The trio had arranged to get back together with no real idea where to walk as the forecast wasn't looking good at all. By Thursday the emails were flying, and even though the outlook promised rain throughout the morning we agreed we'd walk anyway the only question being, was where. I think it was Friday morning when David suggested this route. I was in work up to my eyeballs, but I managed a quick reply: "Let's go for it." The forecast hadn't budged it was still set to be a wet, low-cloud kind of day, and we were fully expecting to be in waterproofs from the off. So we couldn't quite believe it when we pulled into the parking spaces outside Uzzicar Farm to find it not only dry, but in sunshine.

Even then, I checked the Met Office app which still displayed that nearby Braithwaite was due rain. It bordered on ridiculous but we weren't complaining. I arrived first and was surprised to find the lay-by almost full, with two large Keswick Adventures groups gearing up and more still arriving. Soon David arrived , and five minutes later Rod, and that was it the car park was rammed. After folding my waterproof jacket into a retangle which looked more like a triangle I squashed it into my pack but kept my over-trousers handy in the side pocket of my pack along with a pair of waterproof gloves. Judging by the blue skies, we weren't going to need them at least for now.

The two young lads we'd met back on Causey Pike summit who'd gone on to Scar Crags, Sail and Outerside overtook us, and I couldn't help joking that we'd slowed down for them. In truth, we'd stopped so many times to take in the views or put the world to rights that we hadn't noticed our drop in pace, but it didn't matter. We passed an old boy shortly before reaching Barrow summit, sprightly in his step, who gave us a cheery "morning" as he went by. At the summit we found two girls taking selfies who explained they were bagging Wainwrights. They were pleasant enough, and we chatted for a few minutes before wishing them well for the rest of the day and beginning the lovely descent of Barrow. Our view was of low cloud draped over Skiddaw, stretching as far as Blencathra, with Bassenthwaite Lake lying low at its southern tip.

The village of Braithwaite below looked busy with traffic coming and going as we neared the end of our descent, where we hooked right and followed a narrow, tree-lined trod back to Newlands Pass. Flanked by yellow gorse, we descended onto the pass, where I watched David kick his feet into the backs of his boots as we made our way back to the lay-by. The roofs of dozens of cars confirming it was just as busy as we'd left it. Despite how busy the car park looked up ahead, the pass itself was quiet only stepping aside for the odd car or dog walker coming the other way. We spotted two Adventure Keswick minibuses waiting for their groups to return, the last we'd seen of them, they were crossing the top of Sail Pass heading for Sail.