The First Snows In The Lake District

This weekend saw the first snows fall on the higher fells of the Lake District. We came back from Whitehaven to see that it hadn't melted today so took the dogs up Dent.

The visibility was excellent & the Isle Of Man was very clear (the camera doesn't really do it justice)


Then a panorama looking East



At the summit with Scotland clear in the distance


Scafell Pike & Sca Fell

Pillar with snow to the left

And looking down on Cleator Moor

Finally last week when we were walking along the cycle track with the dogs we spotted a red squirrel, the first we have seen this close to home.

Foxtwood & The Six Dales

Last weekend we were back at Foxtwood holiday cottages www.foxtwood.co.uk/index.php?id=51 , somewhere we have stayed twice before to compete in the LDWA 6 Dales Challenge.


Andy didn't feel he was well enough to compete as he has been struggling with a headache for the past few weeks so it was decided he would look after Bess & Karen would take Crag with her.


Karen was therefore walking with 5 male friends who are incredibly competitive & were certainly not going to wait for her if she fell behind so Karen decided the battle was on!

The pictures aren't great as they were all taken on the move (as you can't waste time stopping to take photos)


This is shortly after the 8am start at Biggin, heading towards Newhaven

This in the first of 6 Dales we pass through - Long Dale

The first checkpoint was reached at 9:40, & then we are following the River Bradford in Bradford Dale. Terry had gone ahead by now so Karen was walking with Barry, Garth, Gerry & Peter.

Approaching Youlgreave, notice Peter & Barry are ahead of Karen

And to the most beautiful dale Lathkill Dale, Peter making a break for it ahead of Gerry.

Waterfalls on the River Lathkill

The second checkpoint was as Monyash where Karen & Crag made a break for it. The weather also turned which meant we had rain & wind directly in our faces & took no more pictures.

Karen completed her 4th Six Dales challenge & finished in her best ever time of 7hr 22min (previous best 7hr 45min), to discover she was only 8mins behind Terry, Gerry was next to arrive in 7hr 41min with Barry, Garth & Peter rolling in after 7hr 53min. The GPS recorded a distance 0f 26.2miles which means she walked at an average of 3.59mph for over 7hrs & boy did her legs know it the next day. Crag however was fresh as a daisy & wanted sticks thrown whenever he had the opportunity on the walk including upto the last mile.

The certificate (they don't do doggy ones on this event)


The next day after all the lads left we took the dogs out for a walk along the Caldon Canal (built in 1776) as it was flat & a good surface for Karen's aching legs. Just as we started though there was some shooting & Bess decided she wanted to go back, we put her in the car & the two of us & Crag continued. This is Foxtwood house where were we staying, a very impressive building & surroundings.

The towpath & canal

Froghall tunnel, we have to walk around not through this.

A derelict house near Froghall

Posing for the camera again!

This (as we discovered later) is Sid who used to be the resident swan on the lake at Foxtwood, but has decided to move to the canal

We had taken some left over bread & he was happy for a snack

Sitting waiting for the stick to be thrown, yesterday obviously didn't tire him out

We then met another border collie "Jake" & his owner. Crag & Jake had a good chase around together.

We then came across some ducks

Running parallel to the canal is the Churnet Valley Railway which runs a mix of steam & diesel trains. This is engine no 5197 which is an S160 class, built in 1944 in Lima (Ohio), USA.

Bridge no .53. on the canal

Bridge no .52. known as changeover bridge as the towpath swaps sides of the canal

The same train approaching Consall station

The rail & canal bridge at Consall

That's cheating, a diesel engine pushes the Great Western Large Prairie 2-6-2-T engine no 5199 (built in Swindon in 1934)

And we turn and return back along the towpath

Some reflections in the canal

A much nicer day weather wise than Saturday

Despite us having done 6miles (& Crag a lot more) he still wants to play

And pose!

Please note all engine data from the Churnet Valley Railway website, we haven't become secret train spotters - honest

A really good weekend, great to see the lads again as it has been over a year & to meet Gerry. Crag proved that 7+ hours walking is not enough & Karen proved she is no pushover eh BARRY?

