In another thread, Mike Shimwell wrote:
Hi Mike,
Boot to Bass? That's one helluva hike! How long did it take?
I've been trying to work out the route, and woke up in the middle of the night at Greenup Edge, trying to decide whether to go down to Grasmere via Far Easedale, or brave the
bogs of Wythburn and head for Thirlmere. I imagine the Helvellyn to Skiddaw leg was a bit of a slog.
Regards,
Stuart
Hi Stuart
It was a long day
I wasn't really in that good shape, but I had the idea to do it with a friend of mine in about 2002, in memory of us doing the Welsh 3000s in 95 (when I was in good shape...) We took about 13 hours all in from Pub to Pub.
As Russ lives in Cambridge he had to drive up to North Yorkshire before we could set off to the lakes on Friday night finally setting up camp about 2.30am. We then got up at about 5 or 5.30 and headed out at 6.
The route was fairly logical - past the pub in boot and along the bridleway, then right at the footbridge and up Scafell. From the top looking west I saw a fully circular fog bow, with my shadow through the middle, something I've necver seen before or since. Then Scafell Pike and Broad Crag, dropping off to High Raise and Greenup Edge. Track down to Withburn and cross the main road.
I needed a sandwich at this point, before (now walking not running) 'storming' the side of Helvellyn. It's always fun when people ask where you've come from on top of a cloud shrouded fell and the answer is faintly ridiculous.
Your right though, the leg out from Helvellyn to Skiddaw was
very long - over the Dodds, down to Threlkeld and then to Skiddaw House before turning left and across the open fell to the top. That leg looks so nice on the map, but arriving after the morning takes some of the spring out of your legs. From the top of Skiddaw it should be easy down to Bassenthwaite, but we made our only nav error of the day and spent an extra half hour going in the wrong direction
Finish at the pub for a much needed pint and food, then retire to the tent that Russ' girlfriend had kindly taken down at Boot and erected at Bassenthwaite.
It's been on my mind as I've been contemplating repeating it this year. I've got very out of shape (round in fact) over the last couple of years and have started making a proper effort to recover some of the lost fitness. At the moment it's more biking than running. Not least because I don't enjoy running too far at 15 stone, but also because I fancied trying something different and where I don't feel the need to compete. If all goes well I'll probably have a crack during the summer, hoping for one of those long but not too hot days.
All welcome!
Mike
