Gummer’s How
Wow, what a change in the weather today after what seems like an age of constant heavy rain. The sun was shining in an unseasonal return to summer – I almost dusted my shorts off for our walk to family favourite, Gummer’s How today!
Walks
Stickle Pike
After two days of constant heavy rain, it was a welcome opportunity to get out for some fresh air when the heavy clouds finally cleared this afternoon. Connie and Angus certainly seemed pleased to get out at last up to the nearby favourite Stickle Pike.
Flat Fell and Dent
It looked a bit murky this morning so I had a trip up the west Cumbrian coast to Cleator Moor to follow a Wainright Outlying Fell walk up to Flat Fell and Dent. The summits are nothing spectacular but the Nannycatch valley and Nannycatch Gate were quite striking. The views to the higher fells were obscured by clouds in the main today.
Place Fell
I travelled East again today to complete a circuit of the fells between Ullswater and Boredale, taking in Place Fell as the high point. There are fabulous views of Ullswater from here, made all the better today with the pleasant Autumn conditions.
Caw
Kiln Bank Cross – Park Head Road – Long Mire – Pikes (OF) – Caw (OF) – Park Head Road – Kiln Bank Cross
Wet Sleddale Horseshoe
A return to the Shap Fells again today for a remote and boggy walk around the aptly named Wet Sleddale Horseshoe. If anything, this seemed even more remote than the previous walks I have done in this area so there was no chance of bumping into anyone on this grey Monday morning!
Wetherlam
Tilberthwaite – Steel Edge – Wetherlam – Wetherlam Edge – Birk Fell Man on Birk Fell – Tilberthwaite Gill – Tilberthwaite [4.2 miles, 648m ascent]
The Naddle Horseshoe
I continued with my Wainwright Outlying fell quest today with a walk around the Naddle Valley above Haweswater Dam and the Mardale Valley. Haweswater, of course, is a flooded valley which is used as the Manchester water supply and evidence of the aqueduct and construction paraphernalia abound, even though it was built over 80 years ago.
Crookdale Horseshoe
Another set of Wainwright Outlying Fells today, this time the walk was on the very eastern edge of the Lake District in the Shap Fells and it takes in ‘The Wasdale Horseshoe’ and ‘The Crookdale Horseshoe’ chapters from the Outlying Fells book. It was breezy on the tops and the clouds were fleeting across the sky giving the occasional sun spot.
Cold Fell
As we were up that way, it seemed a shame on such a nice day to return home early, so we had another short walk to Cold Fell from Coldfell Gate.
Ponsonby Fell
Today’s walk was from Blengdale on the very western edge of the Lake District at Gosforth up to Ponsonby Fell, a Wainwright Outlying fell and later we had another short walk to Cold Fell from Coldfell Gate. Wainwright said of Ponsonby Fell ‘There are no fells not worth climbing, but Ponsonby Fell is very nearly in this category…’. Personally I think he must have gone up there on a bad day because there are some good views with an interesting perspective of the Scafells. See what you think…
Pike o’ Blisco
Three Shire Stone – Rough Crags – Cold Pike – Great Knott – Red Tarn – Pike O’ Blisco – Black Crag – Three Shire Stone
Dunnerdale Fells
Back to nearer home today with a walk up to the group of small, rough fells known as The Dunnerdale Fells lying between the Duddon Valley and Lickle Valley . The clear weather of yesterday has disappeared again and the rain was threatening but thankfully it stayed off. The bracken is noticeably turning brown now – we should know, we waded through enough of it today!
Bow Fell
Today was an almost unseasonally warm day, just like midsummer. I had a walk from Cockley Beck at the head of the Duddon Valley up to Bow Fell and back along the Crinkle Crags. I had forgotten how rough the terrain was, especially for a dog, but Angus seemed to take it all in his stride. There isn’t a full set of photographs today as the camera battery decided to give up along the Climbers Traverse on Bow Fell – I must remember to recharge it in future! Hopefully the photographs I did manage to capture show the flavour of the walk terrain and conditions.
Stickle Pike
It was grey with drizzle this morning – there wouldn’t be any views, anywhere – so we went for a short walk up to our often visited favourite, Stickle Pike above Broughton Mills and the Duddon Valley. There was no company this morning either as the children are back at school, so it was back to the old team once again!
Hard Knott
Today’s walk was up to Hard Knott via Border End from the summit of Hardknott Pass; a short and sharp ascent over some boggy ground. The weather steadily improved until the clouds completely lifted from nearly all the high fells.
Duddon Valley Ramble
We had a walk around Seathwaite and Wallowbarrow in the Duddon Valley today, one of the loveliest and quietest parts of the Lake District. It was a lovely late summer day today; perfect for a Bank Holiday Monday.
Yewbarrow
Today’s walk in cooler weather than recently was up to Yewbarrow from Wasdale. This walk starts with a steep ascent from Overbeck Bridge followed by a scree climb and a walk along the full length of the ridge before another scramble down Stirrup Crag before contouring back along Yewbarrow’s western slopes. A lovely, shorter walk which gives good views to the head of Wasdale, the Scafells and Great Gable.
Latterbarrow
This morning I took Connie and Angy up to Latterbarrow above Hawkshead. After a grey and drizzly start to the morning, the skies surprisingly turned blue if somewhat breezy. Latterbarrow is a great and easily accessible little fell which offers superb views of higher ground.
Jack’s Rake
Grasmere – Easedale – Easedale Tarn – Belles Knott – Stickle Tarn – Pavey Ark – Thunacar Knott – Sergeant Man – High Raise – Low White Stones – Greenup Edge – Brownrigg Moss – Calf Crag – Gibson Knott – Helm Crag – Grasmere [12.5 miles, 1256m ascent]