Skiddaw, Little Man and Lonscale Fell

An early start.....We had planned to go up Grisedale Pike from Revelin Moss, but after Storm Dave, the carparks and footpaths were all taped off with signs saying no public access. So with it being the day after Easter Monday, we had to make a quick decision to get somewhere and park before the hoards arrived. Plan B, which was rapidly formulated, was to go up Skiddaw. Skiddaw Little Man and Lonscale Fell. A great walk - a slog as always from the Latrigg carpark, but we got parked just in time, and the weather stayed fair- but very windy on the summits. Great clarity of air in the morning and unbelievably warm when we descended back into the valley. Rocky did brilliantly and insisted on barking and tugging at his lead on the tops. It was so nice to see him enjoying himself on a 'big top' after his worrying episode of vestibular disease at Christmas. Happy days. 

Looking across Keswick and Derwentwater...

And across to Blencathra.

The top of Skiddaw Little Man.

And on to Skiddaw itself.

Looking down onto Ullock Pike.

Quite a panorama!

The top of Skiddaw.

Looking across to Carrock Fell.

On to Lonscale Fell..

And zooming in to Thirlmere and Dunmail Raise as we descended.

A perfect day

It's not often you get a glorious day, forecast in advance, on a weekend, in March. And did you know it! As I drove over Dunmail Raise all the parking spots for the Helvellyn range were taken (at 8.30am) and the bottom of Dunmail only had a couple of spaces left. I began to worry that the plan to meet a friend at Elterwater at 9am might be too late.... I squeezed into one of the last spaces in the carpark just before 9am! The plan for the day was to go up Lingmoor Fell in the morning and then meet Molly who was taking part in the Mackyard Ultra in Langdale, running timed loops, leaving on the hour every hour, to run round the valley bottom. A cracking day on all counts.

The lane from Elterwater  -lots of Chiff Chaffs calling.

Herdies in the sun.

Heading up onto the fell and the ridge's wall.

Looking down onto the Mackyard set up.

Heading out along the ridge.

Looking into Langdale.

And back into the valley to watch Molly competing.

And they are off on another loop....those that survive to the end will have run 160 miles! 

Caudale Moor and Hartsop Dodd

Hartsop Dodd is a pig of a fell if you go straight up it from Hartsop, while parking at the Kirkstone Inn, going up onto Caudale Moor and Stoney Cove Pike and walking down onto it, is far more pleasant! 

The signed path to St Raven's Edge takes you up a short scrambly section onto the ridge - from which there are spectacular views all around and the path along the wall is clearly visible. Fix the Fells have done an excellent job of placing stepping stones across any boggy bits.

The last distant snows on the shaded side of Helvellyn.

Following the wall you find yourself at Stony Cove Pike which is 1metre higher than Caudale Moor itself. We came back via Caudale Moor summit which is easier to see from the path coming back.

Splendid views across to Fairfield.

Looking down to Hartsop Dodd - a lovely ridge.

Hartsop Dodd summit...now to head back up onto Caudale Moor.

And as the day began to cool off...Caudale Moor summit.

Beda Fell from Boredale Hause

Remarkably, it was easy to park mid-morning in Patterdale, despite it being half term! This was probably due to the closure of the Kirkstone Pass, as there was nothing wrong with the weather, which was cold and dry with no wind. A great walk - first up the well trodden track to Boredale Hause and then along the ridge to Beda Fell. The ridge is lovely with good views, albeit a bit murky later on. It was nice to see five Red Deer near the Hause and also to watch the trail hounds descending into Patterdale as we came back. 

From Patterdale looking towards the Kirkstone Pass.

Towards Fairfield.

Crunching snow...

Frozen ....

Towards Beda Fell.

Nice lichens - I searched for club mosses and White Worm Lichen to no avail..

Cold.

Icicles.

Red Deer on the snow....

and off they went.

Hound trailing.

Herdies in the valley bottom. 

Wansfell Pike and Braystones

A decent and dryish day on the fell. Starting from Ambleside it was up straight up onto Wansfell Pike with some cracking views over Lake Windermere. Then along a rather damp and slushy ridge to Baystones - the true summit of Wansfell and regarded as the Wainwright Wansfell for purists. I doubt I am a Wainwright purist, especially for my second round, but it made a day of it and meant we had a more gentle descent via Nanny Lane into Troutbeck (sandwiches on the bench in the rain) before skirting round Wansfell via Robin Lane. Lane may have been a debatable term, given the stream-like nature, in places, of both lanes. Rocky will be tired, bless him, but he loved it - especially the ridge, the Ravens and snow. 

Stock Ghyll.

How are those boulders not falling down?

Wintery Pikes.

The Kirkstone Pass.

From Wansfell Pike along the ridge towards Braystones.

Windermere.

Chasing ravens!

Baystones summit.

And into Troutbeck.

Whinlatter Fell

It was rather a 'fresh' day, but oh, so good to be out! Not a long walk and very nice to be able to have a coffee in the Whinlatter Visitor Centre at the end.

Looking across Keswick to Skiddaw.

'Terrible tusks, terrible claws and terrible teeth in his terrible jaws' ... the Gruffalo that is!

Looking across North Cumbria and into Scotland.

Looking across to Grisedale Pike and Hopegill Head. 

Low cloud.

The obligatory summit photo.

...and sunshine....

Wintery.