Above Weardale

Yesterday I went a long walk above Weardale, starting from Wolsingham, before descending back down to Stanhope and walking back along the valley floor. It was a lovely day for walking with blue skies for much of the day, and some very pleasant, very flat tracks to walk along (old railway lines and field paths in the main).

Looking down to Tunstall Reservoir.

Waskerley Reservoir, with the upper River Derwent valley behind.

Wonderful, wild moorland scenery.

Horseshoe Hill, with one of the excellent former railway tracks in the foreground.

Looking across to Collier Law.

A view across Upper Weardale from the hillside near Rookhope cutting, where surprisingly a few patches of snow remained.

The remote former mining settlement of Rookhope.

Walking down the road to Stanhope.

Pleasant valley walking between Stanhope and Wolsingham with a very dry looking River Wear.

Great Gable from Honister Pass

A bit of a delay getting this walk online as it was done last Sunday. It was a very enjoyable walk, done on a warm, mostly hazy day (although the views cleared a bit later on). The walk is generally very pleasant other than a steep scramble to get on and off Great Gable.

Pillar.

Looking down to the Buttermere valley, with part of Buttermere, Crummock Water and the fell of Mellbreak prominant.

Looking to the North Western Fells from Green Gable.

Allen Crags, Bowfell, Esk Pike, Great End and Sprinkling Tarn.

Looking over the summit of Green Gable to Borrowdale and Blencathra.

Scafell Pike, Lingmell (closest), Scafell.

The classic view of Wastwater and (part of ) Wasdale Head from near the Westmorland cairn, quite hazy though.

It started to clear a bit as the afternoon went on. Langdale Pikes and Allen Crags, Sprinkling Tarn, a bit of Windermere and Ingleborough in the far background.

Zooming in on the Langdale Pikes.

A lovely late afternoon view – Skiddaw and Derwent Water.

Two walks from last week: Orrest Head and Coniston Fells round

‘Catching up’ with walks from last week: firstly a short walk to Orrest Head above Windermere last midweek and then a round of the Coniston Fells last Saturday. Both done in excellent weather with superb views.

Orrest Head:

Fantastic views over Windermere to Scafell Pike, Bowfell, Great End, Great Gable and the Langdale Pikes from Orrest Head.

The Coniston Fells vivewed over Latterbarrow.

A view to Caudale Moor, Thornthwaite Crag and Ill Bell.

Young lambs.

A wider panorama over Windermere from Crinkcle Crags to the Langdale Pikes.

Zooming in on Scafell Pike and Bowfell.

Coniston round:

Walking up the Coppermines Valley, looking to Swirl How.

Looking down to the Duddon Valley from near the top of Walna Scar, with Whitfell, Hesk Fell and Stainton Pike behind.

Harter Fell and Sellafield.

Busy on the summit of Coniston Old Man.

Looking down to Little Langdale Tarn with the far eastern fells in the background.

The Scafells above the summit of Great Carrs, viewed from Swirl How.

Looking across to the Fairfield group of fells.

Zooming in on Pike O’Stickle with Skiddaw in the distance.

The Langdale Pikes.

Scafell Pike, Crinkle Crags and Bowfell from Wetherlam.

Zooming in on Blea Tarn.

And a view down to Coniston Water and Grizedale Forest from the descent of Wetherlam.

Two Easter Walks: Whitfell and Lord’s Seat

Two walks were done over the Easter weekend – the first the familiar walk up Whitfell from the Corney Fell road in south-west Cumbria, the second a walk around Whinlatter Forest visiting the summits of Barf, Lord’s Seat, Broom Fell and Graystones. The first walk was an afternoon walk mostly in sunshine after the weather had cleared up, the second day similarly began with a bitterly cold wind and some cloud but it brightened up considerably in the afternoon.

Walk one:

Looking down to the Esk estuary and the west Cumbrian coast from Kinmont Buck Barrow.

Black Combe and Stoneside Hill with the Corney Fell road running across the bottom of the photograph.

Another view down to the Esk Estuary.

Now on the summit of Whitfell, looking north to Stainton Pike with the Lank Rigg group of fells in the background.

Looking over the lower Duddon Valley to Kirkby Moors, with Morecamble Bay and the Lancashire coast beyond.

The Coniston Fells with the peak of The Pike in the middle distance.

Zooming in on Askam from Buck Barrow.

Back in Askam now and on the beach, looking across the Duddon Estuary to Hodbarrow.

Looking over the estuary to the southern Lake District from the ‘red hills’ near Askam.

Walk two:

Looking over a grey central Lake District from the summit of Lord’s Seat. The forest is Whinlatter Forest which is an excellent area for walking.

It was very clear to the north – looking across the Solway Firth to Criffel.

Another view across the Solway Firth to Scotland from the summit of Lord’s Seat. The large cairn on Broom Fell, the next summit to be visited, is prominant.

Looking over Whinlatter to Grisedale Pike and Eel Crag.

Looking across Cockermouth to the Solway Firth and the Galloway area of southern Scotland.

Looking back over Broom Fell to Skiddaw from Graystones.

Looking north towards Sale Fell and Binsey.

The snow-covered Helvellyn range viewed over Whinlatter Forest.

The Vale of Lorton.

The walk back up the valley of Aiken Beck and into Whinlatter Forest is very enjoyable and interesting, with some spectacular views, here looking over Keswick and Portinscale to the Dodds.

And finally looking over Derwentwater and the central ridge to the Helvellyn range.