A night in a car on Wrynose Pass, getting thrown out of the Wasdale Head Inn, sheltering lost teenagers, climbing 3500m worth of Wainwrights… just your ordinary KMC meet.

The Wasdale meet started out in glorious sunshine for the advance Friday party of Becca, Mich, Stevie and Lynne who basked in the heat at Wallowbarrow, climbing Digitation VS, Western Wall VS and Thomas S. Jared headed out on the MTB over Eskdale and Mitredale to Burnmoor Tarn and back down the spicy descent to Eskdale. Luke was hoping to tick off another Wainwright… but the car gods once again had other plans. (Top tip – don’t get a lift with this guy, he’s an RAC frequent flyer). After a puncture on Wrynose Pass at around 5.30pm, and stuck wheel nuts, the RAC estimated getting there at around 10pm. One can only assume that was a typo, as they finally showed up at 10am on Saturday (top tip #2 – don’t use the RAC!).

Saturday was clear but with a nippy breeze – perfect for Caroline to drag Dave and Nat over Wainwrights 207 – 212. They headed up Kirk Fell, over the Gables and Base Brown and descended down to Seathwaite past the waterfalls of Sourmilk Gill. According to Strava, they achieved the women’s 6^th fastest hiking time down segment “Base Brown Descent of Almost Certain Death” and lived to tell the tale. Seathwaite campsite has taken glamping to a whole new level: sofas and a TV, Peleton, a full set of dumbells. There's nothing quite like the escape of camping in the great outoors. After a dip in the pools of Grains Gill, they headed up Seathwaite Fell and took in the gorgeous evening views from the Corridor Route back over Lingmell. Either Caroline was too busy watching the sinking sun over Wastwater, or just knackered from 2100m of climbing, as she decided somersaulting was the quickest way down the descent.

Meanwhile the climbing party made the trudge up to Scafell, shivering in the unexpectedly normal temperatures. Lynne and Matt ascended Moss Ghyll Grooves VS while Becca & Harry, Andy L & Mich took on Moss Ledge Direct and Jones’ Arete VS. Stevie and Jared did Right-Hand Edge and Pinnacle Face Direct HVS (via a foray onto Moss Ledge). The group headed to the Wasdale Head Inn for a well-earned pint. Details remain hazy, but Jared befriended a couple of tattooed lads from Derby whose aim was more ticking off pints than Wainwrights. Rising noise levels from the uproarious group led to a ticking off from the staff and heading back to Brackenclose for dinner and drinks.

As night fell, a couple of teenage girls, seeing the sign further up the track pointing to Eskdale past the twinkling lights of the hut, knocked on to ask if they could charge their mobile phones. It is unclear whether they couldn’t believe their luck when they were greeted by a bunch of rowdy climbers, or whether they were horrified at what us old people get up to. Batteries charged, they tried to work out how to get back to Eskdale Youth Hostel. As it was around 5 miles away, over a big hill in the dark with nothing but a mobile phone torch for company, our kindly climbers offered them a bed for the night. Our intrepid girls decided they’d rather face the darkness than the perils of a stay in the hut – so headed out to wait for an Uber. Turns out the Uber are even less reliable than the RAC round these parts, so they reluctantly accepted an offer of a bunk and set out back over Burnmoor the next morning.

Sunday was The Big Day. It dawned grey and drizzly. It stayed grey and drizzly. Becca and Mich headed out for a swim, Andy and Matt sauntered over Illgill Head and Whin Rigg while Jared headed off on the MTB. But for Caroline, it was time for Wainwrights 213 and 214. Slight Side and Great End. The eagle eyed among you will spot that there are two minor inconveniences of Scafell and Scafell Pike (along with the fun bit round Foxes Tarn) in between these two. Luke, Nat and Dave joined Caroline in heading across pathless terrain and into the cloud to Slight Side and its memorial to the two Hawker Hurricanes and their pilots who sadly met their end here in August 1941. Nat and Luke wisely descended down Lord’s Rake from Scafell while Dave and Caroline continued across Mickledore, Scafell Pike and the boulder fields of Broad Crag to the bitter (Great) End. Wainwright 214 complete with celebratory carrot cake.

Bag your Wainwrights, climb at Napes or swim in Wastwater from FRCC Brackenclose at Wasdale Head.

The high crags and tops of the Scafells & Great Gable are all within striking distance for both climbing and walking. If the weather gods aren't smiling on the mountains, there's Buckbarrow and Wallabarrow.

Brackenclose is one of the more modern FRCC huts as it was refitted after a fire and has a fabulous location looking down Wastwater. For KMC members, it's just £14 a night as a kindred club. I've reserved beds for the Friday and Saturday - add yourself to the meet and I'll be in touch to sort out payment 2 weeks before the meet.