More of a Grisdale round really as I’ve summated three Wainwrights in this walk, but lets start why I’m here at all because up until yesterday I was having a weekend away from the lakes, giving my back a rest & watching Wigan sink ever closer to the Championship, as it goes yesterday afternoon I was at my parents painting fence panels & talking like you do about Latic’s with my dad about how we are more than likely going down, I was grilling Martinez for his senseless lack of tactics, playing players out of position you get my drift generally ripping the back out my own team, when my dad says I wouldn’t mind going you know Paul its a sell out isn’t it? yeah dad it is I said, so here’s me thinking brush in hand, you know what sod it I’m gonna shoot up the lakes rather than watch Wigan get pasted by Arsenal, after watching Wednesdays performance against Pompey I’d rather pull my own teeth out… and now I feel like I’ve been side swiped by a 10 ton lorry, Owen my son rang me on my way home “dad we’ve won 3-2!  Watson, Bramble & Zogbia, here’s me, just joined the M6 not knowing whether to laugh or cry, I’d just missed one of Latics best home wins, I cant dwell on it because on the flip side I’ve just spent a whole day in the lakes & summated 3 more Wainwrights so it should be smiles all round & would of just been a perfect day hadn’t I lost my brand new sunglasses

Wainwright Guidebook

Ullswater & today Ill have to mention I’m wearing my new socks, felt like a kid getting up this morning “New socks yeaah” only for the simple reason last weekend while ascending Robinson for the first time I developed a rather nasty blister on my right heal, & no amount of compeed could take that away, the type of blister you can poke & point at until it pops .. yeah nasty.. so I knew it wasn’t the boots it had to be the socks & I’m still or was wearing some Brasher season 4’s & yeah there’s my problem, warm sweaty feet (I mean that’s me all year round!) so the feet had swollen & now its coming summer I can’t go round with my father Christmas socks on! So this week I’ve treated myself to some Smartwool Light Cushion, I know I’m going on a bit here but these socks work! yeah I had no problems with the Brasher’s knee deep in snow, but for me they held in the sweat, now these Smartwool don’t, today I’ve covered nearly 10miles & drove home in them & they were bone dry! I’m like to the kids,touch my socks touch em!! er no dad its ok we believe you!

Looking towards Dollywaggon Pike & Nethermost Pike, I don’t see where this rain is going to come from forecast, it was said to give a little am then become brighter pm …maybe just maybe they’ve got it wrong again.

Least I’m on the right track!

Cova Pike on the left & Dollywaggon Pike on the right, there’s still a lot of walking to be had before I reach Grisedale Tarn.

The isolated Ruthwaite lodge perched right under Nethermost Pike.

And after a mile or so ..

A quick coffee & a sit down & I’m thinking Seat Sandal..

My first summit of the day Seat Sandal, I can’t get over how steep that path was, I always akin the steepness of a path from way back when I did Middle Dodd & for those who have scaled this you’ll know just what I’m on about, if Middle Dodd is lets say a 7 then this or my aching legs thought definitely a 6! Paul, you haven’t ascended Fairfield from Hause Gap yet!

A very hazy view of Grasmere, Windermere & Coniston from Seat Sandal.

The unmistakeable bowl of Great Gable.

St Sunday Crag, Deepdale Hause & Cova Pike, & just out the picture to the right is Fairfield linking Hause Gap.

And looking straight down in to Grisedale with an appearance of  Ullswater from Seat Sandal.

Hause Gap from my descent.

Fairfield from Hause Gap, its going to be a tough one!

Great Rigg Summit from my ascent.

Looking over to Dollywaggon Pike, Nethermost Pike, Helvellyn & Striding Edge.

St Sunday Crag, Cova Pike & Deepdale Hause from my descent Fairfield.

Deepdale Common.

Looking back at Fairfield, Grisedale Tarn & Seat Sandal.

Helvellyn, Striding Edge & Catstye Cam.

St Sunday’s summit coming in to view.

St Sunday Crag summit with Striding Edge & Helvellyn. Shortly after taking this my batteries went in the camera which is unusual because they got a full charge along with my GPS the night before, so while eating a late lunch I went about swapping the batteries out of my camera with the batteries from the GPS which really was fine on a day like this, so off came the backpack, sunglasses down, butty box out & set about changing the batteries over, great camera working again & GPS packed away, pack up & lets get to my final fell of the day.

Helvellyn Catstye Cam & Striding Edge from St Sunday Crag summit.

Looking towards Angle Tarn & High Raise from Gavel Pike.

Hartsop Above How,Hartsop Dodd & Stony cove.

A whole host inc Hartsop Above How,Hartsop Dodd,Gray Crag,The Knott & High Street from Gavel Pike.

And right at this point ohhhhhh shit!! I’ve left my new Bloc Billy sunglasses on top of Sundays summit !! here I was 200Mtrs down crying nooooo…they were £30 new, worn only once previously but not 200Mtrs worth, I’m in a pretty shitty mood

If anyone reading this please & you picked up a pair give us an email.

The path flanks left of the Fell here, & my summit is  on the faint path heading right.

Sheffield Pike & Gowbarrow Fell.

My final summit of the day, Birks.

Place Fell ahead & my descent route of Birks.

And back at the White Lion in Patterdale, should i go in & put up a poster”Have you seen my Bloc Billy’s!)

And to add insult to injury the first thing I saw when I opened the car door, ..we didn’t even have the chance to get to know each other!

Other than the sunglasses another great day walking on the Fells & with that epic win over Arsenal I’m not complaining at all.