A great walk which Peter and I did twice on subsequent weekends.
Peter was leading the walk for the Mockerkin Mob group, so
he wanted to 'recce' the walk the weekend before.
Hugh and I accompanied him on this first outing, but we were
seven in total for the second walk a week later (Hugh couldn't
make that).
In between he turned the route around, so the second walk was
anti-clock wise, which made sorting the photos rather more difficult
!
A select band of three set off for Thirlmere,
stopping briefly for this view from the Knobble Knott layby
on Whinlatter.
Keswick and the valley around Bassenthwaite
had a misty inversion making it look colder than it actually
was.
- - - o o o - - -
Parking on the roadside at Legburthwaite . .
. the road over the dam is closed so what do they expect us
to do ?
The reports are that the back road is also blocked
(which turned out to be only partially true) so this seemed
to be a most sensible place to stop.
We headed off towards the dam, passing High
Bridgend Farm and the caravan site slightly further up the road.
It appears the back road to the other side of
the dam is still open,
it's just the bit beyond Armboth parking area
that's closed (unless you're a horse!). Even this sign
is out-of-date !
For the latest news about attempts to re-open
the roads, check out the "Keep
Thirlmere Open" Facebook site.
I asked Hugh and Peter to smile for the photo
. . . which was the wrong emotion considering the sign.
The dam road has been closed since this reinforcing
buttress has been added to the wall, making the road seemingly
too narrow for two-way traffic.
While the general question of access is currently
a hot topic, why can't they re-open this road to traffic, if
only as a one way system ?
Think of the tourism benefits.
More people would be able to appreciate the
views, just like the one we are enjoying this morning.
On with the walk . . . this is the Water Board's
ornate control tower alongside the northern end of the reservoir.
Our 'object of desire' is ahead . . . Raven
Crag.
Peter's planning next week's walk as a 'B' walk
for the group, that should therefore be a less strenuous fell
walk.
Our aim on the first weekend was to check out
the various forest tracks on offer and see which is the most
suitable.
Cars ? . . . It seems they have driven
in via the road from the A591 across Shoulthwaite Moss.
This car park and the one at Armboth are therefore
both open.
We take a right turn here, seemingly heading
away from the Crag, but that's the way we need to go.
The residual snow from the recent cold weather
still hangs on in the hollows and gullies of the Dodds opposite.
We pass the gate giving access to the direct
walker's climb and instead head off into the forestry at this,
the first wide gate.
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This track
zig-zags up the side of the fell, through the forestry. |
The direct path is even
steeper and shortcuts these wide turns. |
All my maps show the forest track ending at
this gate . . . but in fact it continues on.
As we climb we enjoy lovely views across the
valley . . . the top of the Helvellyn range was cloud covered
at this point.
The best views were looking down the length
of the lake.
Raven Crag is the cliff on the right . . . home
to the birds and to serious rock-climbers only.
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- - - o o o - - -
After our steep ascent on the forest track we reached
the high ground
at the point on the map shown as Benn Man,
meeting only this lone fell runner along the way.
As a reward for the climb , we ventured through the
gate in search of 'The Benn'
but in fact the ground on the right only gave us
access to a wooded knoll.
Still it was a nice enough place for a coffee.
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- - - o o o - - -
Armed with that knowledge, on our main visit a week
later
most of the group took a forest path on the opposite
side
and climbed to the true summit of Benn Man,
confusingly shown on the map as being Sippling Crag
(spot height .446)
The views we found were worth the extra diversion.
- - - o o o - - -
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Feel free to take a big look around on this
big value, no expense spared, 400 degree Loweswatercam panorama.
(backspace to return here)
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In the forest
we spotted an unusual bird box with two small rear openings. |
The consensus of opinion
was that it was perhaps a bat box ?? |
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A brief
wildlife sighting of a red squirrel . . . just too quick
for the camera. |
However this pre-forestry
wall stayed still long enough for me to record it. |
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A sharp
descent down the other side of The Benn found us on
a lower track. |
This one was the more
gentle climb back up towards Raven Crag. |
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The forest track below what was Simpling Crag
cut through an ancient scree slope
of beautifully graded rock, covered in a thick
coat of moss.
This led on to a clearing in the woods
where the direct path up from the dam met up with
our forest track from the back of the Benn
and a forest path leading off to the Castle Crag
hill fort.
On the first walk Castle Crag would be our lunch
spot,
on the second it became a shorter coffee stop
before the climb to Raven Crag.
- - - o o o - - -
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To the medieval hill fort it is then . . .
taking the gate on the left.
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- - - o o o - - -
A rather damp footpath led to a bridge over a minor
stream
which gave access to this commanding rocky crag
which overlooks the top end of the Shoulthwaite
Gill valley.
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The fort was probably constructed during the
first millennium BC. It stands on the hilltop and is thought
to have housed one or two families
and to have been defended by an earthen bank
with a ditch in front. The bank may have had a palisade wall
on top. (ref: Westmorland
Gazette )
Peter and Hugh give scale to the earthworks
that once created a defensive enclosure around the crag.
