This time Loes and I climb two fells on the west coast of Cumbria, the former being the first climb on the Coast to Coast route.

Dent and Flat Fell are not quite Wainwrights, but nevertheless they provide good walking and some hard work if you chose it.

Our route followed the more gradual ascent of Dent via the forestry track, but our secondary climb up "Flat Fell" was far from "flat"

as we headed up the steep ascent of its southern facing slope.

First a pleasant wildlife sighting in the garden.

We have a farmer locally that raises pheasants and so we probably have a higher population of these larger birds locally than normal.

Often we are visited by a male bird and a larger female, but today we also had a family of four youngsters

finding what they could on the ground around the bird table.

Down in the more damp area of the garden a large clump of toadstools have grown, seemingly in the last few days.

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I was going to give you a challenge for those with local knowledge.

I passed this building on the way to the start of this fell climb . . . name the fell ?

But then I've already told you and even given you a map !

We parked at the foot of the forestry and walked to Dent up the track within the woods.

We'd return by the grey track next to the wall below us here.

A steady and uneventful climb up through the woods

brought us out at the old ladder stile at the highest point of the track.

However the scene has changed considerably since 2015, when this picture of a young Dylan was taken.

We left the forest track here and set off up the grassy slope, soon reaching the cairn on the highest point of Dent Fell.

It is however, not the best viewpoint due to the extensive nature of the flat top, so we continue west towards the lower summit.

Extensive views open up of the west coast and distant Black Combe.

Looking here into the hazy sunshine rather removed the clarity from the photo.

At the western end of the fell two cairns adorn the slight summit.

The second one has been shaped slightly into a wind shelter and has the better views down over the west coast.

This is the first or last summit that you reach on the first (or last) day of any Coast to Coast Walk.

Below us is the township of Cleator and Cleater Moor, with St Bees Head away in the distance.

Turning for our return walk back along the fell.

The wet, muddy summit walk we were expecting has dried out by virtue of the recent weather,

but also as a result of many more well placed stones dropped along the pathway.

We walked around the old step-style and headed over towards the Nannycatch Valley.

To our left were the bracken covered slopes of Flat Fell that we plan to visit shortly.

This track leads off the eastern side of the fell, via the steep descent 50 yards ahead of Loes.

Also near this end is a small quarry or barrow pit where stone has been extracted in times past.

Now the grassy hollow is home to a wooden seat where one can sit and enjoy the views ahead.

Down in Nannycatch Valley we cross the small stream

which now makes its way along this wide and flat-bottomed glacial overflow valley.

The sheep remained in place as we climbed past them.

The path climbed ever steeper and steeper, much more so than I remember from previous visits.

Loes pointed out that there was an easier ascent from the northern corner . . . but we wouldn't want anything easy would we ?

After a slightly slippery, energy sapping, final ascent we reached the small cairn.

This pointed us along the way to the main top, some distance ahead.

Flat Fell summit . . . lives up to its name, even though our ascent route didn't.

Heading downhill now, back to the track which has joined us from the gate earlier.

We'll curl around to the foot of the forestry where the car is parked and where we had started the walk today.

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Also this week . . .

The weather has taken a bit of a turn towards Autumn.

However Loes and I did enjoy a dry walk along the Coffin Route high above Loweswater.

Below us Holme Woods was just starting to take on its autumnal colours.

A wider view of the whole of Loweswater, taken from the track.

What started as an out-and-back walk turned into a linear one, returning home from here via High Nook Farm.

Shafts of sunlight crossed the valley, lighting up Low Fell and Scale Hill.

The only thing now is that we'll have to return in Loes's car to fetch mine, which is still sitting near Fangs Brow Farm.

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" Mr and Mr July 2023 " . . . a repeat of the Calendar picture from earlier this year.

This is the "peep round the corner", two thirds of the way up Mellbreak, taken a few days later than the previous Loweswater walk.

Only a north summit visit today . . . and it's a cold north westerly that greets the three of us on the top.

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A few days later Storm Babbet blew its way across the country.

The damaging wind mainly affected the southern and eastern coastal areas of the Uk mainland, but the rain was heavy all over the country.

. . .

. . . so it it was a very wet day when we went for a drive along the A66 to test our eyesight !

We made it to the Market Place in Barnard Castle.

Here in town we met up with our friend Hilton who had been on holiday visiting family.

We returned some items to him that he had left in our house recently and enjoyed a nice lunch at the Witham Theatre Cafe.

Perhaps the most photographed shop location in town . . . the Optician's . . . you've just got to take it !

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