Maalie's Five lake Adventure - Part 2
I woke up in my X-trail at first light, and sensed something was wrong. I could hear the trees blowing and the cloud cover had increased in the night and the wind had got up quite strong. I heaved myself into a sitting position, looked out of the side window and saw that Lowes Water looked quite gloomy and in no state for kayaking. I brewed a pot of tea on my camping stove, ate a banana and decided to set off straight for home for a hot bath.
Wastwater
Wastwater is renowned as being the deepest and the most austere of the English LakesThe hot tea seemed to restore my energy and so I decided to return home via Wast Water (which was on my list) just to look at it. As I arrived, the wind seemed just a little lighter, it was not actually raining and so I decided to have a go.
Wastwater is 260 feet deep and has the steepest scree slopes in the country, and being rather exposed there is little surrounding vegetation, giving it a rather austere outlook. Nevertheless, I launched and paddled over to the far side and cruised at the foot of the scree banks.
Wastwater is 260 feet deep and has the steepest scree slopes in the country, and being rather exposed there is little surrounding vegetation, giving it a rather austere outlook. Nevertheless, I launched and paddled over to the far side and cruised at the foot of the scree banks.
The scree slopes at Wastwater are as steep as is is geologically possible for them to be. They are rarely stable long enough for vegetation to grow to any extent
The scree descends at that angle for 260 feet down under the water 
I nose in to the foot of a scree slope and look right up. Not for long, the next rock slide could happen at any moment!
Coniston Water
By the time I had finished with Wastwater, the weather was deteriorating rapidly. But Maalie had set his target as five lakes, so five it must be! I headed to my familiar Coniston Water and sat in the car reading Dan Brown until the rain stopped. But it didn't! So I launched anyway, but visibility was very poor in the drizzle, so no stunning scenic photos on offer here, I'm afraid!
Coniston Water in the drizzle. The wind is getting up too. Well, I need practice in the rough...
Is that a sail I see before me? So I'm not the only madman to venture out today
As a blue sail disappears into the misty drizzle,it is time for me to get home for that long-awaited hot bath!
And I enjoyed every minute of it!
posted by Maalie at 11:01 am
7 Comments:
Wastwater is brilliant. Lovely photos. Conniston in the rain looks a bit like Derbyshire usual is!
Hope you had a hot toddy in the bath!
Again another brilliant adventure. Is the kayak light? Mine is very heavy, and after a day of paddling quite difficult to load onto the car.
Wastwater- remind me of watching the walkers navigate the slopes and just how difficult it is
Thanks Lorenzo.
Simon, yes very light, I can easily lift it onto the roof of the X-trail. It has a wheel in the rear of the keel so don't even need a trolley to get it down to the water.
Lovely photos in your last two posts.
We had quite a storm here in Maryland yesterday. As I drove home from the Eastern Shore, and passed over the Bay Bridge [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chesapeake_Bay_Bridge] the white-caps on the Chesapeake Bay were incredible; as I have never seen them.
Thanks for sharing your heart and thoughts.
Thank you Donsands, I enjoyed reading your link.
Rain or no, all of the photos are cool (I enjoyed the ones from your last post, as well.) You GO boy!
You're an adventurous man!
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