 I plotted a challenging three-day route in the Lake District to help me reconnect with nature and to push my body over some of the highest mountains in the UK. The weather was unforgiving at times but it did little to dampen my spirits as I soaked in the glorious scenery and let Mother Nature do as she's always done. Join me as I take on some of the highest peaks the UK has to offer, all the while making time to appreciate the natural beauty and remote wilderness of the English Lake District. Zero condensation this morning, oh good morning by the way. I think it's because there was a little bit of a draft the night before it must have just been still as. So that's good news, we've got a dry tent. Clouds are looking ominous. Just been doing some stretches. It's the elevation mate, it's going up. Well that's what elevation is. It's going over these passes. Really does your legs in a bit. So it's not like a normal, I think I said this yesterday or the day before, it's not like a normal hike that hasn't got too many leg pumpers like the South Downsway. Mile for mile it is a lot longer so a 50 mile doing this is worth at least 100 miles doing South Downsway. That's final. And now I'm off up here into clouds, look at that. It's going to be wet, it's going to be cold. We're going to do it over Great Gable through Windy Gap down to Honestor and then I won't have two foot far to go. It's probably going to take me all day to do it. I was going to do a figure of eight but no. I've underestimated the amount of time and the amount of leg work that's going into it. I don't want to break myself. Pack up the grey man. Look at it, it could be that over there like that. See that rock? There. It could be that. It's very inconspicuous. You'd think like when I first got it I was like oh grey, that's going to sort of stick out a bit. But in lakes it doesn't because you do have like grey rocks dotted about everywhere. It blends in rather nicely and I'm just putting off getting out. I'm just putting off starting walking up this monster. It's about a quarter past eight, something like that. It's time to get going, come on. No sign that was ever there. Come on. He's just put a stone in a basket and fair enough. Have you pushed it? No. Lift it. Oh he's cacked it all over the place here. I saw a thing in the basket and I thought that was amazing. But the whole thing is just falling to pieces. Look at that. It's not even supposed to go that way is it? It's supposed to go the other way. My word. Sorry. Sorry. Shit this. It's naffed it. It used to be good. It's just cacked it. This isn't doing out now. Sorry mate. Sorry to bring you that. Up into Mordor. Up in the clouds now and the temperatures dropped. Which I'm quite thankful of because that is a serious hike up there mate. And I'm not even nowhere near halfway. It's intimidating. It is intimidating. But as long as you've got knowledge, decent equipment and a decent level of fitness, you can get up here in mist and have a little look around no problem. But just a word of warning for the weekend warriors in there. If you see people doing it online, you think oh yeah let's do that. And you'll end up like that couple on there, Scarfell or that bloke on Scarfell. Sometimes it isn't as easy as it looks. It can gas you out. So if you got to the top of here and your fitness level just shat it, that's you stuck in a whiteout. Possibly on your toad if you've come on your own. So I would say like knowledge is paramount. You need to know your fells, you need to know your first age, you need to know how to predict the weather and stuff like that. Equipment is important obviously for all eventualities. I don't have a water jacket but do as I say, not as I do. And a base level of fitness can get you out of all sorts of scrapes because it's good here, here and in legs. Here I come. Oh mate, you aren't path, the only path. I'm going to need you to just budge over a little bit mate, come on. That's it, good lad. You don't want to be taking a false step up here. And you saw this clobber. So it's like you saw I put one step forward and it dragged you back half a foot as well. I'm sure it would be lovely views from up here but I can't really bring you much. I was putting a shift in and hopefully well maybe we can break through the clouds because we do get pretty high. That's okay, now that looks like summer. You only just make stuff out. This should be the middle of the pass and then I'm going to go right apparently. Nice 360 panoramic views. There's a big steep climb up to the summit but what I'm thinking is it's just a complete whiteout and I'm gutted about it. I wanted to get some views so my options are either sit it out behind a rock and hope the weather clears but then it could get worse, rain could come. I plan a route along the side and try to get a bit of low ground and hopefully it clears down there. I'm taking refuge in these rocks, I'm out of that wind. I'm going to put my marina wool leggings on. They're only real thin ones. These are like summer ones that I just sleep in sometimes if it gets a bit chilly but I've come in handy on this trip just to take that edge off of the wind. Full of holes as well