Claife Heights

Walked on 19/04/2009

Start point: Far Sawrey (SD 379 954)

Far Sawrey – Moss Eccles Tarn – Three Dubs Tarn –Claife Heights (High Blind How) (OF) – Pate Crags – Far Sawrey

Distance: 3.8 miles Total Ascent: 208 metres Time Taken: 2 hours 30 minutes

Weather: Warm and sunny. 15°C.

There was hardly a breath of wind this morning and the sun was shining for mine and Connie’s first walk in shorts this year. It was glorious and we tended to linger around being in no particular rush and it was one of those days that memories are made of. Casper was looking decidedly hot today and he ended up being a muddy mess at the end of it all – there was only one thing for it and he was for the chop when we got home!

Claife Heights route map.

We saw this scarecrow at Far Sawrey, fitting for Mr McGregor's garden we thought seeing as we were in Potter country!

The track from Far Sawrey.

Crossing Wilfin Beck - Casper is camouflaged in there today.

Hot work with all that hair.

Casper and Connie at Moss Eccles Tarn.

A panoramic view of Moss Eccles Tar.

A lovely day at Moss Eccles Tarn.

Looking back to the tarn before turning off the track and heading for Three Dubs Tarn. This is where three quarter trousers turned into shorts. Phew!

The old boathouse on Three Dubs Tarn.

Three Dubs Tarn.

Reflections on an un-named boggy tarn on Claife Heights.

Made it! The trig. column on High Blind How, the summit of Claife Heights.

The Coniston fells through the trees.

Connie points out where Mummy will be, in Bowness on the opposite bank of Windermere.

Bowness from the track to Far Sawrey.

Hang on, something is missing from this photo...the tarn has disappeared!

Connie walks through the spot where the tarn should be...

...as it was last August.

The two of them make a break for it, sprinting for the finish line.

Claife Heights

Walked on 30/01/2007

Start point: Far Sawrey (SD 379 954)

Far Sawrey – Moss Eccles Tarn – Wise Een Tarn – Claife Heights (High Blind How) (OF) – Pate Crags – Far Sawrey

Distance: 4.8 miles Total Ascent: 245 metres Time Taken: 2 hours

Weather: Overcast. 6°C

It was once again dull and very grey today so I opted for a low level walk exploring the western side of Windermere. Starting from Far Sawrey, this is really a walk in Beatrix Potter country. Given the publicity surrounding the new Miss Potter film, they are expecting bumper crowds here this summer so it was nice to have a quiet wander around the area before everyone arrives!

Moss Eccles Tarn.

Moss Eccles Tarn from further up the track.

Wise Een Tarn with sunlight on the lower slopes of the fells beyond.

Wise Een Tarn.

Ambleside and the Fairfield group of fells from Three Dubs Crags.

Yoke gets a bit of sun.

Casper and Angus.

An un-named tarn in the forest; lots of trees have been felled around here.

High Blind How, the summit of Claife Heights.

Looking across Windermere to Windermere village

Belle Isle and busy Bowness-on-Windermere.

Dead bracken is just made to roll in, isn't it?

Esthwaite Water - where Beatrix Potter's character Jeremy Fisher lived.

Esthwaite Water.

Yew Tree Farm, Coniston. Owned by Beatrix Potter, it appears in the film Miss Potter as Hill Top.

Claife Heights

Walked on 07/02/2005

Start point: Far Sawrey (SD 379 954)

Far Sawrey – Moss Eccles Tarn – Wise Een Tarn – Claife Heights (High Blind How) (OF) – Pate Crags – Far Sawrey

Weather: Started off promising with the sun threatening to break through the morning mist…but it never!

This morning’s short walk starts at Sawrey, the home of Beatrix Potter, and is a round of the high ground known as Claife Heights which lies between the western shore of Windermere and Esthwaite Water. The walk follows Wainwright’s Claife Heights chapter in his book ‘The Outlying Fells of Lakeland’, page 80.

Looking across to Near Sawrey at the start of the walk. The weather looked promising here as the sun was shining and the mist beginning to clear.

Moss Eccles Tarn.

Wise Een Tarn.

Looking back to Wise Een Tarn on the right and on the left is a reservoir of the Freshwater Biological Association based at Far Sawrey.

Trig. column on High Blind How, the highest point of Claife Heights. For some reason, Wainwright omitted to mention this although it is slightly off the path.

High Pate Crags.

Plenty of trees - snapped like matchsticks - here.

The path to Sawrey from Belle Grange.