Why, thank you, Marilyn (Comments, yesterday). I'm glad that you are enjoying what I post.
You may remember that my husband and I are "not" walking the Wainwrights. The late Alfred Wainwright detailed two hundred and fourteen summits in his famous guides, and in recent years it has become a popular pursuit to "bag" all 214. A friend and her sister are due to complete their list this May, when we will be with them in the Lakes. So far we have resisted a full-on attempt at the list, but that is not to say that we have not been drawn to fill in those within easy reach from our base.
So- first we went up Fellbarrow, a low-lying fell to the west of Loweswater. Last year we made the mistake of thinking that Low Fell, its neighbour, might be aptly named and found ourselves not only on a very steep ascent, but also without a sensible path down. Walking over rough fell and heather where there is no path is very hard on the knees and ankles.
This time we went up the Mosser road, and turned off up the fell. It was a moderate ascent and gave on to an impressive view of the higher fells, spoiled only by a little haze. We detoured around Low Fell to reach the top of Fellbarrow. Up here it is strange to see such an extensive use of iron fencing, some of it now superannuated. All in all a lovely walk, all the better for being sparsely populated.
Our next walk was more of a challenge. We began by driving down to Ennerdale, and parking at Bowness Knott, where there were already many cars. Where those people had gone we never discovered, because it was three hours before we saw another soul on our walk.
Ennerdale lies between Loweswater and Wasdale. The drystone walls here show a quite different geology to further north, with rounded boulders rather than slatey layers.
We headed up the gully leading to Herdus and Great Borne. It was stiff going to start with but nothing like what was to come. We passed a sheepfold; they are everywhere in the Lakes. Then, at 1300 feet, we came upon this curious structure. It is composed of massive boulders and slopes inwards towards the top. There is no entrance.
So, what is your best guess as to its function?
Our walk took a turn to the left. We had been warned to expect a short scramble of exposed rock, but soon we were on all fours as the path followed the gully of a mountain stream up through crags. At times the path itself had fallen away and we were forced to detour up through heather. It was with a sense of relief that we reached the top.
Great Borne was a place of stones; literally, thousands of loose boulders scattered about. Away ahead we could see the path to Starling Dodd and Red Pike, across a wide plateau. We made our way to the summit. Oddly, someone has gathered up stray lengths of iron fencing and made this strange construction.
After Little Dodd we turned down for the valley, leaving Red Pike for another day. All along the forestry road we watched the play of sunlight on the spectacular Ennerdale tops opposite. A grand day.
Travel knitting
A couple of baby cardigans, knitted as we travelled about in the car. This is Gidday Baby, and I could knit one without the pattern to hand now. It's a brilliant design.
You may remember that my husband and I are "not" walking the Wainwrights. The late Alfred Wainwright detailed two hundred and fourteen summits in his famous guides, and in recent years it has become a popular pursuit to "bag" all 214. A friend and her sister are due to complete their list this May, when we will be with them in the Lakes. So far we have resisted a full-on attempt at the list, but that is not to say that we have not been drawn to fill in those within easy reach from our base.
So- first we went up Fellbarrow, a low-lying fell to the west of Loweswater. Last year we made the mistake of thinking that Low Fell, its neighbour, might be aptly named and found ourselves not only on a very steep ascent, but also without a sensible path down. Walking over rough fell and heather where there is no path is very hard on the knees and ankles.
This time we went up the Mosser road, and turned off up the fell. It was a moderate ascent and gave on to an impressive view of the higher fells, spoiled only by a little haze. We detoured around Low Fell to reach the top of Fellbarrow. Up here it is strange to see such an extensive use of iron fencing, some of it now superannuated. All in all a lovely walk, all the better for being sparsely populated.
Our next walk was more of a challenge. We began by driving down to Ennerdale, and parking at Bowness Knott, where there were already many cars. Where those people had gone we never discovered, because it was three hours before we saw another soul on our walk.
Ennerdale lies between Loweswater and Wasdale. The drystone walls here show a quite different geology to further north, with rounded boulders rather than slatey layers.
We headed up the gully leading to Herdus and Great Borne. It was stiff going to start with but nothing like what was to come. We passed a sheepfold; they are everywhere in the Lakes. Then, at 1300 feet, we came upon this curious structure. It is composed of massive boulders and slopes inwards towards the top. There is no entrance.
So, what is your best guess as to its function?
Our walk took a turn to the left. We had been warned to expect a short scramble of exposed rock, but soon we were on all fours as the path followed the gully of a mountain stream up through crags. At times the path itself had fallen away and we were forced to detour up through heather. It was with a sense of relief that we reached the top.
Great Borne was a place of stones; literally, thousands of loose boulders scattered about. Away ahead we could see the path to Starling Dodd and Red Pike, across a wide plateau. We made our way to the summit. Oddly, someone has gathered up stray lengths of iron fencing and made this strange construction.
After Little Dodd we turned down for the valley, leaving Red Pike for another day. All along the forestry road we watched the play of sunlight on the spectacular Ennerdale tops opposite. A grand day.
Travel knitting
A couple of baby cardigans, knitted as we travelled about in the car. This is Gidday Baby, and I could knit one without the pattern to hand now. It's a brilliant design.
.JPG)
1 comment:
What a wonderful walk you took us all on! Gosh I just loved it! Thanks!
Post a Comment