Thursday, 25 August 2016

Hen Combe

Parked outside Loweswater by the telephone kiosk which now houses a Community Heartbeat Trust Community Public Access Defibrillator. The first park of the walk followed the same route as our walk up Mellbreak. We had no problem crossing Mosedale Beck.

Mosedale Beck
Having gained the ridge by following the wall on our left, we walked up to the summit. Descent was by retracing our steps. A lovely walk for my 60th birthday and to put icing on the cake we saw a red squirrel scuttling across the road and up a tree on out way back to the car


Time 3 hrs

Memories

60th Birthday Walk
Red Squirrel on way back to car
Gentle afternoon walk



Completed 177 To go 37

Tuesday, 12 July 2016

Harter Fell, Kentmere Pike (Shipman Knotts)

Time 5 hrs

Grade Excellent

Memories

  • Flock of Rough Fell sheep 
  • Views down Haweswater from Harter Gully
  • Cloud free summits and clear views to the West
Completed 176 To go 38
Haweswater from Harter Gully

Herdwick

Tuesday, 5 July 2016

High Raise, Sergeant's Crag, Eagle Crag

Fleetwith Pike from Eagle Crag
View down Greenup Gill from Lining Crag











Time 7 hrs

Grade Excellent

Memories

  • Long walk
  • Pathless descent from High Raise
  • Good clear views across all the fells
  • Completed Central Fells

Completed  174 To go 40

Monday, 4 July 2016

Grey Knotts, Brandreth

Storm Clouds over Pillar
Our intial plan for today was a full days walk to High Raise but the weather forcast was for very heavy rain from midday. So a mornings walk was the solution and the 2 peaks from Honister fitted the bill perfectly. Parking at the slate mine ofr a fiver (which was refunded later with purchases from the shop) we toothe path directly behind the mine straight up the hillside with a fence to our right. After the initial steepish section the incline soon eased and we reached Grey Knots with what appeared to be 2 summit cairns. We had to go to both to be sure.  The walk on to Brandreth was straightforward however trying to off Brandreth in a north easterly direction as marked on the map we soon reached a fence with no crossing point. We therefore followed the fence round the north of the summit and eventually reached the main Honister,Green Gable path. By now the clouds were coming in over the Gables, Kirkfell and Pillar, as forecast. We now followed the main path back to our starting point. A couple of groups of DofE walkers could be seen below Fleetwith Pike. Theycan be recognised a mile off! We met a group  back at the slate mine, heading for Stonethwaite.


Time 3hrs 45 mns

Grade Excellent

Memories

  • Good timing with weather forcast
  • Great views over to Kirkfell and Pillar Range
Completed  171 To go  43

Sunday, 3 July 2016

Great Crag

We had two options for this wak. Either a staright up and down from Watendlath or a round from Stonethwaite. We decided on the latter and manged to find a parking spot just before the school in Stonethwaite, quite lucky as the school summer fete was on.
Willygrass Gill
The route took us across Stonethwaite Bridge and a short distance along the Cubrian Way before heading of left up into the forest on a good path. As part of the school fete we met a group of  children from Keswick running club wlaking the course with their parents before their race.
Quite a steep ascent through the forest with Willygrass gill on our right (what a great name) and then on to the open fell towards Dock Tarn. The ground here becamr very boggy and remained so all the way to Grey Crag. The path to the sumit of Grey Crag was not easy to find initially in the bracken and the bog but we oon found it after leaving the main path on the left.
Eagle Crag and Sergeant's Crag
A nice little summit a good view down to Watendlath tarnand oout route down. We headed down the path towards Watendlath intending to cut the corner across the heathland but the marshland prevent this so we followed the still very boggy path befre turn to the left following a path towards Puddingstone Bank. Here the track was easy downhill towards Rosthwaite which I had run a few weeks before in the round  Derwentwater 25k.
We seemed to take quite a while descending and decided to walk back to the car along the road from Rosthwaite rather than the Cumbrian way which would take us the wring side of the river.

