As this amazing weather continues we are trying to make the most of it so on Monday we set off again with the tent to try a new campsite to us Park Foot on the eastern shores of Ullswater.
From it’s website we could see it was more of a holiday park than campsite & it’s size and amenities were far superior to any other site we have stayed on.
The site was pretty empty so we had a lot of choice about where we pitched the tent
Crag sensibly shelters in the shadow of the car. What we hadn’t considered in choosing the pitch was the fact we wouldn’t get any shade until sunset.
With the tent up we drove the short distance to Martindale Church
Where we could see the route up our fell for the afternoon
Looking back towards the church as we climb
It’s a short but steep ascent
A panorama of the view
And we have reached the top of Hallin Fell (388m) and are rewarded with some stunning views, this zooming in on a steamer on Ullswater
Looking towards Pooley Bridge & the northern end of the lake
Looking across to Arthur’s Pike which we intend to go up the next day
And to the southern end of the lake where Glenridding is
Zooming in on a boathouse
The obelisk on the summit provides some shade & a perfect lunchspot
We make a circular route of it by heading off the eastern side of the fell
This spring gives Crag a well needed drink & cool off
Back at the campsite & he has a play in Aik Beck
Before we take him for a splash in Ullswater
We join him too!
Looking towards Pooley Bridge
The next morning dawns bright & sunny as forecast. Because of the heat we had got up early & were walking by 8:30. We walked through the campsite to get onto the fells.
A well worn track leads us up the first fell
At last the summit comes into view
Arthurs Pike (530m)
Then a gradual climb up to the next fell
The summit of Bonscale Pike (542m), it’s a bit unclear which is the true summit, this is the highest point on the fell.
Looking down on Hallin Fell which we were on yesterday (it’s all a bit hazy up here)
And towards the third & highest fell of the day
It’s dry up here today but the cotton grass again suggests it gets quite boggy.
We reach the Roman Road High Street (which is a named fell in it’s own right further south of us)
The trig point on the summit comes into view
Loadpot Hill (672m)
This was the planned original finish point but we are here by 11am & feeling fine we carry on along the ridgeline
This is marked as Chy on the OS map but isn’t on the legend it does stand for Chimney & having looked on the internet an old shooting lodge called Lowther House once stood here but all that is left is this bit of chimney
We don’t lose much height between these fells
Wether Hill (670m) & we plan to descend from here to Howtown
Looking back at Loadpot Hill
We start our descent, the fell below is Steel Knotts & we realise it is a small detour to take that in on the way down
There is supposed to be a path here but none is visible so we pick our way down through the grass
We aim for a derelict building which will give us some shade for our lunch
Fusedale Beck gives us all a chance to cool off
The Nab which is the only fell in this area we have yet to climb
The summit of Steel Knotts
The Nab & the valley of Martindale
From above the summit didn’t look like much of a climb, but now we are at the last push it is a bit tougher than we thought
The last push to the summit
Looking back at what we have come across
Steel Knotts (416m)
The summit rock
You can’t see much of Ullswater from here
We start our descent, looking back at the summit
The path on the valley floor which we had originally planned to descend via
Hallin Fell
The road below which we had used yesterday with it’s steep switchbacks
More of Ullswater comes into view
Having extended our walk we decide rather than walk back from Howtown we will catch the steamer to Pooley Bridge which is a much shorter walk back, too bad we have missed this one.
We will have to wait in Howtown Hotel (in the trees below)
The back garden has very little shade except at the top of a steep bank. The last fell of the day with two pints!
Crag is exhausted!
After a delicious pint we make our way to the pier
Where our steamer approaches to take us to Pooley Bridge & we can walk back to the camp site
The next morning at the tent. Crag is so good camping he doesn’t need to be tied up he just likes to keep guard at the tent entrance.
We had a lovely time on an excellent camp site & walked 6 fells in 2 days which was beyond what we had planned (25 to go!)
