Barf (and Lord's Seat)

A lovely afternoon walk from Whinlatter Forest Centre starting with soup in the Siskins cafe and then following the forest paths, the green trail, through the autumnal trees. As the trail reached open ground, we took the path, at junction 53, heading upwards towards Ullister Hill and contoured round the top of the forrest to the right. As the main path headed bck into the trees we took the faint path, still skirting the forest towards the mound. Here the track became very muddy but we managed to negotiate our way with Lord's Seat ahead of us. Soon we rejoined the path from the forest which,in hind site we could have taken at junction 53 and and avoided the mud.

Barf from Lord's Seat

Instead of skirting to the right under Lord's Seat (as we had already bagged this summit)  we decided to climb to the top to enjoy the wonderful views over to the Skidaw Range and to the south, Grisdale Pike and it's companions. The weather was clear, the trees a golden brown and very few walkers around, just a couple comming off Barf heading towards us, and in the distance a couple heading towards Broom Fell.
A relatively short but muddy descent then an even shorter ascent took us up to the summit of Barf.
The return was south west off the summit down across the ghyll  to reenter the forrest and eventually rejoin the green trail back to the car park.

Time 3hrs
Grade Excellent
Memories

• Autumnal colours
• Good weather 
• Very quiet

Completed 121 To go 93

Rest Dodd and The Nab

Outside the school holidays, we thought parking at the Car Park through Hartsop would be no problem. We were lucky just to get the last space! Good wether at the start of the walk, we headed up the track to Hayeswater, crossed the bridge and headed up the fell towards the Knott.Half way up we took a small path heading up to the left and joined the main path running from Satura Crag to High Street at the junction of walls. Heading towards Sartura Crag, a track forked off to the right heading straight up to the summit of Rest Dodd. The start of the path was difficult to identify but the path itself had been clearly visible as we ascended from the reservoir. Good views across to the Rampsgill Head crags and High Raise. The Nab seemed away in the distance linked by what looked like and proved to be a very marshy col.
We headed northwest along the path from Rest Dodd and descended to just before a wall before turning right. The best way is to keep to the south of the wall, we made the mistake of following it on the north side for a while but soon crossed back.

Picnic Rock on the Nab

The col between the two tops looked marshy from the top of  Rest Dodd, and it was.  A stretch of peat bog had to be negotiated, reminiscent of Kinder Scout. One boulder was conspicuous and noted as a possible place for the lunch stop on the way back. We were soon on the top of The Nab with grand views across the Eden Valley. To the west the clouds were begining to develop and we knew we would soon be in our waterproofs. However the weather stayed fine for us to retrace our steps to the 'picnic rock' and enjoy our butties just before the rain came. The only proper way off the Nab is to return the way  of ascent, straight across the col to the wall between Rest Dodd and the Nab. We continued retracing our way to the path which headed SE to Rest Dodd then head straight down in westerly direction to meet the path from Satura crag, then turned left and head back to the reservoir.











Time 4hrs 30 ms
Grade excellent
 Memories

• Peat bog on way up to the Nab
• Great views watching the weather approach from the west

Completed 120 To go 94

Tarn Crag

Started in Grasmere village after and took the path up Far Easdale to the footbridge over Far Easdale Gill. Two mountain rescue vehicles passed us on the  Easdale Road, we think, heading back from Helm Crag. After the footbridgewe headed along the path heading for Easdale Tarn.  On reaching  the shoulder a path headed up the east ridge of Tarn Crag. Easy to miss in the bracken and on the ascent very indistinct in places. We found it best to keep to the ridge as far as possible. There were no problem areas but was quite a long gradual ascent to the summit.
The walk on to Sergent Man would have been possible in the conditions, but time  (and tired legs) did not permit so we descended the same way enjoying the vista over to Fairfield and the Helvellyn range
Time  4 hrs

Grasmere form Tarn Crag

Grade Excellent
Memories

• Ascent was away from the Sour Milk Gill crowds
• Views across to Blea Rigg and Coniston Fells behind
• Another warm day.

Completed 118  To go 96

Beda Fell

The walk is dedicated to my mother Gina who passed away recently. The last hill she climbed with us was  Place Fell of which we had fantastic views today.  
Another glorious day although very cold on the Ullswater Steamer from Glenridding to Howtown.
We skirted the base of  Hallin Fell  stopped for a look in the small delightful chapel, then dropped down passing Howes Farm to Howe Grain. To follow the whole ridge to Beda Head, we took the path running south of Howe Grain Beck then immediately ascended up the fell, south of the wall marking 'the right of access' land. This initial steepish ascent was short lived and soon we were able to enjoy the ascent along the ridge over a couple of rocky outcrops to the summit, Beda Head.  There were very few people around, glorious views over to Loadpot Hill on the one side and Place Fell on the other and down to the valleys of  Boredale and Bannerdale. The Nab stood proudly to the south.  We decided to descend the same way  as the route was so enjoyable. Near the bottom we took the path down to Knicklethorns to  reach the road and just made it back in time to get the ferry back to Glenridding, looking back on our walk form the lake.

Beda Fell from Ullswater

Time 4hrs 15mns
Grade  Excellent
Memories

• Views of Place Fell
• Small hill but classical lakeland walking
• Good to mix a walk with a trip on the lake

Competed 117  To go  97

Carrock Fell and High Pike

A glorious day to walk on the Caldbeck Fells. We ascended Carrock fell directly from Stone Ends which looked steep from the roadside but no too bad until ascending the right bank of Further Gill Sike where the stone were loose. The route followed a shallow cleft in the bracken in at time we were glad of the walls of the cleft and the bracken to help us. After this short steep ascent it was a gentle climb to the summit along the moor and through the boulders.

Looking back to Carrock Fell from High Pike

A hot sunny day but with a coolish breeze we found some shelter for our lunch admiring the hazy views around us. High Pike looked along way away but on such a nice day we made our way along the smooth ridge to Red Gate then followed the path up to High Pike.




Descent was by returning to Red Gate then down the the path  to cross Carrock Beck, a prolonged stop for a sunbathe now we were out of the wind, and then down to the road, bearing left through a wonderful yellow mass of gorse with a fantastic aroma.



Time  5 hrs
Grade Excellent

Memories

• Glorious sunny day
• The aroma for the gorse at the end of the walk

Completed 116  To go 98

Blencathra

Easter Saturday so bound to be busy. The plan was to arrive at Scales to park at the foot at Comb Beck before all the spaces were taken - and we succeeded. Keith and Janet  joined us for this Easter walk which followed the path climbing diagonally up Mousthwaite Comb then above the river Glendrmackin before turning left to climb up to Scales Tarn. Here we stopped for drink by the tarn watch the increasing number of walkers turning up to traverse Sharp Edge.  The weather was dry with mist swirling on Scales Fell the summit of Blencathra coming in and out of the cloud. We decided to keep to the south of Scales Tarn and ascend the path up to plateau and then on to the summit of Blencathra.


 Looking across to Sharp Edge we could the swarms of people almost queueing up to make the traverse. By now the mist had cleared and we were able to have lunch sheltered form the wind just under the summit. Not too busy on the top but had to redirect a party who were looking for the descent down Halls Fell Ridge but had missed the start of the path.  I toyed with the idea of descending via Mungisdale Common but this was soon discounted by the others so we descended the ridge of Scales Fell with great views down the Doddick Fell ridge on our right.

Time  5 hrs
Grade  Excellent

Memories

• People like ants traversing Sharp Edge
• Great Easter walk with Keith and Janet 

Completed 114  To go  100