Wasdale weekend

Wasdale walking weekend - 8th to 10th May 2009

This weekend I'm heading up to Wasdale with 13 mates to celebrate my pending 40th birthday with a weekend of walking and drinking! We're staying at the Strands Inn at Nether Wasdale and on Saturday we're planning to walk from there up to Haycock, Pillar, Black Sail and down to the Wasdale Head Inn for about 3pm. This is an 11-mile walk that should take us 6 hours. The weather forecast isn't good with heavy rain showers and winds of up to 50 mph, which should make it interesting walking across the top of Pillar! We'll then have a couple of hours at the Wasdale Head Inn during the afternoon to sample some of the beers from the Great Gable Brewery - I particularly like Illgill Head - before heading back to Nether Wasdale. So, if you're going to be in Wasdale this weekend, pop into the Wasdale Head Inn and say hello!

Picture: dropping down from Illgill Head back into Wasdale

Meugher

Walk of the Week - 05/05/09

Yarnbury, Grassington Moor, Meugher (575 metres), Sandy Gate, Mossdale and Bare House. 10 miles / 6 hours.

Meugher is said to be the most remote fell in the Yorkshire Dales. It is certainly the least visited (until I wrote this walk up for the Northern Echo!). It rises up on the lonely watershed between Wharfedale and Nidderdale, surrounded by miles of rolling moorland, with few landmarks or features, which makes this whole area a navigational challenge!

However, this is a walk of stark beauty that heads up through the abandoned lead mines across Grassington Moor before steadily climbing to eventually reach the rounded grassy summit of Meugher. The views from this summit are expansive with Great Whernside, Little Whernside and the Nidderdale moors clearly visible. Meugher is surrounded by peat hags, deep gullies and thick tussock grass that saps your energy. From Meugher, the route headed west to pick up the bridleway at Sandy Gate that leads down into unfrequented Mossdale and back to Yarnbury. Map, compass and good knowledge of how to use them essential. If you are unsure, then sign up for one of my navigation skills courses - http://www.teamwalking.co.uk/