Dizzy’s First Wainwright: Crag Fell

Yesterday we wanted to collect some more kindling & decided to combine that with a walk.  We felt it appropriate that Dizzy’s first Wainwright should be the same one as Crag’s & conveniently we could walk it from where we collected the kindling!
Crag was just over 3 weeks older than Dizzy is now when he climbed his first Wainwright, here he is & any fears about her grown size may be unnecessary as you can see he is definitely bigger than she is at the moment. (Both her parents were his size so she shouldn’t grow any bigger)  

On the work party two weeks ago we put three smaller fence posts in to stop whoever it is taking stone from the quarry here as it is both illegal & making the quarry rather unstable.  Today one has been ripped out & the other two have been loosened, back to the drawing board on that one.

We start with a steep ascent of the forest

Looking back, the picture doesn’t really show how steep it actually was

The first views of Ennerdale Water

To the bottom right is the new course of Ben Gill that was dug last year, it’s only however when we have had a lot of rain that any water flows through it as it seems to prefer its old course

The winding path to the left was another volunteer job last year to enable a short wheelchair accessible route to be taken at the lake

Looking down on The Mill & where the River Ehen has flooded, we were doing the footbridge survey there a couple of weeks ago, you wouldn’t get across today

The first view of Crag Fell & yes there is a little bit of snow up there

Revelin Crag
 
Now to cross Ben Gill

When we walked it on Crags first fell walk Bess & Katie both enjoyed playing in the pools, there is far too much water coming over it today for that

Dizzy has to be lifted over as she still doesn’t like going into water of any depth
 
Now to that “little” bit of snow

Dizzy certainly enjoys playing in it

Crag has kept hold of this stick for much of the walk & in fact kept it until we reached Ben Gill on our return

Looking down on Ennerdale Water again

Our first view of the summit cairn, not far to go now

The wind really picks up the higher we get, we would have loved to know the wind chill as it was baltic.
So just the one picture, Dizzy on Crag Fell (523m), 213 to go! (she will unfortunately not finish them with us as a few of the fells we did last year we vowed we would not be returning to!)

On the way up she needed a lot of encouragement to cross this beck, none was needed on the way back

The day was always forecast to get better, we unfortunately set off a little too early as it was blue skies when we returned to the bottom

A very nice fell walk, Dizzy took it all in her stride & would have carried on for a few more yesterday but we don’t want to over do it with her, she has shown she is very much at home fell walking with us.

A Patrol Around Mellbreak

Today we did a patrol which we have done a couple of times before, it is a walk around Mellbreak.
Mellbreak as we start, we think this is one of those “perfect” shaped mountains

We start by walking up a walled track

Before the path opens up into pretty desolate moorland

The Mosedale Holly Tree stands alone

A panorama
 
Come on humans we know the way (Dizzy has never walked this but has worked out that gates are for going through)

Crummock Water comes into view, we will walk most of the southern shore to get back

 
Crag’s waiting for a stick as Andy & Dizzy go ahead

Fleetwith Pike which is at the end of Buttermere

Loads of frogspawn in the pools here
 
We look back & see a storm brewing, it’s one of those that just appear in the mountains, the wind was from the west so this should have passed over us, however we remained dry whilst those to the east of us got wet

It disappears as quickly as it formed

“Bat Ears” & Crag with his tongue stuck out
 
Looking back at Rannerdale Knotts & the bad weather behind us.
 

A Beautiful Weekend of Weather

Last weekend I think we had the best weather in the UK, we had two days of wall to wall sunshine so we made the most of it with a couple of walks.
On Saturday we headed over to Loweswater, the route we walked is one of the patrol walks we have done a few times in the past, but today we were just going for a walk.
We set off on the track for an extended loop around one side of the lake

We last walked this in July last year & this fingerpost was broken & lying on the ground, it’s satisfying that the jobs we report do get done.

As we climb up Loweswater comes into view

Crag as always never misses an opportunity for a splash in a beck
 
Whiteside & Grasmoor (where we would walk on Sunday)
 
A panorama of the view

Dizzy & Crag

Down by the lakeshore & there is not a breath of wind
  
Sunday & we do one of the patrols we have, this is Whiteside from a bit closer

And Grasmoor

Lovely to see all the snowdrops out

Ouch, you wouldn’t have wanted to be around when this came down

Loweswater Fell which surprisingly is not a Wainwright

Now a few other random photos, Crag looking a little disgruntled that Dizzy has decided to lie on the mat whilst he is looking out the window

The floor was being cleaned so the bed was on the settee, she will sleep anywhere
    
Two sleeping doggies in the evening

It’s been a long day (note his tongue!)
 
Sticking out the front this time

Taking up much of the settee (you can see how much she has grown)

She could sleep on a washing line

Lastly we tried her in the boot with Crag when we returned from Ennerdale yesterday, she has stopped slobbering when she sits in the front, guess she will have to get used to travelling in the back.