Green Lowther & Moon Base Alpha

Jan 2011

This is was the first Scottish walk of 2011, accompanied by the kids & dog. A visit to Green Lowther & the NATS radar station which resembled moon base alpha from a '60s sci fi movie. Remaining patches of snow turned this into more of a snow ball fight then a walk - so it took a lot longer then anticipated!

Leaving Wanlockhead on the Southern Upland Way...

Knott & Great Calva from Longlands with a touch of weather

February has been a vile month, with pretty constant rain & gale force winds, fortunately today brought a slight improvement in the weather, there was still gale force winds but at least the rain initially held off and the sun made an appearance - almost spring like.

The sun not quite up from Longlands Fell...

Latterbarrow - Another quick dash up & down

Heading North on the west side of Windermere gave me the chance to have a quick dash up Latterbarrow from the road, and since it had started to rain an equally quick dash down... 

the National Trust state their claim...

Finsthwaite Heights - This is not Fellwalking!

I'm still slowly chipping away at the Wainwright Outlying Fells and surprisingly this one doesn't have a definite summit, Wainwright unhelpfully states the highest parts have a height "about 600 feet". The Database of British and Irish Hills website places the summit to the South of High Dam and even [b]estimates[/b] its grid reference (SD361883). 

To quote AW 'Everywhere the surroundings are delightful. But this is not fellwalking.' - needless to say I didn't bother hunting in the woods for the summit, the path around the reservoir is probably higher anyway. I seemed to arrive at the LDNPA car park (£1.30 for an hour - there are a few spaces down the road) just after everyone else so my photos only start when the hordes are passed!

High Dam...

High Cup Nick & Murton Fell - A break from the Lakes

A break from the Lakes and a walk I've been intending for a while, a visit to High Cup Nick with a quick nip up Murton Fell. We had originally intended descending back to the road via Murton Pike but decided to return for another look at High Cup Nick coming back by Harbour Flatt - before returning to Dufton

The Pennine way leaves Town Head...

Back to School (Knott a chance!)

Today brought another short walk, another list ticking exercise over three outliers just outside Windermere.
Personally I would rather have been enjoying the snow on the higher fells but hopefully it will still be there later in the week when I get the opportunity to get out properly

I had forgotten to pick up Vol 8 from the kitchen table on my way out but this wasn't important as I'd already decided to approach these from along the Dales Way. At the junction of the B5284/Cleabarrow Road (about 200yds East of the golf course) there is parking for about four cars - an ideal out of town starting point.

With hindsight I wish after the quick climb up Brant Fell the other week, I'd continued along the Dales Way to pick off these three!

Cleabarrow Road & part of the Dalesway, parking here for around four cars...

Whitbarrow - An opportunist Marilyn & Wainwright Outlier

Another opportunist Lakeland Marilyn & Wainwright Outlier. Pretty straightforward ascent and I returned by the same route as I didn't have time to follow the full circular route from the Wainwright guide. Which is a shame as the limestone pavements are probably worthy of a more prolonged visit!

I parked near the entrance to Witherslack School...

Raven Crag & The Benn - Plan B Birkett hunting

The forecast for this morning was favourable & stupidly I ignored the North Western Fells which where free of cloud and pressed on through Keswick heading South. However the view of the Helvellyn fells shrouded in dank mountain mist from Castlerigg, was a game changer, time for a plan B. In the central fells I have one remaining Birkett top : The Benn, an often overlooked (by me anyway!) lump behind Shoulthwaite Farm.

Plenty of parking on the old road, mist licking The Benn, oddly parking is restricted to 2 hours? 

Not so Red Screes

Finally the Lakes received a drop of snow, so it was a disappointment that in the few days until I could get on the hills there was both a rise in temperature and heavy rain. Fortunately a little remained and the weather was better than forecast with only a few passing hail showers made it one of the better walks of the year so far..

Middle Dodd from Hartsop...