Time 4 hrs

Memories

  • Nice afternoon walk
  • Boggy around Docker Tarn
  • Beautiful views down to Watendlath
Grade  Excellent

Completed 169 To go 47

Tuesday, 21 June 2016

Ullock Pike, Long Side, Carl Side, (Skiddaw) Bakestall



Grisedale Pike, yesterday's way up
A fantastic walk, a great improvement on the tourist route up Skiddaw from Latrigg. We parked on the Orthwaite road a few hundred yards from the A591. We had decided to start the walk form that point rather than starting with the walk in from Peter House Farm. We would probably regret this at the end of the walk.
Route find was no problem taking the path just under Watches on to Ling Howe, The Edge and then Ullock Pike. Yesterdays route up Grisedal pike was clearly cisible across the valley. From Ullock Pike the ridge ahead was clearly visible over to Long Side and then up to Carl Side. Amazingly three moutainbikers were coming along the ridge the other way and then head off down where we had just ascended.
Our main concern for the day was the route from Carl Side to Skiddaw. The path up the Skiddaw slate was always in view from the ridge.At a distance it looked steepish but as we got closer it appeared steeper and steeper looking almost vertical.
A deep breath at Carlside tarn and we started ascending. The steep section was steep,as we expected, but not vertical, and manageable. Would have been difficult in wet weather. Elspeth felt she had to keep moving constantly in case she slipped back if she stopped.
The difficult bit was soon over and we were on the broad Skiddaw summit for a deserved lunch.
View from Skiddaw looking over Long Side
The way off saw us leaving the numerous people on top who had ascended the tourist route and were heading to descend the same way.  A nice gentle descent taking care to to head for Broad End, on to Bakestall and then a steepish pat down Birkett Edge to the Cumbrian Way. Although we were tired the walk back along the road to the car was not too bad with very little traffic.


Time 7hrs

Memories

  • Superb round walk
  • Steep ascent up to Skiddaw
  • Mountain bikers on Ullock Pike
  • Completed Northern Fells
Grade Excellent



Completed 168  To go 46

Monday, 20 June 2016

Grisedale Pike

Views ascending
Our previous ascent of Gisedale Pike had been from Bassenthwaite with memories of the steep scree section before the summit. This walk we drove up to the car park in Whinlatter forest at Revlin Moss. The notice board at the car park directed us on the correct forest road towards Grisedale Pike and then out of the forest to climb the north east ridge directly up to the summit. The walk was steep in places but never difficult and a great improvement on the path up Sleet How. The top was reached in good weather with good views over the previously climbed Hopegill Head and the yet to climb Crag Hill and Grasmoor. For a different way down we decided to descend to Hobcarton End and follow the path back down to the forest. Just before entering the forest we came upon a sign saying no entry path closed due to forestry works! We could see and hear the machinery at the top of Sanderson Gill, way away from our proposed route. We had no intention of climbing back up again so continued into the forest. It was true the path became non existent but there were huge machinery tracks heading down in the general direction we wanted to go, so we followed one of these down to the forest track and eventually back to the car. (Passing a sign pointing the other way saying No Entry!)
The way down


Time 4 Hrs

Memories
  • Rough descent through forestry work
  • Clear day with great views
Grade Excellent

Completed 164   To go 50

Tuesday, 14 June 2016

Grike, Crag Fell, Lank Rigg

What a difference in the weather. Yesterday pouring down, today beautiful sunshine. We parked at Scaly Moss and followed the easy forest track north of Blakekey through cleared forest and up to a style in the fence with the path clearly leading up to our first summit Grike. Next on the agenda was Crag fell, again an easy walk down passing the weather station mast and up on to summit.
the views of the Ennerdale fells were fantastic and as the weather was so good we decided to continue the walk heading back down to the now felled wood and up on to Woap, initially following the wall heading for Caw but soon heading south to find the path marked on the map. 
It was a simple descent and ascent on to our final summit Lank Rigg, the wind beginning to increase but the views over the west coast were magnificent.
It was quite long walk back down along Woap Beck with a helicopter hovering for some time over Crag Fell.  Then a slight climb over the col, now south of Blakeley, and back to along the road to the car.