Little information is available on 'tinternet
but this
link adds a bit of information.
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The top
defensive crag (there's an easier path up on the other
side) |
The view over the
edge, looking across to Mere Gill on the other side. |
Peter and Hugh enjoying lunch, Dougal waiting for his.
The weather on the first walk was cloudier later in the
day and the tops of Helvellyn above the snow line were often
hidden.
On the Mob visit the following week this was our coffee stop
and as you can see, the weather on the high fells was better
but the snow had gone.
Roll call (l to r) Chris, Pip Ellie in front Richard
behind, Ann and Peter plus myself behind the camera.
We retraced our steps and took the path to the summit of
Raven Crag.
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Gone is
the hidden path in the woods I remember of old . .
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. . . in favour of
steps and a boardwalk through the partially cleared
trees. |
Peter suggested there were about two hundred steps to the
top . . . and that we could count them !
I calculated about 182 timber steps and a further 42 up
and over the boardwalk,
Other people's figures differed slightly by one or two,
depending each person's definition of a step.
What was not in doubt was the dramatic climb to the summit
and the view once you get there.
Click here or
on the picture for a
larger version of this summit panorama
Looking south from the top of boardwalk, to the lake far
below.
A muddy walk takes you "over the top" where you
can wonder down a short way, as many people do, to take
in the more vertical views from the edge.
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A rather
messy picnic area . . . |
. . . but a fine view
down to the lake below. |
Back to the forest clearing now and passing our earlier
gate, just as Castle Crag shines in a shaft of brighter
sunshine.
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- - - o o o - - -
We continue the walk in order to complete
the second half of this rather circuitous route.
The track follows Shoulthwaite Gill down the
valley
at a more more gentle gradient than the ascent
on the Thirlmere side of the fell.
- - - o o o - - -
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Shoulthwaite Farm with its many barns, the
roofs of which seems to be held down by numerous old tyres.
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A small footpath heads off from the track down
to the farm.
As the farm offers pitches for caravans, the
path obviously
gives holiday makers easy access to the fells.
Further down our track
we spotted some colour in the woods,
which turned out to be a helium balloon
littering the countryside after someone's 21st
party.
One was burst, so if you know anyone
who's due a 2nd birthday then let me know !
- - - o o o - - -
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The forest track follows round the northern side of The
Benn, down at valley level.
To the left is the broad Shoulthwaite Moss and the long
but gentle diversion alongside it, accounts for the walk's
seven mile length.
A widening of the track allows storage of forestry equipment
and cut timber when required.
On the first weekend there was a large load of fencing
posts and timber
which had all gone by the time the group passed through
here one week later.
We joined the back road that crossed the moss from the
A591 and heads down this side of the lake.
If you think the building looks familiar, then you're right.
It was the stage location of the cafe in the TV drama production
of the "A Word" a few years back.
Cutting (edge) photography one could say, as we make our
way back to the dam.
The sound of fast flowing water drew our eye to the outflow
of the water works,
where a large pipe was discharging a huge amount of water
in a broad white plume, to recreate the river downstream
of the dam.
Back over the closed road and Hugh stopped at the decorative
plaque set into the wall.
It turns out that one of the Manchester Aldermen mentioned
in the last but one paragraph, was in fact a distant Thompson
relative of his.
At the end of each of the two walks we re-crossed the dam
and surprisingly the weather on each of the return walks
was very similar . . . much more of an overcast, grey day
later.
Back to the caravan site so can't be far now.
The Castle
Rock of Triermain dominates the opposite side of the
valley as we return to our cars at the end of the walk.
- - - o o o - - -
Before we go I introduced the group to one last surprise
which few people know exists.
We cross the wide, modern road and look over the wall .
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Down below is St John's Beck flowing fast after being released
from the dam.
The bridge in the trees in the distance crosses a tributary,
How Beck, which flows down the back valley from Thirlspot.
But if you look under the road bridge . . . you meet
the original valley bridge that spans the river.
Next to it is the stone arch that supports the old version
of the new road.
This side, with a concrete lined arch, is what looks like
a later expansion when presumably the road became a dual
carriageway.
There's nothing but farmland beyond, but it is worth making
the effort to find this hidden Lakeland gem.
Time to head home.
- - - o o o - - -
This was the final Gps trace from the walk.
The first 'recce' walk goes left to right . . . the eventual
Mob walk went anticlockwise (ie. right to left) on the above
height graph.
- - - o o o - - -
Hi Roger
Just admired your walk photos around Thirlmere
thank the Lord that they didn't get permission
to put that zip wire development into the area
wouldn't it have spoiled it for everyone. Remember
doing a walk from Thirlmere over the top and dropping
down into Watendlath then walking down past Ashness
bridge and not getting a boat lift to Keswick
walking the length of Derwent water then getting
the bus back to our accommodation in Ambleside.
Happy days.
Kind Regards Nigel Ellerton.
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