My daughter and my older nephew are up in the Lakes and with
snow on the high fells and a good forecast
we head to Honister for a classic fell walk up onto Great Gable
via Grey Knotts and Brandreth.
Whether we can complete the classic round is uncertain
because conditions up there could be a lot different from the
appearance of Great Gable from down here.
Driving up the Buttermere Valley, approaching the famous pines.
The sky is overcast and colours are a little dark and muted as
a result.
The view from Honister car park is exactly the
same which means the prospect for the day is good.
Long distance views are on offer and so is sunshine
later in the afternoon.
|
|
|
|
Honister yard
and the 'hill climb' route from a few weeks back. |
Another interesting gravity
defying Honister sculpture. |
My companions for today . . . Sam and Paula.
Our route after the stile and passing the Honister
Rain Gauge is basically to follow the fence line up onto Grey
Knotts.
The snow line is about 2000 ft so the top of Black
Star (Honister Crags) is suitably coloured.
Sam's phone photo to show the third member of
the group and his warm "Compo" hat !
|
|
|
|
We're above
the snow line now as we follow the fence. |
Up ahead and watching
us climb . . . Dougal and Dylan. |
Dale Head to the left of Sam's head.
In the background to the right is the top of Maiden
Moor and a bright white volcano !
As Blencathra appeared over the mountain horizon
the cloud cleared over there and the sun lit the fell really brightly.
The steep slope is easing now and we have chance
to enjoy the views across the valley.
The snow white fell is Robinson with Crag Hill
and Sail Fell beyond.
Higher still and Skiddaw is now the centrepiece
of the sunshine on the northern fells.
"We can see the top from up here" .
. . not far to the summit now.
In fact it was a little further to the top than
I remember
but along the way the winter conditions added
some lovely distance views and beautiful local ice features.
Crossing the final stile before the summit.
By this time Paula and I had added microspikes
to our boots for better grip. Sam had to manage without spikes
as he didn't have any.
[ Somewhere around here I remembered that I had
an old pair deep in the boot of the car, which he could have used.]
Still the snow conditions were good and he was
coping well with his normal mountain boots.
Topping out on our first summit of the day . .
. Grey Knotts.
The first part of the climb has been done and the view ahead
is of the delightful high level walk towards Gable.
Click
here or on the photo above for a 360
degree annotated panorama.
|
- - - o o o - - -
There's no cairn up here
but just an Ordnance Survey spot height marker,
a small brass dome set into the rock.
The view to the south east is of Base Brown,
followed by Seathwaite Fell
and then the classic summits of Esk Pike and Bowfell.
The rounded top to the right is Great End
split by it's dark central gully.
- - - o o o - - -
|
|
|
Paula's picture this time, looking across to Glaramara,
High Raise and the Langdale Pikes.
A delightful high level prospect ahead, however
the deep Wasdale Valley divides us from the next high ground.
That's the highest of all the Lakeland ridges,
starting with Great End and ending with Scafell Pike.
The walk towards Brandreth has several rather
nice upland pools in the peat bogs and rock hollows.
The major one of these reaches across from the
edge of the steeper ground all the way back to the fence line.
The right hand end of the pool is hidden
due to the viewpoint, but it extends all the way to the fence.
Crossing this end of the ice covered obstruction
is best done by staying close by the fence.
As we walk along we get our first view of Ennerdale
Water between Pillar and High Stile.
Takes all sorts . . . an enthusiastic middle aged
gentleman on a mountain bike.
He stopped for a quick chat and commented that
the deeper snow pockets were difficult to ride,
so he has spent more time than normal either pushing
or carrying his bike !
Brandreth ahead, the summit fence posts dark against
a sunny western sky.
The old cast iron posts have some left over wooden
stakes piled alongside.
Through the gap caused by Beck Head Pass we can
see the Illgill Head ridge, the Wasdale Screes and the distant
Irish sea.
Descending from Brandreth, looking over to Pillar.
Crossing the flat ground near Brandreth Pools.
The old gate and occasional fence posts are all
that remains of the Ennerdale enclosure fence.
With snow on the ground all the normal paths are
hidden so route decisions must be made as we progress.
The main Brandreth path takes a line further over
towards Borrowdale side but that has the strongest and coldest
breeze.
We pass on the improving views of Helvellyn in
favour of a more sheltered route this side of the crags.
|
|
|
|
As it happens,
we follow the old fence line up. |
Ahead are four of a larger
group climbing up from Moses Trodd. |
To our right, the ascent route up from Moses Trodd and the
more colourful lower ground of Ennerdale below it.
Haystacks at a modest altitude of 1940 feet or so has escaped
having a snowy summit today.
Green Gable however has not . . . and all the summit
shelters are full of easterly blown snow.
Behind the dogs was the majestic Great Gable . . .
. . . stark in its black and white contrasting outline today.
Take a look around before the masses arrive.
Click here or on the
photo above for a 360 degree
annotated panorama.
Time to leave the summit of Green Gable to the next group of
fell walking visitors today.
Somewhere under our snowy mantle is a path !
In these clear conditions the route finding is not difficult
and we start our descent following the line of shelters and
a cairn.
From Windy Gap we look down Aaron Slack to Styhead Tarn far
below.
Route finding up Great Gable is more difficult once we reach
the crags beyond Windy Gap.
Even on sunny days there's a choice of routes up through the
rocks ahead.
Taking a breath before negotiating the icy rocks.
I look back at two folk standing on the top of our recent
summit.
After the tricky climb, time to get the camera out again for
a photo
of the snow covered rocks and the distant summit of Grasmoor.
Ahead is the summit plaque on the top of Great Gable . . .
it looks almost like a door with something interesting behind
!
