Date & Time: Tuesday 25th March 2008. 12.25 pm (after noon) start.

Location of Start : Revelin Moss car park, Whinlatter, Cumbria, Uk. ( NY 209 243 )

Places visited : Comb Bridge, Sanderson Gill, Grisedale Pike, Hobcarton End, Black Crag and back.

Walk details : 3.5 mls, 1675 ft of ascent, 3 hrs 35 mins.

Highest point : Grisedale Pike 2,593ft ( 791 m)

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

Weather : Overcast and feeling damp at low level, but sunshine then two short snow blizzards near the top !

Ann and her two oldest grandsons at the start of the walk

 

The snow has been hanging on on the tops of the fells so the boys wanted to go and see.

Up there it's a different world, far away from the mellow greens of the valleys below.

A short forest road section took us to the marker post and then a left found us at the gate on to the fell side.

From here on, the only way is UP !

The fresh dry snow of recent days is starting to melt but it still manages to hide the footpath, even at this lower altitude.

I suppose this should be captioned . . . " Are we nearly there yet ? "

However a sudden burst of energy is found when they realise the snow is still in good shape for snowball fights !

Look out Ann !

Climbing well now, we are getting the longer distance views over the Revelin Moss section of the Whinlatter Forest.

A close up of Skiddaw

with Longside Edge to the left, Carlside catching some sun and little Dodd in the foreground which still has some snow on it's flanks.

That sunshine also catches the snow on the back of Blencathra.

Looking round, the Helvellyn Range is starting to show.

Drifting covered the path with a foot or so of snow as Jack and Ann make their way up.

Behind is the snow topped Lords Seat.

From this higher vantage point we get a full view of the Helvellyn range and the first glimpse of Causey Pike closer at hand.

The boys are not the only ones who are able to enjoy the snow.

Here Harry pauses mid-game as Bethan rushes down the snow slope towards him.

Sunshine on us this time as Ann rounds off a minor summit on the NE Ridge approach to Grisedale Pike

Sideways from here we can see Scotland, it's distant hills snow covered, but not Criffel for some reason.

The Hobcarton ridge opposite would be our descent ridge back to the car.

Ahead, just a little more climbing and we will be there. Interesting clouds herald a change of weather shortly.

A fellow walker climbing the eastern (Sleet How) ridge up to the summit of Grisedale.

Winter wonderland.

Outerside, Causey Pike, Ullscarf, Maiden Moor and High Raise to the right, Catbells, High Tove and Seat Sandal to the left

Snow on the Pennines, the Mell Fells and Clough Head, looking over the town of Keswick.

The wind is getting up in advance of that low cloud - Matthew will need his hood up in a minute.

Our view is disappearing fast.

The snow is being whipped up by the wind and blown across the fell side.

The old fence post create a foreground for this wintery shot, as we wait for the boys to catch up.

At any other time of year there would be a small tarn the other side of the post.

Today it is frozen over, drifted over and cannot be recognised as a landmark.

Matthew and myself on the final approach to the summit, greeted by Harry.

Topping out in the mist on Grisedale Pike.

Why spoil the habit of a lifetime . . . It's lunchtime so we stop for a bite to eat !

In actual fact, our spot just below the summit was out of the wind and remarkably protected. As we ate lunch the mist kindly cleared.

Jack enjoying a few moments on the summit as the wind had died down.

Two fellow walkers on the summit - Rod and his son Phil - who also live locally.

Another winter scene in late March.

Classic north western fells, from Eel Crag on the left, past Grasmoor in the distance, to Hopegill Head and Whiteside on the right.

The snow makes everything look so different.

Turning to descend, we meet another cloud moving swiftly in from the west.

Jack turns his back as snow fills the air.

Over as quickly as it came, we take a left at the hidden tarn and start on our way down Hobcarton Edge.

If this view of Hopegill Head is not inspiration

for a pen and ink drawing

then I don't know what is.

 

The photo is taken in full colour by the way

but the mountain has no colours up here today

only black and white.

 

The photo shows the east facing Hobcarton Crags

and Hopegill Head itself.

 

   
Making our way down over one of several fences.
A well wrapped-up Ann with Skiddaw behind.

A last view of Derwent Water and Helvellyn as we descend the ridge.

I know it's March, but there are still Christmas decorations on this tree.

Jack went over to replace a few baubles that had been blown off in the wind.

( Does anyone out there know any more about this particular tree ? )

The path down becomes obvious here as a white snow line amongst the taller brown heather.

     
Another chance for a snowball fight
Watch out - he's behind you
But this one was aimed at Jack !

The steep sided Whinlatter Pass showing green fields and clear roads below.

Beyond Black Crag our path entered the conifers, heading steadily but not directly down to the forest road below.

A short while later we re-joined our outward route for the last quarter mile walk back to Revelin Moss and the waiting car.

" It's this way Nana ! " says Jack.

- - - o o o - - -

Technical note: Pictures taken with my Cannon G7 or Ann's Ixus Digital cameras.

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

This site best viewed with . . . warm clothes and good boots

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Previous walk - 23rd/24th March 2008 Mosedale and Darling Fell

A previous time up here - 29th March 2006 Grisedale Pike - and a view back and fore