Bannisdale Horseshoe (Outlying Fells)

Brother RR who comments here has often suggested that we outdoories should include a wider ranging content in our accounts of walks, rather than boring descriptions of the route, and in particular thoughts that pass through our minds.

Well when one walks with BC there is not much opportunity for personal thoughts because non-stop conversation is the order of the day. BUT, today we had not been long on our walk before BC asked me if I knew what Boatey McBoatey was all about (if you don't know Google). I explained what I knew, but I was not sure if there was more meaning to that name than I was aware of, and made a mental note to Google when back home. That resulted in the name flying round in my head for the rest of the walk like a crazy drone. Back home I did Google, and as far as I can tell it is just a silly name that the perpetrator invented.

The Bannisdale Horseshoe is a long wilderness walk with much more accumulated ascent than a casual look at the map conveys -  2500ft plus and nine Wainwright summits with a few others he doesn't include in his list. At last we have some warm, shorts-wearing, weather which although welcome tends to take its toll.

This was the grand finale for our "winter" campaign to conquer all 116 Wainwright's Outlying Fells. From our first summit, Whiteside Pike, we had a grand view up Bannisdale, but not round the last corner to the lonely farm at Bannisdale Head. Across the valley was Capplefell Crag which caught BC's eye, as did Mere Crag across the way from the head of Bannisdale later on - once a climber always a climber. I am sure he is in collusion with Cicerone Press producing a new issue: "Wainwright's Outytling CRAGS."

So, with much regret that is the end of our little project which I reckon has been more worthwhile than I could have imagined.

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Tomorrow I am off to Chamonix with commenter Gimmer to help with a contract job he is doing there. I don't think we'll get a chance to summit Mt. blanc.

Across Bannisdale to Capplefell Crag

Down into Long Sleddale

Minimum effort put into creating this fence crossing - you still had to climb over the lower strand of barbed wire

Skeggles Tarn

Mere Crag

Route clockwise. Start/finish on road at foot of Bannisdale. The other leg to the south is Wainwright's suggestion which adds a couple of miles and more ascent