- A snowy Dale Head Walk -

Date & Time: Monday 10th December 2007.

Location of Start : Honister Hause, Cumbria, Uk. ( NY 25 136 )

Places visited : Loweswater, Crummock, Buttermere, Honister, Dale Head and back.

Walk details : Actual walk ~ 2.3 mls, 1300 ft of ascent, 2 hrs.

Walked with : Ann and the dogs, Harry and Bethan.

Weather : A rough night clearing to display the first good snow of the season. Cold and Sunny.

Those boots were made for . . . the first snow walk of the winter

Last night's poor weather and the cooler temperatures have left the first significant falls of snow of the winter.

A cool breeze encouraged the winter warm trousers out of their summer hiding place.

After a busy morning we make for Dale Head to catch the views before the sun disappears into the west, as it does extremely quickly at present.

Mid-day photos around Loweswater. This is Whiteside from the field gate near the cottage.

Likewise Grasmoor and Whiteless Pike, both showing their white mantle in the winter sunshine.

A close up of Green and Great Gable, rising majestically up behind Haystacks, beyond the end of Crummock Water.

A wide panorama from the gate in the midday sunshine.

After lunch we drove up to Honister to see the snow closer at hand, or should we say, closer at feet !

The snow covered High Stile Ridge with a good flow of water issuing from Burtness Comb.

The Buttermere Pines, but the low sunshine washes the colour out of the sky above Haystacks.

We parked at the National Trust car park and set off for the summit of Dale Head, some 1300 ft above us. We were hoping for nice views from the top.

This is the mighty Helvellyn Ridge, from Clough Head to the left to Nethermost on the right.

Ullscarf has a good covering too. All the areas above 1500 ft seem to have snow.

Two Honister Hause locals seem un-phased by the cold weather as we cross the road.

First views back to Buttermere as we climb alongside the Dale Head fence.

Hindscarth has a good covering of snow on it's northern flanks which is encouraging.

Honister Crags from approximately the same place.

There seems to be a small group of people on the mine track, one of whom is wearing a high viz jacket. Is this a works meeting or perhaps a late mine tour ?

Climbing further we now have a clear view of Broad Crag and the cairn on Scafell Pike summit .

In this close up the middle distance sloping ramp will be the path up Green Gable from Base Brown's Gillercombe Head.

Further left are the adjacent peaks of Bowfell and Esk Pike, both with a good covering of snow.

Strong afternoon sunshine as we look towards Helvellyn once more.

Two golden dogs in the afternoon's golden sunshine.

A slight diversion from the main path allowed me this framed shot through the rocks.

Back on the main track now and a view of the High Crag / High Stile / Red Pike Ridge from the first of the Yew Crag mine workings.

Ann makes her way up alongside the fence.

Harry waiting for her before rushing off to play in the snow again.

A moments rest ~ Harry claiming the high ground ~ but the rock is too small and slippery to climb on this time.

Ann pauses to admire the sunshine by the small pool. The top won't be far away now.

The tarn again, this time from above.

Behind is the spread of the high peaks: Allen Crags, Bowfell, Esk Pike, Great End, Ill and Broad Crag, Scafell Pike, Scafell and Great Gable.

It will be touch and go to reach the top before we lose the sun.

Made it . . . Dale Head and the distant snow covered Skiddaw Fells.

The cairn again, but looking right this time, with a view over Maiden Moor / High Spy to Blencathra and Clough Head.

Yours truly . . . in a slightly cool breeze but we were warm enough after the steady climb.

A pink glow has now spread over Helvellyn as the sun goes down.

The cool looking North Western Fells with a single passing cloud over Grasmoor.

We were on top of the world up here, with not a soul in sight . . . except . . .

Signs of a passing Crow . . .	another walker . . .	and an earlier, Walsh-clad fell runner.

Time to make our way down as the sun finally sets over Wasdale's Red Pike. (above and left)   There were a few low layered clouds over the Irish Sea which gave the late sunset a rather horizontal appearance.

The pink glow has spread across the sky as we pass the ice-covered small tarn on our return.

Red Pike and Pillar Fell, plus the vapour trail of a high jet . . . America bound.

Last photo before the light fails.

Gable and the Moses Trod path defining the snow line as it curves round to Honister and Fleetwith Pike.

In the distance, Kirk Fell, Yewbarrow, Red Pike, Pillar, High Crag. High Stile and Buttermere's Red Pike complete the panorama.

Blue sky above, snow below . . . hope it lasts !

- - - o o o - - -

Technical note: Pictures taken with a Canon G7 Digital camera.

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

This site best viewed with . . . white stuff on the boots.

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© RmH.2007 # Email me here

Previous walk - 9th December 2007 Castle Crag on a cool winter day

A previous time up here - 3rd Sept 2007 Dale Head with Helen

Previous walk - 11th December 2007 Binsey and Frosty Loweswater