It's all in the planning!

Even TF can have a bad day at the office so to speak. Leaving the car at home necessitates careful thought to logistics, but given the trials earlier in the week I'd decided not to venture too far from civilisation.

B&B Landlady gave a glimmer of hope for Saturdays forecast, and by the time I'd set off a bit of blue sky was evident. Ultimate target had been scaled down to a run from Keswick along the west side of the lake using the path on the lower flank of Catbells to Seatoller, where I would return using the bus. Obviously not the open-topped one that runs in the summer, but the hourly winter service.

By the time I got to the path alongside Catbells there was blue sky and sunshine and guess what it was too much of a temptation not to go to the summit! A bit blowy on the top so one Wainwright had to suffice. At the gate where the Borrowdale race heads for the finish, mulled over whether I should carry on south to Seatoller or head south-east-ish to Rosthwaite. There's a cafe at both. Seatoller it was, as that was the original aim. On the final approach I could see the 12.55pm bus at the turning circle. No rush I thought, I'll have a drink and something to eat and get the next one.

This is where planning started to go slightly awry. Cafe closed. So plan B, on to Rosthwaite. Cafe and a pub so one of them had to be open. Planning further awry, began to hailstone on the way to Rosthwaite and get to the delightful 'Flock-in' (which was open) to find that loads of people had done just that and not a spare seat to be had inside. So off I went to the Scafell pub to console myself with an Irish coffee.

Set off for the bus stop in plenty of time for the 2pm bus. Well I would have been, if there'd been one. However many times I read the timetable I couldn't make it appear, 1pm and 3pm were there but no 2pm. So I had another hour to kill. The Irish coffee had depleted the loose change and couldn't dare go back for another. Waiting in the 'Flock-in' would end up with me eating too many cakes, they had looked nice. So nothing else for it but to start running back, making the assumption that the further I ran the less I'd have to pay on the bus.

Back in Keswick before the bus and just in time to make it into George Fisher before the next set of hailstones. 15m in total, double what I'd planned. Just need to throw in a few more hills and I'll be back on schedule.

TF