Darling Fell in the Afternoon Sunshine

Date & start time: Monday 22nd February 2010, 3.45 pm start. ( NY 128 218 )

Location of Start : Lakeside at the Mosser Road end, Loweswater , Cumbria, Uk.

Places visited : Mosser Road, the old quarry track, Darling Fell and back.

Walk details : 2 mls, 850 ft, 1 hr 40 mins.

Highest point : Darling Fell 1240 ft ( 391m)

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

Weather : A lovely afternoon but the clouds roll by at the start of the walk.

Following yesterday's very wintery conditions the weather has improved significantly

and we take the opportunity to climb a local fell to enjoy the late afternoon sunshine.

Loweswater has another coating of ice after the last few days of low temperatures

and the lake has a sheen on it rather than reflect the beauty of Mellbreak and Hen Comb opposite.

We head up the Mosser Road, through the trees.	The tarmac surface was seriously damaged by the recent floods.

Early afternoon sun has disappeared behind a patch of cloud and the colours here are muted as a result.

In the far distance the high fells and the snow are still catching the brightness of the western sun and shine beautifully.

Part way up the track is a bench placed in memory of John Duff (died 15.3.84)

No idea who he was but his memorial seat marks our turning point and we join the old quarry road up the fell.

The top most of the two quarries up here. They were probably dug for building materials rather than quality slate or metal ores.

The largest of three remaining small holes in the ice, the blue of the sky and white clouds reflected within it.

Above the quarry track now, we join the cairned footpath to Foulsyke for a short way.

That's better . . . the clouds to the west start to clear and the sunshine breaks through

adding colour to our view up the Buttermere Valley.

Click here or on the photo for a wider annotated panorama.

While I paused for the photos, Ann has continued on up the fell with the dogs.

We are now taking a more direct line up Darling Fell towards the summit.

The bracken starts to shine in the afternoon sun.

A classic " I can see our house from here" shot . . . but from a different perspective than normal today.

The far most, snow covered peak looking sublime in the sunshine

is the far from friendly Grisedale Pike that six of us attempted to climb just twenty four hours ago.

To it's right is the rounded summit of Grasmoor leading back via the snowy ridge to Eel Crag.

Ann, Harry and Bethan relax at the summit cairn of Darling Fell

and take in the sunshine and the wonderful, expansive view of the high fells.

Zooming in on the darker Fleetwith, Haystacks and High Crag fells

while Brandreth, Green Gable and Great Gable behind are enjoying the same late afternoon sun as ourselves.

Great Borne across the way . . . but also the blue of the diminutive but delightful High Nook Tarn to the right.

We walked north along the short summit ridge of Darling Fell to the dilapidated fence and rather redundant stile.

Lovely views of the north western side of Fellbarrow.

Looking back at Buttermere and Crummock Water as we leave the top.

A steep descent follows the fence line down.

Back on the Mosser Road as the light starts to fade.

This view (more or less) supported the starting and ending credits of the 2006 Beatrix Potter Film, " Miss Potter " starring Renée Zellweger.

It's nearly five thirty in the afternoon and the lengthening days and later sunsets are more noticeable now.

Our final view of the sun before we entered the woods back at Loweswater lakeside.

- - - o o o - - -

Technical note: Pictures taken with either Ann's Canon 75 or my Canon G10 digital camera.

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

This site best viewed with . . . better weather than yesterday !

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Previous walk - 21st February 2010 Arctic Grisedale Pike

A previous time up here - 23rd/24th March 2008 Mosedale and Darling Fell

Next walk - 27th February 2010 Fellbarrow Extended