Two More Days Surveying Footpaths in Whicham

On Monday amidst glorious blue skies & even warm enough for shorts (we weren't quite brave enough) we set of to survey three more paths including the highest point in the parish - Black Combe (600m)

It was relatively flat as we walked along the western side of the fell. The three paths were a circular route starting in Whitbeck & walking to the northern end of the fell before climbing & heading south over the summit & back down to the road & then walking low level back to the start.


It was quite hazy, we couldn't see the Isle of Man, but could see St Bees Head beyond Sellafield.



The running water here makes the mud & grass look like stalactites


How old is this piece of machinery & how long has it been laid to rest here

Looking across to Corney Fell. A road passes over this fell & is a bit of a rat run to cut the corner on the A595.

Looking down on Bootle

Looking across to the Old Man of Coniston

And in the opposite direction out to sea

We were sure we had seen a little snow on the northern faces of the higher lakeland peaks as we drove over. The un-named tarn between the two summit cairns was quite icy.

We didn't stop at the main summit and shelter as there were three sets of people already there so continued to the lower summit cairn for lunch.

A panorama from the lower cairn of the view inland

Quite an impressive cairn even at the lower point (587m). We had climbed up from only 50m above sea-level so were glad for a rest.

Rather hazy but looking south to Millom with Barrow beyond that

Zooming in on Duddon Sands

Someone has spent a lot of time creating this

After lunch we start the descent back into Whicham

Although it is 600m high Black Combe isn't one of the 214 Wainwright main fells but is documented in the book "The Outlying Fells of Lakeland" (as is Dent the fell closest to our house).

Today we decided to go back to Whicham & finish the lower level footpaths that we hadn't already surveyed.

Our first path took us form the A595 to the Black Combe path we had walked on Monday

Then across the A595 to walk another three paths to Kiskin. We don't believe this gate is opened very often as these three ladybirds appear to have found a winter home here (we were very careful not to disturb them)

A benefit of all the rain to the dogs when tarns spring up in the fields

An impressive three span bridge carries the railway over the River Annas

Looking across to Black Combe

The bridge as we return

We were then rewarded with a flypast from two Hercules transporter planes




Followed by a much quicker & noisier jet

We drove into Whicham to complete the last two surveys & spotted this bird of prey in the next field (it flew away when we got closer)

It had been a lovely day & the sun was still shining far out at sea, although the cloud was gathering now inland

We just have three more footpaths to complete which are three different routes up White Combe (472m) so we will probably have to complete these over two more trips.

A Couple Of Circular Lake Walks

This week yet again the weather has been forecast to not be very good & indeed it hasn't been, as I write here is the forecast for 12pm, 3pm & 6pm tomorrow

Monday was forecast to be showers so we braved a trip to Ennerdale & a walk around the lake. You can see how much rain we have had by the quantity of water coming over the weir

Bess got scared by someone setting some fireworks off on Friday when we walked her in Cleator Moor, we believed we should be safe here. She is lying in her usual position in the lake here, whilst if you zoom in Crag is chasing the waves in the distance. They are happy & enjoying themselves.

Looking up to the pinnacles on Crag Fell which we climbed down to earlier this year from the summit.

The clouds are off the tops, maybe we will be lucky?

Looking back at the cliffs on Anglers Crag

Before we start the short scramble

The highest point of the route round the lake & a classic view.

Looking back as we start our descent

We thought there was a "one way system" in the Lake District valleys, in Ennerdale planes should enter from the west, but this one came in low from the East

Back down closer to the lake on a surface that resembled a stream more than a path.

The lake & surround all very grey today

Crag poses with his usual one ear up, one down.

And we leave the stream to walk on some welcome dryish grass

And from the eastern end looking west

Lovely autumnal colours in the trees now

Bess in the river Liza

No I DON'T want my photo taken

OK if you insist

I'll jump if you jump.....

The path was a bit flooded on this side too

Bess has realised Andy has some food, Crag more interested in carrying a stick

Or maybe the stick can wait

We got back to the car in the dry & just as we were leaving the car park it began to rain.

Today however we were not so lucky when we walked around Cogra Moss. We left the car in the dry although the cloud was down very low. Blake Fell is somewhere out there.

Another weir with plenty of water

We are not going to get many pictures today

The view from the eastern end looking down on the lake

A little rain didn't dampen their enthusiasm though

The rain then got heavier & heavier so no more pictures, we made it back to the car just as the blue skies started to appear from the west & it stopped raining about 100yards from home!

