Birks

Walked on 09/06/2015

Start point: Patterdale (NY 394 160)

Patterdale – Thornhow End – Black Crag – Birks – Trough Head – Arnison Crag – Patterdale Hotel – Patterdale

Distance: 3.7 miles Total Ascent: 515 metres Time Taken: 1 hour 30 minutes Start Time: 10.30

Weather: Changeable but dry. 7ºC

The weather turned out to be one of the poorer days in the middle of a stunning week this week…but you have to take your opportunities when you can so that’s what we did when we had a short walk up to two of the smaller fells at the head of Ullswater.

Birks Route Map

A brief glimmer of sunshine at the start of the walk looking to Thornhow End.

Walking through the sylvan landscape.

Looking back to Ullswater and Place fell.

St. Sunday ahead.

It's all tongues for Fletcher and Dougal.

The summit of Birks.

There is a great view across to the Far Eastern fells descending to Trough Head from Birks. Here we found a bright red tennis ball sized ball - Fletcher must have gone up and down 20 times chasing it.

The approach to Arnison Crag.

The summit of Arnison Crag.

The descent to Patterdale.

Arnison Crag

Height: 433 metres / 1421 feet Grid reference: NY 39359 14968 Category: The Eastern Fells

Arnison Crag

Hartsop from the summit of Arnison Crag

Arnison Crag

Walked on 13/09/2011

Start point: Patterdale (NY 397 158)

Arnison Crag from Patterdale

Distance: 1.7 miles Total Ascent: 275 metres Time Taken: 45 minutes Start Time: 10:25

Weather: Strong wind and frequent rain showers. 13ºC

The wind was still strong this morning with frequent showers being blown across the fells. I had intended to go a bit further today but as discretion is the better part of valour, I made an early exit from the wind blown tops. If I had thought about it a bit more I could have descended via Hag Beck and made a circular route of it but as it was, all I could think of was descending – quickly.

Casper is keen to get out from the shelter of the trees and out onto the open fell.

Looking back to Place Fell.

It's like being on your summer holiday Casper, out in the sunshine enjoying a nice drink!

First glimpse back to Ullswater from the climb alongside the wall. The wind was strong and the showers were very frequent climbing up here.

Looks like the Ullswater Steamers have got the pot of gold today.

Birks across Glenamara Park.

Rainbow rising.

Up on the summit of Arnison Crag all hell was let loose with the wind, it was so bad I could hardly stand up and I knew I wasn't going any higher today.

Casper and Dougal hang on for dear life.

A brief sunny interlude across Trough Head.

Ullswater from the summit.

Sunburst over Hartsop.

Aaaaaaaagh!

A panoramic view from the summit.

Looking across Patterdale to Place Fell and Angletarn Pikes.

The Lion King surveys his Kingdom.

The route back - we covered the ground rapidly to get down, out of the wind.

It looks wild along the lake and that rainbow is heading northwards now.

The southern end of Ullswater looks a bit flooded, Silver Crag in the sunshine.

Sheffield Pike and Glenridding Dodd above Glenridding.

Birkhouse Moor.

Birks from Oxford Crag.

Sunshine and rain back in Patterdale.

Glenamara Park

Walked on 08/12/2009

Start point: Patterdale (NY 394 160)

Patterdale – Thornhow End – Black Crag – Birks – Trough Head – Arnison Crag – Patterdale Hotel – Patterdale

Distance: 3.7 miles Total Ascent: 515 metres Time Taken: 1 hour 30 minutes

Weather: Changeable but dry. 7ºC

Today was another ‘Dougal length’ walk as I am mindful that he is still only a pup and we can’t go too far just yet, eager though he may be! We had a walk around Glenamara Park taking in Birks and Arnison Crag and the weather started off clear enough but there were soon ominous looking clouds around blown in by the strong wind which proved to be a real cold blast.

Glenamara Park route map.

Thornhow End from the foot of the climb.

The first view of Ullswater from the climb through the trees.

Place Fell is on fire.

The view to Glenridding and Ullswater from the climb.

Ullswater with Great Mell Fell and Gowbarrow Park beyond.

Place Fell across Patterdale.

High Spying How - the start of Striding Edge - and Birkhouse Moor across Grisedale.

The sun is trying to burn through the clouds looking across to Arnison Crag.

The boys take an alternative path on this steep section.

Bleaberry Crags and the wall of 'Hole-in-the-Wall' fame with the pointed Catstycam in view.

Ullswater and Place Fell from the start of the Birks summit plateau.

I think Dougal and Casper are playing 'catch one kiss one' on the way to Birks summit!

Birks with Saint Sunday Crag covered in ominous looking clouds behind.

Nethermost Pike and Helvellyn are under there somewhere.

There is an arctic blast and heavy clouds now at the start of the descent towards Arnison Crag, here looking across to Hartsop.

Arnison Crag from the steep descent alongside the wall. I left it at the bottom right corner to follow the top of the ridge.

Ullswater from Trough Head.

Looking back to Gavel Pike and Saint Sunday Crag.

Birks and the wall.

Arnison Crag ahead, Place Fell beyond.

A bit of sunshine again over Hartsop Dodd.

Birks from Arnison Crag.

'Tonight Matthew I'm going to be Angus'. Dougal does a good impression of the old boy in the strong wind.

Dougal and Casper on Arnison Crag.

