At the foot of the climb things were more than a little breezy today.

Looking across to Caw whilst I was conveniently sheltered behind these large rocks.

Heading for the tarn, straight ahead, with the summit up to the right.

Looking across to the old levels on Raven's Crag, Caw beyond in cloud.

Windswept Stickle Tarn.

Stickle Tarn and Pike.

Looking back down the path.

Stickle Pike summit.

Dougal and Casper brave the wind.

On the southern summit the wind was really strong and it made the going difficult, in fact it was hard work just to keep standing up. I hunkered down in a small hollow to get this shot of Great Stickle and the Duddon Estuary...

...and turn around putting my head above the parapet to get this shot across to the main summit.

Yes, it 's pretty wild up here Dougal!

Descending the summit on the northern side.

The Duddon Valley and a quick jog from here to make the car before the rain came.

Caw from the climb.

Three long shadows looking down to the Duddon Valley.

The icy path to Stickle Pike - we are not going that way today though.

Frozen Stickle Tarn.

Caw across Stickle Tarn.

The Scafells and Harter Fell.

I came around Stickle Pike and climbed the rugged south face.

Wondering what we are doing?

Misty Black Combe.

Casper masquerades as one of the upright rocks.

Dougal is more interested in the sheep.

Made it to the top!

Shiny nose.

A superb view across the summit cairn - Harter Fell mid-distance with the Scafells to the left, Esk Pike and Bowfell to the right.

A layer of haze over the Duddon Estuary beyond Great Stickle.

Black Combe.

The view across Dunnerdale.

Great Stickle.

Looking for a way down.

Summit silhouette.

Scafell and Scafell Pike.

Pillar beyond Green Crag.

It was lovely and warm up here and I was in shirt sleeves.

He's spotted something.

Stickle Pike from the bottom - a real jewel.

A brief moment of blue sky from Kiln Bank Cross looking over the road to Stickle Pike.

Looking back along the road we came up which was treacherous sheet ice. To the south the cloud was building up and the sun was trying to break through it.

Connie the mountaineer.

Climbing higher with a strange, silhouetted figure in the background!

Heading for Stickle Tarn.

Winter sky across frozen Stickle Tarn.

Winter at the edge of the tarn. Hmm, that ice looks quite thick...

Me and Casper are on the ice but Dougally Doo is not quite so sure...

...a quick look before a much quicker exit!

Me and Connie practiced our ice skating on here.

Climbing to Stickle Pike whilst Dougal eats the snow.

The Duddon Valley remains frozen below whilst Wasdale looks as though it is getting some sunshine.

Looking south to the Duddon Estuary across the south summit.

Scafell and Slight Side.

Winter sun over the Duddon Estuary, Barrow-in-Furness and Walney Island. On the horizon is the Barrow Offshore Wind farm (BOW).

Casper, Dougal and Connie on the summit, Great Stickle behind. Looks like a snow shower passing over the estuary too.

Looking to Caw from the descent and now the sun has come through once more.

Stickle Pike.

Back to Stickle Tarn.

Reflected sun on the tarn now, Connie gives scale to the right.

Caw and snowy Dunnerdale.

Clearing to the south-east.

A fish-eye view from the ice on Stickle Tarn.

Caw from the middle of Stickle Tarn!

Stickle Pike from the middle of Stickle Tarn.

Four amigos with long shadows, even at midday - L-R me, Dougal, Connie and Casper.

Hesk Fell across the Duddon Valley. Now for the hardest bit - driving back down the road...gulp!

Caw across Kiln Bank Cross.

The view from further up the climb.

The path to Stickle Pike.

Footprints in the snow and a glimmer of sunshine.

Blue sky over Stickle Pike.

Glittering Stickle Tarn.

Looking back to the Duddon Valley, those clouds look very snow laden.

Moody Stickle Tarn.

Panoramic Stickle Tarn.

Climbing to Stickle Pike summit looking towards cloud covered Harter Fell across Stickle Tarn. I managed to rip my gloves when I slipped on this section of the climb...just great!

Stickle Pike summit.

Whitfell, The Pike and Hesk Fell across the Duddon Valley.

The Duddon Valley from the summit.

Black Combe.

Casper - more snow for him to roll around in today!

I spotted this out of place carnation in the summit cairn on Stickle Pike.

The Duddon Estuary over Great Stickle. Look at those clouds over Black Combe to the right - that is a big snow shower and it's coming straight for us.

Having a look into Dunnerdale, but that's not the way for us today Casper. We made a quick descent to the north, but perhaps quicker than strictly necessary as the snow on that steep section was wet and slippery. As I slipped and slid down on my backside, I did wonder if I would ever stop but thankfully I managed to grab a passing boulder!

Little Stand from a frozen Duddon Valley. Originally we set of for Hard Knott today but half way up the pass we were blocked by a van that couldn't get up the icy road. So, a change of plan...

The view from the top of Wrynose Pass. We had to pass lots of stuck cars to get up here! Note there is no one else around yet either.

Cold Pike on the left, Pike o' Blisco on the right and the path we were going to follow up the middle.

Harter Fell and Wrynose Bottom.

Cold Pike. What is that strange rock formation in the lower middle of the photo?

It was cold, cold, cold when we set off.

Looking back to Wetherlam.

Snow Beardie.

Climbing Redtarn Moss.

First site of Crinkle Crags.

Red Tarn, Crinkle Crags and Bowfell.

A group of walkers making their way up to Cold Pike.

What a view today.

Frozen grass on the banks of Red Tarn.

Connie and Casper seemed to enjoy it today.

I'm not surprised with views like this.

Great Knott.

Looking across Red Tarn to the Coniston fells.

Looking back to the Coniston fells from the top of Browney Gill. It looks like someone has been skiing there.

Frozen Red Tarn

It was warm in the sunshine and time to cast a few layers, gloves, hats - you name it. I wonder who ended up carrying that little lot? Much as I would have loved to have climbed higher, I knew we weren't equipped for it today so we descended back by the same route.

Cold Pike across Red Tarn.

Casper goes goggle eyed at the snowball on his nose. Where did that come from I wonder?

Here's the culprit. Don't you dare!

Wetherlam, Swirl How and Great Carrs from the walk back.

Looking back to Cold Pike in the midday sun.

Swirl How and Great Carrs across Wrynose Pass. When we were at home earlier, we were under a thick blanket of freezing fog so I wondered whether it would have lifted by the time we got back. As we climbed to Kiln Bank Cross in the car, I knew it hadn't as there was a magnificent temperature inversion spreading southwards. Of course, there was only one thing to do and that was to climb Stickle Pike to get a better view...

Caw from the climb.

Raven's Crag and The Knott on the edge of the inversion.

Caw and the Coniston fells, Stickle Tarn below.

A difficult shot to get in the direct sunlight but a good silhouette of Great Stickle and a tarn on Tarn Hill glinting in the sun. To the right is Black Combe.

The only thing standing proud of the dense layer of cloud is Kirkby Moor. That got me thinking later on when I was out and about - perhaps I could get above the cloud in the car at sunset...

Just got above it on Kirkby Moor as the sun was setting.

It's getting dark but you can still see a snow covered Black Combe across the cloud layer.

Windmill silhouette. Descending from here towards Lowick across Osmotherley Moor, the Coniston fells were standing proud of the cloud covered Crake Valley - another jaw dropping view. Too dark for photos by then though!