 555 Keswick bus was stopped behind the barrier. That was the bus I needed to catch. We arrived at the station on time but the bus was over 10minutes late. The weather deteriorated and I had to shelter under the protruding roof area to stay dry while waiting. I booked to Town Head, which is the name on the bus stop, but had to explain to the driver where it was. Just at the start of Dunmail Raise, I said.

I stepped off the bus just before 12 noon. The cloud base was very low and it was drizzling with that look of 'set for the day' about it. I set off down the lane and turned right just over the bridge. It was nice to see a few walkers coming down the lane but I don't suppose they were so glad to be in the rain. At the end of the road I stopped at the gate to remove my rucksack and pack some stuff in it before setting off up the fell. Just as I stopped a group of cheery youths with large backpacks came down from the high fell and stopped to shelter under the trees. They looked in their late teens and seemed perfectly happy in the drizzly British summer, though like me they must be wishing for some bright sunshine. We exchanged smiles as they headed down and I headed up. The path by Green Burn is very green, very wet and very muddy. Making matters worse were the wet overhanging ferns.

A wet Town Head.

A wonky date stone at Town Head

The lower part of the valley is very wet and even as I started the climb to Moment Crag there was squelchy bog. I'd climbed through the cloud and even though the light rain continued the views opened up a little. On the ridge I turned right to look for a suitable camp. I tried to avoid the open areas because of a strengthening westerly wind. Nowhere seemed ideal but I found a spot above an area with some running water, though it was very brown. The rain increased as I pitched the tent but in the brief moment when some cloud moved away I could see down Far Easedale.