Ulldale fells - Lake District - 20th March 2016

Finally , after a crappy winter and lots of other distractions my first visit to the Lakes of 2016.

These Northern fells are not typical Lakeland fells - they have grassy paths and are generally easier to walk - my creaky , rusty frame was especially grateful for this !!

Up at 4 AM , driving from the East Midlands, I arrived at my start point around 8.30. The road (north of Bassenthwaite) was 'off the scale'  - single track for most of the way (around 5 miles) with pot holes and farmers bombing along on quad bikes.

The start point was Longlands (shown on the map , but no indication from road signs).

Through the gate onto the field and turn right along the wall. Using Mark Richards guide I followed the path across the valley and up to the high valley / ravine of Trusmadoor

Approaching Trusmadoor

From the valley floor turn right up the path to the top of the wonderfully named Great Cockup.
Back down to Trusmnadoor and then straight up the next fell - Meal Fell

Top of Great Cockup

Top of Great Sca Fell with Knott in the background

Dodgy Bloke

Top of Brae Fell from Longlands Fell

Top of Meal Fell

From Meal Fell it was a straightforward path down to the col between Meal Fell and Great Sca Fell. I chose the steep path rather than the one one up to the col between Great and Little Sca Fell - it didn;t look hard but it was !!

As the weather was wonderful and  clear it was an easy navigation past the top of Little Sca Fell and then over the ridge to Brae Fell.

 View from the top of Brae Fell

From Brae fell it was another easy navigation , dropping down and up a gully to the slopes of  Lowthwaite Fell and then onto the ridge leading to Longlands Fell.

Brae Fell Summit

Over Water from the top of Longlands Fell

Top of Longlands Fell

An excellent days walking , which didn't kill me - I need to get some tougher walks in for the coming Months

OS OL  4    North Lakes . About 8 Miles

Catch up - Monsal Dale , Curbar Edge , Derwent Edge (February / March 2016)

I haven't posted for a long time and towards the end of last year and the start of this one have not done any significant walks. This was mainly due to all the building work we had done at home and the crappy , wet weather over the winter.

However , I am slowly getting back up to speed.

Monsal Dale - February 2016

With Richard. Same route as previously - Monsal Head - Monsal Dale - Great Shacklow Wood - Ashford in the Water - Monsal Head

OL24 - White Peak - about 8 miles


Curbar Edge - March 2016

Another favorite walk - great for getting some miles on my legs without any navigation issues.
Park at the NT car park and then a anticlockwise circuit of the edges - Baslow Edge - White Edge - Froggat Edge - Curbar Edge. As usual , a lovely walk. At the start for about 10 minutes it was blowing a blizzard - nearly chickened out and turned back. However, it soon blew over and the weather really became quite mild.




OL24 White Peak - about 8 miles


Derwent Edge - March 2016

With Richard

Parked up at one of the layby's near Fairholmes. No signal so I wondered down to the main car park and Richard was waiting there. This was a repeat of last time I met with Richard around here, Along the shores of Ladybower - a short stroll over the bridge on the A57 and then up to Whinstone Lee Tor - along the glorious Derwent Edge - Back Tor - Lost Lad - Back down to the shores of Ladybower - short stroll arond the southern end of Derwent res - back to the car.

Brilliant walk - as usual !!





OL1 Dark Peak - About 9 Miles

Blencathra Sept 27th 2015

Probably the last chance I would get for a trip to the Lakes this year, as the builders are coming back next week and we will be busy with the new kitchen. Excellent weather for walking - slightly cloudy with some wonderful autumn sunshine poking through the clouds.

I had planned to do some of the Ulldale fells North of Skiddaw but at the last minute (driving on the A66) I glanced up at Blencathra and decided to change the plans.

Summit Ridge

Summit

Scales Tarn

The route and navigation was simple. Park at Blencathra Centre just outside Threkeld, It is virtually a case of stepping out of the car onto the Fell. Up Blease Fell on an excellent path and onto the summit ridge.  Views from the top were outstanding and spectacular.

Causey Pike in the distance

Halls Fell

Looking down from the summit

A brave soul on Sharp Edge

From the summit I had a stroll along the ridge to get some pics of Sharp Edge and Scales Tarn.

Return by the same route.

Harvey Superwalker - Northern Lakes. 5 Miles

5th September 2015 Fairfield Horseshoe

A brilliant September day in Cumbria. Bright , clear and warm.

Leg 1

Leg 2

Leg 3

Leg 4

Final Section

Great Rigg

Dr Fulcher with his new camera

Windemere in the distance

I did this walk a couple of year ago ....in the mist so I didn't get to see much. It was fantastic to do it in clear weather and with someone else (Richard). Because I haven't done many walks recently I was a bit 'out of shape' so found it hard going. However, we got round in one piece !!. Clockwise from the car park in Ambleside on the Grasmere road.

