" Wansfell and the Pike "

Date & start time: Saturday 13th August 2011, 2.30 pm start.

Location of Start : Roadside near the Mortal Man, Troutbeck, Cumbria, Uk ( NY 411 035 )

Places visited : Nanny Lane, The Hundreds, Wansfell, Wansfell Pike, Nanny Lane return.

Walk details : 4 mls, 1150 ft of ascent, 3 hrs.

Highest point : Wansfell 1597 ft - 487 m.

Walked with : Jo, Maggie, Ann and the dogs, Jodie, Amber, Harry and Bethan.

Weather : Clearing after rain in the morning.

Another shorter walk in view of the weather.

We meet up with Maggie and Jo in the Southern Lakes after fighting the Ambleside traffic.

We started and ended our walk in the delightful old village of Troutbeck, a few miles up the valley from the town of Ambleside.

We found a convenient roadside parking spot near the Mortal Man Hotel

towards the top end of the extended Troutbeck Village known as High Green.

Group photo from today ~ Maggie, Jo and Ann plus dogs.

I think I'm out-numbered today . . . what a delight !

Despite its famous name, Nanny Lane is not actually signposted as such down at the start on the Troutbeck Village road.

The closest to recognition is this footpath sign and the adjacent white building of " Lane End ".

A classic drovers lane to the fells leads up from the farm buildings in the previous shot.

In the adjacent fields . . . a well grown youngster.	Dad and possibly Mum !

The ladies stop to chat enabling me to catch up after taking the pictures of the cattle.

It had taken a while for me to get them to turn round and pose for their photos.

The direct path to Wansfell Pike turned off at the corner

but we continued on up the green lane towards the northern part of the fell.

After a damp climb, due partly to the morning rain, the Nanny Lane track met another gate.

A steep ladder stile took our path over and onto the open fell.

A tall ladder stile causes problems for the dogs who have to be helped in various ways to cross safely to the this side of the wall.

Harry and Bethan . . . slow down !	Amber . . . help with those long legs.	Jodie . . . A helpful lift for the grand old lady.

[ Hold your cursor over either of the outer pictures picture to assess progress ]

We'll pass on what help the girls needed !

The path to the summit looked indistinct from here

but it seemed to reveal itself easily as we climbed.

The views back towards Windermere were improving all the time.

Suddenly we were there, on the top of Wansfell's northern summit.

Our views now expanded northward to include Red Screes and Kirkstone Pass.

The high ground on the map here is called Baystones but it is across the other side of the wall (hidden in the first undulation beyond the cairn).

Zooming in on Pets Quarry, still very much in business supplying stone and slate.

Across the undulating summit towards the high fells of the Kentmere Round, still just topped in mist

The walk now extended south towards the distant summit of Wansfell Pike,

a few metres lower than us here at the northern summit.

A quick treat before we go . . . and something for the dogs too !

Follow along the ridge . . . mind out for the occasional boggy bits in the dips.

Across the wall to our right, the Langdale Pikes and Rydal Water.

The sunshine over the fells had just replaced a slight rain shower that had fallen across the Pikes.

The great wall continues on its way.

There are a few folk on the summit at present but none of the expected summer crowds as in previous visits.

A reverse of the previous shot as Ann and Maggie climb the last rise to the summit.

Harry of course, has beaten them to the top . . . again.

Jo climbs to the diminutive summit cairn to get the highest possible view of Windermere that she can.

This was my view from a similar position.

The summit fence has a new metal gate replacing the ladder stile.	It also has a few much older, redundant iron fence posts.

Wansfell is a favourite walk for folk staying in Ambleside . . . the track back down leaves the summit through the gate.

Group photo number two . . . if we can manage it.

Hold your cursor over the picture to call them to order !

Heading back to Nanny Lane, reaching the first of two walls and gates.

A short while later is the gate with the real access to Nanny Lane.

We had completed the small round and now turned right to make our way back down to Troutbeck.

Maggie was talking but it went straight over Ann's head !

That's better . . . they can now talk on the same level.

Back through the gate near the cattle

and a brief stop to appreciate the meadow flowers thriving in the lane.

Looking down on the top end of the Troutbeck village as we near the bottom of the lane.

Back to the farm and "Lane End" houses . . . five minutes later we were back at the car.

- - - o o o - - -

Many a good walk has been improved by a little light refreshment to finish . . .

Parking so close, we just had to visit the Mortal Man.

Ann and I had stayed here for a holiday in the year that we discovered our cottage in the Lakes all those years back.

No scones today . . .

but the hotel did find a very nice selection of cakes and a large pot of tea for us.

The sign board on the side of this classic Lake District hotel

holds the secret as to the origin of the hotel name . . . The Mortal Man

After saying our goodbyes to Maggie and Jo, we headed back towards Ambleside.

On the way down through the village we passed the 400 year old National Trust property of Townend

The garden was looking well cared for.	Across the road is the classic Townend Barn.

The barn dates from 1666, the same year as the Great Fire of London.

It is still part of the working farm today.

- - - o o o - - -

Waterhead at Ambleside on the main road home to our part of the Lakes.

This is Windermere . . . usually Tony Richard's territory . . . not ours !

- - - 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 . . . tea and cakes at the Mortal Man.

Go to Top . . . © RmH.2011 . . . Email me here

Previous walk - 11th August 2011 Low Fell with Neil

A previous time up here - 16th September 2006 Adding Wansfell to Troutbeck

Next walk - 20th August 2011 A short Suffolk Holiday