A Snowy Walk

On Monday the weather was forecast to be good & with snow on the higher peaks we just had to go and have a play in it. We decided to go up the last Wainwright for us in the Central book Ullscarf. We parked at Wythburn at the southern end of Thirlmere. This is looking up the valley we were to walk

Plenty of snow on top of the Helvellyn range

We walked up this frozen field

Crossing Wyth Burn beck which we would follow for much of the day

Nearly at the snow line

A waterfall on the beck

Looking back down where we have walked

And ahead where we were going

Crag poses on a patch on snow

We then have about a mile of relatively flat walk. The map calls it The Bog & even at these sub zero temperatures it lived up to its name!.

Ullscarf comes into view it is the very white fell to the right

Looking back again at where we had walked

Now we are really getting into the white stuff

Nethermost Pike in the distance

Ullscarfs summit is behind this

For once we can talk about where Crag's nose has been

The footpath carries on up the valley & then meets up with another path which takes you to the summit. Karen had the good idea that we should just head straight for the summit up a very steep bank

In 260m of distance you gain 130m of elevation. That's a 1 in 2 in old money.

Andy wasn't too impressed, Crag however had great fun using his nose to make snow roll down the bank & then chase after it... nutter with too much energy

Eventually the steep slope starts to level out

We were about 20mins from the summit, but as you can see the cloud was starting to gather & cover some of the fells to the west & it looked like it could snow. We made the decision we were going to add 40mins to the walk & the weather could be quite different then. We had also decided to take the longer route back

Crag up to his knees in snow

Ullscarf summit, we will get to it another day

We then walked along the ridge to Greenup Edge

A very frozen tarn

Just stunning views up here

Looking down on the valley floor that we will be walking on again soon

This descent is steep but nothing as bad as our route up

Everywhere beautiful & white

A last look at Ullscarf

We were the only car in the car park when we arrived, also when we left. We saw one person on another summit, but didn't pass a sole all day.

We had said we would dedicate the summit to Bess but as we didn't get there it's the walk instead. It had the three main ingredients that made a great walk for her:

1) SNOW

2) WATER

3) A TASTY EGG ROLL AT LUNCHTIME

Cogra Moss

Today we went for a walk at Cogra Moss. We invited Benny & Shadow, Benny couldn't make it but dropped Shaddow round so we took her. Blake Fell to the left has a dusting of snow on. Our first view of the lake Zooming in on Blake Fell Scotland in the distance

Up on the top path & we have gained most of the height for the day

The whole of Cogra Moss is in view up here

You wouldn't come up here in a really windy day, lots of fallen trees in the forest

Then you turn a corner & the view opens up again

Back down on the ground again & we have nearly completed our circuit

This picture was taken yesterday when we took Crag for a walk along the cycle track. We think it is a halo, a small rainbow in the sky, we saw it for about 20mins before it faded away

Bess 9/8/00 - 23/1/12

On Monday we tragically lost our "little girl" Bess. She died after a short & sudden illness which we believe was caused by a liver tumour. We can't believe how quickly it all happened, she was her normal self only two weeks before. We have dusted off the photo albums from her first few years & here are a few. Her first night with Karen & yes we both look a lot younger

She even used to sleep on her back like Crag does now

In a variety of places

From an early age she had a taste for a hot curry (yes that is Chicken Madras)

Her first of many walking weekends. This was also the first time she was off lead walking around Llyn Idwal with Peter & Malcolm

Her first of many snowy winters, she always loved playing in the snow

2001 & the first time she was at Ennerdale

And playing with a frisbee on Seascale beach

Then along came her "cousin" Charlie who she had many years of walks with

Her first time up Snowdon (I think she climbed it 4 times, along with Ben Nevis twice & Scafell Pike several times)

She even had Crags one ear up, one down trait

A camping trip to the New Forest where we had a few too many in the local

And that wasn't to be the last time she was on Kiran's shoulders, this is the descent from Tryfan where she got scared & wouldn't go down

She soon overame her mountain fears & climbed in excess of 160 Wainwrights after moving up to Cumbria in 2006.

She is desperately missed by all three of us & its a tragedy she left us so young, but a blessing she didn't suffer

Footpath Surveys At Ennerdale

Today the weather was gorgeous (for the first time in a long time) so we headed to Ennerdale to complete three more footpath surveys. It was one of the cold, crisp & sunny days, the temperature barely above freezing as you can see the frost on this gate where we started Into the trees Plenty of water coming down Woundell Beck

Looking back on where we have walked

As we get higher we catch a glimpse of the lake again

We are climbing up a steep bank looking down on the lake

We are on our descent & we come around a corner to be presented with this impressive "surprise" view along the length of Ennerdale Water

The descent is a steep one, not helped by the fact the sun is too low to melt the ice off the rocks here

The sun catches the top of the conifers

Almost down to the valley floor again

A partially frozen Moss Dub

Great to get some good weather & be able to get out into Ennerdale & enjoy it

Christmas 2011

This year we were at home for Christmas, sharing it with Karen's parents. The weather was poor so we didn't get far, just a few walks along the cycle track. Here Bess is demonstrating her latest trick walking on two legs! The bridge at Moor Row The dogs enjoying the water here

Andy, Karen & Ian

And after a good walk a good rest by the fire is needed

Our Christmas tree

It;s Christmas day & the dog that has the cream

Time to open the presents, Bess is keen to see what Santa has bought her this year

A new toy

Mmmmm treats

Christmas dinner

We had a lovely time with Anne & Ian, it's a shame the weather wasn't better & we could have gone further