Ennerdale 24-25 September

Remarkably good weather this September forced us to make overnight trips every weekend. This time we went to check our secret patch with chantrelles. It was so dry that there were no mushrooms around York, but we hoped that it had been wet enough in the Lakes. Victor learned about two bothies in the Lakes and we were keen to check them out. We left our car at Honister Pass and went looking for the bothies. The first one was occupied. Victor misread the map and we missed the right path to the second bothy and had to descend a steep slope in the dark to get to it.

The red and blue lines show our track in the first and second days. Shift-click on the track link will open it in nakarte.me.

The bothy was small, just one room but very clean and welcoming. We brought some firewood and made a fire.

We planned a long walk so got up early in the morning, just after sunrise. The first lake is Buttermere with Crummock Water behind it.

This is our bothy. It is hard to spot even in the daylight. Honister Pass Mine is the last working slate mine in England. Westmorland Green Slate is mined here.

The bothy was probably used as accommodation for mine workers in the past.

The Ennerdale valley. The clouds flowing around the Pillar rock was a fascinating sight.

The forest is very dense, it is hard to fight through it without paths.

This is what is left after deforestation - not a pretty sight.

River Liza. Not as warm as in the Summer, but still OK for a quick dip.

After the trip to the Caucasus we started paying more attention to the local flora.

Bog-asphodel Laurence Gourdel Narthecium ossifragum (L.) Huds.	Devil's-bit-scabious (Succisa pratensis Moench )

An invigorating dip.

River Liza is quite shallow but there are some deep stretches. We noticed these rock pools last year, and brought swimming gear with us this time.

Autumn is calling.

We crossed the river and climbed out of the forest into thick clouds. It started drizzling, and we stopped taking pictures. The sun only came out again in the evening. And yes we did find Chantrelles in the same spot as last year.