Determined to have a decent length walk while we are back home, but wanting to avoid other people we decide on a route which is new to us, in the Shap Fells. We parked Just below the filter house on Swindale Lane and made our way down the lane to Truss Gap. United Utilities are busy installing fish ladders, eel ladders and other improvements to the water course.
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| Crossing through their site we then headed across the fellside below Trussgap Brow |
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| As we make our way across the fell side. Swindale Foot is below on the right of this picture with Swindale Head in the distance behind us. If you are paying attention, you will also notice that Molly has joined us for today's outing! |
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| We spotted these two Red Deer Stags below, making the most of some decent grass as they fatten up for rutting season. |
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| Langhowe Pike, our first summit of the day |
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| This is not a walk to do in wet conditions! All over the top there were bogs and marshes to avoid. We made our way over Rowantree Crag |
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| Before stopping for lunch on Great Ladstones |
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| As we reached Seat Robert we could see a squally shower heading our way. Thinking we might as well make the most of the summit shelter we got the waterproofs out and sat and waitied |
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| Then we decided the cairn offered more shelter so we moved and waited a bit longer. It's always worth the effort of getting the waterproofs out - the shower passed by us with hardly a spot landing on us! |
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| Across more boggy ground we reach the summit of High Wether Howe. As we stood admiring the view, Husband spotted a herd of Red Deer within feet of us. Needled to say by the time I had got the camera organised they had moved away! |
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| Looking towards the Pennines, we make our way gently down, following the wall to Waite Howes |
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| Before the path turns down through the bracken, back to the United Utilities site below. |
A short stretch back up Swindale Lane took us back to the car. Approximately 8.5 miles and another day of lovely temperatures and (other than one or two working on the site) not another human around. Bliss!
