Scafell Pike - Cloud dodging

Today's walk was a lottery with a constantly shifting cloud base and peaks randomly looming in & out of the cloud. Apart from starting at Seathwaite, the route was pretty fluid, the Gables & Base Brown where one option, Lingmell, Scafell Pike & Great End was another. Of course there is a saying about best laid plans... 

Early morning at Seathwaite...

Skiddaw & Co - via the snowy trade route

The hills looked a little hit & miss this morning - cloud seemed to be licking most of their summits so making  a final decision was difficult! Something close seemed sensible & since its been a while since I've been up Skiddaw's tourist route, this seemed a good option as any. Lack of the Summer hordes and a fresh covering of snow was a bonus.

Howell Memorial, weather could head either way - forecast predicts an improvement :)

Hobcarton End - The last North Western

Back in 2010 when I discovered 'hill bagging' I came across the  Hewitts, Nuttals & the Birketts previously unheard of! I'd already completed the Wainwrights and ticked off a few in hills in Scotland & Wales but had kept no record. I originally started arm chair bagging my way througth the various lists, but soon decided it would be better to begin again at the start with blank lists. Currently in Cumbria I'm ticking off the Birketts & Wainwright Outlyers but throughout the Lakes I have the odd straggler. Today's target was one of those pesky ones - the last in the NW area.

I started slightly further away from the usualy car park - for two reasons get my legs warmed up for the steep climb & to avoid the Forestry Comission car park charges...

Glenderaterra on two wheels

Another Sunday, another poor forecast - 10% chance of cloud free summits & gusts on the tops predicted at 55-65mph. Another outing on two wheels beckons a loop of Glenderaterra & a cycle down the old Keswick-Threlkeld railway starting from Spoonygreen Lane...

Strangely quiet on the old Keswick - Threlkeld railway line...

Raven's Barrow - A short walk made shorter

Another trip picking off those pesky outliers around Windermere. In AWs guide book this is a short walk visiting the monument of Raven's Barrow and taking in Sow How Tarn. As visibility was very poor a short walk became even shorter with a dash to Raven's Barrows cairn and back to the car. Despite the narrow single track road there are a couple of places where a car can be parked off road near the Cartmel Church junction.

Access onto the fell...

Knock & Great Dun Fell - A day early

Another escape from the lakes & a trip into the Northern Pennines to Knock Fell & Great Dun Fell. Unfortunately the cloud base dropped once we had set off so no summit views :( and I was a day
early because Monday & Tuesday finally brought sunshine. Had a poke around some of the old mine workings & hoped to find the Gloster Meteor crash site between Knock Fell and the 761 spot height but visibility was too poor.

with Dufton Pike rounded, the view up Great Rundale...

A circuit of Easedale Tarn

After a few excursions on the bike it was time to 'make up' with the dog, who was feeling a little ignored, and actually take him on the fells. A revisit to central hills North of Grasmere was overdue, I prefer to cover these hills before the main tourist season starts but unusually the fells where just as busy today, on a mid-week day in March with depressing cloud forecast! The forecast actually appeared to be correct but as the wind picked up the cloud lifted off the hills and the predicted 10% chance of cloud free summit became a 100%. 

Sour Milk Gill from the Far Easedale track...

Three lakes, two wheels

Another trip out on the bike, the dog will be thinking I've fell out with him. A circuit of Loweswater, Crummock Water & Buttermere starting from Hause Point... 

Early morning at Hause point...

Black Sail YH on two wheels

The first outing on a mountain bike for a number of years, something flat & easy!

A promising start...