Oak Cottage - Loweswater

Retreat to the quiet of the Western Lakes

The Cottage, and  the view up the Buttermere Valley
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Time and place : 26/ 07 / 03 Whiteside, Hopegill head and Crummock. 1pm start.

Occasion : A walk with Peter and Mary (Hiley), Ann and myself, and our two dogs.

Weather :A bit grey to start, with a brief shower, but sunny and warm by the time we made the pub. Cool breeze up top.

Walk details : 7.3 mls 2650 ft of ascent, 4 hours and a bit for the walk itself.

 

We started at Langthwaite Green (at the base of Grasmoor) heading for Whiteside and its outlier Whin Benn.

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Take a left across the bridge over Gasgale Gill - From there on it's straight up !!

At least the view back is nice, with sunshine on Loweswater after a brief shower on us.

The summit of Whin Benn - a brief respite on the way up Whiteside.

Below us was Gasgale Gill, leading up to Coledale Hause, our route home later in the afternoon.

Sand Hill, and the higher Hopegill Head to its left, were shrouded in mist at this point.

As we climbed the weather improved, and the mist lifted.

Photos forward, views back. . . . .Mellbreak beyond Crummock.

The summit ridge from our lunchspot. It was clear enough now for Grisedale Pike (to the left of Hopegill) to be clear of mist too.

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Not quite Striding Edge, but excellent views down either side of the track. Hopegill ahead with its bare rock to the left.

Whiteside ridge also has bare rock gullies to the right of our path. The greenery on the outcrop is dwarf conifer, hugging the rock due to their exposed position. The higher slopes are covered in billberries and heather rather than bracken.

From Hopegill we looked over to Eel Crags / Crag Hill with Wandope to its right.

Our path took us down, over Sand Hill to Coledale Hause and the infant Gasgale Gill itself.

Turn right, and it's downhill all the way.

The gullies, so characteristic of Whiteside's eastern slopes, showing clearly in the sunshine.

Everyone to their own . . .it's one way to keep your neck warm I suppose !!

The small dog managed to hitch a ride, and seemed well pleased.

Lower Gasgale Gill, with its waterfalls and fallen rocks.

If it was Crinkles, you'd have called it the "bad step".

Here it was not so big, and with the dry rock, not a great problem.

Flushed with success, and as the weather had taken a turn for the mediteranean, we changed our plans, left the car where it was, and made off via the bridleway to Scale Hill. This would take us back towards home via the lake. The car could wait till later to be picked up.

Grasmoor and Lanthwaite, from across the fields.

The lakeside and old boathouse, with a welcome seat for a few moments rest and recuperation.

Crummock, Red Pike, and the High Stile Ridge from the old pine at the bottom of the lake.

Mellbreak is to the right, Rannerdale to the left. The skies above now clear enough to give us real summer weather.

Must go and sample the new beer at the Kirkstile. (They've just started brewing their own Mellbreak Bitter)

What better way to end the walk !!

 

Technical note: Pictures taken with a Canon IXUS 400 Digital camera.

Resized in Photoshop, and built up on a Dreamweaver web builder.

This site best viewed . . . with a pint of Mellbreak Bitter.

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