Footpath Surveys In Whicham Parish (3)

Last Wednesday we were back in Whicham parish doing some more footpath surveys. We first walked from Silecroft to the parish boundary near Giants Grave standing stones. One is 3m high whilst the other is 2.5m high & thought to date back to the bronze age.


Looking towards Great Knott



Although we were in the sunshine the cloud was down very low on the fells


A farmer was ploughing his field much to the interest of the seagulls

The bridge at Sledbank, now the roads in these parts are very windy how come the railway gets to be so straight?

Autumn In Lakeland

A few weeks ago we took part in the LDWA event "Autumn In Lakeland". We forgot our camera which was a real shame as it was a crisp clear morning with mist in the valleys. The following few pictures are from the phone.

The walk started from Rosthwaite & this is looking down the Borrowdale valley.


The first section is a climb between Grange Fell & Great Crag, this is looking down on Rosthwaite & the cloud inversion below.

Further along we climbed Walla Crag, this is looking down on Derwent Water

The day unfortunately clouded over & we had a little rain, but the sun was never far away

We completed the walk in a little under 7hours & got our certificates

And so did Bess & Crag!

A Weekend In Hay On Wye

Last weekend we were visiting a friend in Hay on Wye. John still works for Unipart & another colleague who left about 10years ago Andy joined us. We arrived just after lunchtime and as we were not expected until later filled a couple of hours with a walk along the river Wye (this also had the benefit of tiring the dogs for some peace later). We wandered through an area called The Warren.


An Acer tree


The walk was flat & a good surface firstly in some woods & then out into this big open space. We latterly discovered it is a route of a disused railway.

Then back into the trees, Crag watching some ducks below.

The next day we set off for some higher fells on the Brecon Beacons, we cheated a bit by parking beyond Talybont Reservoir at just over 400m. A waterfall on Nant Bwrefwr.

The weather was forecast to be better than it was & we were only just below the cloud line as we started to climb.

Footpath repairs are imminent here as the stones have already been delivered.

Our first break as we meet the main ridge to the Beacons. (Karen, Andy & Andy)

Karen, Andy & John

We now had a relatively flat surface to walk along the tops

Pen y Fan in the distance with the ridge lines of Cribyn & Fan y Big (nearest)

The mist lifted a little & you could see Brecon in the valley

Looking down Cwm Cwareli

As the views weren't there today we decided to drop back down to a track that would complete a circular walk back to the cars. The sun is trying to come out now - typical.

Crag removing stones from a stream

Looking down on Upper Neuadd Reservoir

And back up Pen y Fan still in the mist but Cribyn is clear

As we descend further Pentwyn Reservoir

Beautiful autumnal colours in the trees

A short road walk back to the car that is Craig y Fan Ddu which we climbed earlier

Just before the car some more waterfalls.

John lives in a beautiful old house that has been in the family for some generations & fell into disrepair some years ago & he has painstakingly renovated it back. This is the back.

And the large tiered garden

The Buddha looks over

And from the front, his house runs from the bay window on the left to the end of the garage, John's brother Robert lives in the house to the left.


The next day we set off for a lower level walk at Bredwardine, John's words "this is a flat walk" !!!!

The bridge spanning the river Wye built in the mid 1700's.

The dogs head for the river

It had rained very heavily as we drove over from Hay & we were all kitted up in our waterproofs which thankfully we didn't need again.

The sun glistening in the river

St Andrews church is the burial place for the diarist Francis Kilvert

The south doorway & much of the nave date back to the time of the conquest

Three llamas posing for us in the sunshine

At the furthest point of this circular walk we reached Arthur's Stone which are the remains of a Neolithic burial chamber dating back over 5,000 years

After lunch we set off down a very steep field back into Bredwardine, remember John said it was flat!!

Saturday night was our last evening & like the previous two nights John made a delicious three course meal for us all.

The weekend has been a long time in the waiting, we started planning when we could all get together back in June! But it was worth the wait, great to all catch up again & do some walking together.

Finally we have to say a Great Big Thanks again to John for being an excellent host, feeding us so well (the diet has already started) & accomodating us & both dogs in his house, we look forward to seeing John & Andy again soon.