mate. It's alright getting super lightweight, super thin and all that isn't it but if it just shits itself what's the point? I forgot to bring my down jacket up north so I just got what I've got but maybe a porridge like a warm porridge or a viewsley. A viewsley might warm me up from the inside and give me the beans I need. Plus if I cook this viewsley up by the time I've eaten it this might have cleared. I'm running low on liquids and all I've got is my electrolytes. My electrolyte tablet that I've put into water so I'm just going to boil that up and then have a viewsley. I don't know if it's going to be mental or what but we're going in. It's probably not going to be nice is it let's be honest. Warm electrolytes with some viewsley. That's what it's come to because I'm hunkered down aren't I? It's survival and so you know I can't see it being that mad. It's tropical flavour I mean it's fruit viewsley anyway isn't it and it's a fruit. The electrolytes fruity anyway so and I'll be getting electrolytes in my viewsley so I mean this could be a revelation who knows. Probably not but we're there anyway we're any port in the storm and it's look I can't see anything. The decision has been made to sit it out man I'm just going to cuddle me viewsley and if I get too cold sleeping bag will come out go around me like a shawl. And that's that isn't it. I don't look like that guy who's just like fuck my rescue hello I'm tired. Help could you come and get me I've used electrolytes in my viewsley it doesn't taste as good as it viewsley does. Can you come get me and take me to the pub please. Well she's spluttering. There you go look brand new got a warm viewsley on go. Leggings on this round man warm. Sit it out for a bit and see if it clears up because it would be nice to get some shots of the top wouldn't it and be able to see the views from top of great gable so. We'll sit just below summit and we'll just well I'll just be nice and thirsty and warm. I've got no signal I'll just be in my thoughts which is nice. I would normally would be in my thoughts whilst taking in the views but these rocks are quite nice. So who says you need you know you people pay extra like people pay more to have a down quilt instead of a sleeping bag but. This does this is a quilt if you just unzip it is a quilt but with a hood on it that can change into a sleeping bag if you want. I mean I've never had a down quilt as sleep instead of a sleeping bag so I can't really speak on it properly but. As far as I can see and if anyone knows any different please tell me but surely just like an unzipped sleeping bag is as good. Because it still goes round yet you've got the option of turning it into a sleeping bag if you want it's got a hood on it. What is the advantage I mean where is it just wait alone. Maybe I'll get one test it out but for now my sleeping bags all I need look at it doing trick. Let's get stuck into this view usually why is it even out there it should be near warming me up British summer. British summer eh? British summer wrapped in a sleeping bag with merino wool layers on hugging a real term out. Let's get stuck into it put a bit too much liquid in too much electrolytes in it I think it's a bit sloppy sloppy. These are minties these are probably best things to do. The views Liz so much fruit and all sorts of clover. There you go. Whole grain wheat, oats, raisins, pineapple chunks, cinnamon, coconut oil, honey. All right it's good. Tastes good. I've got me a Garmin in reach mini. Oh hello I jumped out my skin there. Yeah I was trying to get a weather forecast from my little. Foggy. I think it's just foggy. Yeah I'm heading up to the top of Great Gable but you'll be going straight over. I can't see anything it says but I looked at those peaks and it says you could climb and I thought well there's no point in this. Can't even see where they are. No no no that's well I'll sit there just had a meal waiting for the waiting for something to change but it doesn't look like it's gonna. Okay well best of luck. You do have a map do you? You do have a map. Yes I've got this. Sorry I'm not just following you I'm asking the way I'm going up there. Up Great Gable. Well I'll be going, they're immediately left up here and I think you'll be going straight on. I think I'll go straight over that. Up there I can see something looming in the gloom. Yeah how many days have you given yourself to do it? I haven't really because I'm retired it would just sort of you know you told your family. Yeah at least two weeks it might be three and I'm thinking that I'm thinking actually. Why am I trying to do it? Because my guide does it in 13 days which I'm on track for that. I thought actually it doesn't matter if I take a couple of days extra at the end. And that really cuts your daily mileage down if you give yourself a couple of extra days. Yeah that's it. I think I did it in about nine days but I was gunning it. But I'm going for it. God it's cold. That lady was doing the coast to coast. And I said where are you going? She said oh Rostway. I was like you're not. You're going the wrong way. I said so she only had the Cicero guidebook. And she's come off the book. Lost? Nothing