Stuc a' Chroin and Ben Vorich

Stuc a' Chroin and Ben Vorich

Thursday 2 July 2015

Tuesday 30 June - fell wandering


There was little incentive to drive far in what promised to be a very hot day. The small car park just outside Braithwaite was packed with people getting ready for the ascent of Grisedale Pike; we were alone in setting off up the Coledale track. It was humid and we hoped there would be a light breeze higher up. Light breeze? Strong wind, but welcome.

I sat at Coledale Hause waiting for Lynne to arrive. She'd been chatting to an American couple who lived in London and discovered that the husband was a retired geologist. Mine adits, seeping toxic heavy metals into Coledale Beck (zinc, cadmium, copper and lead in particular) and their removal all featured in the lengthy discussion. Lynne arrived, disconcertingly fresh, from her rapid ascent from Coledale Beck and we wandered over to the depression between Hopegill Head and Grisedale Pike.

It was a windy journey out to Whiteside - a delightful ridge walk - and we wondered whether the warm weather had remained firmly in the south. It arrived on Grisedale Pike and we descended in stiffling heat  and could have done without the road walk up the Whinlatter to the large lay-by and the motorvan.

An ice-cream van was parked but I managed to resist. A gallon of water was what I needed.

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2 comments:

AlanR said...

That's a bit worrying, all those metals getting into the water course. Although I suspect it isn't alone in the LD.

afootinthehills said...

There is now a passive-mine-water remediation scheme in place to improve the water quality.