A Few Wainwright 2000' Northern Fells

A mid afternoon start to avoid the crowds, this is my way of enjoying the Lakes....indeed it feels like stepping back 30 years! Long may the must be back for 5pm mentality continue. The other advantage is that the early starters have left and parking is generally easily found...this was the case at Bowscale as I left the car at 2.30 and set off up Mosedale.....

The tarmac miles passed quickly on the quiet road, the view ahead filled with Coomb.

One of the many cascades as I approached the end of  the public road.

Looking back down Mosedale

A pleasant walk along the Cumbria Way, to here at Wiley Gill. Great Calva looking no where near as steep as in reality the image flattening the slope I was to climb.

South from the Southern top of Great Calva. Thirlmere in the distance.

The summit of Great Calva again looking South.

I had dry feet up to this point....

I can't imagine the "path" down to the col below Knott ever dry's up.

An easy climb over grassy slopes soon meant I was here beside the cairn on Knott. Great Calva is the dark hill in the middle ground, the Coniston Fells in the far distance.

It was basically downhill to Great Scafell over very wet ground, just a short rise to the "summit".

My next two hills High Pike on the left and Carrock Fell on the right. There is a lot of rough ground in you take a direct...ish line!

A great view down into Roughton Gill as I made my way across to Great Lingy Hill.

Great Lingy Hill, suitably covered with heather. Recently promoted to 2000' status, it now has quite a path to the top...not a Wainwright 2000'er though!

Bowscale Fell, Bannerdale Crags and Blencathra all showing their softer side.

Easy going back on good paths, so I was soon on High Pike, just Carrock Fell (to the left of the trig) to summit. There was a chilly breeze blowing so I was pleased to drop back to Drygill Head.

My feet had almost dried out...they were soon wet again as I  walked along the broad ridge over Miton Hill and Round Knott. Here we look West to Skiddaw beynd the River Caldew.

I now wanted to follow a little used path down to Mungrisdale, one I'd never been on...hence the start where I did.

The path was there, but very feint and rough especially lower down, and there were gorse bushes to negotiate...I hate gorse bushes! There just remained a short walk back along the road to the car, a great round, very enjoyable.

Anyone wishing to see my route can find the Strava track here https://www.strava.com/activities/3835385035

An Overnite Camp from Bridge End in Patterdale

Back on my quest to visit all the 2000' Wainwright Summits in 12 months, yesterday I parked at Bridge End in Patterdale and left the car about 4pm. It was also the first chance I'd had to use my new-to-me Tramplite shelter. I could have done these remaining hills from Martindale, and it would probably have been an easier route as well! As is the custom on this blog we'll walk by photos...

Off across the valley and up the well trodden path to Boardale Hause. Not one of my favourites...I'll leave it be for a bit! There was an image shared on social media recently of rubbish left at Angletarn...inc a suitcase full of clothes!! amongst other stuff...you have to wonder what was going through their mind a they toiled up here with all that tat! 

Looking back across Dubhow Crag to Sheffield Pike and the Dodds. Shortly after this I met the last people I saw until at Side Farm this morning.

I expected to see a few tents here at Angletarn but there was only 1..its there for the eagle eyed.

On towards Satura Crag, the first target of the day directly above the gateway Rest Dodd.

One of the lesser visited summits I'd say. Rest Dodd is a little bit off the main paths. A great view to the North, a little bit of Ullswater in the distance.

There's a fair bit of descent and re-ascent to The Knott...the boggy ground between the two meant the end of my dry feet as well. High Street (on the right) looked a lot more inviting in the evening sun than it had on Thursday. 

Rampsgill Head was next, it didn't take long. I took a beeline from the Knott "helped" by a savage wind. this is the view South dominated by High Street (on the right) and Harter Fell (on the left)

There was no hanging about, I jogged across to Kidsty Pike. The sun had disappeared for a while and the temperature had dropped...out came the windshirt.
The weather to the East looks better!

Next it was over to High Raise, you get some easy summits for your effort once your up here.
Again looking east to the higher summits of the Northern Pennines.
My original plan (such as it was) had been to camp up here. The wind was a lot stronger than the forecast, so I pushed on...I still had lots of daylight. 

If my feet were'nt wet before, they certainly were by the time I arrived here on Wether Hill.
 Is this the top? it's as close as makes any difference...any stones to make a cairn up here have no doubt sunk into the morass. 

Last of the hills to be climbed on my notional list in the Far Eastern Fells, Loadpot Hill. Conditions up here were slightly better. High raise in the distance still had the sun on it.
Decision time, it was 8pm, still 2 hours of usable daylight...I could head Northish and camp on Bonscale Pike, or back and down beside Groove Gill to camp in the top of Fusedale.
I headed for Fusedale.

I found a half decent spot, adjacent to the old shepherd huts. The Tramplite shelter looks quite well pitched in this image (not bad for a first attempt)...but the ground was tussocky so it was never going to be the best. 

I slept well, no wonder I'd been out on the bike yesterday morning before the walking in the afternoon. The Tramplite is superb, I didn't use the additional storm guys and there were certainly some strong gusts during the night. of course the wind had dropped this morning and the midges were out in force.

All packed up and underway for 6am  #leavenotrace...you can't tell but my suitcase is actually inside my pack! 😉

Down the contouring path under Brownthwaite Crag. The early light just catching The Nab and the head of Bannerdale.

