Wednesday 22 January 2020

Ullscarf....Nothing to See Here...Or So I Thought!

Last of the Central Fells 2000'er's today. I could hardly see more than 25m at home, but felt that I should do something...Ullscarf I thought. Where to park for this hill though? I'm reluctant to give United Utilities any more of my hard earned cash....they operate a monopoly with their water anyway!!
So I parked near the old AA box on the top of Dunmail Pass, my plan at this point was a simple out and back via Harrop Tarn. The new cycle path and "back a' Thirlmere" led me to the bridleway near Dod Gill. The bridleway doesn't seem to see much use, and was extremely slippy. I arrived at Harrop Tarn relieved to stayed upright! Enough of this rambling, on with the photos....

Wonderful view of  a mist shrouded Harrop Tarn!

....But as I reached the edge of the forest things were looking up, blue sky!

The cloud closed in again. As a Westmorland lad we'd say "it's gay wet up 'ere"

As I approached the top of Standing Crag the cloud started to disperse with the height gain.
Inversion time, the Helvellyn range with Thirlmere hidden beneath a blanket of cloud.

Following the broad wet ridge the views to the East were excellent.

Up until this point just before Ullscarf summit the cloud finally cleared to the West. Another inversion below The Scafells and Great Gable...Great!

It's almost flat from the last image to this...the summit of Ullscarf. As I arrived the mist started to drift across the plateau. I quickly snatched this image before I was engulfed in damp greyness again

The remains of the old fence and intermittent paths brought me to Greenup Edge and the Coast to Coast Path. I followed it to the head of Far Easedale, and rather than go back down Wythburn I decided to return via calf Crag and Steel Fell. 

Calf Crag summit and I was back in the clag....it hung around all the way along the ridge to....

...Steel Fell, no view here either. I followed the fence Northwards above the unseen Ash Crags, before dropping down the incredibly steep fellside.

This is below the really steep bit! The photo as usual doesn't do it justice. I won't be repeating this route...and I suggest no one else does either.

Near the bottom of the slope and Dunmail Raise I was out of the cloud and just the short distance along the road to the car.
It had been good to be out on a relatively calm day, and a privilege to be treated to such wonderful views.
Should anyone wish to follow my route (don't use my descent from Steel Fell though) my Strava track and stats can be found here 

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