Numbers were reduced for this walk possibly due to trepidation at the thought of another of Frank’s fearsome classics. Only eight, including visitor,Bernard, from South Wales, left Martindale. Apart from the daunting route the main enemy of the day was a viciously cold and strong east wind that proved tormenting until the final valley stage.

The initial climb onto Beda Fell soon passed to be followed by a pleasant traverse of Angletarn Pikes onto Brock Crags. ‘Escape route here‘ quoth Frank as we gulped at the 1000-foot descent into Hartsop followed by a major re-ascent onto Gray Crag. ‘It’s easy once we’re up’ he said, so we believed him and plodded down and up (and up).

Relief eventually came as we sheltered for lunch behind the wall on Thornthwaite Crag though the picky disliked the draught whistling between the stones. Post-prandially a course was set for home via High Street and The Knott leaving a further minimum of two Wainwrights to be bagged in order to fulfil the contract.

Rest Dodd fell after a short but stiff climb before we completed the set on The Nab in Martindale’s deer forest. Fittingly deer were seen in the distance (though sadly no badgers on Brock Crag) before we descended to The Bungalow in Lowther Estate domain. Undeterred by the possibility of trespass fearless Frank ploughed an interesting course up the east side of Howe Grain beck under Steel Knotts (‘we’ll go up it if you want’) to eventually reach the road at the old church in Martindale whence a short passage returned us to the starting point.

On inviting Bernard to our Three Rings of Shap challenge walk he was heard to mutter something like – ‘God knows what that’ll be like if this was just one of your social walks’. Go for it Bernard – you were a star! Well done to Frank for devising another great route which delivered exactly what it promised – Nine Wainwrights in 15+ miles and 5000 feet of ascent.