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Despite going for a walk soon after lunch, the autumnal sun was already low in the sky and casting long shadows on the landscape.

Still the low sun produces beautiful rich yellows provided it is not in your eyes as you drive along.

It had been cold overnight and the cold conditions persisted where the sun failed to shine.

We started on a walk up Hopegill Valley but a change of plan was in order mid-walk.

	- - - o o o - - - We'll take you back a short time to see what delayed us getting out after lunch. Dylan is a professional rock percher and is teaching Dougal, by example if nothing else. Dougal doesn't seem overly convinced yet ! - - - o o o - - -

And so to our walk . . .

We haven't walked up Hopegill Valley for a while.

We parked in the old quarry just beyond the gate on the High Swinside Road.

We were hoping that the November sun would be high enough in the winter sky to illuminate the Hopegill Valley.

It was certainly shining on the Vale of Lorton, Low Fell and Fellbarrow on the opposite side of the valley across from here.



We walked up the rather damp footpath towards Dodd.	Young Dougal had great fun charging through the bracken.

Ahead was the Hopegill Valley with the table top outline of Hopegill Head at the . . . head.

We were approaching the shadows as the sun was not as high in the sky as we had hoped.

It was also getting quite cold as the valley was funnelling the cold air down off the higher fells.

We reached the stream and had the option to continue in the shade . . .

. . . or take the lower fell wall route around towards Lanthwaite Green.



The waterfalls looked interesting . . .	. . . but the sunshine won out.

We zipped up our jackets, had a quick re-think and headed back past Hope Farm, back to the car.

- - - o o o - - -

We opted to follow the sun . . . now to think of where to go locally that has a valley that faces west ?

A short drive along the Swinside Road, looking down on Lorton as we drive along.

This valley will suit the bill fine . . . Aiken Beck Valley . . . part of the Whinlatter Fells.

We parked a second time in the day, this time at Scawgill Bridge.

The Whinlatter Pass is closed on the Braithwaite side at present but there are still cars prepared to drive the long way round

in order to visit the Whinlatter Centre, Go Ape and the Altura Bike routes set out in the forest.

The walk in prospect would take us up to Spout Force, a rather nice if slightly inaccessible waterfall.

The path leads up to the left of the fence and on the left of the Private Land notice in the last photo.

- - - o o o - - - An old notice warns of Storm Damage. Will the path ahead be open ? Will there be trees down over the route ? Will we get through ? It's an old notice . . . we'll take our chance. - - - o o o - - -

Along the way the sunshine warms a rather nice Bilberry bush.

The slightly narrower path, caused by storm damage, is still very much open and we continue on up the valley.

The white rock is not painted . . . it is a river washed quartz boulder on the side of the track.



The valley narrows at the bridge to Darling How.	Dougal runs back to be in the photo.

We take the high road, climbing up into the trees.



Storm damage from several years back.	One tree has fallen and formed a precarious bridge over the river.

We only met one other person, a first time visitor to the valley.

His red setter enjoyed a romp with our two.

Care now as the path narrows and ends on a viewing platform high above the river.

Ahead is Spout Force, a fine but rather inaccessible waterfall.



It has cut a gorge into the valley floor.	Plenty of water today after the rains of the last few days.



It falls into a vertically sided plunge pool.	Time to turn and head back down.

We have got closer to the falls on previous occasions but the going was difficult and the views no better than we've seen today.

At a clearing lower down the valley the forestry people have abandoned some logs.

It looks like some wild campers, or visitors at least, have been having fun with them.

Presumably this was the start of a tree shelter.

We return to the car . . . the shadows now rising up the fell leaving our route back in the shade.



Scawgill Bridge . . . a solid structure across the valley.	The sunlight reflects on the river that flows beneath.

- - - o o o - - -

Before we leave we pop up into the quarry alongside the road that was used to supply stone for the bridge.

Out here we're in the sun again and the temperatures have risen once more.

They'll be warmer still back home when we get in and light the log fire for the evening.

- - - o o o - - -

Technical note: Pictures taken with either Ann's Panasonic Lumix TZ60, or my Panasonic Lumix Gx8 Camera.

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

This site best viewed with . . . the desire and the ability to change your plans, part way through a walk that wasn't the best decision.

Previous walk - 11th November - Castle Crag Remembrance 2018

A previous time up here - 23rd February 2014 - Whinlatter Walks ~ Sherran & Bill

Next walk - 18th November - Ling Fell for Dougal's 2nd

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