In the footsteps of the Legionnary
20th January 2014
A thick, cold and extremely wet mist hugged the valley floor, which made the prospect of experiencing extensive views from the summits a forlorn prospect.
I was in Patterdale, near the very old hamlet of Hartsop. Here the steep mountains crowd in on all sides and, today the tops are embraced in a thick layer of mist, where all sounds are muffled, creating a claustrophobic feeling. This constriction was combined with the near vertical ascent to reach the first summit - Grey Crag.
However, once this challenge was achieved I would be then joining a very ancient route, one used by Roman Soldiers. This would be the famous High Street that runs from the south of the lakes, running high across the mountains of its eastern districts to drop into the north, near Penrith.
My initial, and very tough climb through the mist left me covered in fine droplets of water. However, eventually and amazingly, I broke through the cloud an entered into a world of bright sunshine and snow covered peaks. The low, lying mist was caused by a temperature inversion. A counter intuitive situation where the air temp in the valley is colder than that higher up. These relatively rare events are caused by very cold conditions over night, as the cold air has rolled of the hills and sunk into the valleys.
As I walked along broad ridges, once crossed by our Roman occupants, I was able to enjoy long stretching views across the whole of the lakes. These views encompassed snow covered peaks that thruster up through a white base of clouds, all surrounded by a rocky wilderness. All was desolate, lonely where not a thing moved amongst the barren, rocky, snow covered landscape.
I lingered long on the summits as the atmosphere of the day made it compelling. However, the cold began to spread over me forcing me to head back down. The only bonus to this was that the valley mist was now dissolving, leaving me to enjoy the remnants of subtle winter sunlight.
It had been a beautiful, but cold day and one that I imagine many Roman Soldiers would have experienced on their challenging march across these hills 2000 years ago.
I was in Patterdale, near the very old hamlet of Hartsop. Here the steep mountains crowd in on all sides and, today the tops are embraced in a thick layer of mist, where all sounds are muffled, creating a claustrophobic feeling. This constriction was combined with the near vertical ascent to reach the first summit - Grey Crag.
However, once this challenge was achieved I would be then joining a very ancient route, one used by Roman Soldiers. This would be the famous High Street that runs from the south of the lakes, running high across the mountains of its eastern districts to drop into the north, near Penrith.
My initial, and very tough climb through the mist left me covered in fine droplets of water. However, eventually and amazingly, I broke through the cloud an entered into a world of bright sunshine and snow covered peaks. The low, lying mist was caused by a temperature inversion. A counter intuitive situation where the air temp in the valley is colder than that higher up. These relatively rare events are caused by very cold conditions over night, as the cold air has rolled of the hills and sunk into the valleys.
As I walked along broad ridges, once crossed by our Roman occupants, I was able to enjoy long stretching views across the whole of the lakes. These views encompassed snow covered peaks that thruster up through a white base of clouds, all surrounded by a rocky wilderness. All was desolate, lonely where not a thing moved amongst the barren, rocky, snow covered landscape.
I lingered long on the summits as the atmosphere of the day made it compelling. However, the cold began to spread over me forcing me to head back down. The only bonus to this was that the valley mist was now dissolving, leaving me to enjoy the remnants of subtle winter sunlight.
It had been a beautiful, but cold day and one that I imagine many Roman Soldiers would have experienced on their challenging march across these hills 2000 years ago.