Castlerigg Stone Circle

Travelling home over Dunmail Raise and along Thirlmere, I was treated to a natural lights show as shafts of sunlight broke through the clouds. I decided Castlerigg Stone Circle would be a great foreground for the crepuscular rays and made the short detour, of course 'sods law' dictates the light show would have ended. Surprisingly I managed to grab a couple of pictures without the usual visitors in shot.

Fantastic Fairfield & the Rydal Horsehoe

Blessed with another fine forecast it was a little disappointing to see cloud on many of the higher fells. Travelling South to find cloud free summits, found us over Dunmail Pass - a choice between the Langdale Fells (walked only a few days before) or the Rydal Fells. Obviously everybody else had made the same decision as these hills where very busy!

A sun soaked Windermere from Nab Scar...

A perfect match : Winter sun & the Langdale Pikes

This was the best weekend forecast for around the last six weeks and with a thin dusting of snow on the Lakeland Fells it was impossible to resist. Great weather deserves great hills, and the Langdale Pikes never fail to disappoint. Originally hailing from Cockermouth a northerly approach from Stonethwaite is my usual route to these hills.

Eagle Crag from an icy Borrowdale...

A round of Greenburn

I had watched the long range forecast for today see-saw back & forth between sun & heavy rain, as the week progressed even the short range forecast was indecisive! I awoke to rain and as I passed under Skiddaw the wind screen wipers were on full speed, as I headed South through the Lakes it became brighter. With the rain now passed it was time to dump the car and go for a walk.

Helm Crag from Easedale...

First snow on the Ennerdale - Buttermere watershed

A walk along the Ennerdale-Buttermere watershed, with a poor forecast it was originally intended to be a crossing of Great Borne & Starling Dodd. As the cloud lifted suddenly from Red Pike it seemed a shame not to include it, from there it would be rude not to include High Stile & High Crag. A flurry of snow greeted us on the summit of High Crag, the first of the season but overall better weather than forecast. As always the six mile trudge along the forestry road back to Bowness Knott car park seemed longer than it was.

The start of climb up Bowness Knott...

Irton Pike - A quick up & down

A quick up & down, even if your not collecting Wainwright Outlying tops its still a worthy viewpoint.

Obvious parking place...

A circuit of Miterdale - Plan C

This was a last minute plan C! My plan A had been a Outlying & Birkett top collecting exercise into the Dunnerdale Fells, but unfortunately comitments slowly began to fill up the afternoon so realisticaly I'd never get them all done. My plan B would have been a walk up Lingmell to pick up the Nuttals of Round How (99% sure I've been over this one before) & Middleboot Knotts (50-50 on this one?) but as I gained my
first view down Wasdale, the cloud was just licking  Lingmell & the Scafells were well & truely in the clouds. Time for a plan C.

I had the nearby Wainwright Outlier of Irton Pike & the Birkett top of Great Bank to tick off & Boat How was overdue a re-visit. As time was now of the essence I decided to approach Great Bank from the car park half way down Mitredale and follow the Whin Rigg to Illgill Head ridge to Burnmoor Tarn - from here I could return to the car over Boat How. If time allowed I could gain Irton Pike as a quick ascent from the road.

Under no circumstance can I recommend my route up Great Bank - a longer route starting/ending under Irton Pike however would be pleasant

Great Bank, a Birkett top...