Full tank petrol near. Stanmore station 

257 miles left 

Tuesday 1 August 

Started off around 10 in the morning 

Had a good run not too much traffic although some road works

As we left M1 to go on M6 then started pelting down but shorts bursts then sunny again 

Arrived around 2.40 so just over 4.5 hours

Listened to old cassettes on the way

Some Hitesh had done for me when I was at university 

Beautiful songs 

Need to play it to the boys

Nice sunshine here as we arrived

Check in time was 4 pm but phoned and he let us check in

Hadn’t stopped at any service stations so need to go for wee 

The room was described as cosy and that s a nicer if saying it was tiny

No room to swing a cat!

As sunshine decided to eat outside 

There was a small bench so had some stir fry and some thepla S and masala sandwiches 

Then Windermere walking distance so walked there

Went to tourists information but really a shop

Got an Aa map of the Lake District 

Came back and decided to drive to Bowness on  Windermere 

Very pretty good views of the lake

The weather was beautiful and hitesh had an ice cream cone

Walked around to all the shops lovely unique shops

Bought some aniseed balls

And then he got some chips from a fish and chip shop

Very busy place

We the. Walked along the shoreline of the lake really scenic

Lots of boats and dinghies 

Have seen lots of Chinese or Korean tourists 

Also lots of Muslims

Came back home and made some tea and had thepla and sandwiches

Looked at map re scafelell pike and cancelled hotel near there and booked near Borrowdale as best climbing route from there

Decided to check out route tomorrow  

Went to bed around 10.30

Wednesday 2 August 

Woke up around 6 but breakfast not till 9 so went back to sleep for a while

Breakfast ok cereals toast and cooked breakfast but very tiny portions

Afterwards went to Borrowdale and walked a little to see the route 

Decided we should get a decent map and also hitesh wants to get poles we saw in Bowness for £10

Went to Keswick and checked where new hotel booking is

Very expensive at around £135 per night

Never mind

The. Drove

Wanted to go to Airaforce

Raining very heavily and then petrol was really low

Couldn’t find a petrol station 

Didn’t want to stop by Airaforce so drove to glen ridding but petrol station shut

By this time running on empty so had been saying navkar mantra as didn’t fancy getting stranded in the pouring rain 

Luckily we stopped at a convenience store and then asked them about nearest petrol station 

She said in Windermere 12 miles away!

I asked her about farms where we could buy some petrol

She said she had a can she could sell

Great finally we had some petrol 

I thought it was daylight robbery as she said it was £12 and you got £6 back if you brought it back

I thought it was only 1 litre but it was 5 litres so price ok

Finally we could relax and get to Windermere where we filled up

Note to Khilna to add some petrol stations in Lake District 

Came home and as early decided to walk to Bowness

Went to the mountaineers shop and bought a couple of trekking poles as well as a map of scafell pike

All set now no backing out

As weather is awful tomorrow have decided to tackle on Thursday 

Afterwards heeaded home

It was lovely afternoon evening by this time and we showered and went to Ambleside for dinner at Fellinis

A fine dining vegetarian restaurant 

It really was exquisite although quite expensive and the prices a little steep

But was busy

They have a sist restaurant called Zeferelli and so checked that out afterwards as we walked around Ambleside

Decided to come here tomorrow 

It is pizza pasta but again vegetarian 

Ambleside very pretty lots of different shops

Also saw the bridge house 

Very quaint small little house built on the bridge 

It is a NT property and you can visit between about 11 and 2

Went home and went to sleep 

Was pouring in the middle of the night

Thursday 3 August 

Woke up and had breakfast and then had decided to go to Aira Force waterfall

It is part of NT and before that go to a house owned by the Brown family for 12 generations 

We got there around 10.15 but doesn’t open until 11 so explored the garden briefly before it started pelting down so went back in the car

It was an interesting house and we had a guided tour

The owner Ho had retired at 40 then set about carving everything 

After Townend went to Aira force waterfalls 

By this time it was sunny and no rain

Had a walk there

It was reall beautiful especially when the sun caught the waterfall and we had a rainbow effect 

Then had lunch at the NT cafe 

Hitesh bought some tea and we ate our own picnic 

By this time about 3.30 and decided to head to Wrayt castle

On way there narrow road and opposit car hit our mirror 

We thought all ok but when we looked a long time later noticed that casing of wing mirror had come off

Wray castle-This was an interesting place

Some 54 rooms 

Built only about 100 years ago or less by a couple who had no children and it was just 2 of them along with servants

Now a NT property and all the rooms turned into children’s playrooms and educational room so very interesting place

Went for a walk to the lake and sat there for a while as very beautiful and serene and weather was fine

