Bikepack to High Raise and Beyond

After a long day at work I drove over to Hartsop, amazingly I was the only car in the car park at 6.45! Half term as well! I got changed loaded the bike up and set off up the steep track to Hayeswater.

First breather! A view up Pasture Beck to Thresthwaite Cove

Rather than lug loads of water up onto the ridge I had my meal at the dam, Hayeswater. Besides I was starving. It gave me a chance to weigh up the 'best' line to pust the bike up to meet the path coming up from Angle Tarn.

Quite a toil to this point, behind The Knott, and the first view of my target for the evening High Raise.

As I rode towards Kidsty Pike, High Street was lit beautifully by the low angled sun. Sadly I was short of time so couldn't linger.

Objective achieved, The summit of High raise. 

As the sun sets its time to find a bivvy spot, and somewhere sheltered, the wind had a real nip in it. I headed north along the ridge and found a good spot in the lee of the wall.

Last nights 'bedroom', looking back to High Raise. The sun was up before me! Sadly I slept through the sunrise!

Lookig over the wall, a terrific panorama of the Eastern Fells and beyond.

Of course most folk say "oh yea...its a great downhill all the way to the end of the ridge from High Raise" No its not!! This is just before the very distinctive dip, which is followed by the climb to Loadpot Hill

The trail from whence I came! Taken from the old Lowther shooting hut on the southern slope of Loadpot Hill.

I'd ridden down to Pooley Bridge and along the Eastern shore of Ullswater over The Hause near Hallin Fell and then up Boardale, surely the quietest of the Lakeland valleys. This is the last climb on the ride. Yippee!

From Chapel-in-the-Hause, the steep bridleway gives  great views across to Deepdale. Everything is very green isn't it?

The last bit of the last descent, an easy ride back to the car at Hartsop from here. Very few folk about, which is good!