Great Crag, 4 Deer Fences, 3 Tarns, 2 Synges & 1 Failed Shortcut

Its always when the distance back home is more than the distance to the hill when you realise that you've forgotten something! Today it was when I pulled into Kettlewell car park to take a quick shot of Derwentwater - fortunately I keep a little point and click in the glove box so all was not lost, just a shame it had a bit of dirt on the mens! A short time later surprisingly I was the only car in Stonethwaite's small car park, booted for Great Crag and its two neighbouring summits Knotts & High Crag.

Skiddaw and an icy Derwentwater...

the steep pull through the woods over, the view to Honister Pass...

sunrise over Greenup Edge...

a quick heather bash and an unexpected wall topped with a deer fence, possibly Knotts high point, well its got a cairn so it will do (I don't suffer from summit OCD), Synge #1...

Great Crag, not far away...

its summit, Watendlath Tarn & High Seat...

a frozen Dock Tarn, saw a few deer but they beyond the little cameras zoom...

another deer fence crossing, and High Crag (synge #2) gave a splendid view down my favourite valley, Langstrath...

I started more deer, but they where still out of range and blended into the heather...

with no wind they didn't seem startled but maintained a safe distance, so I approached and herded them up to the skyline, finally got them...

Bow Fell, note the dirt on the lens :(...

view down to Bass...

Great Gable...

Fleetwith Pike and the Buttermere Fells...

Bowfell again...

Ullscarf...

the dog...

descending to Standing Crag...

icy descent...

looking back to Standing Crag...

a frozen Blea Tarn...

I was following the bridle way which picked up the High Tove path, but noticed a couple sets of footprints heading direct to Watendlath, suspecting a sneaky unknown route I followed them...

ice on Bleatarn Gill,

the gill narrowed & steepened and I had to cross a steep lethal frozen beck, shortly after crossing this was my 3rd wall topped with a fence and no sign of a gate, the footprints climbed this at the same point I selected to cross...

I disturbed another smaller herd of at this deer fence, the fourth, which also need crossed, no sign of a gate, frozen Watendlath Tarn...

never seen this nice packhorse bridge before...

climbing the bridleway to Rosthwaite...

the bridleway's summit...

green lane to Stonethwaite...

Moral of the day, don't follow footprints they don't know a sneaky shortcut but in fact are lost...

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...

Status Quo on Skiddaw

A hectic week or two meant that I hadn't been able to hit the fells, so on the first opportunity it was pretty disappointing to find  them shrouded in low cloud. Surprisingly Skiddaw just had a little whiff of the grey stuff licking its summit and that looked like it would be blown clear - a better proposition then the obscured Great Gable.

Of course this is Skiddaw and any fancy notions of actually getting a view are ill founded.

The sun is out to play, looking towards Binsey...

Castle Rock of Triermain - The last Eastern

Back in 2010, when I came across a list Birkett summits, I initially engaged in a bit of armchair bagging as I crossed those off I'd already walked from the list. It didn't take long before I became tired of this task so, after scrumpling up my pencil marked list I started off with blank list of 541 Lakeland Fells as seen in the eyes of Bill Birkett.
   Now four years later I'm still 62 away from my target, in my defence I've had several periods where I've lost the will, a new Birkett top has not been bagged for months! Sometimes I don't have the drive to pick off a minor top that I know I've already walked - Castle Rock at the head of St John's falls into that category. Many a time on my journey's up & down Thirlmere I've been tempted to pull over but I've never summoned the energy. But forced off the higher tops by rain & lack of anything resembling a worthwhile view, a thick pencil line can be drawn through my last Birkett summit in the Eastern Fells. My remaining total now at the annoying 61, almost tempted me towards Eycott Hill on the way home - but heavy rain saved me from that fate!

The amiable side of Castle Rock from Legburthwaite...

Hayeswater Loop - A few in the Far East

Taking advantage of the continuing high pressure, a quick dash into the Far Eastern Fells from Hartsop. For baggers this is an ideal route, as the final four tops can be bagged in less than half an hour! As the day progressed it unfortunately slowly clouded over.

Gray Crag from Hartsop...

Keskadale Circuit - Robinson & Co.

The Newlands Valley is amongst my favourites in the lakes and is home to the popular Newlands Horseshoe, but a smaller often overlooked horseshoe can be made of Robinson and the two smaller Wainwrights of Knott Rigg & Ard Crags.

Robinson & High Snab Bank...

Around the Old Man - Coniston Eight

A friend had asked me to take him around the Kentmere Horseshoe, I agreed but as I had only been over these again the week previous I was relieved when at the last minute he changed his mind, selecting the Coniston Fells. As he is only half way through the Wainwrights he was quite keen to tick off all eight despite the rather disappointing low cloud.

