Helm Crag, Gibson Knott & Steel Fell

Yesterday we headed over to Grasmere to climb three fells (two of which were new to us). This is Helm Crag which we climbed in October on a very wet day with some Unipart colleagues High Raise & Sourmilk Gill Looking down on Grasmere

Not long & we are at the summit

This is the only fell that Wainwright didn't get to the true summit. We had a go but in the end gave up

Our next summit is the one to the left & then we will follow the ridge on the horizon to get get to our third fell on the right

The last patches of snow on the Helvellyn range

Strange wall patterns on Steel Fell

At the col between the two fells looking down on the A591

Looking back at Helm Crag

A relatively flat section before the final climb to the summit

Looking back down the valley towards Grasmere

This tarn still has ice on it

Gibson Knott (420m)

Looking across to our final fell, Steel Fell

An unnamed tarn on the ridge

Helm Crag in the distance & the undulating ridge of Gibson Knott

Steel Fell summit cairn comes into view

At the summit looking down on Thirlmere with Skiddaw & Blencathra in the distance

Looking towards Helm Crag

Steel Fell (553m)

In the distance is Windermere

The summit is quite flat as we descend until we come across this sheer drop

Looking across to Seat Sandal

The steep path zig zags its way down

We are down to the next section

Looking back up, the summit is now not in view

Helm Crag

The final descent to the valley floor

Zooming in on "The Lion & Lamb" erm not sure, the Lion maybe

A really good days walk & great to be back on the fells again

A Couple Of Trips To Ennerdale

Just a few pictures from a couple of trips to the valley we have made in the last two weeks. These were taken on the work party on 15th Feb when there was still snow on the tops We were planting trees on Crag Fell in the morning A couple of panoramas from there

The following Saturday we went to retrieve the wildlife cameras, unfortunately no pictures on them, but we saw the Galloways who even with calf's weren't bothered about the dogs

The river Liza has claimed more of the riverbank here

The other wildlife was these rather amorous frogs!

Didn't realise it was a spectator sport or is he just waiting in the queue!

Ennerdale

Today we took the dogs over to Ennerdale for a walk. We have had a lot of rain in the past week & last night a light dusting of snow on the higher fells, Red Pike & High Stile. The cattle were quite high of the banks of Caw Fell Starling Dodd The new bridge over Woundell Beck

Water was running everywhere

This is the bridge we built last year & it is the first time we have seen water flowing in the beck below it

No ice on High Beck today, but plenty of water

Moss covered stones & more water

Then walking back with Great Borne & Starling Dodd in the background

There are "new" ponds much to the dogs delight

The river must have got very high as you can see the tide mark either side of Irish Bridge

Cogra Moss

This morning we wanted to get the dogs out for a decent walk as the weather was due to change after lunch (as it has) & not be particularly good for the next few days. We decided to drive the short distance to Cogra Moss as we haven't walked there in nearly a year. A farmer & his dog working sheep on High Hows The path towards Cogra Moss with Knock Murton ahead Blake Fell & High Pen

Despite recent rains not much water coming over the dam, becoming the source of Rakegill Beck

We climb up beyond the lake

Had we decided to stay low we would be on the path at the bottom, however we are going up to reach the path below the tree line

A panorama from the top path

And then looking down on Cogra Moss

We do a wide loop high of the lake, Knock Murton from this angle

This shortly before we reach the weir & return to the car

Yesterday we were on another work party at Ennerdale. We did do some work in the morning but managed not to take any pictures. We were removing fences near the Scout Camp, here we are enjoying lunch by the River Liza. After the nights rain there was plenty of water flowing through After lunch we spotted a buzzard in the trees

We then moved over to Crag Fell to check the birch we planted a few years ago & plant some more. One of the fixed points we needed to photograph was on the way so Karen stopped to take a couple of panoramas. The day had been good upto then but the cloud was starting to come in so they haven't come out that well, we will return on a sunny day to re-take these.

At the planting site Crag was being very helpful wanting sticks thrown

We checked that the original trees were alive & replaced the protector on those, the ones that hadn't survived were replaced & to show what needed doing we left the protectors at 90degrees to the stakes

It was described as looking a bit like a battlefield with the crosses

On Monday we went for a walk at Ennerdale with the dogs, it wasn't the greatest weather so just a few pictures.

The Galloway were resting just inside the forest, for such big animals they could be quite threatening, but they don't ever seem to be bothered by humans or dogs

A rare shot of Crag in the water & Bess on the path

Normality has been restored

It was about 6degrees when we left the car, but felt colder up the valley, this was proven by the ice that still remains on High Beck

Lunch was at Pillar Bridge