Striding Edge

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The Fairfield Horseshoe

Walked on 11/12/2007

Start point: Rydal (NY 365 062)

Rydal – Nab Scar – Heron Pike – Rydal Fell – Stone Arthur – Great Rigg – Fairfield – Hart Crag – Dove Crag – High Pike (Scandale) – Low Pike – Low Sweden Bridge – Rydal Park – Rydal

Distance: 10.5 miles     Total Ascent: 1180 metres     Time Taken: 5 hours

Weather: Clear at lower level, tops in mist. 4oC.

It was lovely and clear first thing this morning for a walk of the Fairfield Horseshoe with which I added a slight detour out to Stone Arthur above Grasmere. It was interesting to watch the weather almost constantly changing with clouds forming in the valleys before they lifted as I reached the top of Fairfield. The descent of Hart Crag and Dove Crag was done in very wintry mist with a covering of snow on these higher fells. By the time we got through that, the high cloud had come in to dull conditions somewhat and make it feel even cooler out of the sunshine.

Fairfield-Horseshoe

11.12.07-002

Bright early morning sunshine casts a golden glow on the climb to Nab Scar.

11.12.07-003

Looking back down to a cold looking Rydal.

11.12.07-008

Loughrigg Fell and a mirror finished Rydal Water.

11.12.07-013

Heron Pike.

11.12.07-015

Nab Scar.

11.12.07-018

Looking over Grasmere to Crinkle Crags and Bowfell.

11.12.07-023

Heron Pike from Nab Scar.

11.12.07-026

Red Screes across Rydal and Low Pike.

11.12.07-029

The summit of Heron Crag. Great Rigg, Fairfield and Hart Crag are covered by a blanket of cloud.

11.12.07-033

Casper enjoying the warm sunshine on Rydal Fell. Get it while you can!

11.12.07-040

Hart Crag clears from the cloud for a while.

11.12.07-042

Great Rigg ahead. I contoured around to the left to take in Stone Arthur.

11.12.07-043

Looks cold over to Bowfell and the Scafells.

11.12.07-047

Hart Crag and Dove Crag across a frozen pool.

11.12.07-055

Rydal Head.

FF2

A panoramic view looking across Rydal to the route of return - Hart Crag, Dove Crag, High Pike and Low Pike

11.12.07-056

Descending to Stone Arthur.

11.12.07-057

High Raise and Helm Crag across the Vale of Grasmere, from Stone Arthur.

11.12.07-061

Seat Sandal from Stone Arthur with mine and Casper's shadow on the summit.

11.12.07-065

Dollywagon Pike through Grisedale Hause between Seat Sandal and Fairfield.

11.12.07-066

Climbing to Great Rigg from Stone Arthur.

11.12.07-070

Looking back towards Heron Pike from Great Rigg.

11.12.07-072

At this point things were happening quickly with the cloud all around. It looked like there was an inversion over Great Langdale way and here too the clouds looked to be forming and dropping into Rydal valley and I had hopes of an inversion here too.

11.12.07-078

Seat Sandal with the Coledale fells in the distance. Here too the cloud was forming below the summit.

11.12.07-079

Looking back to Great Rigg from the climb to Fairfield.

11.12.07-082

Over on Dove Crag, the cloud seemed to be pouring over it into Dovedale.

11.12.07-084

The cloud over Hart Crag and Dove Crag.

11.12.07-085

Seat Sandal now has a cloud cap.

11.12.07-089

All snowy and bright on the approach to Fairfield's summit.

11.12.07-094

Dollywagon Pike, Nethermost Pike and Helvellyn - plus of course Striding Edge - from the summit of Fairfield.

11.12.07-097

Cofa Pike and St. Sunday Crag.

11.12.07-099

A cold wind whipped up whilst we were on Fairfield summit. That put paid to any chance of an inversion today I think.

11.12.07-108

In the cloud now leaving Fairfield for Hart Crag.

11.12.07-110

It really was cold between Hart Crag and Dove Crag.

11.12.07-115

Almost out of the mist now as it was blowing across the fell side here.

11.12.07-117

A glimpse of the eastern fells through a break in the clouds.

11.12.07-121

Looking back to Dove Crag from High Pike.

11.12.07-129

Back in the sunshine now son.

11.12.07-133

Scandale.

11.12.07-138

High Pike from Low Pike.

11.12.07-140

Looking across Rydal to the outward route.

11.12.07-141

Low Pike.

11.12.07-154

Scandale Beck looks cold in the fading light. It didn't stop my canine companion from having a little dip though!

11.12.07-163

Nab Scar and Heron Pike across Rydal Park.

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