Copper Mine Valley, will it clear???

Caves, Circles, Castles, Tables & even a Henge

Another visit to Lacy's Caves and a few other attractions dotted around Little Salkeld & Penrith, an escape from the Lakes on a bank holiday...

Previous visit to Lacy's Cave

Lacy's Caves, situated beside the River Eamont...

Cunswick Scar & Scout Scar - Still cheating!!

Another two outliers, I would have liked to follow Wainwrights full route over these but for now I only had time for a quick dash, taking advantage of the free LDNPA car park in a small quarry near the antenna on the Kendal to Underbarrow road. There's more parking at the access road to the mast, both of which where quite busy for a mid week morning & it seemed a popular walk for Kendal's dog walkers.

Looking back at the antenna near the car park... 

Identity crisis on Little Lingy Hill

Sometimes hill lists collide, one may side with the OS, another may go with what is obvious on the ground -  Little Lingy Hill is one of those tops caught in this uncertainty. Birkett places it to the more prominent lump above Iron Crag, while the Synge list sides with the OS and plumps with an insignificant bump in Miller Moss.

I've previously visited these tops before, even the boggy insignificant Synge summit has been crossed whilst taking a shortcut across Miller Moss (not recommended) but to describe this as a Lakeland Summit is stretching the dictionary definition of a 'summit'.

A friend has asked me what the ascent of  Roughtongill is like so its a little photo heavy, its not a difficult climb but when the gill is in spate or in winter conditions it should be approached with care.

It should be noted that the LDNPA has placed a restriction of mineral collection in the area described by this walk to preserve the rare minerals for the nation, its ok for United Utilities to use the mineral rich mine spoil to repair pot holes on there track, or samples to slowly be washed down the valley. A successful prosecution can lead to a £20,000 fine, I've seen a few threatening signs in Hay Gill - but the only attempted prosecution was above the Plumbago Mines in Borrowdale. 

The valley of Dale Beck is worth a visit...

Staveley Fell - One hazard exchanged for another!

Staveley Fell was one of the Outlying Fells I was desperate to get done before the bracken makes an appearance. AW warns that the bracken on the ridge impedes progress so at the tail end of April, I was expecting no more than green shoots. Of course I hadn't anticipated recent forest operations that made some of the walking more awkward then expected!

Surprising for its closeness to Windermere there is an abundance of parking in Staveley in Cartmel. For a
change I more or less followed the original route.

The track through the woods leaves Staveley in Cartmel beside a telephone box...

Kentmere Horseshoe Pt 2 - Making a long walk longer

This is an extension to a walk around the Kentmere Horseshoe.

My usual choice of route from Shipman Knott is to turn down the pass to Green Quarter, however today I was after three minor tops. It was a straight pull from the pass summit following the wall before descending towards Skeggles Water.

view back to Shipman Knotts from Hollow Moor... 

Kentmere Horseshoe Pt 1 - A Lakes Classic

It has been a few years (in fact 2010!) since I have last completed the full Kentmere Horseshoe, I did revisit the Kentmere Fells twice last year but not as a full expedition. So with probably the best forecast of the year so far, Kentmere was a temptation I couldn't refuse.

An early start meant I didn't meet anybody until between Froswick & Thornthwaite Beacon,
and he was asleep. Its not unusual to see a tent, but to see a small empty 'peapod' sized tent pitched right next to the path, with its occupant asleep on the grass is unusual!! I was tempted to give him a kick and check he was ok but thought it best to leave him. An RAF jet passed over shortly after and the over-sleeping camping sat up so at least he was still in the land of the living! His choice of a half empty litre bottle of water as a pillow I thought odd & uncomfortable!

My next encounter was a large party of students climbing from the the top of the Nan Bield Pass to Harter Fell, as with all large groups you get stragglers, one was getting encouragement from one of the group leaders. The fitter members under direction from another leader would wait for the few stragglers to catch up then march off. It became apparent that the fitter members where getting regular prolonged stops while the less fit members of the group weren't getting any - whats the chances of them venturing into the hills, they will most probably be put off for life!

A visit to Kentmere wont be complete without mentioning the lack of parking, the field that opens as a car park was gated (closed), with no evidence of a sign or bucket. Being early I was the first to arrive & park at the village hall (donation box), on my return the field was still closed and parking outside the village hall was full. Cars & vans had slotted themselves in various passing places and field openings!

Early morning, Kentmere & Badger Rock... 

Helvellyn - A circuit of Red Tarn timed to perfection

A friend asked me to take him over Striding Edge, not that you need an excuse! The forecast, depended on where you looked, it could go either way but I wasn't expecting a view. As it turned out the cloud lifted as we walked our way round and dropped behind, the rain started as we reached the car - a walk timed to perfection.

Birkhouse Moor...