else no. So I let her look at my OS map and gave her the right directions how to get back on track. I even said I would walk with her to get her to Honest to sleep mine. She seemed alright. I said you can come up at the top of Great Gable as well with me but not having that. She says I'm glad I met you. Because otherwise she'd have been off that way in these conditions. It's not what you want. I can't remember what I've seen before but yeah I've got my in reach mini. You can get forecasts on that and you can text people. Let them know you're okay if you don't have a signal. I don't need to do that because I'm only hiking for a few more hours and I'll have signal. But yeah man this can be an unforgiving place. Especially if it's your first long distance hike. You've only got a little guidebook. And you come off the book. You're done. Because you can't there's no topography you can't. The fells and say well that's that so I'll go this way. You can't see anything. As you can see. It's steep. Some bricks are pretty like. Pretty hairy but. It's mainly as well because you can't see. Other edge. Oh no. Testing minerals. It's an adventure. It's an adventure alright. I think it's straight up there isn't it. A bit of rock climbing. It's a scramble. Either way so I'll have to put you away. I'm going to climb up that. I'll have to put hiking poles away because it's a scramble. No sign at summit. Through the clouds. It's not. Not if it's faint-hearted. Or if it's. Legged. Big up. I think I can make out more of a hill this way. I can hear people. Someone hello. Alright lads. And that was that. Summit of Great Gable. Sorted. And now I believe. I have to tell. It'll be tough man. We've just a paper map. I'm glad I've got my OS maps. And I believe it's this way. Into the soup. We're out on Windy Gap. Scramble down there. And. Despite it's. It's not really living up to it's name right now. It's quite calm. And then up there. Into more of the mist. Sorry I can't bring you any views. It is a shame because I'm sure. The views are stunning from round here but. Mother Nature's drawn the curtains and said. Nah mate. You're not having it. So we'll just bat on into it fog. You can tell which way the wind blows. Predominantly from that direction. Man I've an update for you. Now it's changed. And it's still pea soup. Which is a shame. It's good because. You know I'm just focusing on what's in front of me. And it's quite meditative. I've got to concentrate. It's nice. And it's good to be out here but. The feeling of. The feeling of. The vastness. Is lost. Because it's just all. Closed in. So I can't take any photos. Of nice views. Or show you guys. Or even just. Whatever. There's nothing to be had in that sense. So obviously I'm not. I'm not. I'm not being able to jump on much. Because it ain't like. I'm not getting excited over views. I'll be like oh sure yeah. It's just basically. Very windy. And thick fog. See what it's like when we drop down. It's opened up. Quick. For the views. That was cool mate. Just all of a sudden it went from thick soup. And it just so quickly just like blew off. Like. And it just. Everything just got lighter and went HD. And then it revealed this. Like Mother Nature just slipping her blouse off. Quite spectacular. And my eyes have been in the fog for so long. It's like it's like being born again. It's bright. I can see things. Thanks Mother Nature. You're the queen. There's haystacks. Fleet with pike. Buttermere. It's all that way. Buttermere. It's all down there. I mean it's coming in again. He'll look behind me. But I'll take it. It's the first bit of clear sky I've had. All day today. I wonder if it'll let me have it just for. For the final stretch of the top bit down to. Honest. Even if it doesn't this has been good on it. This has been good. Fair old way to go. And just like that. Shows other people. Finish your drinks. It's time to leave. Look at that. All them views off there now look. Peace soup again. Oh well. That was good. It's almost like. Well I'm glad I saw it. But it's one of them way like. Here's what you could be having. Here's what you could have won. Makes me think of all the views that we've. That we've missed out on today because of the fog. And now look back to this. Thank you. Oh well. I'm making good time anyway. Over these next few. I don't mind. I can't see anything anyway. But off to. Was it going to open up again? Live. Sort of. Honestly mate. Something else when it does it. Oh. Yeah. Making good time. Over here down to. Honest. And then back down to Rosthwaite. Now my plan was to do a figure eight but. I don't need it. I've got what I wanted. I've had a right good life. Also. When you plot miles in the Lake District. It isn't the same as plotting miles elsewhere. Because you've got to take into account the elevation. Oh look. There she is. Live. Live and direct. Anyway. Come on. I've got to take into account the elevation. Which on this trip I mean. As I say I will leave. My route. I'll plot it into me OS maps. And I'll leave a link below. And I'll just write a little blurb about it and stuff. And if you want to. Check it out and do it yourself you can. Not to do with OS maps like I'm not