All roads lead to Rome

Its been a long time since we set foot on the high fells and we didn't realise just how much we had missed it. The high lonely places, miles of moor and heath. The wind in your hair. exquisite vistas. Wet feet, blisters, chest pain and every muscle screaming. It doesn't get better.

We have made a resolution to get fit as I am putting on the pounds and so have decided at least once a month to undertake in some outdoor adventuring and get back onto the high fells and mountains on a regular basis. 

This was to be our first attempt to "get up there" again and get fitter before we jet off to India once more.

In order to achieve our goal we dragged our trusty Abbey up the motorway for a glorious weekend in the Lake District. This is only Abbey's second time away and we are very new at the caravanning game but we think we have taken to it like ducks to water. As of yet there have been no traumas or catastrophes to dull our enthusiasm.
We are even fully paid up members of the Caravan club.
  All the years of cussing and swearing at the "shed pullers" blocking the motorway with their plastic palaces in tow faded away as we plodded up the M6. Images of a quiet weekend in our mobile HQ and hours on the fells flooding our imagination.

You soon learn when pulling a van that there is no such thing as a rush. Rush means wobble, and wobble means trailer trash. Literally.

We had become the annoying old fart's that we so detested as youth's.

The plan was to attempt a trek that we first completed about 20 years ago. The old Roman road across High street on the eastern bank of Ulleswater. A nice easy walk that would gain us some height without the risk of a few nights in coronary care. A gradual climb from Pooley Bridge onto the high street range was the impetus for choosing this lovely little village as a base for our mountain adventure. As opposed to the alternative steep struggle from Patterdale or Howtown. I must break Crispy in gradually as she's been dormant for a while. Plus the knee was as yet untested and I don't want to risk any further injury that could impact on our adventuring in India.

We had booked into a local touring site about 20 mins walk from the village. Just far enough to stretch the legs and earn a drink in one of the local hostelries. One of the highlights of a weekend away for dear old Crispy is a cold wet walk from a warm open pub fire, along a dark country lane while avoiding the cars and motorcycles that seem to be intent on playing human skittles.

There are 3 pubs in Pooley Bridge. The sun, the Crown and the Pooley Bridge Inn. More than enough to keep us lubricated over the weekend. Its worrying that when choosing a camp site that the first consideration is how far we are from the local pub. Never mind electricity or hot showers. Alcohol is king in this respect.

After a nice evening and a good nights sleep we awoke refreshed and ready for the days adventure, A full cooked breakfast and we were fuelled and ready to go. Crispy was invigorated and the high fells beckoned.

A stroll through the village led us  up onto the fell, A glorious day. Blue skies and warm weather. The gods were smiling on us for sure. It wasn't long though before the dark clouds gathered in Crispy's mind as the miles went by and the hill kept going upwards. This dark gathering reached storm level at Loadpot Hill, approximately half way through the walk. Crispys de-meaner changed from smiling appreciation of the great outdoors to the bride of Chucky. I could see the change coming as I know the signs. First she goes quiet. Then the views loose there splendour.  Breathing deepens, pupils dilate and then BOOM. It happens. A torrent of abuse issued from her and all of a sudden it was my fault that hills go up. As a feeble attempt to keep her moving I had foolishly said that Loadpot Hill was the last "up" before a steady, easy descent into Howtown and more importantly The Howtown Hotel.

Once the summit was achieved and Crispy spotted yet another steady incline in front of her there was no going back. After several minutes of verbal abuse and no small amount of physical violence her fury was exhausted and the quiet resignation dawned  that if she wanted to get "down" to civilisation ( in particular The Howtown Hotel) then she must keep moving "up", at least for a while. At the start of our walks the topic of conversation is always the flora, fauna and history of the place we are trudging through. The incredible views, The magnificence of Nature.
 This always degenerates at about the half way point to a simple "up's" and "down's". Everything else becomes meaningless.