Sam has done well to climb in normal boots . . . we didn't
have to share the pair of micro spikes after all.
There's sufficient fresh snow that he could avoid most of the
icy obstacles along the way.
|
|
|
|
Ironically
the major summits on the relief map are also snow covered. |
Sam on the top of Great
Gable . . . he reaches for his phone. |
. . . for a 'summit selfie' of our group.
Once we moved from the top the couple in the background
moved over for their photo.
Click
here or on the photo above for a 360
degree annotated panorama of them and the view.
You can see my house from here !
It is quite cold here up on the summit but Low
Fell and Loweswater now catch the first sun of their day.
The snow on the Ennerdale Fells seemed to glow
even brighter than the photo here.
The shelters on Green Gable were full of snow
so instead we chose a west facing spot on Gable
for our lunch break.
It had a rather nice view across Robinson Cairn
and down into the valley of Wasdale.
Sam enjoying the view and the last of his lunch.
|
- - - o o o - - -
The cloud seems to be moving slowly south
so the chances are we would have more sunshine on the
way back.
The weather forecast was accurate today . . . thankfully.
Thinner fabric boots and snow
are not a good combination when sat for any length of
time,
so once the last of the thermos was emptied
it was time to retrace our steps to the summit
and head off to look for our descent route
from the top of this favourite fell.
- - - o o o - - -
|
|
|
The summit plateau would be easy to cross . .
. but we'd have to hope for good conditions on the descent to
Beck Head.
The rock looked icy and the path indistinct but
it was a track we have used on many an occasion
so we located Beck Head Tarn far below and headed
down.
The sun brightened as we went.
I followed the dogs as they often found a good
line down the fell.
Maybe they could smell the footprints of decades
of walkers . . . or maybe they just spotted the easiest route.
Did I mention it was cold ?
. . . or steep !
Sam took advantage of a trek pole to make up for
the lack of spikes.
No point in rushing . . . in fact we'll stop for
a shadow-selfie taken by Paula.
- - - o o o - - -
As the sunshine became more intense
the distant views north seemed to become darker.
Saying that, the top of Skiddaw is beautifully outlined
in light.
This time Dougal
seems to be having his shadow photographed.
- - - o o o - - -
|
|
|
|
Time to concentrate again as we tackle the lower
half of the route down to Beck Head.
The Wasdale Valley is bathed in sunlight as we
descend.
A recognisable path emerges despite being covered
over by snow.
The final zig-zag as the going gets easier.
We can now swing away to the right to pick up
the Moses Trod path that crosses Beck Head.
We don't need to descend all the way to the tarn
today . . . that's only required if you are going on to Kirk Fell.
Sam's phone-photo looking back at the lovely sunshine.
Green Gable comes into view again as we head north
east along Moses Trod.
We are close under Gable Crags, looking up at
our earlier summit.
The large boulders below Gable Crags.
Further down are the brown slopes of the Ennerdale
Valley . . . with Black Sail Hostel on the right before the trees.
Out from the shadow caused by Great Gable . .
. as the sunshine breaks over the ridge once more.
|
- - - o o o - - -
Moses Trod always seems longer than I remember
or maybe the bright sunshine on Brandreth (above)
makes it look further.
However a steady pace
means that the long path is over all too soon
and we turn our back on Gable for the last time today.
- - - o o o - - -
|
|
|
Sam's phone again as he looks back on a lovely
climb in the snow.
Down here on the Trod the snow fall is far less
heavy.
Rounding the corner to the modern Brandreth Fence
we are more open to the east again.
The colours are darker and the snow cover temporarily
deeper.
The classic view down the Buttermere and Crummock
Valley from the turn beyond the stile.
'Tis downhill all the way now.
The walk timing has worked out well and our 10.30am
start brings us back down here in good time . . . and in good
light.
Talking of light . . . the sun re-appears once
more to brighten our route home.
- - - o o o - - -
It shines across the slopes of Fleetwith Pike
and illuminated the bothy at Dubbs Quarry.
It appears that there's someone in red
down by the stone hut.
- - - o o o - - -
|
|
|
|
The next landmark on our route is the old Dram Road.
The pile of stones in the foreground is the old Drum House
foundations and behind them are the standing stones on the Quarry
Rod.
Dougal and Dylan stand for a moment on the Drum House embankment,
catching the last of the sunshine on their fur.
The sun starts to be hidden once more as Paula
catches this late photo.
|
|
|
|
Route finding
couldn't be simpler . . . one foot directly ahead of the
other. |
Occasionally there's a
cutting to confirm the boundaries of the track. |
Don't forget to turn left at the heather . . .
the fence will keep you from plummeting down the old route of
the funicular railway.
|
- - - o o o - - -
The path turned and descended,
joining the mine road above the car park.
Below were the welcoming lights
which meant that the cafe was still open.
After our snowy walk
including perhaps the occasional cold finger or toes,
hot chocolate and a piece of chocolate Brownie
would fit the bill nicely.
Then it would be time to head home
at the end of a wonderful day on the fells.
- - - o o o - - -
|
|
|
- - - o o o - - -
- - - o o o - - -
|
You've
seen the pictures, now's
your final chance
to
buy your
2022 calendar, have your favourite
web
site pictures hanging
on your wall all
year round
and
support a good cause into the bargain.
- - - o o o - - -
Yes . . . for this 15th superb edition we've done
it again.
" Twelve months of Loweswater pictures, Lakeland
scenes,
your
favourite mountain dogs . . . and don't forget
the
bonus photo on
the front cover ! "
Click
here to order
your
2022 Loweswatercam Calendar
|
|
- - - o o o - - -