Scafel Pike and Cumberland Sausage

Wasdale Head, 8th August 2017 – Kate serves a magnificent breakfast with raspberries, my favourite. We will need a few calories today. We drive to Wasdale Head and walk up Scafel Pike, with 977m the highest mountain in England. A modest height compared to the Alps, but the weather makes it a challenge altogether. You start from sea level and the wind blows in from the Irish Sea. The clouds sometimes shroud the path in fog. The rock is bare and slippery. On the top, our reward is a magnificent view on Wastwater, Derwent Water and Windermere. We are lucky, there are threatening clouds above us but below that thick mattress, it’s just fine. When we start our descent, fog covers the top and the visibility is close to zero. The sun sets quickly and it starts to rain. The campers down in Wasdale Head try to remain dry in their tents. At the Wasdale Head Inn, we order Cumberland Sausage, a pie with vegetables and potato mash with a sausage floating in gravy on top. Exactly what we need. We wash it down with a nice pint. It is an adventurous night ride back through the pitch-dark Lake District National Park. Cows and sheep lie or stand in the middle of the road and we have to stop several times and motivate them to stand up and get out of the way. We are happy to see the twinkling lights of Ambleside at Windermere. A few minutes later, we park back at How Foot Lodge. We go to sleep instantly.

Machismo on Scafel Pike (KVV)

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