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Neil is up in the lakes on business but his itinerary does allow him Saturday off to enjoy the fells.

With the prospect of a reasonable day of improving weather, three of us set off to climb a small trio of high fells,

one of the best round walks that doesn't include a major summit, despite a big one being close at hand.



We're around the back of Bassenthwaite Lake . . .	. . . roadside parking just short of the Ravenstone Hotel.



We chose the steep climb up alongside the hotel grounds.	It meets a longer, gentler ascent and exits to the fells at the gate.



Myself and Neil as the path brings us out on the fellside.	" The sun shines on the righteous "

St Bega's Church, seen below for the first time as we exit the woods and look down on Bassenthwaite Lake.

Early autumn berries on the Rowan . . . we're only two days away from September after all.

( however let's hope we haven't seen the last of this nice summer weather )

A wider view projecting a slight fish-eye lens effect as we look out from the side of the fell.

No fish, just two dog-eyed fellas pausing on the ascent of the fell.

Behind them, the imposing climb up to the Ullock Pike summit lies ahead.

Reaching the top of the ridge at Ling How

we get our first view of Skiddaw and the Southerndale valley hidden over the back of the ridge.



Behind us, Binsey is looking quite small now.	Myself and Neil pausing a short while later.

The sky is looking promising but the sunshine seems destined only to shine on the valley below,

as the high fells behind us are just encouraging the cloud to reform over our heads.



A sunbeam falls on the head of the lake . . .	. . . and then sweeps across towards Scarness Bay.

A good path, steep in places, takes us ever higher.

The breeze is getting up, but as it is not cold we avoid adding another layer of clothing for the moment.

What was I just saying . . . that wind is getting through to places it shouldn't, so an extra layer is added after all.

It must be steep too as I've got the trekking pole out.

Harry's ear act as an anemometer . . . a device to indicate the speed of the wind.

( For a fuller explanation go to the base of our Weather Page afterwards.)

One last false summit and we're nearly there.

Neil leads the way but it appears Dylan is walking back this way to check where Ann and I have got to.

This diminutive pile of stones marks the highest point of Ullock Pike.

Skiddaw Slate is not renowned for producing large lumps of rock so little chance for anyone to build it higher.

The weather is not brilliant but it is interesting.

The fast moving cloud first hides then re-opens the views of Longside Edge ahead.

Now you see it . . . now you don't.

Reaching another pile of small stones . . . at the highest point of Longside Edge.

Ann seems to be leading the way again as we cross towards our third summit of Carlside.

We could take the smaller direct path but chose the left hand edge and the wider path to see Carlside Tarn first.

The Southerndale valley . . . seen from the south . . . looking north . . . confused ?

The cloud rises once more and allows the sun shines through on the heather covered fell side.

The path to the summit of Skiddaw rises from the coll ahead.

However the true summit is hidden in cloud to the left of Neil's head.

Skiddaw at over 3000 feet is often a windy place and today it looks an uninviting place to be.

There are people climbing up and walking down so it can't be too bad.

Carlside Tarn.

It looks big but it isn't really . . . however it's still a great little landmark to find.

A short climb takes us to the summit of Carlside.

Ann meets the grey giant of the fells . . . she is almost in awe.

Hold your cursor over the picture to watch her shake his hand !!

The artist in me sits, not for a rest, but to include the summit cairn in a photo.

We are just waiting to see if the cloud will clear and give us a view of the true summit of Skiddaw.

The briefest of glimpses through the swirling cloud . . . and you can see the top too !

That sunshine returns and totally alters the view ahead.

To our right as we cross the top of Carlside,

the summit of Longside Edge seems quite a long way away now.

We follow another couple down the path.

Ahead is Derwent Water which we failed to see from Carlside Tarn.

The view gets clearer as we drop below the cloud base.



Two close-ups of texture (on Skiddaw Little Man)	. . . and colour (on Carsleddam)

Occasional small tree saplings are dotted across the heather slopes

their position randomly decided by the birds or the wind blown distribution of their seeds.



The last steep section . . .	. . . brings Ann and ourselves to White Stones.

Dylan tries climbing the quarts rock that gives the area its name.

Sunshine adds to the scene across to Borrowdale . . . time for a spot of lunch I think.

Over lunchtime we can turn the tables on the George Fisher webcam . . . Hi fellas !

Hold your cursor over the picture to see where the webcam camera is sited.

Neil takes the camera for a post-lunch photo.

The boss will be please to hear that the new Fisher's staff gillett works a treat in keeping the wind out and keeping me warm,

. . . and I didn't spill any mayonnaise on it either.

Time to be leaving . . . and we decide to pick up one more summit . . . that of Dodd across the way.

The path descends through the heather and rocks but the smaller track is no problem.



Long Doors . . . a strange name for the coll.	The view down through the open 'door'.

Ann climbs the stile but the dogs have already crept under the dog gate alongside.

The log bench at the start of the climb up Dodd.

A great place to enjoy the view once more.



The forest track towards the summit.	Looking back at the White Stones path.

When we first walked here the trees had just been cleared . . . now they tower above us . . . how time flies.

The top of Dodd has been clear felled and not been allowed to re-grow,

so now provides excellent views from the Scout Memorial on the summit.

Ann sits near the summit to appreciate a close view of the colourful vegetation.

I stood back to appreciate the wider aspect.

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



It is downhill all the way now . . . back through the open forest	. . . and then a more enclosed section.



A close up of vivid orange flowers . . .	. . . and distant views of Seldom Seen and Thornthwaite.



More forestry but we're nearly down . . .	. . . to the Sawmill Tearooms at Mirehouse.

We had lunch on the tops but we couldn't pass on real cream teas outside in the sun.

Just a rather longer than expected short-walk back alongside the road

to the car which we had parked near the Ravenstone Hotel.

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