Dow Crag - Number 50!

It's been a busy summer and we haven't had much time to go walking so this was our first outing since June.  Peter picked me up at 6 sharp in the pouring rain although the forecast was looking good.

We had planned on doing the Central Ridge but thought we would decide as we got over Bowes Moor.  The Central Ridge is a boggy walk so plan b was Dow Crag.  As we reached Bowes Moor the rain had died off but we thought Dow Crag would be a better walk as it was a little shorter (I have a 20 mile sponsored walk along Hadrians Wall to do next week). So we headed in the direction of Coniston, drove up the very steep Walna Scar road and parked at the car park at the top.  We arrived at 8.30 ready to set off with a piece of Gala pie to get us going.

We set off up the track used by 4x4 vehicles towards The Old Man and Dow Crag.  The path was wide and steady as we climbed slowly.  The tops were covered in low cloud but even at this early hour the cloud was clearing occasionally.  After about 30 minutes we took a right off the main track and started to climb towards the Cove.  Even though there was low cloud it was still quite warm and the cloud was coming and going all the time.

First bait stop at Goats Water

We arrived at Goats Water about 9.30 and had a sit on some rocks for a cuppa.  We were looking directly up at Dow Crag and one minute you could see it the next you couldn't.

We could just pick out a couple of climbers on the crags about half way up.

Looking back to Goats Water

On the way up to Goats Hawse

Dow Crag when the cloud cleared

Selfie with Goats Water!

We set off again towards Goats Hawse where we could turn right towards The Old Man or left towards Dow Crag, our target for today.  It was still quiet on the fells and we met our first walker at Goats Hawse, heading the same way as us.  We climbed towards the summit stopping before the top for another bait stop and some pictures of where we had just come from.

Goats Water below

At the summit with The Old Man in the background

We reached the summit about 11.30 am, still in and out of cloud but enough time to get a picture with The Old Man of Coniston in the background. There was hardly any breeze today so it was pleasant just sitting getting rehydrated.  This was a milestone top as it was number 50 for me out of 71 so only 21 to go now.  Really going to have to work out which one will be my last soon!

Looking back to Dow Crag from the shelter

Coniston Water 

We continued along the ridge in the direction of Buck Pike and then Brown Pike where we would join the Walna Scar road again.  It was getting warmer and the cloud was continuing to clear all the time.

Looking back up Walna Scar Road

It was only 1 pm and we were only about a mile from the car park so we had a final bait stop next to Cove bridge.

Cove Bridge 

Sunshine on the Fells, time for a drink!

A very pleasant walk today, quite easy as well, no trouble at all for my knee.  Time for a pear cider in the Sun hotel in Coniston.  Just make sure you order your plate of chips before 2.30 pm!!

Hoping to get another walk done at the end of September.

Wetherlam

What a great spell of weather we have had lately so we wanted to make the most of it and have a walk in warm sunshine rather than the rain and wind we normally get!  So we agreed to have a walk this weekend. I was due to pick Peter up at 6.30 am but when my alarm went off at 5.45 I made the schoolboy error of rolling over and I slept in until 6.15, so it was nearer 7.00 am when I arrived at Peters - oh dear!

We had already agreed to head over to Coniston this morning to tackle either Wetherlam or Dow Crag, the only two tops of the Coniston Fells not done yet.  We have had wall to wall sunshine for the past 2 or 3 weeks but the forecast for Saturday was more cloud in the east but sunshine in the west.  It took us until after Kirkby Stephen to see the sunshine coming through but it did.  We arrived in Coniston Village just after 9.15 am and parked in the main car park.  We got the boots on and started walking straight away, eating our pies as we walked.  We had both decided to bring light bags as we hoped we wouldn't need additional layers or waterproofs.  My bag was laden with some bait and loads of water, about 4 litres, well it was going to be warm!  As we walked out of the village we passed a couple of Americans who asked if we were walking up that hill!  Amazingly they had no water and no bags, good luck guys!

We walked up past the Miners Bridge with some very nice waterfalls on our left. It was hard work, very hot and the sun was shining at this point.  We stopped a couple of times for water.  It was a great morning though and there were quite a few walkers out on what was the first day of the school holidays.  We passed a number of walkers staying at the cottages in the Coppermines Valley shown in the next photo.

Coppermines Valley with Coniston Old Man and Swirl How

We kept passing a couple who were also heading up towards Wetherlam.  Every time we stopped they came past us and you could tell they were frustrated at how we kept getting ahead of them.  To be honest I'm not sure how we did, they must have taken a very winding path.  There were many paths going off in different directions and you could see how easy it would be to get lost in fog, but no chance of that today.

