Friday 29 December 2017

Back up into the snow


The first walk of the week, after worries around food not arriving at the house (Tesco found us), not being able to drive safely down the small drive (not a big frost or snowfall in the night), and not having enough clothes (everyone had remembered their hats). 

Difficulty: 4
Walkers: Tim, Caroline, Isabelle (15), Grace (13), Evie (10), Poppy (7)
10:14, 0.0km 0h00 0m, Start (126)
11:45, 3.7km 1h31 406m, Gavel Fell (526, Wainwright)
12:33, 5.4km 2h18 518m, Blake Fell (573, Wainwright)
13:38, 7.6km 3h23 576m, Burnbank Fell (475, Wainwright)
15:43, 12.4km 5h28 711m, End (127)


We parked in the small National Trust car park at the foot of Loweswater.  Not very easy to find, but marked on the 25k OS map.  Setting off through High Nook Farm and then to Gavel Fell.

After a little early shower it was mainly clear.

The way up towards Gavel Fell.

Keen children at the top of Gavel Fell.

The way up to Blake Fell was straightforward - following the fence, but conditions a little worse with sideways snow/hail.

Poppy, demonstrating the proper clothing for the conditions.

Hiding in the small shelter at the top of Blake Fell.  We camped there for a quick lunch.

Coming down the weather cleared so we could see where we were going once more.

However, it still meant we ended up in the wrong place - the instinct to climb up the nearest high piece of land not quite paying off here.

Now actually at Burnbank Fell.

More keen children - must have been post jelly babies.

View over Loweswater (left) and Crummock Water (right).  At this point my navigation failed and we ended up taking a very steep downhill route into Holme Woods, rather than the much more sensible route we were aiming at.

Now safely into Holme Wood, with a fairly straight way back to the car.  Next time I'll study the map more carefully...

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