Shap to Pooley Bridge

Shap to Pooley Bridge : 13miles 1750ft

Leaving Shap summit on a very murky grey morning, which didn't get much better! 

The path circuits the edge of Shap quarry

I then descended into the Lowther estate to follow 

the River Lowther  

The path leaves the river to climb to Lowther Castle

Leaving the castle behind....

....I returned to the river....

....before climbing through the very attractive village of Askham.

Continuing over Heughscar Hill, the clouds just lifted enough to see

Ullswater with Hallin Fell the most prominent of the fells in view.

 I then walked over 'Pooley Bridge', which spans the River Eamont as it flows out of Ullswater

After climbing Dunmallard Fell, on the other side of the bridge,

 I passed the Ullswater steamer pier....  

....and walked down it for another photo of Ullswater.

Returning over the very impressive single span, 

stainless steel bridge.

Pausing by the River Eamont....

...where I found a definite sign of Spring being on the way!

Wetherlam to Swirl How (Part 2)

Part 2:   Wetherlam to Swirl How, Great Carrs 

& return to Tilberthwaite 

Levers Water from the climb up Prison Band to Swirl How 2630ft 

Looking over Langdale from Swirl How summit to Fairfield & the

Helvellyn range

The memorial at the crash site of the Canadian Halifax bomber in

Oct 1944. The plane failed to clear the summit by just a few feet with loss of all eight crew. 

The Scafell range above the cloud inversion looking from the crash

site 

A plaque has been put at the base of the memorial 

Lunch time looking down Greenburn sat on Great Carrs summit 

Seathwaite Tarn in the Duddon Valley as I continued along the

Coniston fells ridge.

Brim Fell and Coniston Old Man before I descended from Levers

Hause....

....to Levers Water

An easy descent then to Coniston 

passing the disused copper mines....

....and the quarries....

....followed by the Miners Bridge

By-passing the village of Coniston....

 ....on the path back to Tilberthwaite Ghyll 

Part (1): Tilberthwaite Ghyll sunrise, & Wetherlam

A beautiful winter's day for fell walking 

Part (1): Tilberthwaite Ghyllsunrise, & