Footbridge Surveys on the Bootle / Whicham Border

Today after another frosty start (it got down to -0.9 last night) we set off to Bootle to survey 7 bridges along the River Annas, the river in parts forms the boundary between the two parishes. The first one was a grand old bridge just outside Bootle on a tributary to the river Difficult to spot the next one, it is just to the left of Karen's shadow Then just beyond Barfield this one And then this one

We cross under the railway just after two engines make their way over the bridge

Sorry another bridge!

Black Combe

Some locals on the other river bank are interested in what we are up to

The penultimate bridge this one is over the River Annas

Looking up the river with Black Combe in the distance

The last bridge of the day before we turn back & retrace our steps

We spot this interesting dead tree on the way back

We had laughed at this sign as we walked out of Bootle

I know this is south of us but Palm Trees?

We just have four more bridges to survey now which can all be done together & that is them all complete for this year. Good job as we have just been asked to help with the Eskdale footpath surveys along with wildlife cameras & 50 different location photographs in Ennerdale. We have plenty to keep us busy, lets hope the weather stays this good.

Crummock Water Signpost Removal

Today we were back at Crummock Water removing the signs & posts we had put up a few months ago as the legal time had now passed for them to stay up. We woke up to a beautiful day but accompanied by our first frost of this winter Looking down Crummock Water from the footpath from Buttermere to Scale Bridge We both have our large rucksacks on as we need to bring back 5 fence posts High Snockrigg

Scale Island, perched on the branch at the right is a cormorant waiting for a fish to appear

This holly bush is in full bloom

The dogs straight into Crummock Water

We decide to remove the posts as we go & then collect them on our way back maybe to give them a slight chance of drying out

Grasmoor with Whiteside behind

Towards the end of the lake, Whiteside again. You can't beat a day like this for the sky reflecting in the lake

Grasmoor looking foreboding across the lake

We have collected the first post now & are on our way back, Rannerdale Knotts the lower fell as it falls away to the lake

This steep bank is one we have climbed up twice before doing the reverse route, today it's down. Bess doesn't tend to go too far from us, but Crag is already in the lake

Whiteside & the far end of the lake

Low Ling Crag stretching out into the water, our lunch spot again today with Fleetwith Pike in the distance

Anyone who knows Bess will know she spent our lunch break scrounging, Crag however had more important things to do - chase the waves

Just as we finished our lunch a tornado flypast, our second low jet of the day in the valley

Back at the sign Andy pulled out earlier & some kind walker has put it back in the ground!

A panorama of the valley

We have had white stuff on the ground, holly & now a robin are you sure this is not the Christmas post?

We have one more post to collect from Cat Bells (thank you Bernie for collecting the rest) & job done, it was hard work carrying that lot back.

Rhododendron Removal At Ennerdale

Today we were back with the Wild Ennerdale volunteers removing rhododendron from near Moss Dub. There wasn't enough room for everyone in the Forestry Commission vehicles so we drove to Irish bridge & walked to the worksite. We just took Crag as we feared Bess would just lie in the tarn at Moss Dub or the River Liza all day. They have removed the concrete pipe bridge over Woundell Beck & replaced it with a foot bridge This is the first time we have walked over it, a lot of effort has gone into its construction & in building the abutments Looking downstream to where the old bridge was

Starling Dodd from our worksite

Some interesting fungi here

Moss Dub

The green forest track

At the end of the day it all has to be removed from the area

Four Nights At Coniston Water

This week as the weather was forecast to be OK we booked a last minute trip over to Coniston Water. We were staying at Water Yeat at Crake Valley Holiday Park on the recommendation of some of our friends.

We had some bridge surveys to do on the way just outside Ulpha.

