|
|
|
| Date & Time: Wednesday 14th May 2008. 9.15 am start. Location of Start : Roadside near Ravenstone Hotel, Bassenthwaite, Cumbria, Uk. ( NY 235 294 ) Places visited : Ravenstone, The Edge, Ullock Pike, Longside Edge, Carlside, White Stones, Long Doors, Skiddaw's Dodd, Dodd Woods, back via the roadside path through Mirehouse woods. Walk details : 6.5 mls, 2,750 ft of ascent, 5 hrs 10 mins. Highest point : Carlside 2,447ft (746m)Walked with : Helmut, Ann and the dogs, Harry and Bethan. Weather : Sunny with unbroken blue skies, a warm breeze on the summits. Helmut and Ann at the start of our combined walk on Wednesday |
|
|
Our OFC friend Helmut is over for a return holiday and has planned a five day walking tour of the Lakeland Fells. It seems such a short time since he was here last, but it was a full two years ago that we were walking together around Kentmere and Great Gable He arrived in Keswick courtesy of a last minute lift from John P (as Helmut's connecting bus failed to meet the train). After he purchased a few essentials from Fishers in Keswick we returned home and spent a short time practicing setting up his new tent in the garden. Better done now than for the first time than on the top of a fell somewhere, and besides, there was a nice cup of tea being brewed by Ann as we did it.
Helmut checks out his potential home for the next few days. - - - o o o - - - Wednesday morning dawned fine and sunny again and we make our way over to the start of the walk.
Having left the tent and the big pack with John, Helmut was travelling light today with just a day sack.
Barf and Lord's Seat across Bass Lake from the forest track as we climb above the road.
Climbing above the trees, our view extends to include the North Western fells.
Helmut is recognised by two fellow walkers ! To be fair Judith and Keith first recognised the dogs from their regular viewing of them on our Loweswatercam. Then they recognised us (blush with slight embarrassment due to notoriety), and then Helmut from previous pictures. Many thanks for saying hello, and we hope you enjoyed your walk as much as we did.
Judith clutches her camera and Helmut his Gps, as we set off up the start of the Ullock Pike Ridge. He asked me to check out the Gps . . . but his first job was to translate the screens from German to English . . . then it started to make more sense !
Helmut stops to catch a photo of Ullock Pike as we climbed the ridge.
Ann reaches a flat section somewhere around Kiln Pots .
Myself slightly bandaged from one or two minor ailments, Helmut looks in better condition for the walk !
It takes a visitor with an excellent command of English to ask the obvious question . . . Why is the valley going north from the north western side of Skiddaw called Southerndale ?
It's a warm day so Bethan takes the chance for a relaxing minute or two in the shade as she waits for us to catch up.
I stand back as Helmut makes his first AW summit of his holiday . . . Ullock Pike.
What a fine day, and what a fine view of the fells from up here.
It's Keswick Mountain Festival Week One of the events is a opportunity to dine out on the top of Skiddaw. The yellow tents on the summit can just be seen from Longside Edge. Local Chef Peter Sidwell has set up camp, inspired by a certain Mr Wordsworth of Grasmere who did something similar in 1815 to celebrate the British Victory at the Battle of Waterloo. - - - o o o - - - Helmut kindly forwarded these pictures of the summit Restaurant.
Tickets were sold and diners entertained to a Cordon Blue menu for the princely sum of £35 a head. - - - o o o - - -
We continue on towards Carlside, taking the less distinct right hand path ahead.
The third summit bagged, Helmut says goodbye to Ann. I continue on a short way down with him to give the dogs a swim in Carlside Tarn.
Helvellyn over Carlside Tarn
You're really on your way now . . . the next summit is just up there !
Hey . . . I thought he was walking with us ?
Well on his way now, I returned over the top of Carlside to join Ann . . .
. . . who was relaxing in the late morning sunshine, looking down on Newlands Valley and the high fells.
The path from Carlside descends steeply towards White Stones and the valley below. Helmut's plans are to walk this skyline over the next four days . . . from Bleaberry Fell on the left, along the ridge via High Seat, Ullscarf, High Raise and on to Langdale. From there he wants to climb Crinkle Crags, Bowfell, Scafell Pike, Scafell, Kirk Fell, the High Stile Ridge and back to Loweswater (out of picture on the right).. That looks like most of the skyline to me.
The Helvellyn Massif over the top of Carsleddam and Latrigg from half way down our path.
White Stones, a quarts rock intrusion on the side of the fell, and another great spot to stop and enjoy the view.
Branching right behind the stones, we are aiming to eat our lunch on the top of Dodd just across the way.
Long Doors, an unusual name for the hause between Carlside and Dodd. Bassenthwaite Lake is beyond, but the haze precludes the chance of us seeing Scotland today .
Keswick seen from above the viewing seat on the way up Dodd.
The Scout Memorial means we have reached the summit.
Time for lunch, we look down on the southern end of Bassenthwaite and keep watch for the Ospreys
Harry is intensely studying something in the grass, but Bethan just sits quietly in today's wonderful sunshine.
The Ospreys have moved nest this year and the wardens have closed off one or two forest roads on this part of the fell. All the forest paths are open but the main viewing point has moved slightly further around the fell .
The footpath gradually drops down the fell side and enters the woods.
The path descend into the small valley of Skill Beck, ending up at the Mirehouse Woodland Tearooms.
We pass on the offer of refreshment having just eaten, and make our way along the path above the roadside back to the car.
|
- - - o o o - - - Technical note: Pictures taken with my Cannon G7 or Ann's Ixus 75 Digital cameras. Resized in Photoshop, and built up on a Dreamweaver web builder. This site best viewed with . . . an extended period of fine weather. © RmH.2007 # Email me direct # Add to my Guest book (front page) Previous walk - 12th May 2008 Lanthwaite Bluebells Continue Helmut's walk today courtesy of John Paterson - 14th May 2008 Blencathra and Sharp Edge or on Helmut's own page www.landschaftsfotos.at/Lakeland_2008/2008_05_14/Skiddaw_Blencathra.htm
|