Evenings have all been dry and pleasant

Afterwards went to Ambleside and decided to go shopping for tomorrow 

Went to Tesco and got some cheese and some rolls and drinks

Then went to Zeferelli for dinner

Very busy place but we got a table as were early 

Vegetarian pizza and pasta place

Lovely food and cheaper than Fellinis but the latter is fine dining

Came to £40 for starters and mains and drinks 

Afterwards as still daylight Hitesh said to try and go back to find the casing so drove the way we had come from Glenridding but no luck

Came back and got everything ready for Scafell pike climb

Aiming to leave at 6.30 so can start climb by 8 am so missing breakfast but the owner said we can help ourselves to cereals 

Went to sleep but did not sleep too well

Friday 4 August

Woke up around 5.30 am

Got ready quickly and got our rucksacks ready

Had a quick breakfast of cereals and then drove to Seathwaite farm the start point for scafell pike from Borrowdale 

This is supposed to be the gentler ascend

Only a couple of cars there

We headed off at 8 am and it was pleasant weather no rain

We wee the only 2 on the mountain and could hear the sound of waterfalls and birds and some sheep

Was looking to be a gentle climb up and we wee making good progress 

At a point came to a point where lots of paths and no markings

Decided to take one path which was descending down 

On the map we knew we had to go down and climb up again

Almost 2/3 of way down met a guy running back up and asked him and turned out we were going the wrong way so had to go back up again

By this time had started raining and it was really foggy so hard to make out from map where we were

Got back up and initially started along one path but that didn’t look right so went along another path

Which looked like a path

Kept going up visibility was very poor and it was raining 

Them suddenly the path stopped and there all these large stone with an arrow pointing to the stones

I was thinking this was a joke

The boulders were quite huge and we could not see anything beyond

Decided to turn back and a few mins later met a couple of young guys with hardly any water etc who were going up 

They said they were going up and thought it was that way

Is the way we were coming from 

We still continued descending and then met someone else going up and he also said it was that way

So we turned back and decided to follow them

But they were quite fast

The boulders were huge and also very slippery

Had to get on all fours and Fitch the sticks

Visibly was so poor still

Finally managed to clamber up them all  and then a little path and then some more boulders 

I said to hitesh to carry on and I would wait for him as it was getting so difficult and was holding him back but he said no 

So kept  going

Met a guy coming down who said wee nearly there 

Finally got there at 1.30

A few people up here

A family with 2 small children 

It was still racing and cold

No sign to say we had reached up scafell pike

Took a photo but could not see any views as everything covered in thick fog

Had a sandwich to eat and rested for about 20 mins before descending at 2 pm

Had decided to take the corridor approach down

It was fine in the beginning but lots of stones so a little hard on the front of the feet

Lots of people Hong down and coming up 

Most wee coming from wasdale 

We had to bear right so that we didn’t end up in wasdale

Most of the people going down turned left

We kept going straight and then had to cross a stream 

From there no path visible apart from one going up the mountain ridge so took that 

It was very narrow and scary 

We’re following some people going there but turned out they were lost too

We decided to go down some fields sheep land which was very uneven and wet

And then went up this scree to get back on the path 

It was so hard getting up the scree as they were big pebbles which kept falling as you are trying to cling up

Before that had to cross a really wide stream which was very slippery stone s

Hitesh was telling me where to step and turned to see where I was a fell I and hurt himself 

Finally managed to get on the path and then turned left as could see a farmhouse in the distance

After a while he said that didn’t look like the place we had started from but I didn’t want to know

I said we would get to the farm and get the to drop us

No one on the path 

Got down near the farmhouse and finally met a farmer who told us we had ended up in wasdale 

Borrowdale was 5 miles up the path we had come from

It was5 pm by now

It would cost us£120 by taxi so decided to walk up

It was a long long walk up but not too difficult 

Everything was tired now the brain as well as legs

Finally managed to see the tarn and rescue shelter

But again nothing marked

Walked down the stones

The feet were hurting badly but finall manage to get to the farmhousearound8 pm

Couldn’t get shoes off as shoes and socks were drenched from crossing so many stream 

Finally got the hotel around 9 pm

So tired 

Lovely hotel with warm shower 

Hitesh went to get some chips and we had remains of sandwiches and he had chips

Went to bed 

The bed and too was spacious but difficult to sleep as everything hurting so much

Saturday 5 August 

Woke up early and trying to dry wet shoes with hairdryer but too wet

Went for breakfast

Was impressed they had soya milk out for me

Good breakfast fruit cereals and hot breakfast 

Afterwards went to see Keswick town

Nice they had a Saturday market and some really pretty shops 

One shop selling old stuff including lps for about £300

Ours should be worth sth

Afterwards left around 12 to head off to Glendevon where we are booked for 1 night

Driving for about 2.5 hours and then into really isolated countryside 

Hitesh complaining too far

Got to the hotel around 2.30 and just then started pouring down 

But the room was really nice

Big and spacious and with a bath

Hitesh had a shower and went to sleep

I had a bath and slept as well

Had a really good sleep 

Was asked whether we wanted to have dinner at hotel as otherwise nothing nearby apart from some places in place called Dollar 

