" Bec's Second Day in the Lakes "

Date & start time: Sunday 19th February 2012.

Location of Start : The red phone box, Loweswater , Cumbria, Uk ( NY 143 211 )

Places visited : Mellbreak, Dale Head and Penrith.

1st Walk details : Mellbreak, 3.75 mls, 1325 ft of ascent, summit 1,654 ft 509 m.

1st Walk details : Dale Head, 2.5 mls, 1375 ft of ascent, summit 2,473 ft 753 m.

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

Weather : Sunshine and blue skies,

On the Sunday, the day dawned clear with a beautiful winter blue sky . . . gone were the grey skies of yesterday.

Bec wanted to climb a fell so we found one close at hand and then a second on the way to the train station at Penrith.

"Oh what a beautiful morning . . . "

Time to take Bec up the fells to see Loweswater from above.

A quick breakfast and we were on our way.

Looking back here at the Kirkstile Inn and our cottage away on the right in the trees . . . an excellent juxtaposition !

Taking it steadily, we start the ascent of the north face of Mellbreak

That juxtaposition again . . . but from higher up the fell.

From here we could see Scotland, beyond Loweswater and the Solway Firth.

Are you stopping for photos or are you taking a rest again ?

No we're taking our time . . . because the path is rather icy.

Frost within the soil . . .	. . . and ice on the path

Saying that, we did stop quite often just to look at the view.

Across the way . . . Hopegill Head and Sand Hill.

Sunburst over Buttermere Valley.

The top of the northern end of Mellbreak in perfect weather.

Click here or on the photo above for a Loweswatercam 360 degree annotated panorama

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We returned via the traverse from the centre of the fell and joined Ann for 'elevenses' back at the cottage.

An hour or so later we were on our way again . . . looking at Grasmoor from lake level this time.

The view from Rannerdale Knotts .

Click here or on the photo above for a larger Loweswatercam annotated panorama

Bec is due to catch a train at five o'clock so we've got time to explore another valley and another fell.

Passing well known sights along the way.

There are loads of people about at the head of Buttermere . . . must be the sunny Sunday syndrome.

We parked the car at the National Trust car park at Honister Hause

[ not far from this rather nice, bright red roadster ]

Sunny weather but well wrapped up against the cold breeze.

Honister Slate Mine buildings

as we head for summit number number two, this time with Ann on the walk as well.

Bec spots this old stone building and goes across to investigate.

An old mine building rather than a sheep fold . . .	. . . and close to it the old mine addit (now back-filled)

Crossing the snow line as we make our way up.

The final push now as the summit is more or less in sight.

Looking west as the cloud is starting to build slightly.

Let's hope it will hold off till the walk is over.

That "WOW" moment as we summit the fell and see the whole view spread out around us.

Clear air and fine views of the North Western Fells.

Ann looks down the length of Newlands Valley,

Causey Pike, Skiddaw, Keswick and Blencathra in the distance.

No panorama on this summit today as the telephoto lens is put to use instead.

Smiling faces as Bec celebrated summit number two of the day.

Blencathra over Maiden Moor

Helvellyn

Two summits from yesterday . . . Harrison Stickle and Pike O'Stickle.

Clear views of Swirl How, Bowfell and Esk Pike.

The highest summits, Scafell Pike and Scafell.

Shapely Great Gable over the flat top of Brandreth.

Out to the Irish Sea . . . name that fell in the middle with the steep craggy end ?

[ Yewbarrow ]

Pillar, with the snow picking out the Climbers Traverse sweeping horizontally to Pillar Rock, centre picture.

Sunshine on Grasmoor with the heather covered crags of Wandope.

The dramatic triangle of Grisedale Pike.

Finally . . . Harry by the large cairn.

He leads us off the summit and across to the old mine workings.

Time to give Bec a slight taster of what else the fell has to offer. We descend the slippery slope into one of the old slate quarries. Ice around the entrance and water in the tunnel meant that we really have to place our feet carefully.

The short tunnel was used to extract slate from the deep quarry pit to the open fellside

without the need of heavy lifting gear.

One last shot in the tunnel . . . now we must be on the way in order to catch the 17.03 train at Penrith.

Fortunately there is a hidden section of tunnel that connects directly from here to the cafe at the Honister Mine Shop.

Hot chocolate on a cool day . . . excellent !

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Technical note: Pictures taken with either Ann's Fuji Finepix Compact or my Canon G10/1100D camera.

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

This site best viewed with . . . two of the best . . . high fells . . . and cups of chocolate !

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

Previous walk - 18th February 2012 Bec's World Tour of the Lakes

A previous time up here - 1st March 2010 Dale Head and the Mines

Next walk - 3rd March 2012 Afternoon Light on Barrow