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PICTURES AND TRIP REPORTS FROM MY WALKS IN THE ENGLISH LAKE DISTRICT
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E-mail - karl@karlswalks.co.uk |
After a few weekend's of DIY it was great to be back out even with a weather forecast which promised low cloud and occasional light rain showers.
I arrived at Hallthwaites around three on Saturday but unlike last time I parked here I walked down hill through the charming hamlet to pick up a narrow path by Black Beck.
The path took my by Fox's Wood and then across some lovely lush fields to Gornal ground and the A595.
I had to walk on the road for a few hundred yards and although there is no pavement there is quite a wide verge so it felt pretty safe. I left the road and climbed up the track to Greystone House from where I could see my path winding up through the bracken to more wilder country.
Looking back over Greystone House to the coast ( or at least where the coast should be ).
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Despite the low cloud I thought this section of my walk over the small bump of Wrayslack and towards Barrow was really nice.
Barrow appearing out of the cloud.
I'd seen a cave marked on the map so diverted slightly off the path to have a look. The "cave" was actually an old quarry with the familiar narrow deep trough leading to an old level..
Which was flooded, there was a tunnel leading off but the water was well over boot height so I went no further.
After the cave the path meanders it's way across some very boggy ground to the Corney Fell Road from where I can see Penn where I hoped to camp.
Unfortunately the only path to Penn that wasn't choked with bracken was occupied by these two who after I came through the gate started walking towards me. I went back through the gate pretty sharpish. It turns out that they are English Longhorns which supposedly are quite docile but I didn't know that then and they might not have known it either.
I now had to find a place to camp and then remembered that there was an old barn and a ruin just along the path so I headed for there.
After tramping around a bit I settled on a spot right by the ruin which had a great view along the Duddon Valley especially as the cloud lifted for a while.
Panning around a bit to The Pike with Hesk fell behind it.
The ruin is what remains of Frith Hall and is really quite impressive I assume this was the great dining room which had a large fireplace at each end. More information on the hall HERE.
It started to rain more steadily so I bedded down for the night
Despite the forecast saying both Saturday and Sunday would have similar weather Sunday morning broke clear and fine and it turned out to be a lovely day.
Whitfell and a very welcome blue sky.
Not the pitch I had planned but not bad at all.
I googled the hall in the morning and read that it's reputed to be haunted which If I had discovered the night before I might not slept as soundly as I did.
I think this is a sun dog
The cloud did build as I packed up but the day was still warm but with a slight cooling breeze so perfect for walking.
And it was a lovely stroll down the hill towards the valley bottom. Castle How is the distinctive little bump ahead.
Another short road walk took me over the Duddon at Ulpha Bridge and then up the steepish track heading for Birks and Kiln Bank Cross.
From the climb I can see Frith Hall.
From Kiln Bank Cross a clear path leads steeply up to Stickle Pike.
From the top the view eastwards is to Caw and beyond that the Coniston Fells.
And to the north beyond the Duddon valley are the familiar outlines of Crinkle Crags, Bowfell and Esk Pike with Harter fell in the foreground.
In a hollow about half way up Stickle Pike is it's tarn which is being invaded by weeds.
From the tarn a wet path leads down to the col between Stickle Pike and Tarn Hill where I'm heading for next.
Tarn Hill is a lovely little spot for wandering around exploring and discovering the several ( I think there are eight after wet weather ) picturesque tarns.
A couple more.
And the largest just below the summit. I camped on the banks of this one when I first visited Tarn Hill in 2010.
And another quite large tarn just around the corner.
And a final small shallow tarn just below the start of the climb to Great Stickle.
And here's the trig point of Great Stickle with a view over to Black Combe.
Looking back to Great Stickle It's quite a steep drop down the face till you reach another path winding through more lush grass eventually meeting a quiet country road at the farm of Pickthall Ground..
After following the road past the farm at Croglinhurst I take a track through the woods which steepens as it goes and now the day has become very warm. I made use of this bench.for a welcome breather.
Pretty much everywhere I went the bracken was very high so it was very hard work getting up and over is Bleansley Bank before descending back to the to the Ulpha road which I crossed and dropped down to Rawfold Bridge and crossed the Duddon again.
Unlike the calm water at Ulpha Bridge the are quite noisy rapids under Rawfold Bridge.
Originally I was going to walk back up the Corney fell road and take a track marked on the map through High Wood but I couldn't see any trace of it on the ground and having had several battles with bracken, brambles and rough ground in the last hour or so I decided to walk down the road to visit the Duddon Iron furnace. The furnace operated for around a hundred years from 1736. This type of furnace used charcoal and incredibly consumed about ten acres of trees every week. Thankfully a more efficient furnace which used coke came into use or there wouldn't be any trees left at all in Lakeland
From the iron furnace I took a rough path uphill again through Stanley wood until I reached the main road again I came back to Hallthwaites on a slightly different path which followed Black Beck and from my path I got a view of the Buckbarrow Fells and Plough Fell.
Black Beck from the bridge in Hallthwaites.
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