The next several miles went by in stony silence broken only by an occasional grunt from Crispy who was now bringing up the rear in sullen resignation. High street is one of the less popular walks in the lakes and as such the paths can become indistinct and hard to spot. This was the case in respect of our "escape route" down into Howtown. This became a problem as time was of the essence  as I had promised Crispy a steamer ride back to Pooley Bridge. If we didn't  get down in time the prospect of us missing the last steamer and a pleasant 4 mile stroll back along the lakeside did not fill Crispy with enthusiasm. 

This was just the impetus she needed and without a thought of personal safety or the countryside code she set off down a near vertical gradient in the direction of the pub.  Who needs paths when your faced with the choice of a long walk home or a pint of Crabbies and a steamer ride.

Down we went with no regard to safety in the general direction of the village which was scarcely visible in the distance.  A quick route march through farms, fields and eventually the village with complete disregard of rights of way led us to the pub.

The Incredible thing is that Crispy regains composure with the same rapid  momentum that she looses it. Five minutes and a whiff of alcohol and she is waxing lyrical about the wonderful outdoors and how much she has enjoyed the walk. Good old Crispy.

Alcohol consumed, limbs rested and off to the jetty for a very pleasant steam along the lake back to Pooley Bridge and eventually our trusty Abbey. Via the Crown, the Sun and the Pooley Bridge Inn.

First walk completed and our enthusiasm for the great outdoors rekindled we relaxed in Abbey and relived the days adventure in our tired minds.

Next week were off up to the North East for a spot of deep sea fishing and a walk along the coastal path from Whitby to Staithes. Crispy is so excited and cant wait, Bless Her..

Bare and Crispy Signing Off..

Winters coming

There has not been too much adventuring going on of late.
 Its been a very busy and eventful year in the crispy household. Our amazing daughter married the love of her life in September and most of the year has seen crispy burning the midnight oil, glue gun in hand, producing all the neccessary acruitiments required on such an auspicious occasion. Plus Crispy has had to have knee surgery to correct the wear and tear of previous adventuring. Stil its all done, she has her MOT.and we are once again free to roam the moors,mountains, jungles and deserts of this great planet of ours. Plus we completed our CBT scooter training that will hopefully allow us even more freedom to explore in the more remote places on the globe. Oh, and we mustn,t forget Abbey, the latest addition to the family. A 7 meter touring caravan which we are hoping to utilise to the full next year as a base for more local adventures.

We had no designs to travel far afield this year, January saw us in the antipodes and Malaysia. April took us walking in the gorges of western Crete. Crispy wasn,t really up for it, what with her gammy knee, but she soldiered on and we managed a few of the shorter gorge walks. Of course this was accompanied by much wailing and gnashing of teeth, but all credit to her she carried on regardless.
June saw us in northern greece near the Albanian border. A cheeky little week in our favourite Greek hideaway. I wont mention what its called as we dont want to open this petfect little secret up to a wider audience. Selfish, maybe, but we dont care.


After the wedding things calmed down considerably and one quiet evening Crispy said that she was just in the mood for some more adventuring. Not one to waste an opportunity I immediately grabbed the interweb portal and began looking for flights to a warmer climb. Destinations other than long haul are limited by the weather in November so it looks like were off back to Asia.

A few trawls through the usual websites presented me with cheap flights to Cochin, southern India. A place that we have not spent much time in. So by the wonders of modern technology the flights were booked in no time at all and we are preparing to once more step into the void.

Crispy is really excited at the prospect of trekking through the western ghats.  Hours on clapped out old buses and nights sharing her bed with numerous multi limbed creepy crawleys.

Good old Crispy, shes a lucky girl, but before we go we need to get in some training. As a special treat Im taking her to the lakes this weekend in our trusty caravan. A short hike over high street on the eastern shores of lake ulleswater to test out her new knee and see if she is up to the job in hand.

Updates to follow.......
Bare and Crispy signing off