Monday 2nd August 2010. I'm off work for a couple of weeks and my brother has a day off. The weather forecast is not brilliant, but its probably as good as we're going to get for a while this year so what better than another barbeque?
We set off from Dunsop Bridge at about 9am and walked up the bridleway that runs next to the river. Surprising how much of our landscape is managed - most of the way up is marked by weirs, channels, pumping stations and other paraphanalia of the water industry. Which is why the path is a metalled road. Wish we'd brought the bikes!
The original route is closed whilst the eagle owls raise their young, so we have to continue on the paved path for longer than intended. The diversion doesn't take us too far out of our way though.
Once we leave the main path, however, it gets decidedly soggy under foot. To say we've had a dry summer and there are hosepipe bans all over the country, some parts are pretty wet. As we climb up to Dunsop Fell, it even starts to drizzle. Not enough to seriously consider putting a water proof on, although one of us does!
As its nearly lunchtime, we're starting to look for a good spot to barbie. Needs to be near water (preferably running), somewhere flat and out of the wind. There's a Roman road that runs from Croasdale Head over Salter Fell, and we find a small bridge over a brook. As the drizzle has cleared, we decide this is the spot - well the next one on the map seems to be next to the Whitendale River, which may mean a late lunch. Having breakfasted at 6:30am that's not the preferred option!
Anyway, the barbie is soon roaring away and the sausages cooking nicely. So it starts to rain again. What to do? The rain will surely put the barbie out! I think you'll like the solution... we used the knives out of the backpack to prop up the cardboard base of the disposable barbie; effectively creating a cover. The heat of the barbie keeps the cardboard dry in the rain and the rain stops it from catching fire! Genius, even if I say so myself.
Sausage sarnie and a bacon sarnie - douse the barbie with water from the brook and we're back on our way. Another successful Gastro Walk!
Salut!
Selling the Monkey
14 years ago