From Matindale I picked up the shore path back towards Patterdale. The sun only briefly made an appearance as here on the other side of the lake at Glencoynedale. Its a while since I've been on the shore path....quite a bit of up and down! 

Almost at Patterdale, a good view of St Sunday Crag.

I walked on through Rooking, Crookabeck and Beckstones, then back across the valley to the car.
A great little trip.

Half..ish of the Kentmere Horseshoe

Last week I climbed Kentmere Pike and Harter Fell, it never stopped raining. I was dis-inclined to continue round the rest of the Kentmere Horseshoe in the miserable weather. So today was the re-match. I parked in the same place near Brockstones and set off for Garburn Pass. The day really was as dull (but not the walk) as the pictures suggest, although it stayed dry so I was happy with that!

Having climbed Garburn Pass out of Kentmere, I followed the path North past Buck Crag...

...to arrive at the summit of Yoke, the first 2000'er of the day. High Street looked a log way off!

Next was Ill Bell, I had lunch just below the Northern cairn out of the wind.

It was only 15mins to reach the summit of Froswick today, I was feeling good. This view looking back to Ill Bell and Windermere.

I bypassed Thornthwaite Crag (I'd already climbed it earlier this year and I'm trying not to visit any 2000'ers twice). Easy going from Froswick to here on the summit of High Street. There were a few folk about here, about the only ones I came across today.

I dropped down to Mardale Ill Bell, and the view down to Haweswater.

The well trodden path to Nan Bield was my route down to the Kentmere Valley via these zig-zags.
Back to the car by the same route as last week.

A Short Post for a Short Walk!

I was researching something else recently and came across an image of Nichol Moss Caves. After looking further into their location, today we included a visit to them with a short walk. I don't intend disclosing the location (they aren't marked on the OS map). Presently there isn't any rubbish/litter so lest keep it that way folks. Here's a few images from the day...

We came across this well preserved....but overgrown Limekiln on our way to the caves.

Inside the first cave...

....and the entrance to the second cave. I was able to make a through trip.

Lots of old Yew's hereabouts, these were catching some lovely light.

Then a surprise...a temporary sculpture trail.
So there we have it, including our return on a variation route only 4 miles but full of interest.

Half the Year Gone Already!

 Almost 3 weeks since my last post. It seems like I have less time than ever....and yet all the time in the world! But with half the year gone past in a flash, it's time to update the blog to the end of June. once more the selection of images (and dates) below is a bit random...but then so are my "doings"....variety is after all the spice of life.

June 12th, an overcast day, windy but it did manage to stay dry. I walked up the Dubbs Road to climb a couple of easy Wainwrights...the closest to home. This is taken from just below the summit of the first Sour Howes. I had lunch here with almost the full length of Windermere in view. 

It's a broad hummocky "ridge" to it's neighbour Sallows. the summit is the highpoint in this image.

14th June, I had a day out on the motorbike over to some of the best bike roads in the UK.
As well as the superb roads, in many places off the beaten track the verges were covered with Mountain Pansy's....

...plenty of Orchids as well....Marsh Orchids? Please let me know if you can identify them correctly!

My Honda NC700X on the "Irish Ford" over the Harwood Beck in Upper Teesdale.

June 17th, I was back on the 2000' trail, and an early start to climb Place Fell from Bridge End in Patterdale. The early start (for me) was partly to avoid the expected intense heat of the day and also the forecast thunderstorms due to appear around noon. Here we look into the lower reaches of Deepdale.

Looking Northeast from the summit of Place Fell the sizeable "dub" of water completely dried up after our hot and arid Spring.

Place Fell trig, the eastern Fells in the hazy distance.
I did miss the thunderstorms..the first drops just arriving as I got back to the car.

June 22nd, a walk round the coast at Arnside. This twisted Oak caught my eye.

Back in time! to 11th June, a walk from Cartmel (lovely and quiet) with P.

June 13th, an easy day out in the MX5. Mungrisedale and Mosedale...sadly there were lots of barbeque scars and firepits...appalling.

June 20th, another day out in the MX5 over to the Pennines. Again great driving roads, generally quiet and so much to see...the above was new to me. This is only a small part! All built by one man (an ex-miner)in his garden. All proceeds to the Great North Air Ambulance a truly worthy cause.
It's in Nenthead and is a little off the main drag, if any one would like a grid ref to see it please let me know.

June 24th, another day on the motorbike...walking would have been madness in the heat!
Over Wrynose and Hardknott to Saltcoats on the Esk estuary. Ravenglass is the village across the water.

The River Mite and the railway viaduct.

This image of our favourite Ospey on it's nest is a little bit fuzzy!! It was taken on my mobile phone through a spotting scope. We've spent a lot of time watching the progress of this family. they seem to be doing well so far.

30th June and half the year gone. My mission to climb all the 2000' Wainwights has been severely derailed by Covid 19. But today I set out on what was to be an almost 1005 wet walk over Kentmere Pike seen above....

....Harter Fell above. I returned to the car, parked near Stile End via Nan Bield
Only 2 people were seen...hardly surprising given the appalling weather. Good to be out though.

It had been dry at home, so I took the Elan to the coast (unusually using it's road wheels or a change). I have got plenty of cycling in over the last 3 weeks or so, and am comfortably ahead of my self imposed target for the year. I shall be putting more of my physical efforts into the 2000'ers over the next few months....hopefully covered with associated blog posts for those who may be interested.