You can see how strong the wind is now by the ripples on Ullswater.

Hartsop from Arnison Crag.

Descending alongside the wall.

Glenridding and Glenridding Dodd.

Glenamara Park

Walked on 06/03/2007

Start point: Grisedale Bridge (NY 390 161)

Grisedale Bridge – Birks – Arnison Crag – Patterdale – Grisedale Bridge

Distance: 3.5 miles Total Ascent: 520 metres Time Taken: 1 hour 30 minutes

Weather: Overcast. 10oC.

It was a bit grey and damp for a short walk circling Glenamara Park above Patterdale, but at least it wasn’t raining after the downpour of last night. Everywhere was very wet though and the wind on the tops was quite chilly with only brief glimpses of sunshine to provide some cheer.

The steep path to Birks from Glenamara Park.

There was an occasional touch of blue sky to the north-west, here looking to Ullswater from the climb to Birks.

Place Fell.

Time for a rest for Angus and Casper.

The breeze picked up as we got higher - Casper has spotted something in Grisedale Valley below.

Saint Sunday Crag with some stubborn snow still lingering, Dollywagon Pike and Nethermost Pike to the right.

Gavel Pike and Saint Sunday Crag from the summit of Birks, Hart Crag to the left.

Descending by the broken wall to Trough Head with the Arnison Crag ridge in the centre.

Arnison Crag and Place Fell.

Looking back to a prominent Gavel Pike and Saint Sunday Crag.

Ullswater from Arnison Crag.

Place Fell from the summit of Arnison Crag.

There was lots of rain last night - the fields south of Patterdale are flooded, as are many parts of the road.

Sunshine across Deepdale. Hartsop Dodd beyond the Hartsop above How ridge.

Hartsop Dodd, Caudale Moor beyond.

Ullswater from the descent to Patterdale.

Birks across Glenamara Park.

Deepdale Horseshoe

Walked on 01/11/2006

Start point: Deepdale Bridge (NY 399 144)

Deepdale Bridge – Gale Crag – Hartsop Above How – Hart Crag – Fairfield – Cofa Pike – Saint Sunday Crag – Gavel Pike – Birks – Arnison Crag – Deepdale Bridge

Distance: 10.3 miles Total Ascent: 1431 metres Time Taken: 4 hours 45 minutes

Weather: Clear and cold, especially on the highest tops. 9oC.

After a cold and frosty night, it was a really clear day today with lovely blue skies and autumnal colours all around Deepdale. The Hartsop above How ridge is a fine walk and the return across Fairfield and St. Sunday Crag makes a lovely circuit of the valley. Angus and Casper managed to get recognised again on St. Sunday Crag by a StridingEdge fan, and (by default) so did I!

Autumnal Deepdale at the start of the walk.

Gavel Pike on St. Sunday Crag from the Hartsop above How ridge.

St. Sunday Crag across Deepdale.

Looking back to Place Fell.

Angletarn Pikes.

St. Sunday Crag.

Onward and upward - looking back to Place Fell and Angletarn Pikes.

Looking along the ridge to Hart Crag and Fairfield.

Angus.

A pair of Beardies on Hartsop above How. Down below in Dovedale, I could see foxhounds and hear the constant shouts and blowing horn of the huntsmen. Not sure what they hunt these days, though!

Looking across an icy pool to Hart Crag and Fairfield.

Fairfield.

Looking down the Hartsop above How ridge from Hart Crag.

Shooting into direct sunlight, not a good idea - but I liked the way the sun lit up Windermere and Morecambe Bay from Hart Crag.

The summit of Hart Crag.

The western fells from Fairfield, the familiar shape of Great Gable to the left.

...and a wider panorama.

Great Gable.

Looks busy over on Helvellyn.

Dollywagon Pike, Nethermost Pike and Helvellyn across Grisedale.

Cofa Pike and St. Sunday Crag.

Seat Sandal above Grisedale Tarn and the view westwards beyond from Cofa Pike.

Dollywagon Pike.

The summit of St. Sunday Crag - it's starting to cloud a bit now.

Gavel Pike and the Far Eastern fells from St. Sunday Crag. I could hear the bellowing of stags somewhere down below from here.

Ullswater and Birks from Gavel Pike.

Birks.

Hartsop on the descent from Birks.

Ullswater and Great Mell Fell from Trough Head.

Hartsop from the summit of Arnison Crag.

Just the three of us here on Arnison Crag.

Place Fell and Autumn in Deepdale.

Fairfield

Walked on 12/04/2005

Start point: Cow Bridge, Hartsop (NY 403 134)

Cow Bridge – Gale Crag (322) – Hartsop Above How (323) – Hart Crag – Fairfield – Cofa Pike – Saint Sunday Crag –Gavel Pike – Birks (324) – Arnison Crag (325) – Cow Bridge

Distance: 9.7 miles Total Ascent: 1385 metres Time Taken: 4 hours

Weather: Sunny with a strong breeze. 8oC in the valley rising to 12oC. Icy cold on the tops.

I had a great high level ridge walk today along the Hartsop above How ridge, up to Hart Crag and Fairfield and then back down along the Saint Sunday ridge. It was a pleasant surprise to see the sunshine, but it was deceptively cold on the tops with a bitter wind blowing. With hindsight I would have been better off starting and finishing at Deepdale Bridge and walking the full Hartsop above How ridge.