Patterdale - George Starkey Hut, Annual Dinner - Mar 2026
Meet report by The Boss with contributions from Mike
A full house this year with 23 people staying in the hut and Ann joining us on Saturday, for a walk and then the Annual Dinner. It was good to see that almost 50% of the club could make this year’s Annual Dinner meet. I think the best turnout that we have had for a few years.
Friday
This year the road from Troutbeck to the Kirkstone Pass had been closed since the Autumn due to part of the road being undermined. This meant that people either had to drive up the M6 to Penrith and then back down the western side of Ullswater or else drive to Ambleside and then ascend the narrow and very steep road called “The Struggle”.
Arthur’s car picked up Ray from Penrith train station.
Mike: The four of us (Ali, Tanya, Jamie and Mike) journeyed up together from Tadworth. Ali and Tanya taking the train to Tadworth station after work, meeting Jamie and me at 6.15pm. We then had a very good journey arriving at Patterdale in just 5½ hours at 12.45 am, shortly before Richard, Teresa and Helen arrived and in plenty of time for cheese, wine and a catch-up before finally crashing into bed.
Saturday
Good weather for once, compared to most of our trips this winter which had been rather wet! However most of the snow and ice had unfortunately thawed since the last weekend, with only a few small remnants left.
Clear summits on the high fells
Aga, Fritha & Tanya: Left the hut early at 8:00 am, when most people were still in bed! Helvellyn, Raise, Sticks Pass, Glenridding.
Bernie & Brian: Striding Edge, Helvellyn, Swirral Edge, Birkhouse Moor, Glenridding. There was a shower of sleet come snow whilst going along the ridge. Unfortunately it melted, which made us have to take rather more care as the rocks were by now slippery.
Arthur: Place Fell.
Bob & Peter: Up Grizedale one side and back down the other side.
Jeremy worshipping the sun?
Gill, Helen, Katie, Matt, Sean, Jeremy, Samantha & Ray: drove to and park at the Brothers Water Inn (as the intended car park was full up), Deepdale, Deepdale Hause, Fairfield, Hoa Crag, Sykeside, Sykeside Pub. Sean had to use his doctor skills whilst out and then back at the hut afterwards, as Samantha badly cut one hand on some rocks.
Mike: Our plan (for Richard, Teresa, Ann, Dez, Jamie & Mike) today was to walk up Grisedale and then climb up the side of St Sunday Crag to Pinnacle Ridge. This is a grade 3 '3 star' scramble with a short corner to climb which is best done with a rope [Note that it can be quite greasy/slippery in winter]. Once at the top we could either turn left (NE) for a quick return to the hut or turn right (SW) for a longer walk taking in Fairfield, Hart Crag and the long Hartsop above How ridge to Deepdale Bridge and then along the road back to the hut.
Things started to unravel as we climbed up the side of St Sunday Crag. The path wasn't clear and we ended up too high and then having to traverse down to cross below the ridges. If we had listened to Ann we may have made a better job of navigating this section. A light rain had started to fall. We were busy trying to find the beginning of the Pinnacle Ridge scramble when it started to rain more heavily and we donned our waterproofs. A few minutes later this turned into a snowstorm and our enthusiasm evaporated. A grade 3 scramble in the snow wasn't what we had signed up for.
We picked our way up to the top of St Sunday Crag avoiding the steep (and slippery) rock. Naturally once we reached the top the snow stopped and the sun came out. Here we had our lunch break in the shelter of some large rocks. We then turned right towards Fairfield and amazingly met with another party of CMC'er at the next col that had come up Deepdale. A quick hello and group photo then we continued on our route crossing a small patch of snow on the way up to Fairfield then a slog along the ridge down to Deepdale Bridge arriving back at Patterdale in time to visit The White Lion pub for a well-earned beer or two before returning to the hut.
Annual Dinner
Dinner speech by Gill - is Bob yawning?!
Mike: Then the main event. I'm sure others will include details of the meal but just to say that the food was excellent. Maybe, the best ever? Thanks Bernie for organising another successful ADM.
What can I say? An excellent three course meal followed by Gill’s after dinner speech.
No pea-shooters/blow-pipes this year, much to Peter’s delight! Don’t worry, as it was only due to me not being able to easily source some, as they were out of stock. Hopefully they will be back next year. However, there were the usual flying balloons, for people with enough lung power to be able to blow them up.
A BIG THANK YOU to all of the chefs for their dishes!
Sunday
Windy with occasional rain showers, some quite heavy.
Brian: Hartsop, Hartsop Dodd, Sykeside, Sykeside Pub, Patterdale.
Tanya, Fritha & Aga: Ullswater shore path, Silver Crag, Quarry, to Howtown. Here Aga and Fritha decided to return over Place Fell and Tanya instead walked returned back along the lakeside path.
Helen & Gill: Shopping at Catyscam Outdoor Shop in Glenridding. I know that other people went gear shopping there over the weekend as well.
Gill & Bernie: just a short walk in the afternoon, Ullswater shore path to Silver Point/Crag and back.
Katie, Matt, Sean & Ray: Seldom Seen path above Glenridding.
Mike: A shorter plan was required today as we (Richard, Teresa, Ali & Mike) were heading home today and didn’t want to be too late. So it was the classic hike up to Place Fell and back. The forecast was for high winds & rain and it didn't disappoint. At the top it was difficult to keep on our feet for the obligatory trig-point photo as it was so windy but we managed to find a sheltered spot for lunch. We arrived back at the hut with all our gear wet ready to pack for the journey home. Nice.
Another great weekend away with the CMC.
Seven of us stayed on for the Sunday night, in the hope of a half day out on the hills on the Monday. However, it wasn’t to be!
Monday
Another windy and wet day. Nobody ventured out on to the hills at all, and all we did was to clean and tidy up the hut before an early departure home.
Please note that our next year’s Annual Dinner meet is again being held at the George Starkey hut on the weekend of the 26th-28th February 2027. Can you please put the date in to your 2027 Year Planner.
Mountain medicine in practice
Roll Call
Bernie (ML)
Arthur
Brian
Ray
Bob
Peter
Gill
Dezso
Katie
Matt (guest)
Sean (guest)
Samantha
Jeremy
Richard
Teresa
Agnieszka
Fritha
Helen
Tanya
Mike
Jamie
Arindam (new member)
Harry (new member)
Ann