sponsored or anything. I just thought it'd be a good. It's good sometimes. It's alright me saying I'm just out in Lake District. And when I'm going for like solo camps. Like one night as I don't like to see where I am. Because I don't want to put unnecessary. Pressure on. On a specific place. But. I feel like things like this when it's. It's a beast of a hike. Then yeah what I want people to do it. And you you're not going to camp in same places as me. Necessarily I'll do what I did. You just use it as a guide. And you were bed down whenever you want. Whoo. Yes this late mine down there. And then right off the end of this. Nab. Down this valley through these trees you see these. Like a few hours is down there. That's Ross's way. Maybe another couple of hours away. But I'm so happy that the. The clouds cleared even if it's just for this little bit. So I'm going to. Sit here. Finish whatever electrolytes I've got. I haven't got that. Not much at all. But a cup's worth. Because I'll be able to restock. At this late mine. So I'm going to sit. And enjoy these vistas. Nice little stop there at Honest of Slate mine. And a cup of coffee and a sarnie. And away. It's maybe about three miles. Oh I don't know what it is actually. Two or three miles. Down into Ross's way now. But it's beautiful. It's turned into a beautiful day. And a wonderful way to end. Me waffle meat is going down. Can't really. My brain's a bit dead. A bit knackered but. I'm just going to zone out and enjoy this final stretch. Ross's way. What an adventure. Feeling it in my legs a bit. But feeling it good in here. Very good. How do I get out of here? Stuck amongst all these beautiful houses. How do I sum it up man? Some highlights mate. Particularly today when. When the clouds gave way. To that. Beautiful scenery after I've had. What it felt like was you know when you get. Well you won't know but. Where you might. If you get kidnapped. In SES or whatever. And they put that. They put the black hood over your head. And lead you around. It felt like that. I felt like I've been kidnapped by the mist. And then. Yonked off. And at first it's like what the. It's almost too much. And it was just beautiful. Everything was in HD. It was one of the greatest times ever. Am I lost here? I mean there's worse places to be lost. But. I'm a bit knackered to sum it up mate. So. I think I'll. I'll take a few days. To let it sink in. And then I'll get back to you. I appreciate you watching. Take care of yourselves. I'll see you soon. Or of why for now. Map time. Here we go. Third and final map time. Everybody's favourite time. Right. I woke up here. Zero condensation. So. Happy campers. And off I went. Back. Down here. To join the path. And up. And that is an understatement when I say up. Because this. Felt like I was climbing for the majority of the day. Very steep. Up here. Loose rock. Onto here. And then I climbed up a little bit. And then I found some rocks around here. And took refuge. Waiting for the weather to change. But it didn't. So I carried on. Now up here. I would have. I would have had some lovely views across the valley. But it was just as you know. It was a whiteout. And this was tough going. There was a few scrambly areas as well. Where I had to climb. To the top of Great Gable. There was a couple of lads. Sat at the summit of Great Gable. So I had a bit of a chat with them. And on we went. Down here. Very steep down here. Through Windy Gap. Which this time wasn't that windy. And along. It's beautiful hiking. And I would have had amazing views. Either side of the ridge. But unfortunately. Not today. On we went. So this is the way that I sent that. The woman that I talked to. I said if you can get down here. You can sort of. There you go. Onto this trail. And round. Which takes you back on the coast to coast. I'm sure she was fine. This is where the clouds opened up for me. An amazing moment. Past Grey Knotts. And then I took a little detour down here. Found a little nab. And sat there for a while. And took in the views. Once the clouds had fully cleared. Back up. On my way down. On the road a little bit. And then there's a path at the side. My brain was shot to bits at this point. So. Not much talking to be done. We just time lapsed our way through it. Up here. This is actually the coast to coast. Goes through here. But. I had a look on my OS map. And decided to come this way. And through this woodland. I'm glad I did because it was beautiful. Pass this little campsite. Through the fields. Through the houses. And we're back. To Rostway. And there it is. The Lakeland Three Passes is a tough. Yet rewarding slog. Through some breathtaking scenery. I learnt that having water fruits would have been nice. And maybe a warm jacket would have made me a little bit more comfortable. But although it is important. I learnt that there's no substitute. For physical fitness. And a good mental attitude. The same knowledge is power. And that's true. But there's a lot to be said for having a decent engine. And being able to push your body and mind beyond your comfort zone. Because that's where you'll find real growth. Thanks for watching. Take care of yourselves. And I'll see you soon.