Time  5hrs

Memories

  • Gorgeous Day (in contrast to previous day)
  • Fantastic clear views of Ennerdale and valley
  • Long walk but to difficulties
Grade Excellent

Completed 163  To go 51

Monday, 13 June 2016

Burnbank, Blake Fell, Gavel Fell




The forecast was wet for all day which turned out to be very accurate. Parking at Maggies Bridge we followed the path to the lake and on entering Holme Wood  took the path heading left up through the wood climbing towards Holme Beck. On reaching the open fell a good path skirted Burnbank fell to a wall and style. This was where we left the path and headed up the fellside parallel but some way from the wall on our right following a clear path unmarked on the map. One the climbing was over it was an easy walk  along the broad  top to the summit, marked only by a fence corner.
The rain persisted, the ground boggy but always firm underfoot.
The rout now was simple, follow the fence south initially down then up on to Blake Fell and the continue following the fence on to Gavel Fell. However coming off Blake Fell we failed to realise the fence forked and we continued down the main path, now following the wrong fence, thankfully only for a few hundred metres before we realised out mistake. A quick retrace of our step s back to a style which we crossed and then continued onto Gavel Fell.
Still very misty at wet we elected to follow yet another fence down towards Whiteoak beck and then followed the main path back tot he car. Still very wet!

Time 4hrs 30mns

Memories
  • Very wet day
  • Fence to follow between each top
  • Slight navigation error

Grade Excellent

Completed 160   To go  54

Friday, 3 June 2016

Rossett Pike, Esk Pike, Bowfell

The Scafells
The hottest walking day we have had for a while so carrying lots of water. We managed to get a parking spot at the NT car park at the Old Dungeon Ghyll hotel. The longish walk along Mickleden Beck too us to the foot of Rossett Ghyll and, the now excellent path climbed up the ghyll towards Angle Tarn. A short diversion from the main path took us up to our first summit of the day, Rossett Pike.  The day was hot and we knew that this would be quite a long slow walk, however the sky was clear and the views excelent. Next, a short descent sown to Angle tarn the the climb up to Esk Hause. Here most of our companion walkers headed up towards Scafell Pike but we turned left for the steepish climb up to Esk Pike. We were quite tired by now in the heat but Bowfell didn't look like too much of a challenge so we dismissed any ideas of going down from Ore Gap and completed the planned route up Bowfell and the down The Band back to the car.
Climbing Bowfell Esl Pike in Background
Descending the Band, Elspeth slipped and badly sprained her wrist. It was a good path but she slipped on the dry loose stones, this having had negotiated the rocky sections on Esk Pike and Bowfell without any problem. After 20mns or so rest we carried on down very slowly and were glad to reach the car, the Old Dungeion Ghyll beer garden, heaving with wlakers and climbers.

Time 9 hrs

Memories

  • Hot Day
  • Long walk
  • Easy to slip even on good paths

Grade Excellent

Completed 157  To go  57

Monday, 16 May 2016

High Street, Thornthwaite Crag, Gray Crag

We managed to park at the small car park up at Hartsop which saved the walk in along the road through the Hamlet. A nice sunny day with cool breeze boded well for a good walk. The initial part of the route was altered slightly because of the hydroelectric power works in Hayeswater Gill. We took the path up the left bank of the gill to the pumping station, crossed bridge over the gill and the joined the main path up to Hayeswater. Ignoring the the sign to recross the gill at the next bridge we continued up to the lake crossed at the top of the gill and took the steep path up towards the Knott. Quite a pull up but once the height was gained the walking became easier, behind the Knot (already climbed) and the on to High Street, keeping on the path running by the wall. The path to the right misses the summit.
The visibility today was as good as I have ever seen. All the peaks were clearly visible and identifiable,  not merging into each other as is often the case.
After lunch on the summit the route to the beacon on Thornthhwaite crag was easy. Another short stop, chatting to a walker who was walking Wainwright Way form Blackburn to Buttermere, then off north descending the ridge to Gray Crag. The path was clear all the way even coming off Gray Crag back to Hayeswater Gill. This time we descended directly to the hydro electric works and has to skirt round the fenced off area the rejoin the path. All clearly marked for the least disruption to walkers as possible.

Time 5hrs

Memories

  • Excellent visibilty
  • Hydroelectric works
  • Mountain biker on top of High Street (how did he get there?)
Grade  Excellent

Completes 154  To go 60