Menu only had risotto and expensive 

Went to dollar

A few restaurants or rather takeaways 

Went to an Indian takeaway place which did everything from jacket potato to pizza to Indian

Owned by Pakistani who was very happy to see us

I had jacket potato and hitesh had pizza and chips

Ate back at the hotel

Very nice

Went to sleep early

Had the best sleep and woke up refreshed 

Sunday 6 August 

Had a good shower

Breakfast was amazing

Fresh strawberries raspberry blueberries and blackberries plus cereals and cooked breakfast 

Really nice

This has been one of the best hotel so far and the cheapest 

Very near glen eagles 

Made a stop at the golf course and took lots of pictures 

Next stop was Crieg and this the home of Caithness glass

Went to visitors centre which was very interesting 

Lots of information on Droves

People who used to take cattle from one place to another for a small commission and sell them

They were the ones that kind of mapped out routes across the highlands in the 1600

Raining a lot whilst driving 

Very scenic 

Lots of lakes

Came through Loch Lomond national park

Via Glenvoe

Arrived at fort William and there was a big morrissons so went shopping for some food there

Came to the youth hostel around 3.30

Very nice

Shame we are in different rooms as all single sex dorms

They have a couple of private rooms but these had already been booked out 

Everything very clean and lots of utensils provided and kitchen area and nice eating area

We cooked pasta and boiled potatoes and made a sald 

Really nice 

Now resting as still only 8 pm

Monday 7 August 

Woke up early around 6 am

Sleeping in a bunk bed in a dorm of 16

Had woken up at about 3 am and couldn’t sleep for ages

Waited till about 6.30 to go for shower etc

Showers very nice and clean

Had breakfast cereals and got everything ready 

Taking some sandwiches drinks 2 litres of water each and wet clothing

Headed off around 9am

The track from the youth hostel goes straight there

Very well marked path and lots of people climbing 

Straight away steep incline so feeling very hot but then became a little gradual 

No pint taking off any layers as will have to put back on later on

Walking very slowly up and getting overtaken by virtually everyone

Some young people oin jeans and trainers 

The arrogance of youth

The path is cobbled and always climbing up

Beautiful views of the valley below and the Glenvoe mountains 

Weather is pleasant 

Not hot but not raining

We pass a few people 

Family and an old lady with son

Suddenly starts racing so decide to put waterproof trousers on as well

Good shout as in Lake District had got cold as not put any layers on legs

This time running trousers then walking trousers then waterproof 

It is a slow and gentle climb up 

Stops raining but is getting cold

Hitesh feeling it more as keeps having to wait every so often 

Coming towards the top get more big stones but not having to clamber over them can just walk on them

After 4 hours get to the top

It was freezing at the top

Fingers had got numb so put on had and gloves

Coming down was quite hard as front of my feet really hurting and it was steep down as well as slippery 

I fell once but not too bad

Came back and had left over pasta and boiled some potatoes 

Met an Indian couple who had come to visit 

Hitesh took them in car to morrissons  so could do some shopping 

We’re quite tired so talked to few people and then went to sleep 

Slept  quite well till 1

Tuesday 8 August 

Woke up a little later today

Made khichdi in the morning for the evening 

Then left around 10 to go to Inverness 

Beautiful drive up there via Lochness

Lovely town walked around and found a nice veggie cafe

Had a tortilla wrap from there and ate by the river

Stopped by Lochness 

Beautiful lake 

Then stooped at fort Augustus 

A canal there with lots of locks

Watched the operation of locks

Very fascinating 

Hitesh had some chips

Then went shopping for fruit and veg at morrissons and then came came home had khichdi and salad and corn on cob 

Wednesday 9 August 

Woke up early and was ready by 6.45 but then Hitesh didn’t come down till 7.30

Had a quick breakfast of cereals and then got ready to go

Left around 9 am 

Was quite sunny

Went through lake Lomond and Trossachs national park

Very sunny day so beautiful scenic drive

Stopped near glencoe for photos then near lake Lomond 

Absolutely gorgeous 

Scotland is as beautiful as NZ if the weather is good 

The. Had a lunch stop on motorway 

Had bought some flatbreads so had those with cut cucumber salad and tomatoes 

After lunch went to Hadrians wall near a fort

Expensive visit English heritage site

Paid £13 and only ruins of a fort

Afterwards came to Kellah farm

Out in middle of nowhere but very nice

Around 4 pm so rested for a while then went to halt whistle for dinner 

Indian food nice not oily or spicy

Came home and wanted to watch stars but too tired so went to sleep 

Unfortunately woke up in middle of night and could not get back to sleep for ages

Thursday 10 August