Suilvan's first day out!

Claire and I took advantage of the fact that it hadn't actually rained in one whole day (pretty amazing for the last few weeks) and got out for a walk today. I seem to be winding down towards the end of term and feel totally shattered with very little oomph. However, waking to a morning without a biblical amount of rain was too good to pass up so we loaded up Suilvan and set off.

Claire and I are still getting to know Suilvan, yesterday for example we had a total pig's ear of trying to light the gas - thanks Peter for the assist!! and there seems to be a problem with the back door. However, it was still good to pootle along at 60 all the way to Braithwaite were we parked in the school.

There was next to no wind and it was quite warm and pretty sticky, so it was a bit of a flog at times. The path up to the Hause seems to get looser and steeper every time I do it - and lunch was taken at the top of the Hause. We watched with amusement as some DofE people took a very odd line up a loose scree slope to near the top of Eel Crag and (having praised their fitness and questioned their iq level!) we set off on the path.

As can be seen from the pix, https://picasaweb.google.com/102361192587557786751/EelCragViaColedaleHause

we seemed to have got the best of the weather which was good - and the arrival of a gentle breeze made the ascent up Eel Crag not too bad. I was still struggling with distinct lack of energy - can't believe I used to fell run hills like these - but once on top the energy did come back a bit as we tackled a lovely descent. Sail was first  - with lovely views down quiet valleys (unlike the hills which were pretty busy with a lot of DofE types out), before we swung away from Causey Pike and descended a lovely valley before crossing a col and dropping into Braithwaite. From there it was up to Claire to take Suilvan home - which she did with aplomb (not bad for the first time she has driven him).

Not much of a walk - but probably all I can manage at the moment - need to get some fitness up through the holidays.