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Those who know the Back O'Skiddaw fells will not be surprised by the title.

Others need not be offended either as these are two lovely Cumbrian summits with beautiful grassy tops,

both of which are easily accessible for a winter afternoon walk on a day like today.

To be fair we had a third cockup today . . . but that was when I tried to park in a ditch and needed a tow out !

[ Thankfully no photos . . . buy hey it was camouflaged with leaves . . . a big thank you to the passing Landrover driver whoever you were.]

The scene across the Bassenthwaite Valley as we drive over to Orthwaite to start our walk.

Ullock Pike is the heather covered ridge to the left with the smallest outline of Dodd on its slope down to the right.

In the distance, the hazy but cool looking Borrowdale Fells.

Catbells is the prominent pyramidal summit but that looks like Pike O'Stickle (in Langdale) in the far distance.

Our second choice of parking spot . . . the first one wasn't so good.

The short walk back to the start of the Brockle Crag Farm bridleway.

The view ahead takes you all the way up to Dash falls.

The weather is slightly overcast and there is a large cloud bank high above Skiddaw . . . we are in the shade as a result.

There are a few welcome breaks in the cloud

and here the sun casts rays of bright light across Ullock Pike.

That bank of clouds seems to be dispersing but there's no guarantee of sunshine for us.

The wider view down Bassenthwaite Lake is quite impressive too.

We leave the farm driveway and head up on a smaller track up the fellside.

[ This is still the official bridleway marked on the maps.]

It leads up onto Brockle Crags . . .

The edge of shadow has moved and we are in the sunshine at last.

The zoomed in view back as we climb . . . this is Binsey seen over the first of the rock outcrop.

Looking east over the same rock outcrop.

From the top itself we can see Dash Farm and the cascade of Dash Falls once again.

A substantial but isolated barn below us belongs to Dash Farm I imagine.

It looks almost like a Yorkshire Dales setting down there.

Ann takes a break as I take the photos.

We'll follow up the track to the left once we get these two off the rock.

Okay . . . just one more photo.

The sheep move aside and gather on the skyline as we start up the last part of the climb to the ridge.

To strike a seasonal note . . . we could call them " Nine Ladies Dancing "

. . . only stationary for a short time before they 'dance away' across the heather.

Giant climbs Uluru for Christmas . . . oh no . . . another rock to climb on the way up.

To be fair we'd better help Harry onto the rock too.

The cloud has cleared . . . and with the sunshine on the top of the ridge I take the chance to look around.

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

On the ridge the flattened top has encouraged a small pool of water to form . . . this one has a covering of green plants.

A little further on is the grouse butt . . . it is several feet deeper than it looks.

The summit is closer now as we pass the second set of pools on the ridge . . . this one clear of weed.

The summit gained . . . a grassy path all the way . . . give or take a few damp patches.

A quick flapjack in the sun tastes great but the breeze is negating the warmth we gained on the climb up.

From the summit we look across to the higher grassy summits of Great Sca Fell and Knott.

Meal Fell is the minor summit to the left and between it and us is the dry valley gorge of Trusmadoor.

Time does not permit a visit today due to the short length of the winter's day, so we turn and retrace our steps.

Back down from Great Cockup summit . . . and just out of photo a new path will take us off to the right.

The view back as we descend . . .

. . . towards the summit of Little Cockup.

The lake beyond goes by the name of Overwater.

The water from it drains into Chapelhouse Reservoir

. . . part of the West Cumbrian water system, to be redundant once the Thirlmere pipeline is built.

The small summit cairn on Little Cockup . . . complete with a white quartz boulder on the top.

Lower now as we view Binsey in afternoon sunshine.

The trees in the foreground sit on the top of Orthwaite's Castle How.

In the field in front are a group of Scottish Highland cattle.

Looking resplendent on the afternoon sun.

Too close to fit into the 'field of view' of the telephoto lens . . . but what a lovely face.

The final few yards of the walk as we drop down to the bridleway and the Orthwaite road.

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Two last photos on the way home . . .

The sun has been in our eyes all the way on the drive back from Embleton

but as we reach the Hundeth Hill turn into the Lorton Valley I stop to catch the final sunset.

The early cloud cast a grey blue light on the first photos . . . the last ones are full of bronze and russets.

It has been a nice colourful day for a walk.

Now . . . which cupboard did we put the mince pies in ?

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