Barrow, Outerside, Scar Crags and Causey Pike

We are 'Rowan sitting' for Molly this week, so with a good and not too hot, forecast, a walk on the fells ...parking in Braithwaite it was up to Barrow Door and on to Barrow. We than returned to Barrow Door before going up onto Stile End and Outerside. The heather was stunning - and very 'polleny'. Then up the valley to the col between Sail (glad not to be going up that zig-zag path to Sail) and Scar Crags. Lunch at the top, accompanied by the seasonal flying ants, before descending to Causey Pike. Superb clarity and views and two happy dogs. Rather than being pulled off the end of Causey Pike by said dogs, we returned to the low point between Causey Pike and Scar Crags and took the far gentler diagonal path back down towards Outerside - a much better option! 

Walking up to Barrow Dore with Causey Pike in the background.

Blooming Heather. 

from the flanks of Barrow to Outerside with Crag Hill in the background. 

Rowan had regular stops to enjoy the heather! 

Rowan and Rocky. 

Bilberry Bumblebee

Happy! 

Scar Crags.

Looking down the ridge to Causey Pike....

Looking back up from Causey Pike to Scar Crags, Sail and Eel Crag.  

Young Wood, Mungrisdale

To conclude our day (after Bowsale Tarn and fell; Mungrisedale Common and Bowscale Fell) , we came straight down the side of valley above Bullfell Beck, through Young Wood. This is the highest English Woodland - higher than Keskadale Oaks. Young Wood is therefore at the upper altitudinal limit of semi natural, ancient woodland in England. It was fenced by Natural England in 2008 to rmove grazing by sheep, to maintain and enhance biodiversity. There are some signs of regeneration and it is thought that it may protect and possibly increase carbon storage in the landscape. Source: PDF Click here . One thing is for sure though, the woodland certainly stabilises the valley side compared to across the valley where it is sheep grazed and erroded - with all the implications for 'Slowing the Flow'. 

It was an 'interesting descent! 

Alpine Club Moss - not at all common in the Northern Fells...and below. 

Looking down the fell twards Mungrisdale.

Heaather growing in the less dense woodland. 

The wood. 

Artichoke Gall. 

Contrasting vegetation between the two valley sides. 

Golden-ringed Dragonfly.

Mungrisdale Common from Mosedale

After our visit to Bowscale tarn we headed over towards Blencathra and then on to Mungrisdale Common. Why? Good question as Mungrisdale Common really is the most uninspiring of 'summits' - if you can call it a summit. But it is a Wainwright and being as it was dry under foot and we were in the vicinity ....

Although it was dry underfoot elsewhere, needless to say, there was an element of bog plodging on way to the 'summit' and the underwhelming cairn.

Looking down onto Bowscale Tarn.

Keeled Skimmer at the tarn edge. 

Above Bowscale Tarn looking across to Carrock Fell 

From Mungrisdale Common towards Blencathra. 

Swaledales. 

Mugrisdale Common summit cairn.

From the back of Bowscale Fell towards Blencathra ...we had a quick stop to use the underwater camera again, on the way back. 

At water level looking across to Blencathra. 

Peaty pools. 

The Northern Lights

Last night, I happened to be up late (after a meeting), when a red alert was issued for the Northern Lights. We are lucky in that our house looks due north - so on looking out the front door there was a faint pale grey column in the sky. Nothing spectacular, or to be honest, noticeable with the naked eye - if we hadn't been looking. Photographs on my android phone though, revealed the all singing, dancing spectacle....I don't like the way that the social media channels are filled with flourescent lights and spectacular views - raising expectations, but here are my, not very good, wobbly (no tripod for 10 sec exposure) photos from the night - it was actually quite exciting though! 

Note 'The Plough' top left. 

The pale grey column ....registering bright purple by phone.

Bowscale and beyond....

An epic day with Tom in the heat, meant an early start. The plan was to park at Mungrisdale, walk along the road to Mosedale, up to Bowscale Tarn - to do some underwater photography; up  the back wall of the corrie; over Bowscale Fell towards Blencathra; onto Mungrisdale Common and then back over Bowscale Fell to its summit and descend down through Young Wood - the highest woodland in England, into the valley and back to Mosedale. All of which we achieved and a very welcome pint in the Old Crown in Hesket Newmarket at the end - as you can imagine there were a 'few' photographs - so a few blogs....

Despite it being a Sunday and very warm, there were only 4 people at Bowscale Tarn, which suprised me and they were leaving after a swim, so we had  the place to ourselves. Tom enjoyed his underwater photography....and I above the water ....

One of the few remaining Water Lobelia flowers.

Lovely clear water ....

..and the view from below the surface....

I love this one! 

Looking up, from under the water. 

Getting the view above and below the surface ....and more ....

Water Lobelia.

...and one of the many underwater plants I don't know! 

In search of Cloudberry (Rubus Chamaemorus)

Tom had seen reports of Cloudberry being in Cumbria's Northern Fells, so on a rather warm day we set off on what potentially could have been a wild goose chase. But armed with a ten figure grid reference we were soon able to locate quite a decent patch  - something to keep an eye out for on future walks. Time was limited, so it was a strenuous walk up beside Grainsgill Beck and out onto the Cumbrian Way, just below Lingy Hut. Then a meander over Coomb Height to the site, before a steep decent down the nose of Coombe Height, with plenty of rather tall bracken! 

Looking up Grainsgill Beck.

Looking back down Swineside.

Across to Carrock Fell.

Across to Bannerdale and Blencathra.

Cloudberry and below...

Bearberry.

Before the drop off down to the valley.

About to descend.

Luxurious Bracken.