I can't believe that it's only my second visit to Buttermere this year! Mind you, now that the schools have gone back, I'm sure we'll be visiting again as the colours begin to turn. The late summer purple haze of heather giving way to golden russet of leaves and bracken. A few classic views!
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| Chicken of the Woods. |
...and it really was! The woodland was alive with birdsong and we had good views of Pied Flycatchers, a Tree Pipit and Garden Warbler. A Cuckoo was calling when we arrived. Stunning views as always...I can't believe it's out first walk round this year ....
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| Looking towards Fleetwith Pike..... |
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| Lucious Oak woodland. |
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| Pied Flycatcher...and below. |
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| Herdie....in the shade. |
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| Towards Haystacks... |
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| Reflections. |
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| Looking down the lake. |
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| And back up.... |
A gloriously dry and cold day, meaning that the tops were frozen - more importantly - the bogs were frozen! So we decided to do Mellbreak and across the bog that is Mosedale, to Hen Comb. We parked at Maggie's Bridge NT carpark in Loweswater and headed along the walled lane past High Nook Farm and out onto the fell. Straight ahead lies the scree face of Mellbreak - the direct route...which when we looked back from the way down at the end of the day, confirmed how steep it was. Anyway, after the scree a nice scramble onto the summit ridge and splendid views across Crummock and Buttermere. Then down onto Mosedale bog and then up onto Hen Comb. A suprisingly hard walk for two small Wainwrights, that brings my total, second time round to 100.
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| Loweswater in the frost. |
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| Looking down the scree path. |
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| Needle ice. |
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| The mighty Grasmoor. |
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| Icicles... |
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| Frozen puddle before the dog ate it! |
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| Frozen bog. |
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| Across Crummock and Buttermere to Fleetwith Pike. |
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| Yellow Club Fungus. |
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| Ice crunching! |
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| A nice light as the day began to draw in. |
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| Our descent route off Hen Comb. |
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| And looking back at our scree path up at the start. |
With a good friend staying for just one day, the good weather fell beautifully for, amongst other things, a walk round Buttermere. Perfect!
Forgetting that it was half term elsewhwere, we went to walk round Buttermere - the carpark was full so a walk in from beside Crummock Water.
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| Looking back down the lake towards Melbreak. |
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| Canada Geese..... |
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| Fleetwith Pike and Haystacks. |
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| Fleetwith Pike. |
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| Plenty of water coming off the fells.... |
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| Tranquility. |
