A Mardale Circuit

Out on the hills above Mardale today. The weather wonderful and the views magic, there was a very cold wind though! Leaving the car at Mardale Head I took the pathround towards The Rigg....There is rather a lot of pictures....

Out towards The Rigg beside a flat calm Haweswater

Looking up into Riggindale

High Street from Kidsty Pike

Looking West across the Straits of Riggindale

Rest Dodd in the foreground with the Helvellyn range in the distance

Northwest from Rampsgill Head

The Trig on High Street, I was surprised to have the summit to myself

Hayeswater from below Thornthwaite Crag

Thornthwaite Beacon

Blea Water, just a glimpse of  Haweswater in the distance.
This image gives a good idea of the convex slopes of hard neve in the Lakes at the moment! 

Blea Water Crag, bounded to the North by Long Stile

Down to Nan Bield, Small Water beyond my shadow.

Looking back over much of my route today. A partly frozen Small Water seen here from the shoulder of Harter Fell

The summit of Harter Fell, not quite as "spiky" as it used to be I'm sure.
From here I followed the fence down to Adam Seat, and then to the top of Gatesgarth.
It was in the shade all the way back to the car. Anther great day :-)

The High Stile Ridge.....From Buttermere

Wonderful weather today, I'd seen the forecast and had planned to get back onto this ridge on the first fine day I was "free". Today was it!
A relatively early start (for me) saw me at Buttermere for 10am, things were looking promising.
Enough of this preamble and blather lets get to the pictures....a great day:-)

Its a bit of a drag up through Burtness Wood, it was good to emerge into the warmth of the morning sun. Pretty soon I was back in the shade of High Stile though.
Buttermere was as you can see like a milpond!

Over the lip of the corrie and the headwall behind Bleaberry Tarn reminded me of a Highland coire rather than the Lakes. Red Pike was looking.....Red!

Red Pike reflected in Bleaberry Tarn

The view looking Northwest from the summit of Red Pike. Crummock Water flanked by Grasmoor on the right and Melbreak on its left.

Northeast, again from Red Pike

Looking back towards Red Pike, Great Borne beyond from point 806 on High Stile. The two stretches of water are Ennerdale Lake on the left and Loweswater on the right. 

View of the day....well I thought anyway!
Looking down to Gatesgarth and Fleetwith Pike from above Grey Crag and Burtness Comb.

Looking back to High Stile from High Crag....beautiful.

Pillar, a real mountain....seen from the summit cairn of High Crag.
Looking into the sun unfortunately. 

The hills at the head of Ennerdale, the Scafell Group beyond from High Crag. 

I dropped down to Scarth Gap Pass via Seat.
 I was soon down beside the shore of Buttermere, I couldn't resist this pic of a Highland Coo with Fleetwith Pike in the background.
The cloud had built up a little, I felt as though I'd had the best of the day...A great day :-)

Midweek Fat BIke Fun Day....Kentmere

Coldest morning of this Winter here in the South Lakes! Sunny tho....so off I drove to Staveley (its so handy for me, and no traffic). I parked near Barley Bridge and got the bike out of the car. In the few minutes it took to get sorted I was pretty chilled...it was -7c so no wonder! Little wind as I pedalled off and took the bridleway through Scroggs Farm. Then it was up through Elf Howe....as is almost always the case, here's some pics to give a flavour of the day

 I didn't have a proper plan at this point above Elf Howe on Hall Lane, but thought I'd see how icy the tracks were with a possibility of heading up to Nan Bield after Green Quarter Fell.

The first section almost over here above Skeggles Water.
The snow very dry and powdery, providing lots of giggles, on the fatbike you just can't help it...like being a kid on a BMX again :-)

Not total snow cover on the descent to Green Quarter, the sun had a fair bit of power in it...although not enough to melt the large ice patches.
The Coniston Fells are in the background.

A little further down and the head of Kentmere fills the view. My mind was mainly on avoiding the ice! Lots of it here as you can see.

I made the decision to head towards Nan Bield, but time seemed to be running away. To much playing about I think. I stopped here beside Ullstone Gill for a snack on the way back down.

As I headed back down the valley I took a diversion up to Kentmere Park and down "The Three Rivers" to Ullthwite Bridge
The sun had gone replaced by cloud, colder as well.
It was back down the road to the car from Ullthwaite....still below freezing when I got in the car!
The Strava track is here should anyone wish to see my route in more detail.
A great fun day, this bike always puts a smile on my face...makes me feel 16 not 60!!