St Sunday Crag from the top of Fairfield

Top of Fairfield

I had considered taking in Stone Arthur as a little detour but by the time we were close to the sunmit of Great Rigg an extra 2 mile detour including 1000 ft down and then back up again did not appear to attractive.

Taking a rest before the descent

Heron Pike and Great Rigg

So - no new Wainwrights bagged this time , but my 'second time round list' is now into double figures.


Superb day out - about 10.5 miles. OS OL5 and OL7

16th August Crich

Been busy with the builders around every day , so it was good to get away for a few hours to do this walk. Not much driving involved and the same route as normal - Anti Clockwise from the small car park near Whatstandwell.

About 6.5 miles OS OL 24 White Peak

Wednesday 22nd July 2015 Rosthwaite Fell- Glamara – Allen Crags

Day off to the Lakes for another fine day of fell walking. As the second segment of this walk involved no paths (Rosthwaite Fell summit ridge / plateau) I loaded some waypoints into my Garmin , and these proved really useful.

Up at 4 AM , followed by a reasonable trip up to Cumbria. I parked at Seatoller (NT car park). From the car park turn left and walk along the road for about three hundred yards. Just after Mountain View cottages there is a footpath sign on the right. Following this across to the far corner of the field there is a footbridge across a stream (looking at the map, this is a tributary of the River Derwent). From there the path climbs the side of the Fell for a short distance before veering right at a shallower angle. After a few hundred yards the path then turns towards the left and starts to climb steeply up the fell. The OS map clearly shows a path which brings you out at Tarn at Leaves, but I soon lost the path (as did a fellow walker), so I aimed at what seemed to be a decent line to a small dip in the first visible ridge. After a tough , steep climb (and as usual many ‘false’ summits), I arrived at the ridge , but this brought me out well north of Bessyboot. 

First high point on ridge before Bessyboot

Tarn at Leaves

Bessyboot Summit

After sorting out my co-ordinates I headed for the summit of Bessyboot with Tarn at Leaves at the foot. From here the fun started ….. To the South West on the skyline I could see Glamara summit, but actually I couldn’t – this turned out to be Combe Head. I set off from the summit of Bessyboot to skirt left of Rosthwaite Cam , and at that point as I was a lot lower on the plateau , and I had no line of sight for my target I set my Garmin to lead me to the edge of the great hollow. This next section included negotiating my way over rocky outcrops, around small tarns and swampy / boggy sections. Next Target was Combe Door, which involved similar terrain. I could now see the summit of Glamara again.

Yet another obstacle

Coombe Door (I think?)

Langdale Pikes

 I figured the best way would be to get on the West ridge to take me to the summit. However, what looked like one solid mass of rocks turned out to be several. So up one and this just brought me to a dip with the start of the summit ridge across a boggy hollow. Up a boulder strewn gully to the summit……NO….this turned out to be the summit of Combe Head with the ‘real Glamara’ due South across yet another boggy hollow. Finally, after a mild scramble I arrived at the top of Glamara. It seems fitting that Wainwright #100 should not be a straightforward one !!

Glamara Summit

Glamara Summit Shelter

During the crossing of Rosthwaite Fell I had glorious views all around of Great Gable, the Langdale Pikes and Derwent Water in the distance.

I have to say , by this point I was really tired after all the ups and downs , and wet patches, so I was less than impressed when the rain and mist blew in reducing visibility down to about 30/ 40 feet. I certainly couldn’t see the ‘clear’ path leading to Allen Crags. I decided  that I needed to get the grid ref of Allen Crags from the map and tap that into my Garmin. Once again, this great little device kept me  on route. The mist quickly cleared and I could see the path about a couple of hundred yards away. All I needed to do was scramble down from the rock I was on down to the path. However, I soon came to an abrupt halt as my way was blocked by a 30 foot cliff. I had to backtrack and veer left to get a gradual way around to meet the path below. From there it was a clear trek to Allen Crags crossing some picturesque tarns on the way. Finally, I arrived at Allen Crags summit with some wonderful clear paths showing down to the Esk Hause area. Due to my tiredness at this point , there was no chance I was going to tackle Esk Pike today (it would have been an extra 2 miles to the walk ) My journey back was the excellent path along Ruddy Gill / Grains Gill, back down to Seathwaite, with the last mile along the road to Seatoller. This is a spectacular but comfortable descent with waterfalls on view and the mass of Glamara to the right.

Allen Crags Summit

Rosthwaite Fell from the car park

One of many tarns near the path to Allen Crags

A tough mountain day, but very rewarding. The walk shown above is around 10 miles but I am claiming 12 miles , with all the ups and downs and sidetracking on Rosthwaite Fell !!  By the time I had got back to the car I had been out 9 hours.

OS OL4 (NW Lakes) and OL6 (SW Lakes) About twelve miles