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PICTURES AND TRIP REPORTS FROM MY WALKS IN THE ENGLISH LAKE DISTRICT
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A trip up Keswick and a new way to climb Skiddaw for me this week . I have managed to camp out in the Christmas holidays for the last couple of years so thought I'd keep up with tradition so loaded up my tent
Walking from Keswick bus station across the muddy fields heading for Applethwaite. On the left the upper reaches of the path to Carl Side can be seen picked out with snow.
There was plenty of cloud around but it was more of the dramatic swirling around type rather than the full blanket cover so I had good views down in to Borrowdale on as I made my way through Millbeck.
Zooming over Derwentwater to Castle Crag.
It's a very steep climb up Doups although there are a nice seines of well made zig zags to soften the blow. The view down over Keswick to Borrowdale is a good reward for your hard work.
Dodd from near White Stones. When I'm walking on my own up steep paths especially with a heavier than normal pack I have various little mental devices to help me, sometimes I count steps usually up to 100 before resting for a few seconds but today I got into a really good rhythm by repeating the phrase "nice and steady", " nice and steady". which was perfect for my pace up to White Stones.
After White Stones the path dispenses with the zig zags and follows a straight course up to Carl Side. "Nice and steady" was a bit too fast up here so I changed down to repeating " very slow" which suited my pace for a while but as I seemed never to reach the top of the concave path I resorted to silent ( and sometimes not so silent ) swearing
The view back was good though.
Finally on to Carl Side.
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I don't know why but I always find the slate path to Skiddaw top easier than I imagine it will be, perhaps I have built it up in my mind to be worse than it is although when you can see it from a distance it does look very daunting.
The top of the slate path is marked by a cairn which has gained an ice extension.
As has the view finder atop Skiddaw.
On the my way to Lonscale Fell the sun suddenly made an appearance.
As did Skiddaw Little Man. It's amazing how a slight change in the weather can have an effect, I was feeling a bit tired after the long climb but as soon as the sun appeared my tiredness disappeared and I marched up Little Man.
Looking along the fence on my way.
I love how the fence catches the snow which then freezes to give the fence this 3D look..
Cloud inversion from Little Man.
And again from Lesser Man
I walked down to the edge of Lesser Man to have a peek down to Grey Crags.
Dropping down from Lonscale Fell to the Burnt Horse ridge. I was glad of the fence to hang on to as the snow was very slushy and slippy.
My pitch in the col on Burnt Hause. Not really a very cold night due to the low cloud but the skies cleared around seven am and the temperature dropped mediately.
Great Calva seen from my pitch.
The top of the ridge.
The sun rises around Blease Fell.
Lonscale Fell from the Cumbria Way.
Dramatic waterfall by the path
A view back along the valley of the Glenderaterra.
The north western fells from near the Blencathra centre
Snowy Blencathra from the road to Threlkeld