thedonal

I've been to the lake district and I nearly died 3 times!!! (I had to start sounding a bit dramatic!!)

Went to the Lakes on Sunday for a couple of nights camping and a trip up and down Scafell Pike.

'cept it didn't turn out that way. Just approaching Millom on the A525- only 20 miles from our destination we had a car crash- there was a straight road with a slight hill- coming over the top of this, there was a steepish downhill and a sharpish left hander into an s bend.

My mate (James) was driving a little quick for the situation (though not hammering it by any means) and having been on the road for 8 hours didn't spot the bend quickly- so he hit the brakes and locked the wheels. We got to the corner, hit the kerb on the other side and rose onto 2 wheels ( I thought we were gonna flip), bounced across the road and just missed a signpost.

Fortunately, no one was hurt- the car looks like a write off- 3 wheels were square and I'm sure the shocks have ended up in the engine!

Got recovered to a nearby pub and a cab (£60!!!) to a hotel (no tents after that trauma!) called the Scress. Had to hire a car next day, which seriously ate into our daylight window for the mountain. My mate Ollie gave up on the ascent- he and James ate a steak pie which was repeating on them a little), but James and I continued. At about 6:45, we got up to Lord's Rake- a gully that was a scramble, rather than a walk. I decided that was enough (knackered and a little frightened and it would have probably taken another hour to get the 100m through it), so we came back. We did this just in time, as the clouds started closing in. Did the foot of the mountain in the dark, so we got back just in time.

Then, yesterday morning, the Sat Nav in the hire car sent us up Hardknott pass- a really steep (30%) incline up a well twisty road over the Furness Fells. Got about 80% of the way up and got to a really steep zig zag that the car (a huge Vectra) wouldn't do- we had a small wall and a 50-60 ft drop behind us and the wheels kept slipping in the wet- I was well terrified. We turned back and went a different way!! I saw a few bikes coming down it (carefully)- and thought 'rather you than me!'.

So- a few hours of single track twisties later and we're on the motorways again (despite the Sat Nave trying to detour us onto more scary roads due to non-existant traffic)- much relieved and relaxed after 3 hours of tense driving!

2 people drove on the way back, so it was a little calmer and safer. All in all, an eventful (never a dull moment!) and scary few days, but I'm still glad we did it and the top of Scafell Pike has kept it's mystery for me for a little longer- it has turned into a 'to be continued'!

I'll add some pics once they're off the camera and I've sorted through them...