Lake Coniston in the distance

It was quite a long slog to the summit with great views all the way of Coniston Old Man and Swirl How. There was also a great view of the Coppermines valley and the extensive mining that took place here many years ago. 

We reached the summit just before noon and got a couple of photos in.  It was a busy summit with people coming and going. 

The summit

We dropped down slightly to have a bait stop and to admire the views.  We could see many of the tops I had already done, Scafel Pike, Bowfell, Great End, Crinkle Crags, Pike O Blisco and our last walk Harrison Stickle. 

Bait stop just off the summit

Walking down towards Levers Water

We began to descend towards Levers Water where we were going to have a sit in the sunshine, however it was starting to cloud over a little now.  It was still very warm but certainly more cloudy than it had been in the morning.  I always enjoy these stops on a warm sunny day though where you can just sit and put the world to rights.

Rest at Levers Water

We left Levers Water down a path strewn with small, dry rocks past the mine workings and the Youth Hostel.  We eventually joined up with the path we ascended, just below the Coppermine Cottages in the photo above.  We got back to the car just after 2.00pm got changed and time for a couple of pints in the village.  

A rare sunny day on the fells encouraged us to set a date for the next walk in 2 weeks time.

Crinkle Crags

The Bible

The first walk of 2013 is here and with a fair bit of snow fall, even at ground level, over the past few weeks, it suggested it would be a good one.  Just me and Peter on this one and he came to pick me up at 6.30 am. Peter had bought me a copy of "The Bible", the book we were basing all of our walks on, with the definitive list of the 71 mountains we were walking. I was chuffed with that, cheers Peter.

We set off for the Lakes and the first topic of conversation was where we would go.  We had discussed earlier in the week the possibility of around Coniston or High Spy.  We narrowed it down to Wetherlam or Crinkle Crags.  Whilst I had done Crinkle Crags before, I had not dated it so would have to do it again for the record.  The route around Wetherlam may be difficult in bad visibility and as we got further west, the cloud was lower.  So we decided on Crinkle Crags.  We headed towards Ambleside and then took the turning towards the Langdales.  We parked at the Dungeon Ghyll Old hotel, had a quick pasty, put the boots on and set off just after 9.00 am.  There was low cloud and we couldn't see the tops so it looked like this was the better option to choose.

We walked through the gate and set off towards the farm a half mile or so along the road, through the farm and out the gate on the other side of the farm.  Just after the gate we could choose to take a right up The Band or straight on into Oxendale.  We chose Oxendale and walked into the valley.  We eventually reached a footbridge which again presented us with a decision to cross or go straight on.  We went straight on beginning to climb slowly.  After a short while we reached another footbridge and decided to cross this one and took a right up the hill after the footbridge.  Just a little further up the path we took our first bait stop overlooking a waterfall with a nice pool at the bottom.  Even though we only stopped for 10 minutes or so, we were getting quite wet with the fine mist that was in the air.

We set off again, climbing further and crossed the stream twice.  After only half an hour or so we were reaching the snow line and the path became difficult to follow.  Very soon we had lost the path altogether and we were walking on virgin snow.  We were continuing to go upwards though so in the right direction!  By now we were in quite deep snow and each step was taking its toll, onwards and upwards!  We could hear voices off to our right and knew this was the main path higher up the Band so we were veering over towards that direction.  Eventually not far from the summit we joined the path and reached the pass where we could turn right to Bow Fell or carry on through Shelter Crags onto Crinkle Crags.  

We stopped for some lunch and I strapped on some Yaktrax I had bought the previous week.  They are ice grips for your boots to help you get a better grip.  

We reached the summit on the second Crinkle at 12.45 but not even time for a quick photo as it was freezing cold, so we turned back and headed for the path we had come up on.  As we were descending now the snow was taking our weight and it was much easier on the legs.  However I looked down and noticed I had lost a Yaktrax off my right boot!  I had only had them on about 20 minutes.  Peter kindly offered to back track and have a look.  It was gone though!  They were only a tenner from Go Outdoors so I will go back and get the Pro version which has a little strap to hole them in place!

We continued to descend for another 20 minutes or so and came across quite a large number of people ascending with quite a lot of children.  It was the start of half term but a few of them didn't look too happy to be climbing in that tiring snow.

By now we had been walking in snow for about 5 hours and eventually we reached the snow line on the way down.  I seemed to get a better grip on the wet rocks with my Yaktrax (well my left foot was) so I think I will bring them for wet walks in future as well.  We got back down to the bottom of the Band and back to the farm for just after 3 pm, so quite a long walk but the longest part was ascending.  I was quite pleased with my knees on the descent today.

A good, snowy walk with a hard ascent in deep snow but an easier descent today. This time Crinkle Crags has a date against it and its officially number 41 out of 71.

See you on the next walk.