Liquid Sunshine...

(Not Charlton Related) If last year's fell walking trip to Lakeland rates as one of the best experiences of my adult life, then our return this year easily goes down as one of the biggest disappointments. As lucky as we were last year with clear blue skies all through the weekend without a hint of rain, we clearly had to pay the price this time around with swirling wind, torrential rain (or liquid sunshine, as a sympathetic local referred to it as) and low cloud that completely destroyed the otherwise glorious views.

It was perhaps that last point that has left me feeling so deflated. The landscape in Lakeland is truly breathtaking and I can't tell you how much I was looking forward to seeing it again. At around 2,400ft, the Langdale Pikes should have offered us some fantastic views across Lakeland, but sadly visibility had dropped to around 10-15m long before we got that far up.

Our plan was to camp out overnight and continue to walk the following day, but with conditions only getting worse we made the hugely disappointing - but annoyingly sensible - decision to cut short our intended route and return to our accommodation in Great Langdale. All in all, we completed nearly 6 miles in some of the most demanding walking terrain in the UK in some of the most awful weather conditions I have ever had the misfortune to be out in! The following morning the torrential rain continued to fall and even the temptation of a day in the pub offered no solace so we cut short our break and retuned home.

Oh well, that's the way it goes, I guess. After all, the clue is in the name. Lakeland has an abundance of water, and this can't happen without an abundance of rain!!! Thankfully, being an Addick I am well aware that you have to take the rough with the smooth: to experience the lows to appreciate the highs. At least the result at Rochdale cheered me up.