Walks

Gummer’s How

Today’s walk is a visit to Gummer’s How which is detailed in Wainwright’s Gummer’s How chapter in his book ‘The Outlying Fells of Lakeland’, page 44. After a very wet morning, surprisingly the sun shone in the afternoon – it was just too god to miss an opportunity for this short walk.

‘Here is a fellwalk in miniature, a little beauty, with heather, a few rocks to scramble on, soft couches for repose, a classic view and a rustic Ordnance column – just like the real thing.’ – AW: ‘The Outlying Fells of Lakeland’

Humphrey Head

Today’s walk is a visit to Humphrey Head, a promontory jutting into Morecmbe Bay south west of Grange-Over-Sands. Humphrey Head is detailed in Wainwright’s Humphrey Head chapter in his book ‘The Outlying Fells of Lakeland’, page 66, and lies outside the National Park boundary.

‘Not by any exercise of the imagination can Humphrey Head be classed as an outlying fell of Lakeland’…. ‘Fellwalkers need an occasional change of scene. Here is one on Humphrey Head.’ – AW: ‘The Outlying Fells of Lakeland’

Coniston Old Man

Today’s walk was a round of the Coniston fells. The weather has taken a turn for the worse again and the clear views and picture postcard snowy scenes have all blown away – the wind was gale force at times and the rain relentless.

Tarn Hows

A family Boxing Day visit to the ever popular Tarn Hows today for a spot of sledging – a nice, clear day after the heavy snowfall yesterday and the perfect antidote to the excesses of Christmas Day.

Stoneside Pike

Today’s walk was a short one from the Corney Fell road – no views whatsoever from any of the peaks visited, in complete contrast to the weather round here yesterday.

Whitbarrow Scar

Today’s walk follows Wainwright’s Whitbarrow chapter in his book ‘The Outlying Fells of Lakeland’, page 36. Whitbarrow is an abrupt ridge of limestone, being one bank of an ancient sea inlet, the other bank being Scout Scar running parallel to it. The valley in between these two scars is the Lyth Valley.

“The walk described is the most beautiful in this book; beautiful it is every step of the way.” – AW, The Outlying Fells of Lakeland.

Dunnerdale Fells

Today’s walk is a Wainwright/Birkett hybrid, taking in Stickle Pike – a personal favourite, the undulating Tarn Hill, a vague top named ‘Dunnerdale Fells’ (a separate ‘Outlying Fell’ walk chapter by Wainwright) and Great Stickle. The views to the north were superb, especially towards the end when the clouds lifted from the high fells.

The Clerk and The Bishop

Thornthwaite – Barf (241) – Lord’s Seat (242) – Broom Fell (243) – Graystones (244) – Kirk Fell on Lorton (245) – Spout Gill – Brown How on Whinlatter (246) – Whinlatter Top (247) – Tarbarrel Moss (248) – Ullister Hill (249) – Seat How (Thornthwaite) (250) – Thornthwaite

Bigland Barrow

Today’s walk follows Wainwright’s Bigland Barrow chapter in his book ‘The Outlying Fells of Lakeland’, page 70. There were no views to speak of today due to the persistent mist; I even managed to head the wrong way on the return leg!

Red Screes

Today’s walk is a steep ascent up to Middle Dodd and Red Screes from the bottom of Kirkstone Pass, across the Scandale Pass and a lovely ridge walk from Little Hart Crag to Hartsop Dodd, then a steep descent back to Kirkstone Pass. The weather wasn’t brilliant again today but the high winds meant that there was the odd clearing of the mist to give fleeting glimpses of a view.

Harter Fell

Hardknott Pass (Jubilee Bridge) – Kepple Crag (230) – Great Whinscale (231) – Crook Crag (232) – The Pike – Green Crag (233) – Ulpha Fell – Harter Fell (234) – Demming Crag (235) – Horsehow Crags (236) – Hardknott Pass (Jubilee Bridge)

Birkrigg Common

Today’s short walk on Birkrigg Common is not in the Lake District, being just outside Ulverston, and neither is it a fell. It may be small in stature but has enough things to make an interesting walk, being littered with ancient tumuli and a stone circle and not forgetting the magnificent panoramic view of the high fells and Morecambe Bay.

Haycock

Today’s walk is a circuit Ennerdale with the high point being Haycock. I could see the clouds were at a low level when I set off and was in the clag most of the day (again!), although there was a surprise clearing of the mist on Caw Fell.

Great Worm Crag

Birker Fell Road (Brown Rigg) – Little Crag – Great Crag on Birker Fell (221) – Broad Crag on Birker Fell (222) – White How on Birker Fell (223) – Great Worm Crag (224) (OF) – Rough Crag – Birker Fell Road (Brown Rigg)

Coledale Horseshoe

Today’s walk takes in a circuit of the Coledale Fells. The weather conditions didn’t look too promising from the valley, but it wasn’t so bad considering. The snowy, wintery conditions made a pleasant change from the recent downpours.

Walna Scar

Today’s walk takes in a circuit of Torver High Common and is truncated from what I originally planned due to the rather inclement weather. As it rained from start to finish, there are no promised great views of the Coniston Fells or the Sca Fells, but there are some nice water shots – seeing as there was so much of it around!

Hugill Fell and Reston Scar

Today’s two short walks follow Wainwright’s Hugill Fell and Reston Scar chapters in his book ‘The Outlying Fells of Lakeland’, pages 22 and 24. They both start from different places in Staveley and it was almost like two different days with the Hugill Fell walk done in the rain and the Reston Scar walk done under blue skies and sunshine.

Raise

Glenridding – Glenridding Dodd (199) – Heron Pike (Glenridding) (200) – Sheffield Pike (201) – Sticks Pass – Raise (202) – White Side (203) – Helvellyn Lower Man (204) – Helvellyn – Swirral Edge – Catstycam – Glenridding

Swinside Stone Circle

Today’s short walk cannot be described as a fell walk but it is interesting nevertheless. Swinside Stone Circle is widely regarded as one of the finest in Europe, if not the world. It is not as well known as Castlerigg, for instance, as it is well off the beaten track, but at 28.5 metres in diameter with 55 stones, it certainly makes an impressive sight and an easy Sunday afternoon walk.

Carron Crag

Today’s walk follows an updated version of Wainwright’s Carron Crag chapter in his book ‘The Outlying Fells of Lakeland’, page 88. Grizedale Hall is now a visitors centre (previously it held German POW’s in WWII and was featured in the film ‘The One That Got Away’) and the Carron Crag route follows the red marker posts. There were no views today with it being so overcast, but nevertheless there were some interesting sculptures along the route…

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