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3 day backpack around the north western fells

24th-25th-26th May 2013

  Day 1 - Braithwaite - High Coledale - Barrow Door - Sail - Crag Hill - Grasmoor - Wandope - Whiteless Pike - Rannerdale Knotts - Buttermere - Scale Bridge - Floutern - Hen Comb. (About 13 miles 4700ft ascent)

Day 2 - Whiteoak Moss - Gavel Fell - Blake Fell - Burbank Fell - Holme Wood - Hudson Place - Mosser Rd - Mosser Fell - Fellbarrow - Low Fell - Crabtree Beck. (About 8 miles 2200 ft ascent)

Day 3 Crabtree Beck - Loweswater - Lanthwaite Wood - Whin Ben - Whiteside - Hopegill Head - Grisedale Pike - Sleet How - Kinn - Braithwaite. (About 8.5 miles 3100ft ascent)

 

I left my car in Braithwaite and made my way up the track past High Coledale. The forecast  was changeable for Friday but then improving over the week-end and this is how it turned out and I had a brilliant (if at time strenuous) tour of the north western fells.

Skiddaw looking back down  the path to High Coledale. 

And looking up the path to Causey Pike 

Grisedale Pike. If all goes to plan this will be my way home on Sunday

I found this to be a super path, never too steep but gaining height quickly. Here the path flanks Stile End heading for Barrow Door.

It was about here that the wind started to get up and the climb up the new zig-zag path to Sail was very interesting with wind helping me up the hill on the zigs but blowing me off the path on the zags.

Sail summit. Luckily the wind calmed down a little for the climb up the Scar to Crag Fell.

On the drop down from Crag Fell the wind got up again and this time it was armed with hailstone which sandblasted me all the way up to Grasmoor.

The wind did though blow in better weather and from then on the day became quite pleasant. This looking down on Crummock water from Grasmoor.

Looking down Third Gill on the walk from Wandope to Whiteless Pike..

Buttermere with Great Gable in the distance from low down on Rannerdale Knotts.

Looking over Crummock Water to the Low Fell / Fellbarrow hills from Rannerdale Knotts

From Rannerdale I dropped down into Buttermere village where it was so warm I was forced to call in to the pub for a pint of Coke. I then made my way over Scale Bridge and headed up Mosedale towards Hen Comb

The wind got up again so I camped a little lower on the slopes of Hen Comb than I would have liked. After tea I walked up to the top of Hen Comb from where I got great views of the High Stile ridge and Fleetwith Pike lit by the setting sun.

Looking north from Hen Comb.

Lovely light on Mellbreak with some of the fells walked earlier beyond.

Always a relief to find my tent still where I left it.

Red Pike (Buttermere) from the crossing of Whiteoak Moss early on Saturday morning.

A nice gentle climb soon has me on Gavel Pike looking across to Blake Fell.

Knock Murton with Cogra Moss in front from Blake Fell

Blake Fell again but this time from the fence post which marks the top of Burnbank Fell..

Lovely Loweswater seen from the drop down of Burnbank Fell

Mellbreak looms behind the lovely Holme Wood.

An amazing view down the valley past the distinctive Honister Crag to what I think must be Bowfell about 12 miles way.

Carling Knott above Holme Wood from the path across the valley.

Starting the climb up to Mosser Fell now and the day has turned really warm

After a bit of a hot slog I'm now on Fellbarrow.

Looking back to the fells walked this morning from Low Fell.

The deservedly well known view from Low Fell. 

I would have liked to have camped high up on Low Fell but I stupidly forgot to collect enough water so I had to drop quite a way down to Crabtree Beck 

Sunday was another lovely day as I  follow the beck down to the road. which takes me through Loweswater village to Lanthwaite wood and start the daunting climb of Whin Ben.

On Whin Ben now and Low Fell looks a lot further away than it actually was.

Hopegill Head from Whin Ben.

After a very exhausting climb to Whiteside I can now look forward to the lovely ridge walk all the way over Hopegill Head ( the pointed fell centre) to Grisedale Pike in the distance centre left.

Looking back along the ridge.

Only Grisedale Pike to climb now.

On the steep drop down from Grisedale. Some crazy lads were carrying their bikes up for a ride down the Hobcarton ridge.

Braithwaite come into sight at last. Never has a pint of orange juice tasted so sweet.

 

Last walk -Leaden Boot Challenge  Next walk - Scafell Pike with Mark