Name of walk | Hallin Fell: Lucy's Final 214 |
Date of walk | 2018-06-02 |
On Saturday I aimed to climb my first Wainwright summit since my knee replacement 12 weeks ago! Hallin Fell on the side of Ullswater. This was to celebrate Lucy Fryer’s final, 214th Wainwright.The plan was for 20 family and friends to catch the Ullswater Steamer from Glenridding to Howtown and walk up to the summit for a celebratory lunch. The forecast was ominous, but a plan was a plan!

A few weeks ago I received this invitation from Lucy. It served as both an incentive and a goal to aim for in my knee recovery.
The view from Glenridding.
Lucy and Charlie. Charlie is wearing a ruck sack that contains his waterproofs. I think he'll need them today!
Andy double checking that he has packed the kitchen sink! A Pollock is always prepared!
Looking south to the Kirkstone Pass.
Sue as we set off for Howtown. Today Andy is 'Mr. Happy'.
A very calm day, no wind at all.
View north.
Cameron and Jason. (SF)
Andy photographs me and Sam the Border Terrier.
Hallin Fell ahead, right. (AP)
Sue looks pensive. (AP)
Hallin Fell. (AP)
The view north as we chug into Howtown.
Howtown Jetty.
Bye bye Western Belle. Sue's daughter Alison joins us at Howtown, having just run up and down Steel Knotts. Sue, Alison and me wait for Derek, who has driven round in the car, to drive us up to St. Peter's Church. From here it is easier to transport the cake and Prosecco up the fellside.
The others walk up from Howtown Jetty. (AP)
Within minutes the rain is falling torrentially. (AP)
Charlie is glad he packed his waterproofs and happily poses for a photo. (AP)
Lucy has nipped down to our parking spot at St. Peter's Church and walks up in the rain with us. Ahead, in the distance, I spot 'trouble'. "There may be 'Pollocks' ahead, but while there's music and moonlight and love and romance, let's face the rain clouds and dance......" Maybe "Singing in the Rain" would be more appropriate to hum to myself. Andy, Jo and the boys kindly wait to help escort me up to the summit.
Andy takes this photo of Sue carefully carrying the cake, with Lucy and myself. The way up is grassy and slippery so I wear Microspikes for extra grip. I take no more photos until the summit, it is raining far too hard.

Lucy approaches the summit cairn of Hallin Fell to claps and cheers and a "Well Done Lucy" banner.

Family and friends gather for the summit group photo. (SF)
It continues to rain cats and dogs. Now where's the booze?
Alison has it. (AP)
Jo and Andy.
Jo, Cameron, myself and Andy brave the weather while Jason takes our photo.
Something is amusing Lucy as preparations are made to cut the cake. (AP)
Lucy cuts the cake, which has an appropriate photo.
Sue helps. (AP)
Lucy is presented with her cairn stone to leave on the summit.
As well as a "I walked the Wainwright's" slate.
A view down to Ullswater starts to appear.
View north.
Andy takes some shots.
The group and a view from the summit. (AP)
It is now raining dogs and dogs! (AP)
Andy takes one of me on the summit surrounded by low cloud.
Sue gives Lucy a laminated sheet showing her summits. (AP)
An artist at work! Crutches are a nuisance for taking photos. (AP)
Derek in the blue cagoule.
Sue and Lucy.
Last look at the 'view' before we head down.
Jo heading down.
Andy and Jo and the beginnings of a view.
The valleys of Martindale and Boredale.
The walk back down to the church.
Andy's photo of me, Lucy and Sue.
The clouds are just beginning to lift from the summits. (AP)

Andy's panorama. Left is Steel Knotts, Martindale, Beda Fell, Boredale and Place Fell on the right.
Beda Fell. (AP)
Lucy and Sue looking into the Martindale valley.
The Pollocks are almost back down. (SF)
St. Peter's Church. (AP)
Can't have a web post without a sheep photo! Baaa! (AP)
I cadge a lift down to Howtown Tea Room in Derek's car. Our large group takes up almost all the space!
Mascots, Charlie and Threadbear Abi peruse the menu.

Alison and Lucy. Alison had completed the last fell of the Far Eastern Fells today.
Me and Sue. I was soaked to the skin! (AP)
I look through Lucy's Wainwright Scrapbook. Her first fell was Gowbarrow, when she was very small. This was her dad, Derek's last fell of his 214. If today's views were better we could have looked across Ullswater to it. (AP)
The boys love their cake!
A fisherman on Howtown jetty with his small dog tucked inside his jacket, out of the rain. (AP)
Our steamer back to Glenridding with Hallin Fell behind.

Bill from Ballarat (formerly Bill from Melbourne) couldn't resist sending me this caption. Well it made me laugh!
Despite the torrential rain it was an excellent day. Thanks to Lucy, Sue, Derek and the mighty Polllocks for looking out for me, and for helping me achieve my first post operative Wainwright, albeit on crutches. Hopefully the first of many more. In all my years of hill walking I have never been as wet! I just wish I’d chosen my better waterproof. I was soaked to my underwear! I squelched all through our trip to the Tea Room, the Ullswater Steamer and the car home, smelling of wet sheep! 🙂
214 Wainwrights is a marvellous achievement! In completing them Lucy has raised over £700 for Mountain Rescue. She has a ‘Just Giving’ page: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/lucy-fryer
Additional photos: (AP) Andy Pollock, (SF) Sue Fryer.
Jo.


