Start point: Car Park at the western side of Thirlmere Dam (NY 307 189)
Great How (539) from Thirlmere Dam
Distance: 2.2 miles    Total Ascent: 250 metres    Time Taken: 1 hour
Weather: Sunny. 17ºC.
The weather had almost completely turned before lunchtime for my fourth and final walk to Great How at the northern end of Thirlmere and the views were a bit washed out by the cloud cover. I wasn’t really expecting much of a view anyway as the fell is completely covered in trees but I was pleasantly surprised as it turned out. I must admit to there being a fifth walk on the cards to Brown Crag on the opposite side of the A591 from Great How but when I saw how steep it looked from there I decided to give it a miss today!
Early morning on the southern end of Windermere with the lake, Lakeside and the River Leven covered by the cloud in a glorious temperature inversion. The two long shadows on the right are my legs leading to a Brocken Spectre on the cloud below.
All clear over on the Coniston fells.
The wonderful view to the south as I climb higher.
The Coniston fells from the summit of Gummer's How.
Windermere, the cloud breaking further north.
It's starting to break up further south now as well as the sun rises.
Legs leading to Brocken Spectre once more!
Looking down on Windermere.
Casper basking in the early sunshine.
Misty trees.
Summer House Knott.
ell Foot under the cloud. The time? I set off at 06.10 and it took me exactly 20 minutes up and down. There are three more walks to come from today yet;
Starting the steep climb from Hospital Plantation up the north eastern ridge of Grisedale Pike.
Come on, says Casper - but it is steep!
Relentlessly onwards and upwards.
Finally, at the summit of Grisedale Pike.
Grasmoor and Hopegill Head from Grisedale Pike.
Grasmoor beyond Hobcarton Head.
Crag Hill with Eel Crag to the right.
Bowfell and Esk Pike, the Scafells covered with cloud to the right.
The route of descent to Hobcarton End.
Casper wears his tongue at a jaunty angle.
Hopegill Head - that descent to Ladyside Pike looks steep from here and brought back memories of when I did it in the snow earlier this year. That was in January - it feels like only yesterday!
The first cairn on Hobcarton End, the hump to the right is the Birkett summit. Criffel is beneath the cloud in Scotland across then Solway Firth.
Hobcarton End.
Criffel and the bog cotton. There are two more walks to come from today yet;
Causey Pike from the bridge over Stonycroft Gill.
Causey Pike from the start of the climb to Rowling End.
Looking along Stonycroft Gill - Outerside, Grisedale Pike where we were earlier - and Barrow.
The Skiddaw massif from the steep climb.
Onwards and upwards Casper!
Catbells looking very green.
The unmarked top of Rowling End.
Looking across to Hindscarth and Robinson.
The Ard Crags ridge on the left and the Sail - Causey Pike ridge to the right, still on Rowling End.
Casper.
Derwent Water and the Vale of Keswick.
Contrails over Coledale.
Inscription on the rock at the entrance to Thirlmere Dam wall.
Great How doesn't look a very inviting prospect from here being completely covered in trees, but I guess not that long ago all fells were this way.
Thirlmere from the dam.
The sentinel at the plaque.
Raven Crag.
An alternative view of the dam from the lakeshore path.
Thirlmere has been deforested along much of the eastern bank and is much better for it, here with a view to Helvellyn.
The summit of Great How.
Thirlmere from Great How.