There were patches of cloud overnight which stopped the temperature dropping as low as Tue morning. It was -7degC when I started packing the tent up but there was a bit of wind getting up to make it feel colder. Sunrise was just after 8:30am but a bit of cloud hanging over Great End obscured it.

Sunrise above Great End

a frozen Styhead Tarn

This is my last day and I’d descending to Seatoller to catch the bus. I descended steadily down the SE ridge of Great Gable and didn’t have any particular problems. It was still partly overcast when I reached the first aid box at Sty Head. Turning left I headed down towards Styhead Tarn and was surprised how easy it was underfoot. The ground was frozen rock hard and my ice studs gave very good grip. Styhead Tarn was totally frozen over and covered in snow. As I passed I could see that someone had walked across the tarn, leaving their footprints in the snow. There was now a lot more ice about and large sections of the path were totally covered as water had come down from the hillside and frozen.

Grains Gill from Stockley Bridge

Things got very interesting as I approached the final descent to Stockley Bridge. Very large areas of the path were totally covered in large areas of sloping ice and were far too dangerous to cross. I had to constantly climb through the snow to find alternative routes but eventually managed to get down. Even on the track it was still icy in places and I wouldn’t want to be here without ice studs or crampons. As I approached Seathwaite I saw a young woman looking up at the hillside and also at her map. She asked me where the path went to cross the river. I told her it’s easy to miss as it goes through a gate and under one of the farm buildings. I showed her where it was and asked where she was heading. She said she wanted to go up Base Brown or that general direction.

I pointed to the path put going up Sourmilk Gill then asked if she had ice equipment with her. She didn’t have crampons, ice axe or walking pole. She wouldn’t stand a chance of getting even part way up the path because of the sheet ice everywhere. I pleaded with her to turn back at the first slab of sheet ice as things can only get worse. I had plenty of time for the bus at Seatoller so decided to continue walking along the road to the Stonethwaite bus stop.

Waiting for the bus near Stonethwaite

Penrith Railway Station

I caught the bus to Keswick and fortunately the 12:20pm bus to Penrith was waiting. I caught it to Penrith Railway Station with the hope if catching the 13:03 train as far as Preston. The trains were running late so I caught the Birmingham train which arrived about 13:20.

It was jam packed and I had to stand with several others in the space between carriages. There wasn’t a single spare seat anywhere on the train. I reached Preston OK and then caught the Manchester train to Chorley then the bus home.

Standing room only
or sitting on the floor