Boredale Horseshoe

5 Years ago today we were collecting the keys for our new home and starting our new life up here in Cumbria. What better way to celebrate than to have a walk on the fells for a change!

We parked at Sandwick and started to climb up the front of Sleet Fell. No sleet about today though. The sun is doing it's best to give us another awesome autumn day

As we start out, Husband spots something over on by the wall - a herd of Red Deer are making their way up. If you look closely there is a hind just below the tree, a couple coming through the hole in the wall (left one is a hind, right one is a young stag) and then just to the left of the hole in the wall is a lovely big stag, complete with huge antlers.

Climbing up Sleet Fell. It's steep, but the views behind are worth stopping for. That's Ullswater and the hamlet is Sandwick, our car is just visible at the foot of the fell.

There are some amazing clouds about today, but at the moment we have fairly clear skies over us

From Sleet Fell we head over High Dodd  (the lump just right of centre) and then onto Place Fell. The two bits of water you can see are Ullswater, there are very few places where you can see the whole lake from the fells and more often than not it appears to be a number of smaller bodies of water

As we start to make our way down the far side of Place fell we spot a herd of Reds on the slopes. Perhaps the same herd who have made their way across the slopes of Boredale

Brothers Water comes into view as we head to wards Boredale Hause

The clouds are clinging to the fells like a blanket further south

Boredale from Boredale Hause. We were thinking of walking down here, but although there was a bank of cloud behind us, we were in sunshine and it looked like lasting, so we decided to head up again onto Beda Fell (seen on the right)

Martindale from Beda Fell

Ullswater being split by Hallin Fell

Howsteads Brow

Boredale Hause with the sun dropping behind as we drop down from Howstead Brow

To cross Boredale Beck before following the intake wall back to Sandwick

8 miles and another lovely day. Hard to believe it is nearly December.

Hartsop Dodd, Caudale Moor and Stony CovePike

It's a stunning morning, but it's not going to last all day. We parked at the top of Hartsop village and then it's an in your face climb up the fellside.

We are going to follow the wall on the right up onto the ridge and then walk up the ridge onto Hartsop Dodd

Starting the climb

It's a real pull up here,but with views like this, who cares how often we need to stop for a breather. Ullswater is just appearing up the valley

Brothers Water

Hartsop below Angletarn Pikes

Just as you get to the top - you realise it isn't the top!

One man and his Dog.................. and a pretty good view

As we reach the Atkinson Memorial on Caudale Moor we can see how the weather is brewing in the south. If you try really hard you can just make out Windermere somewhere between Breeze and the bright spot in the sky

Monarch of Kirkstone Pass

We had planned to go from Stony Cove Pike across Threshthwaite Mouth and onto Gray Crag,but having seen the weather approaching from the south, we decided to take the steep descent route into (say it without smiling if you can) Pasture Bottom. Seen below us here.

The climb down Threshthwaite crag isn't the most pleasant, but it's worth the hassle to walk out through a valley as beautiful as this.

Nearly back at the car. Anyone want to give a spaniel a lift home?

Just over 6 miles and the weather held until we left Hartsop and started the drive home

Souther Fell and Glenderamackin

You've probably worked out by now that it's not about bagging summits or competing with others when we go walking. It's about enjoying ourselves ans staying safe. So when the wind started to get up this morning we set off with a flexible route plan, starting with Souther (pronounced Sooter) Fell.

Breeze doesn't really care where we go, so long as it's fast!

At the top of Souther we start to make our minds up as to where to go next. Blencathra in the background is NOT on the plan, far too many folk up there at the moment with all the publicity and it will definitely be a bit wild up there today too.

In the end we decide to head along the side of Scales Fell

Below Sharp edge

When we get up to the edge of Mungrisdale Common, we double back and start on the track down the other side of the Glenderamackin through Bannerdale.

This is a wet area any time of year, but particularly so at the moment. Never the less it's still a lovely place to walk, and not difficult to get to if we want a short dog walk.

A short walk on the road through Mungrisdale back to the car completes the circuit. We may have downgraded our walk part way round, but we still managed about 8 miles and it was a really enjoyable, easy walk on a wild day.

Little Mell Fell

 Just a spur of the moment decision took us up Little Mell Fell for a dog walk today - inspired by a conversation with a neighbour yesterday! I don't normally record our everyday dog walks on here, but as it involved a summit I thought I might as well. I don't know why we don't go up the Mell Fells more often, they are so close to home. I guess it is because they are only a dog walk kind of length and we tend to head up out of the village to walk the dog, not down to t'other side of the main road. Maybe we will start to visit them a bit more often from now on, who knows!

Dramatic light over Ullswater as we head straight up the fell from The Hause

Everywhere is so wet at the moment. 

Little Mell Fell Summit

Heading down the other side. That's Great Mell Fell ahead.

So short I didn't even measure it, but about 2.5 miles in all. A few more for a spaniel!

St Sunday

Just the two (three) of us today as Jay is busy with other commitments. She's missed another corker though.

We were above an inversion at home this morning, but by the time we got to Patterdale, the cloud had moved away.

We parked at Deepdale Bridge and headed towards the dale itself - this is looking back at Angletarn Pikes from the lonin to Deepdale Hall

Above the intake wall and into Deepdale we head

Looking back at Wall End. This is the last sign of human life we will see for a long time.

Crossing the clapper bridge at Coldcove Gill

and looking back again from further up Deepdale. It's a beautiful place and one that seems to have been forgotten by the general masses. We saw no-one at all until we were up on the tops. Remote doesn't even begin to describe this place and on a day like today it was truly something.

We've had about 10 inched of rain at home in the last 5 weeks, so no doubt more has fallen here - the path was a stream in places. This is the path!

Breeze is enjoying herself

We head up through the drumlins to the hanging valley of Mossydale before climbing up the steep Sleet Cove 

All the rain has left a small pool in between the drumlins. Breeze goes for a dip but I just manage to catch the picture before the reflections are disturbed (bet you had to look twice to spot the pool)

We pause for a Scooby snack before climbing up Sleet Cove to Deepdale Hause

Looking back down the deserted Deepdale. Still not a soul in sight.

As we reach Deepdale Hause we are rewarded with this view. The Scafells on the left with a dusting of snow and Great Gable centre at the back

Looking behind as we start the climb up to St Sunday from Deepdale Hause. That's Grisedale Tarn with Dollywagon Pike just disappearing into the cloud on the right and Fairfield on the left in cloud

The cloud was quite atmospheric as it swirled around, but unfortunately it decided to stay down just as we reached the summit. We did get our first taste of winter of the season though with a slight dusting on the top

As we start our decent down Black Crag we drop out of the cloud to see Ullswater ahead

The best of the day has definitely gone, it's turned quite cool but it's still very pleasant and by this time we've still only seen a couple of folk, we head down to Glenamara park before reaching Patterdale

Once we reach Patterdale we cross the road to pick up a footpath through Crookabeck to take us back to the car. A lovely easy walk back, though unfortunately it started raining about here and didn't stop, so the camera stayed away. 

An lovely walk through one of the quietest valleys you could wish to find. About 10 miles in total.