Snowy Fellbarrow & Low Fell - Hunting for Whin Fell

Its been a while since my last blog, one or two things got in the way and by the time things had returned to normal I was out of the habit of posting! As the months rolled by I vowed to resume 'normal' posting as a New Year resolution; ok I know its a bit late but its still January and 2015!!

The forecast for today was for a 90% chance of cloud free summits and upland gales - in one hand it was perfect but in the other the fun would be taken away. The first thing that hit me when I started scraping the ice off the windscreen wasn't the expected gale, in fact it was still? And as I headed up the road everything was shrouded in cloud - I've always been told if there is no wind then the clouds will build up (this may well be inaccurate?). I'd set off with a loose plan of either Grasmoor or Red Pike (Buttermere) but as the signs for Lorton approached it was obvious I wouldn't get a view - even Low Fell & Fellbarrow where in cloud. As the lowest hills these would be the first to clear and the Synge top of Whin Fell was still on my to-do list, the car was quickly parked in the ample space next to the telephone box & bottle banks.

Whin Rigg is awkwardly situated at the end of the Low Fell - Fellbarrow ridge, the easiest approach seemed to be over the fell road (this was a regular bike route from home when I was about 17!)...

Hopegill Head & Whiteside - Holding on, just

My friend who has recently took up walking has caught the 'bagging' bug, he even suggested an evening walk, with the excellent weather we had been experiencing this seemed a great idea and the next convenient evening was picked. Despite another day of summer conditions, this walk unfortunately also coincided with a change in the weather. As we traveled through Cockermouth it was beginning to cloud up & by the time we reached the tops it was near gale force, not the best conditions for an enjoyable evening stroll!!

Parking on the gated Hopebeck Road...

Grike to Lank Rigg - An Isle of Man viewpoint

These unfortunately are among my least favourite Lakeland Fells, down there with Dodd. I know the saying goes there is no such thing as a dull hill just dull people. If it is true them I must be pretty dull on these uninspiring hills. I may be wrong because Lank Rigg had a large party of walkers sat eating there lunch around the trig & summit cairn, no treasure hunting or photos of the top today!

Highlight of the day, the Isle of Man across the Irish Sea, today was one of those 1 in 50 when you can see it. Unfortunately the camera (or operator?) had a bad day and half my photos where out of focus & blurry!

The gate at the felled Forest Commision Heckbarley plantation...

Bow Fell Summit shared with more than I had bargained...

It was a promising start down Langdale with the last wisps of early morning cloud just licking the summit, as these hills are the most awkward to reach by car from where I live I usually try to grab as many as I can.
Of course we have had several days of clear blue skies so its time for the pesky summit cloud  to return - just in time for my weekend walk!! I'm pretty used to not getting a view from Bow Fell, this is the third no view visit in a row whilst the surrounding peaks have remained clear.

What I wasn't expecting was sharing the summit with six piles of ashes, I'm not sure if it was from one cremation spread out as much as possible or six separate cremations - none the less there was a considerable amount of ash deposited making it impossible to stop for lunch without either me or the dog stepping in some, onward to Esk Pike..

the route leaves the pass...

Rua Reidh Lighthouse - Three times on two wheels

Jun 2014

One of my families favourite places on the West Coast is Gairloch and I've been intending to visit Rua Reidh Lighthouse at the end of  Rubha Reidh point past the small settlement of Melvaig. Not fancying taking the camper van down the final narrow section (I had believed it to be a private road but it received a good amount of public traffic) I opted for the more leisurely two wheels from Big Sands Campsite a total distance, there and back of twenty miles.

Of course on my first visit I forgot my camera, and took a few low res photos on my phone, on my second visit a thunderstorm coincided with my arrival at the lighthouse. The downpour was so torrential I couldn't see - needless to say it I didn't dare get my camera out and cycling was 'interesting'. Fortunately my third visit was uneventful and thankfully I remembered my camera!!

Rua Reidh's jetty...

Stac Pollaidh - Still falling short of the summit

Jun 2014

My old man joined us for a week in the Far North of Scotland and he said he had always wanted to climb Stac Pollaidh - so my only hill of the week was a repeat and the true summit wasn't even reached, for the second time! But if there is a hill you have a repeat this one doesn't get a complaint from me :)

Stac Pollaidh from the car park...

Eel Crags Trig Finally Topples

A friend who has slowly been working through his Wainwright list asked me if I'd like to accompany while he aimed for Grasmoor. As summer has finally arrived I couldn't really refuse :) The trig point on Eel Crag which has slowly been deteriorating has finally toppled - probably helped.

Crummock rewards the early start...