We had bright sunshine, walking to the first bridge with Ulpha Fell in the background

The trees starting to take on their autumnal colours

To get to the boardwalk we were surveying we had to cross the River Duddon via some stepping stones. We were glad of the thick wire handrail to help us across

The river was like a millpond here

We find the boardwalk which is in a very boggy section of the path, it also looks like some of it is missing

Karen crossing the river on our return

The next survey was a bridge slightly further up the valley, Caw in the distance

The bridge we have to survey over Tarn Beck

The beck is fed by the quite substantial Seathwaite Tarn & these falls would probably be quite spectacular after heavy rains

One of the span beams is starting to rot, but otherwise the bridge is fine

We then have a short drive to Whinfield Ground to complete the third survey. We spot a couple of deer in the field

Walking across a field to the boardwalk with the Dunnerdale Fells in the distance

This boardwalk has definitely seen better days

The surveys now complete we travel to our destination. This is our cabin aptly named Pillar

After a cuppa we take the dogs over to Coniston Water which is just across the road from the site

Tuesday dawned misty but we could see that it should soon burn off & by the time we left it had lifted, just a little lingering on the lake

We drove to Coniston to start our walk, looking up at The Old Man Of Coniston

Looking down on the old mining cottages, Wetherlam's summit our target for the day is beyond the fell to the right

A panorama of the valley, The Old Man to the left, Brim Fell & Great Carrs

The Old Man & Brim Fell with the quarry workings below

As we climb some haze or mist creeps into the valley

Black Sails, our summit is beyond the fell to the right

Looking down on Coniston Water & the valley is getting quite hazy

The dogs enjoy a dip in a small tarn along the way

Looking down through the haze onto Lake Windermere

The mist is at about the same height as us, looking over to The Old Man

As we near the summit we spot there is a spectacular cloud inversion in the Wrynose Bottom

From the summit looking north

Sca Fell & Scafell Pike rise above the clouds

Zooming in on Sca Fell

Wetherlam (762m)

The Old Man of Coniston, you can see the mist in the valley here too

Crinkle Crags

The cloud bank is now quite solid below us

Great Carrs

Prison Band & Great Carrs

Looking down on Greenburn Reservoir

Our first glimpse of Levers Water which we are to descend to

Looking back up to Prison Band where we started our descent into the valley

Levers Water as we get closer

A hazy sun casts its shadows across the water

The dogs are straight in

Levers waterfall

Another waterfall on Church Beck

Wednesday was a lot cloudier with the mist quite low so we set off to do the remaining bridge surveys we had bought with us. Starting off in the woods on Broughton Moor

We think these may be shooting huts at the bottom of the valley

Ruins at Appletree Worth

The first bridge is an old pack horse bridge over the Appletree Worth Beck, but we aren't down to survey this

The Knott

Walking along wide forest tracks

This is the first bridge we have to survey over the River Lickle

Any opportunity to play in a river

This bridge is further up the beck & is named Natty Bridge

We then turn back & retrace our steps. As the weather isn't great we stop for a wander around Ambleside & Windermere before catching the ferry over to Faw Sawrey

We have watched the ferry before but never caught it

It is quite a gloomy Windermere in the mist

Thursday was a better day so we drove to Tarn Hows to climb two quite low Wainwrights (in fact we discovered afterwards they are 212 & 213 out of 214 in height)

Cllimbing up into Harry Guards Wood

Looking down on Yew Tree Tarn

We are on quite open moorland as we pick our way to the summit

Looking up at the cairn

From the top, the higher fells are in cloud

Lingmoor Fell

Part of Coniston Water

Wetherlam in the distance that we were up a couple of days before

Holme Fell (317m)

A close flypast from a military helicopter

We drop down to the reservoir below

Looking back up at the summit

Bess investigates the quarry slag heap

And tries to hide amonst this tree

This is quite an impressive still active quarry

The day has brightened up quite a bit, Low Arnside Farm

Looking across to Holme Fell which we have just come off

Our next fell is a cross country route to the skyline

Looking back

A panorama with The Old Man & Wetherlam the highest fells

The cairn & trig point are in view

Ambleside & Lake Windermere

Esthwaite Water

The trig point at the summit

Black Fell (322m) (note this is the whole fells name & the summit is marked at Black Crag)

To complete our loop back to the car we walk along Tarn Hows

Soon we are walking along the waters edge

We come across this stump with 100's of coins pressed into it

More views of Tarn Hows

Then we follow Tom Gill & admire its quite impressive waterfalls

We stop at Coniston Water on the way back where a noisy group of teenagers are tring to row their home made rafts

The bluebird cafe which is being renovated after being damaged in the floods last November

Donald Campbells memorial stone

Do you think we wore them out over the four days?

We had a great few days away, some really enjoyable walks & good accomodation