There was heavy rain through the night but the wind reduced. I'd hoped for an early start but the rain continued until 9am and I didn't want to walk in the rain if I could help it. I was on my way at 8:45 and continued up the path which climbs steeply to an old mine working. The entrance is collapsed but the spoil heap has made a flat area that makes a nice place to stop and take in the view. There is also a flat grassy patch where the mine entrance was which would make a good tent pitch but with no water nearby and no mobile signal it's not practical. Continuing up I joined the main path up to Dale Head summit and its magnificent cairn.

Dale Head summit in the mist

77A Bus over Honister

I was now in cloud so wasn't able to take advantage of the viewpoint. Turning left I set off down the very wet path to Honister Pass. It wasn't long before I was below the cloud and able to see the Honister quarry workings below. More torrential rain came and I wondered once again why the Met Office bother to put out forecasts as today was supposed to be sunny all day. This morning’s forecast on the radio made no mention of storm force winds. I reached the touristy cafe and shop at the quarry but had no wish to call in. I crossed the car park and followed the path along the route of the old tramway.

It’s a long straight and steady climb then over the drum house summit and down to Dubs Hut. I stopped at the hut to check that all was OK there as its been a few years since I was last here. The path below took me to Warnscale Beck where I had to use stepping stones to cross.

Dubs Hut

View of Buttermere
with Crummock Water in the distance

I followed the path to Blackbeck Tarn where there are superb views down towards Buttermere. Following the path up I came to Innominate Tarn the place where the ashes of the late Alfred Wainright were scattered. I still wonder why he chose this spot as its not particularly scenic, especially on a wet, cloudy and windy day like today. Over Hay Stacks the path was fairly indistinct in places and I finished up descending to Scarth Gap on the wrong path.

Innominate tarn looking SE to Great Gable

Innominate Tarn looking NW

No damage was done and I was soon back on track and on the climb to Seat. The wind was picking up again and becoming quite a problem. The steepest part of the day was the climb to High Crag up Gamlin End. It was a steady plod up a good path. Over the summit the going continued to be very tricky in the battering wind. A few walkers were around and as we approached our greetings were lost in the hurricane. It took ages to get to High Stile and then Red Pike and I realised that my plan of camping high were too dangerous. Over Red Pike I started my descent to find safer ground. At the branch path to Little Dodd there was a good spring but it was still to exposed so I continued my descent. Before reaching Scales beck I found a spring and flat patch to pitch my tent at just over 500m. I decided to call it a day and camp for the night. At least I had a nice view across to Mellbreak and behind the distant Solway Firth and mountains of Scotland.