Date & Time: Sunday 29th June 2008. 10.15 am start.

Location of Start : Stonethwaite in Borrowdale, Cumbria, Uk. ( NY 260 140 )

Places visited : Stonethwaite, Big Stanger Gill, Bessyboot, Tarn at Leaves, Rosthwaite Fell and back via Combe Gill and Mountain View.

Walk details : 4.75 mls, 900 ft of ascent, 4 hrs.

Walked with : Jo and John, Ann and the dogs, Polly, Megan and Jodie, Harry and Bethan.

Weather : Cloudy with blustery winds and occasional light rain. Sunny down in Keswick !

Ewe's back . . . . . have you been away ?

Ann and I meet up with John and Jo and get ourselves back on the fells.

Not the best weather and as it turned out, not a good ending to the day,

but certainly a chance for us to stretch our legs and enjoy the Lake District fells again.

Parking on the roadside between Rosthwaite's School and Stonethwaite village.

Our walk would take us up the steep fell side to the right, climbing the prominent valley next to the delightfully named Hanging Haystacks rocks.

The main valley continues towards Eagle Crag in the distance and then heads off, either to Greenup Edge to Grasmere or Langstrath to Great End.

We walked the valley track until we reached the campsite entrance.

There were several large groups camping in the valley this weekend. I think there must be a couple of events on locally.

At that point we turned right through the gate and faced a decision about which route to follow . . . Little Stanger Gill or Big Stanger Gill.

There were two paths. We chose the left hand one towards what we thought was the bigger stream.

Starting the steep climb, the way seems rather tough and underused.

We couldn't find a good path so crossed right and lo and behold, there it was . . . the correct route

complete with stone pitched path and the occasional fence to guide you upward.

Looking down on the Stonethwaite Valley . . .

. . . and the opposite way, down towards Borrowdale.

The route was a very well made with a steep pitched path which wound its way inexorably upwards.

Harry and Bethan wait for me at the stile.

Steep climbing is hard work in the humid conditions and Polly takes time out to cool off in the stream.

The steep climb over, we reach more open ground.	A small waterfall marks the top of the climb.

From here on it is a more relaxed ascent up through the undulating ground making for the summit of Bessyboot.

A strong buffeting wind makes it's presence felt as we reach the cairn.

Bessyboot is the highest of the rocky outcrops on the northern side of Rosthwaite Fell.

Dropping down the other side we pass the delightfully named Tarn at Leaves.

The next summit on the way up towards Glaramara is Rosthwaite Cam.

( It's the rocky outcrop to the right on the skyline ahead.)

We follow the main path which takes a rather circuitous route around to the left of the high ground.

We leave the path shortly afterwards and strike up for the top part of the fell.

The view from the left side of Rosthwaite Cam.

Below is Tarn at Leaves and Bessyboot, beyond is Kings How (in shadow) and distant Skiddaw Fell beyond Derwent Water.

Ann pauses with Harry on the right hand side of the top.

It was at our lunch spot below the summit that Jo's dog Megan was taken ill.

She was very lethargic and possibly suffered a seizure or attack of some sort, so we promptly cut the walk short in order to return to the valley and take her into Keswick to get her urgent medical help.

A rapid descent down to Combe Gill brought us out on the valley road and it was a short walk back to the cars.

She looked a little brighter as we reached Keswick.

A good walk and an interesting climb, worth repeating in more cheerful circumstances.

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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.

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Previous walk - 24th May 2008 Five go to Hopegill Head

A previous time up here - 24th July 2006 Glaramara and Allen Crags