Roughing it with Eagles & walking in the footsteps of Romans

One walk I had been planning to do for a while is an approach of High Street over Rough Crag, returning to Haweswater fom High Raise. I've never visited the two Birkett tops of Low Raise  & Castle Crag so a chance to add two to my tally made this an obvious route choice. The forecast for today was surprising good considering the next days forecast is about as bad as you could ever wish for, local news warned of cancelled sporting events & country shows. So MWIS predicting a favourable 80% chance of cloud free summits was the icing on the cake.

 I often preach of an early start so it was somewhat of a surprise to arrive at the car park at the top of Haweswater to find a gazebo with what appeared to be a buffet of fruit & various snacks with a choice of refreshments. A film camera sat ready on a tripod, a photographer and other 'official' looking people in attendance standing dutifully by the tent. Me & my faithful walking companion don't usually get this sort of reception, how did they know where we were walking today? More importantly that my dog is partial to the odd sausage roll (or three)?

Unfortunately the welcoming committee wasn't for us but had something to do with a 100k Mountain Marathon starting from Brockhole.

Early morning in Haweswater, the sun hadn't come over Selside Pike yet...

as height is gained the view down Haweswater is fantastic...

the Sun is rising now and begins to light up Harter Fell...

it won't win a photography award but are they Buzzards or even the elusive Haweswater Eagles?

Rampsgill Head & Kidsty Pike have the summits hidden by a thin layer of cloud...

High Street & Rough Crag are clear...

Mardale Ill Bell & the first glimpse of Blea Water...

Pennines are also clear as cloud begins to build up in the Eden Valley...

Blea Water, Cumbria's deepest tarn...

the route up High Street from Rough Crag...

Blea Water looks fantastic from any angle...

zoom to Rough Crag & Caspel Gate Tarn...

the bigger picture...

High Street's trig point, named after the Roman Road that crosses the fell on its journey between Ambleside & Brougham...

The Knott, Rampsgill Head, High Raise & Kidsty Pike...

looking back at High Street & Thornthwaite Crag...

a patch of cloud arrived on Rampsgill Head at the same time as myself, obscuring the view down Bannerdale...

the cloud passed on route to Kidsty Pike...

Harter Fell, Mardale Ill Bell & High Street from the summit of Kidsty Pike...

another glance back. Kidsty Pike, High Street & Rampsgill Head from High Raise...

the Roman road continues over High Raise's summit to Red Crag, Wether Hill & Loadpot Hill...

Low Raise sports an impressive cairn & shelter...

plenty of deer about - most kept a healthy distance...

descending to Haweswater on the SE ridge...

Crepuscular ray over Mardale & Riggindale...

ruins with Kidsty Pike on the horizon...

Haweswater from Castle Crag...

and again looking over the ancient hill fort...

Riggindale...

nearly back at the car, looking up the valley to Harter Fell & Nan Bield Pass...