Sourmilk Ghyll, Borrowdale

"Let each man take the path according to his capacity, understanding and temperament. His true guru will meet him along that path.”
Sivananda Saraswati

Big day today, K2 and R heading off up Scafell Pike.  I park the car at Seathwaite for the start of the walk; amazing how many other cars are there and also lining the approach road.  Weather good fortunately, dry and sunny initially if a bit cloudy by lunchtime which means it also turns a bit chilly on top.  I give Scafell a miss, opting instead for a short but steep "stroll" up Sourmilk Ghyll.  Technically easy, even the short scramble over slabs of rock about two-thirds of the way up, but definitely strenuous.  The view from the top is fine for me, beautiful, Lakeland valley laid out below, reminds me of the Tyrol when we visited Austria about 30 years ago.  A short meditation at the top, I find it so much more ... fruitful, after an uphill hike - and a few photos of course.  Surprising the people I encounter, from the serious hard hat wearing climbers to the family groups taking the dog for a walk, all get something from this amazing dramatic landscape.  K has taken the opportunity for a short doze in my absence, and we spend the afternoon reading until the return of the intrepid explorers.  Getting a bit anxious an hour after their anticipated return time; the steady stream of walkers returning from the peaks includes one woman who heads straight for the telephone kiosk - there's no mobile signal here - and can be heard explaining "bit of a disaster, got lost in the fells and came down the wrong valley - I'm at Seathwaite car park".  Similar thoughts go through my mind, have our two descended a nearby valley and been unable to contact us?  Decide to stick it out until dark before panicking and leaving the area, we'd told them we'd be here so here we stay.  Half an hour later the beaming adventurers return - "took longer to get to the summit than the online information described.  Sent you a text from the summit to let you know..."  Time to get back to Braithwaite for a shower before heading in to Keswick for dinner, curry and a pint of Snecklifter for me!