Ill Bell

The second walk of the year and hopefully we will have completed the 63rd top out of 71 by the end of the day.  Peter picked me up at 6.00 am and it was already a sunny morning as we set off for Kentmere, a little village near Windermere.  There are not many parking spaces in Kentmere, just a handful at the Village Hall and most of them were taken, even at 7.45 am.  We got one of the last spaces alongside the Hall, put our boots on and started walking at 8.00 am with scotch eggs in hand.  The first part of the walk was on a road as we walked out of the village to the Nook where we turned right to head up the Garburn Pass.

Pointing us in the right direction

The road was now unmade and quite rocky as we began to gently climb up Garburn Pass for about a mile and a half.

Badger Rock

It wasn't 9 o'clock but it was already very warm and sunny.  We stopped a couple of times for drinks and we had also bumped into 3 or 4 people this early into the walk.  It looked like this was a popular walk as it formed part of the Kentmere Horseshoe.

View from a bait stop towards Yoke

There was a clear path all the way today so even in poor weather it would be a good walk to do.

Looking back down the path.  The trees centre right are where we turned right off Garburn Pass

Yoke was now in view and just ahead of us, we reached the summit just after 10.00 am.  We were now on the ridge and could see our target Ill Bell just ahead.  As we looked down to the right you could see Kentmere Reservoir and got a great view of the Kentmere Horseshoe.

Kentmere Reservoir

There was a short drop from Yoke and then a gentle climb up to Ill Bell. We reached the summit just after 10.30.

Approaching Ill Bell

Summit cairns, visited both just in case!

We sat on the summit for 20 - 25 minutes, had some bait and watched several walkers go by.  It was still quite early and with a fairly gentle descent ahead we had plenty of time.

Panorama from the summit taking in Thornthwaite Crag, High Street, Kidsty Pike, Mardale Ill Bell, Harter Fell and Kentmere Pike

Looking back to Yoke and Ill Bell

 The walk back to the car was very warm and we stopped another couple of times for more drinks and what was left of the bait.  We got back to the car just before 1.30 got changed and drove to the next village, Staveley for a pint in the Eagle and Child.

Only 8 tops left to do now and the end firmly in sight.

See you on the next walk.

Walk route and stats

Red Screes

We were both chomping at the bit to get walking again, with no Christmas walk last year and nothing since October we were ready to get going again.  We both wanted to watch Norwich v Sunderland at lunchtime so decided on a quick walk near Ambleside to get back down in time to see it.  I picked Peter up just after 6.00 am and we were heading to Red Screes.

There was a dusting of snow on the tops coming over Bowes Moor so we knew it was going to be cold.  We arrived at the car park opposite the Kirkstone Pass Inn just after 8.00 am and sure enough it was freezing!  We got ready, had our breakfast and started walking around 8.30 through the gate at the top of the car park and straight onto the path.

Red Screes from the car park

Red Screes was right in front of us and we were climbing straight away.  The path was clearly marked, left of the middle of Red Screes.  Further up the mountain we could see the screes that lead to the Kilnshaw Chimney, we were walking to the left of here through the crags below the summit.  The walk was quite easy, although quite steep and a couple of scrambles over rocks.  We reached the summit just after 9.30, it was cold and windy up there so just a few quick photos.

Red Screes summit with Caudale Moor in the background

Coniston Fells on the left, Scafells in the middle, Great Gable on my shoulder

 It was icy cold and quite windy on the top, so we dropped off quickly, retracing the ascent path for our descent.  The descent was quite easy and we had plenty of time to get back down to watch the match.

Looking back down to the Kirkstone Pass

Windermere in the distance

We had time for a sit down a little further down out of the wind to have a cuppa and some bait and watch the traffic on the Kirkstone Pass.  The walk was getting busier now with two or three people passing us while we sat and then a few more when we set off walking again.

Kirk stone Pass Inn from the bait stop

We were back at the car just after 11 so a short, quick walk today but another one chalked off, only 15 to do now.  We were back in Ambleside for 11.30 and went to the Churchill Inn to see a fantastic 3-0 win for Sunderland.  We are planning the next walk for mid May, see you then.

Another look back at the walk, Raven Crag on the left