Post work fix at Sweeten Crag!

Well, it’s been uber busy at work! I had shifts over the Easter weekend but I didn’t mind as I prefer the hills when they are quieter..
I stood on the step at work staring up at the gloom and knew the sunshine was just out of sight. Whilst it made work easier to bare I was frustrated as I knew the temperature inversion was being enjoyed by many.
I got in from work on Good Friday eve and packed my rucksack. I knew I could head out after work and still be in work for Sunday in plenty of time.
I had itchy feet all day at work…It was really busy so it passed quickly and before I knew it I was parked up in the Coppermines Valley and deciding what to do. The fog had burnt off and I decided to go a little lower than usual as I was pretty tired.
I headed up the Hole Rake track to the col and broke right to a lovely summit on the lower flanks of Wetherlam-above Sweeten Crag. It’s pretty and you can hear the water from Low Water Beck across the valley. Lovely.
I found a great little spot that was later to be changed for a slightly higher sleeping perch!

Lovely quiet spot.

Loving life!

Great evening watching!

Beautiful skies.

Dinner time!!

I settled down to enjoy the view and wondered if I would roll off my ledge in the middle of the night!! Dinner was had and the sky started to change as it always does. I could see the last tired stragglers walking off the Old man across the valley-no doubt all dying to rest their weary legs and have a well earned pint in The Bull..
Obviously my attention turned to wine….

Wine time!

I had completely forgotten the date and it was significant for one reason. The Blood Moon..I sat staring over to the fells when behind me it was rising. Luckily, by the time I had caught it out of the corner of my eye it was just rising above the clouds.
I spent some time taking photos and some just staring at its sheer beauty as it lit the fells with a cold light.

Blood Moon rising.

Moon watching.

The stars were now all present and correct and I was treated to a few shooting stars and many satellites zooming around. Perfect.
I lay snuggled in my down bag and started wondering if it was getting warm enough doe the 2/3 season bag to come out. Soon.
I decided that I should actually move-if I rolled over in the night it would be a rude ‘8 foot fall’awakening! I dragged my kit a few metres away right to the summit cairn-the ease of a bivvy bag! I looked around and could see fellow campers on the Eastern Fells; the odd flash of a headtorch could be seen though in the dark I wasn’t sure of the exact location-later I think it was 2 lads on Thornthwaite Crag who were wild camping.

Bivvy under moonlight.

My last view was of the Coniston Massif lit by the moon…the next thing it was 6am and the skylarks were my alarm call….I looked around at the blissful view. The inversion had crept back into the valley and I was in a sea of cloud, the sunrise was just superb.

Sunrise..

Morning coffee!

My Jetboil bubbled and spat and reminded me it was coffee time!!!!! I love the first of the day..Warming my fingers and awakening my senses to the world. I don’t love having to get out for a wee!! It’s always so warm and cuddly in the bivvy… Still work was calling and I knew I needed to get up.

The views were breathtaking as I packed and drank coffee. Only a short walk to the car today so I sat for as long as I could just watching the inversion until it was time to descend into the mist and go back to reality… Well worth the effort..I was already weather watching for the next hit!!!!

Mornng inversion.

Morning and bathed in sunshine.

Lingering clouds.