Hart Side

We started from the quarry car park just SE of Dockray having stopped for a pre walk coffee at Aira Force.
The beginning and end of this walk was in very heavy rain, but thankfully cleared for the bulk of the day. So, in full waterproofs we headed up the path on the right hand side of the quarry, immediately confronted by wet slippery scrambling to get above the rocks onto a good path running by the wall under Round How and contouring round above Glencoyne Park with, despite the dull weather, grand views down to Ullswater.

The path left the wall, just after the lower path from Glencoyne joined us on the left, and headed across moorland under Brown Hills. When we met the wall running NW up the fell towards Birkett Fell we followed it to it's highest point and then across to the left tothe cairn on Birkett Fell, the only cairn I can remember which has a plaque with it's name on it. It was then an easy ascent to Hart Side summit which was clear of mist.
We had not decided on the route for descent, the possibilities being dropping down into Dockray then back along the road or to retrace our steps and descend into Glencoyne Park. Over our lunch, ont he way  back to Birkett Fell, we decided on the latter. The long path through Glencoyne was delightful despite the now incessant rain that had returned.

Time  4hrs 30mns
Grade Excellent
Memories

• Torrential rain at the start and end of the walk
• Did not meet a soul all day
• Picturesque Glencoyne

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