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Date & Time: 19th April 2006. 2.30 pm start.

Location of Start : Loweswater Village ( NY 143 211 )

Places visited : Kirkstile, Mosedale pool, Hen Comb, Mosedale track, Kirkstile and home.

Walk details : 4.75 mls, 1450 ft of ascent , 3 hrs 40 mins. including stops to talk to neighbours, admire the view and explore the old lead mine area.

Walked with : Jo and her two dogs, Ann and our two dogs.

Weather : A sunny afternoon with a real taste of Spring in the air.

~ Contemplating the world ~

Walking through Loweswater Village past the Church.

Hen Comb in the background looking glorious in the afternoon sun.

The Kirkstile Inn.

Taking the road around the front of the Kirkstile Inn

we set off up towards Kirk Head Farm, on a track often used

when climbing Melbreak.

The land is flanked by sturdy stone walls and leads into Mosedale Valley.

Grasmoor is the impressive peak behind.

Ann and Jo, leaning against the gate.

How many ladies does it take to shut a gate ?

The pool in Mosedale Beck and our crossing point to start our climb of Hen Comb.

This is a favourite swimming pool for the dogs and they were first down to the water as usual.

Sparkling water as the dogs swim for sticks.

It has even been known for me to swim in this pool - when the water temperature is a little warmer than today.

Above the pool now

looking back to Grasmoor and the northern end of Melbreak above the trees.

What a fine day with excellent visibility.

Click here or on the photo for a wider panorama

Harry and Bethan stop for a photo in front of the distant fells of Red Pike and High Stile

Presumably there are not as many people up there today than there were last Saturday

Hen Comb is approximately the same height as Melbreak

its near neighbour, but the walk in is longer.

The last part of the climb is probably the steepest

as we zig-zag up the slope to the summit.

View from the top - Hen Comb.

Looking west we could see the Isle of Man, complete with its own personal cloud.

The Buttermere Valley from Hen Comb.

Buttermere reflects the rich blue of the sky, and Fleetwith Pike stands proud at the head of the lake.

Great Borne and the Floutern Pass.

It's wild up here, with old bracken and extensive tufted grass which would make walking difficult.

Floutern Pass leads over to Ennerdale and a small elongated Floutern Tarn nestles out of sight under the shadowy crags.

Time to leave the summit.

We turned and enjoyed this fine backdrop as we retrace our steps down the steep section near the top.

Leaving the ridge we descended steeply into the valley for me to check out the old lead mines.

There seemed to be three old workings, recognisable by their spoil heaps. The first was now a shallow infilled area.

The second was a 30 ft open excavation and a small opening which led down a further ten feet into a dark and uninviting pool of water.

Harry was intrigued by the opening, but did not venture in.



The second workings and its exposed opening	Spoil form the workings contained mineral stained quartz rock.

The excavations date back to the 1890's when there was a mining community in Loweswater, but these workings were never commercially successful, unlike the Coledale mines under Grisesdale Pike, and to a much lesser extent the Loweswater, Kirkgill and Whiteoak Mines here within Loweswater.