Carlisle & District Rambling & Fellwalking Club

Walk & Event Reports

Sunday 17th April 2016

B Walk

Gavel Fell

7 Miles Grade 2

Leader: Peter Rutland

Report by Peter Flynn

Photos by Pete Rutland & Peter Flynn

Had our parents had a little more imagination in the choice of names,  3/5ths of the men on today’s walk might have been Gavin or Wayne or Dwayne or some similar mellifluous sounding name – other than Peter.  Perhaps the derivation of the word from the latin  petra - a rock – has mountainous associations which our parents foresaw.  There were 11 of us,  including for her “comeback” Lauren,  who has clearly taken the “get well soon” message received “from all your friends in the Walking Group” very much to heart – helped by some heel modifications in her boots.  We headed on the well known path through High Nook Farm, with the usual dawn chorus of about 500 dogs,  then up to steep path above the nameless tarn that nestles under Black Crag, and over somewhat boggy ground to Gavel Fell.  From here it was down the hill and up the other side to Blake Fell,  the highest point on the walk.  We had an interesting excursion to take in the stunning views from Carling Knott and from there to Burnbank ,  whence a very steep descent to the Old Corpse Rd that goes above the woods at Loweswater.  We were joined on this section by a couple with a teenage son and a delightfully friendly spaniel which we “borrowed” for a group photo taken by the lady.  At this point,  Pete the walk leader (a.k.a. Pete the Policeman) produced – as all good walk leaders do – a bottle of wine (ginger wine in this case) with plastic cups that enabled us all to have a sup.  Delightful walk,  lovely weather,  great company and many thanks to Pete for leading and providing such a welcome refreshment.  As an afterthought we headed for The Craggs for tea and cakes,  but as it was closed,  at the suggestion of Malcolm,  we headed for the Garden Centre / Café at Moota (it was a second world war p.o.w. camp but they seem to have released the inmates by now) – an inspired and excellent choice and one to bear in mind for the future.

Peter