Sunday 31 March 2013

Ling Fell and Sale Fell

It's this kind of walk that I think picks out Wainwright baggers from normal people, this was the first walking holiday with the kids where we deliberately set out to capture some Wainwrights.  To say that we had these fells at the north end of Bassenthwaite to ourselves would be entirely fair, picking less popular areas really has its advantages.

We'd picked a route that I knew others had done before, so the lack of footpaths on the map wasn't too much of a worry.  It also had a convenient fast route back to the car if we weren't able to add Ling Fell at the end.  As it was we did the whole thing, and surely had done enough to earn our easter eggs that day - it was Easter Sunday after all.

Difficulty: 2
Walkers: Tim, Caroline, Isabelle (10), Grace (8), Evie (5)
11:44, 0.0km 0h00 0m, Start (168)
12:28, 1.2km 0h43 184m, Sale Fell (359)
15:04, 5.9km 3h20 397m, Ling Fell (373)
15:38, 7.2km 3h53 402m, End (168)



The walk up to Sale Fell.

Caroline and Poppy at the top of Sale Fell, Poppy not looking exactly keen at this point.

Evie, always the separatist.

Small amount of road walking between the peaks.

Isabelle and Grace, losing no opportunity to walk in the snow.  Grace had made a complete fuss at the start of the holiday and refused to wear any decent walking shoes.

The route looking back from Ling Fell.

 The happy family at the top of Ling Fell.

The gentle walk back down to the car, which is hidden behind some trees at the bottom of the valley to the left.



Saturday 30 March 2013

Aira Force

We'd hired a really nice place in Bassenthwaite for a week over the Easter holidays (Low Melbecks Barn), and driven up from Birmingham on the saturday morning.  Coming in from the Penrith exit off the M6 we chose to do a short walk at Aira Force.

We arrived to find lots of evidence of recent snow storms - a week earlier and I'm not sure we would have been able to make it to our holiday cottage.  However, apart from the cold the kids loved the snow!

Difficulty: 1
Walkers: Tim, Caroline, Isabelle (10), Grace (8), Evie (5)
14:35, 0.0km 0h00 0m, Start (173)
16:20, 2.9km 1h45 88m, End (164)


A picture of the four of them.  Poppy still fitted in the baby carrier, so spent most of the holiday bundled up in warm clothes and strapped up, carried by either Caroline or myself depending on who felt strongest and most confident!

This illustrates why Poppy spent most of the time in the carrier.  She wasn't the most focused walker.

This short walk does have its rewards when you reach the many falls.