Carlin Gill and the Hills to the South of Said Gill!

Out with @ianwood2011 today, and a trip to the Howgill fells...avoiding the school holiday hordes. We parked near the foot of Carlin Gill (OS name, I have always understood it to be spelt Carling?) and set off up Carlin Gill with an overcast sky and a stiff breeze.....

We both thought the path used to be more obvious n the lower part of the gill, but the walking isn't very taxing.

Further up the gill narrows and the path climbs above the bed of the gill.

We paused to look up the side beck of Black Force...neither of us have ever ascended this...and looking at the looseness of the "rock" I doubt we ever will!

Not much further up the gill is "The Spout", a bit of scrambling is required to get past this obstacle.
Beyond the waterfall and it's associated scramble the ground levels out a bit, we had our butties in the vicinity of Blakethwaite Bottom. It was then a stiff pull up to.... 

....Docker Knott. Here Ian is checking Viewranger,  I think checking the identity of distant hills.

We then walked the ridge over Over Sale, Taffergill Hill, Stowgill Head, Breaks Head and onto this point which is in fact unnamed on the 1:25000 map. A good view to the South and the 3 peaks tho!

Next on the agenda Fell Head, a superb view down the Lune Valley all the way to Morecambe Bay in the distance. It was incredibly windy here.
It was down hill almost all the way back to the car from Fell Head over Linghaw, Knowles and Back Balk.
A good round this, if it hadn't been so windy we would have probably have walked over to The Calf and back....although it isn't a very logical extension, if that kind of thing bothers you!

Silver How Wildcamp

A great spell of weather just recently here in the Lakes. As Wednesday is one of my days off work I planned an overnight camp. Parking in Grasmere I decided to head up onto Silver How. Heading round the back of Allan Bank, then up by Wray Gill.....

Seat Sandal, Greenhead Gill and in the distance Fairfield from the track round Allan Bank

Across Wray Gill (normally a reliable source of water but last night only a trickle) to the Eastern Fells...Fairfield et al.

Just over half an hour to the top, I was rewarded with the view to Grasmere (not in this image) and Rydal Water.

Time was getting on, and after a chat with a guy who was also planning to camp (in my preferred spot no less!) it was time to find a likely pitch. In the near distance was where I ended up.

A last look down at the two lakes before I went off to pitch up.

I found a good pitch, soon had the tent up and the sac unpacked. Windermere in the distance.

Not so much unpacked as scattered to the four winds!
Wetherlam in the distance.

Nothing really sunset wise, but the sky o the North was rather good.
I turned in, and had a decent nights sleep.

Dawn didn't bring much in the way of a sunrise, again looking North there was a bit of colour in the sky.

I got packed up and walked back over the summit.
Here looking east, the other temporary residents tent on Silver How.
Then it was back to the car, descended the same way I'd ascended he evening before.
 Enjoyed this short trip! :-)

A Northern Pennine Backpack

More precisely, 2 and a bit days along the Pennine Way and South Tyne Trail. This filled in some gaps for me in this area. I was dropped off in Dufton just before 11am on Tuesday, and found myself  amongst a number of the Summer Spine Race (Fusion I think it's called) details here.  Some images of the trip below......

The first objective Knock Fell, I don't think I've ever climbed up this way I always visited from the main ridge. The Eden Valley laid out before me....what this image doesn't convey is the terrific wind and the massing cloud from the East!

It wasn't long before I was in the cloud...and drizzle..this old cairn is Knock Old Man

And this rather newer effort is the summit of Knock Fell.

In my own mind I left my options open, but with the low cloud and drizzle I decided to follow the bridleway beside the Trout Beck towards the source of the South Tyne. This is the Trout Beck shortly before it joins the River Tees.

The source of the South Tyne...marked by 3 stones no less....hard to tell but it was chucking it down here and continued as far as Alston.

Hence there are no pictures until I'd got the tent pitched and sorted out. the price was good....although it seems a little eccentric. Mick and Gayle had stayed here on one of the long walks so I was fore warned!

