It's just the two (three) of us today. Pat and Rob have headed further North and Jay is busy, so a it's a rare family outing. And what a corker of a day it turns out to be. We are later than usual starting as we have an appointment in Penrith first, so we park up at Mardale Head and start out walking somewhere around 11am. It's a beautiful day and it stays that way all day too.
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| On your marks, get set......................... |
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| Heading up to Blea Water |
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| Blea Water Crag (Mardale Ill Bell) above Blea Water |
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| From Blea Water we head up to Caspel Gate |
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| Looking back along Riggindale Crag from Long Stile |
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| Lunch with a view. The Western Fells from Racecourse Hill |
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| Heading for Mardale Ill Bell - the dark lump infront of Breeze - and then Harter Fell - the big lump on the left at the back |
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| Small Water and Haweswater from the path above Black John Hole |
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| Small water and Blea Water just visible in the centre of the picture taken as we head up onto Harter Fell. From there we headed across The Knowe and Brown Howe to Kentmere Pike |
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| Tricolour Spaniel. Notice she's smiling! She's very proud of herself |
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| It's windy up here! On the summit of Kentmere Pike |
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| Then we take a less frequented route to visit some quarries which a friend has recently brought to our attention. You can see the grey area slightly above (but below if you get my drift!) and to the right of Breeze |
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| We love the remoteness of places like this, particularly when there is not another person around |
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| Wrengill Quarry |
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| We definitely need to visit this place with a bit more time to spare. It is amazing. Huge underground caverns |
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| The mines were closed in 1945, when the Italian Prisoners of War who were by then working there, were all sent home. |
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| Below the quarry we turn onto Gatesgarth Pass and start to climb again |
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| As part of water quality project in these parts the stocking levels have been dramatically reduced. Nearly every sheep we saw today was a Rough Fell, including some real bonny hoggs on this last stretch |
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| Back to the car at Haweswater |
