With David and Jennifer on holiday in Dartmoor today I'm teaming up with Rod again to walk the classic that is Great Gable and Kirk Fell from Honister. When you think of Great Gable and Kirk Fell you instantly think Wasdale Head which is probably the common dominator but for me the most enjoyable way up these two giants is from Honister Mine and the reason for that is simple.

The views from the ridge linking Grey Knotts and Brandreth down into the Buttermere and Ennerdale valleys are out of this world. Okay, today we weren't quite so lucky as unscheduled summit cloud limited our views during the morning but once the cloud lifted it was like looking into a slice of heaven.

Rod joins me on the back of walking not just the Kentmere Horseshoe but a rather epic Grisedale Horseshoe this week which included a traverse of Striding Edge and ended on Arnison Crag so you might think Rod might be wanting to take it easy today. There was no chance, Rod's engine just kept motoring.

Rod was already there when I arrived at the lay-by and I only just managed to grab the last space right next to Rod's car "not like you to be running late Paul" I know I had an unscheduled stop at Castlerigg Stone Circle and in the end all I managed was a couple of rushed photo's I explained. Rod had been there since 07:45am and was ready to go all I needed to do was lace up my boots, shoulder my pack and lock the car. It wasn't exactly tropical so windproof's were added safe in the knowlegde that they'd be removed within the hour but they took the bite away for now.

With the cars locked we set off towards the top of Honister Pass only being passed by the odd car or two. We soon arrived at the junction where a gravel road leads onto the mine overspill car park. It's from the other side of the car park does the steep ascent on Grey Knotts begin.

We followed the cairns all the way towards the summit and found the couple who had over taken us while we were sat in the summit shelter on Green Gable on the other side of the summit rocks. I joked that I was going to write a strongly worded message on Trip Advisor referring to the lack of views on Great Gable and I think that the couple thought I was serious until I laughed it off.

We made a small navigational error and found we were walking towards the Westmoreland Cairn which, had we had the views we would have visited so the error was corrected and we began the rocky northerly descent towards Beck Head.

I was getting a tad worried because I couldn't see Rod around about the same time a lady approached me and said "hi it's Paul Sharkey" I was a little shocked (sorry if your reading this as my mind was still on Rod's whereabouts) We had actually met before on Hartsop above How back in August 2020 and to meet again was something special. It was really nice to see you again.

A young lad and his girlfriend caught wind of our conversation and he too was interested in who I was which was a little uncomfortable because he had no idea who I was. The couple had set off from Seathwaite and had ascended Aaron Slack, traversed Stone Cove and were about to descend to Wasdale Head for lunch before returning to Seathwaite via Styhead Pass. During that conversation Rod appeared over the lad's shoulder and started to make his way across Beck Head and after saying goodbye to the young lad I joined Rod.

"is my arse clean" he laughed "slid a few times did we" I laughed back. Before our ascent on Kirk Fell we de-layered and re-shouldered our packs. If one thing is going to spur me up Kirk Fell it's the thought of eating lunch at the summit.

Somehow we had to tear ourselves away from the views as the heat from the afternoon sun scorched exposed skin. With the flank of Grey Knotts to our immediate right we continued towards Drum House where folk rested in the sunshine before joining Lakelands straightest half mile back to Honister. Feet were beginning to ache and I longed to kick them into the backs of my boots but not until the mine was reached. Rod traced left and passed through the car park while I passed the large shed and peered in through the dust and blackness, a pair of eyes stared back and continued with his work. Rod and I linked up again as we passed a large group gearing up wearing helmets and harnesses no doubt waiting for the Via Ferrata.

We passed through the over spill car park where I glanced over at the fence we had followed this morning and spotted no takers in ascent or descent. Joining the pass we descended towards the lay-by where a camper van had parked next to my car and whose Spaniel was playing in Hause Gill just behind the cars. The first thing we did was let the windows down only to be blasted by a wall of trapped heat and a piping hot steering wheel. I returned to the boot and eased my feet out of my boots then rubbed the sole of my feet and toes...Had Hause Beck been anything more than a trickle I'd have joined the Spaniel but the soft grass underfoot more than compensated. Easing into my North Face mids which I have owned since the beginning of time meant it was time to head home so after thanking Rod for his company I eased myself into the driving seat, let the steering wheel set my hands on fire and joined the masses just outside of Keswick while waiting for two sets temporary traffic lights to turn to green.

What a day though.