It's ironic that after months of rain the weather broke on the first official weekend of autumn, with more warm sunshine forecast which I'm hoping to take advantage of with a couple of days of leave during the week. I would normally link Great Gable and Kirk Fell from the top of Honister Pass, collecting Grey Knotts and Brandreth before returning via Stone Cove and Drum Hause, but I've never climbed the two from Wasdale Head until today.

With David walking a rather epic route of the Kirkstone Pass fells with Kayleigh today, I'm joined by Rod and his daughter Louise, who you might remember joined us on the Blea Rigg to Tarn Crag walk a few weeks ago.

With a firm forecast, the walk was confirmed as early as Wednesday, and if anything, the forecast just got better and better. After what seemed like months of dreary weather, we finally got the green light to get our highs on two of Wasdale's most iconic summits.

Rod and Louise arrived around 8:30am after explaining that they too had been stuck behind a tanker, although I doubt it was the same one. Rod and Louise began their kit up straight away, and within ten minutes we were ready to leave for Mosedale, unlike most of the car parks occupants who all seemed to be heading for Scafell Pike, a fine day for it, though.

We left the car park and headed towards The Inn walking against the traffic as we passed the Barn Door Shop before opening the gate at the side of Ritson's Bar, where Rod and Louise went for a quick toilet break. I used this time to remove my Montane hoodie, which I rolled into my pack before being joined by Louise and Rod minutes later. As we left, two women stopped to ask "was this the way to Scafell Pike" so I directed them back through the car park towards Brakenclose.

Louise continued to lead the ascent following the cairns that needlessly blended into the landscape. Louise sure has the walkers eye for detail. The path led us to a gully which I had remembered descending several winters ago. While we waited for Rod to catch up, we were joined by a solo walker who was ascending at good pace. We let him pass, and as he began his ascent on the gully he stopped and sat down. "Sorry, my vertigo has just hit me" he explained. Looking sheepish, he gathered himself as all three of us had a look of concern spread across our faces. We'll hang on a few minutes, mate, I explained. Make sure you're alright. "Nah, I'll be fine" and with that, we advised him of an alternative route that would avoid the gully.

After a few brief moments at Sty Head, we began our descent, which for the most part was rough underfoot, but the cloud drama and light in its wake were enough to take the descent off our minds. We continued with less breeze now which had been replaced by hot sunshine, and no matter how much I drank, I could feel my lips turning gooey through dehydration. Below, Lingmell Beck the plunge pools where hoards of sunbathers and swimmers enjoyed the autumn sunshine as if it were the first day of the summer holidays. With Gable Beck reached, we crossed the footbridge, from where I checked the path on Gavel Neese to see if I could see Andy in descent, but there was no sign of him. Despite the hot sun, we are flanked by bracken on the turn ready for autumn. As we joined the footpath through Burnthwaite Farm, Louise was delighted to spot three hens clucking away.

Footpath back to Wasdale Head, with more heading towards the plunge pools and a carpark full of sun-dazzled windscreens. Cars reached we began our kit down, removing boots while rubbing my feet through the heat of my socks. I don't know how Wasdale does it; there must be fifty to sixty cars here on one of the hottest weekends we've had in weeks but there's a calmness that surrounds the valley, the intimidation of being surrounded by England's highest ground.