Terrain Overview
Walk Overview
A remarkable day weather wise in the Eastern region of Lakeland today with a
temperature inversion to be enjoyed on top of White Side, followed by fast
shifting fog on Stybarrow Dodd
Due to the remaining closure of the A591 at Grasmere (due to storm Desmond)
I journeyed via the Kirkstone Pass through Glenridding and Dockray to get on to
the A66 Keswick bound before turning on the open part of the A591 to get to
Thirlspot. On the way I came across the inversion that was hanging over the
Central and Eastern regions
The start point of the walk. I parked on the grass verge at the side of the A591
near Thirlspot Farm. Looking North you can see the other edge of the inversion
with Blencathra peeping over the top
The path through the farm
Through the Farm and across the field to a gate in the retaining wall on the far side
Through the gate and access to the open fell is gained by crossing
the Thirlmere Reservoir water race
The water race
The final gate and things start to get quite steep from here onwards
Knowing what I know now, my advice would be to head across to the wire fence
and pull your way up the steep fell side, rather than use the intermittent stone path
Looking across to Skiddaw and Blencathra, now slightly more visible
Close up of Skiddaw with the empty A591 below
Looking over Thirlmere Reservoir towards Great Gable and the Scafells
The wired fence ends and the journey carries on very steeply over grass towards
Brown Crag. The aim here is to head for a marker cairn at the left hand side
of the crag
The marker cairn. From here strike right away from Brund Gill that runs parallel
with the slope. Head round the base of Brown Crag
Looking right to the towering slopes of Browncove Crags and Helvellyn Lower Man
Baked in sunshine and blue skies. The Scafell range
At this point the path disappears somewhat and the going turns heavy
over sodden grass
Higher up and a series of cairn markers help with navigation
From the final marker cairn the summit (shrouded in mist) becomes visible
The welcome sight of the summit shelter cairn
Wow !! at 2,830 feet I find myself at the summit and just above the cloud
inversion. Helvellyn and Swirral Edge feature prominently above the cloud layer
Catstye Cam peeping through the clouds. Click here for a 360 degree view
From the summit I head roughly Eastwards to the second Fell of the day ... Raise
A clear footpath can be followed all the way with no difficulty
Within minutes of my journey to Raise, the inversion returns and covers
the previously clear Catstye Cam
Approaching the summit cairn on Raise
The mist approaches, I need to get a move on
Looking back to Helvellyn from the summit cairn
Click here for a 360 degree view
Close up of Helvellyn
The path North to Stybarrow Dodd
The path seen running across the route up to Stybarrow is the Sticks Pass which
will be my route down afterwards
It`s difficult to tell which is the higher cairn on the summit of Stybarrow Dodd.
There is also another one that is slightly off the main path
The mist came in big time which made it impossible to do a 360 degree view.
Navigation back to the Sticks Pass became quite tricky
Thankfully back out of the mist before I start to descend the Sticks Pass
As I journeyed back down the cloud started to move in for keeps - here
looking North towards Bassenthwaite Lake