The cloud was still low down when I set off so opted to walk the rest of the South Tyne Trail. It follows the old railway for almost all its length.

End of the road (track) for the current narrow gauge railway, and time for my second breakfast.

The South Tyne river from the impressive Lambley Viaduct.

There were many wild flowers along the trail, these Orchids caught my eye.

My last view of the South Tyne as I crossed over it and entered Haltwhistle. The day had improved dramatically it was really hot.... Ice Cream!!

I linked through to Hadrians Wall and the Pennine Way by waking up the "Burn Gorge" splendid. Worth an hour or two of anyones time....although I was on a mission. 

I reached the wall at Cawfields...no pictures from there a coach had just disgorged its contents...there were folk everywhere!
This is looking West from Caw Gap

I've walked this portion of the Wall a couple of times, I'd forgotten how much up and down tere was!...Lots!!

Milecastle 39 and Wall marches onward. The group of people spoiling my photograph were filming something...they had a big sword and lots of people sat about....probably curing the dishevelled wreck walking amongst them.

Time to leave the Wall behind here at Rapishaw Gap, off into the boonies.

Having crossed Ridley Common and just about to enter the first piece of forestry, there was a distinct lack of suitabe terrain to pitch a tent on. I decided to go to Haughtongreen Bothy. I figure that there is often suitable pitches near bothies....this wasn't the case here, but I had the bothy to myself anyway.

It's in excllwnt order and very well maintained, even has a composting toilet!

After an early night I was up early, 4.30 am to get some miles done before it got to hot. This was the view from the front door...mist in the dips and a heavy dew.

Spooky Trees!!

Wonderful dew laden spiders webs all along the path back to the Pennine Way.

Crossing Haughton Common as wet to sat the least. Quite clearly no where near as many people walk this section of the trail compared to the Southern sections. There was only about a dozen flagstones beyond the wall on the section I walked.

There was a "Pitstop"/Trail Angel at Horneystead, I had a long chat with them whilst having a mug of tea. But omitted to take any pictures.
the next feature of note is the escarpment above with the mildly amusing name of Shitlington Crags. 

Just beyond the crags as I passed the radio mast I met the first backpackers I'd seen. They thought I was daywalking...and couldn't believe I was carrying less than 5kg...one of them said he had 15kg on his back...and they were staying in B and B's!!
As I crested the hill I could see Bellingham, and here the North Tyne.
This made a good place to stop with good transport links, ready to resume the next section sometime in the future.
All in all a grand trip...although the soles of my feet felt like they were on fire in the end. My ancient Inov8 Terrocs had lost what little cushioning they ever had...they've gone in the bin!
Other than that all good.

Lingmoor Fell

Only a half day's walk today, I parked at Chapel Stile and crossed the Langdale Beck. Up through the quarry and Baysbrown Wood, then the track which leads onto the open fell. It soon became apparent that it was a lot windier than the forecast...it was blowing a hoolie!
The photos when examined closely are blurred due to the wind, still they're a record of the day....

Looking back East along the main ridge...a good viewpoint for Elterwater.

A little further on and the view South to the Tilbirthwaite area

Summit almost in sight, the Harrison Stickle and the other Pikes shrouded in cloud.

The summit...the photo is unable to show the wind...I had to sit down, brace my arms and was still buffeted all over the place.

I usually descend along the ridge and Side Pike (seen here). But today, partly to get out of the wind and partly to enjoy the jog over easier ground I descended to Blea Tarn.

From Blea Tarn I crossed the road and walked down the zig-zags, then along the Cumbria Way and bridleways back beside the river to the car at Chapel Stile.

Lancaster & Morecambe

Something a bit different on the blog today. We had to be in Lancaster for a hospital appointment this morning, so I took the opportunity to have a look round Williamson Park. The afternoon was spent strolling along the prom at Morecambe....trying to avoid kamikaze old duffers on bikes and dog owners with what seemed like un-retractable leads!
Anyway here's a few photos from the day, no captions I'm afraid...I'm to traumatised from the collision avoidance!!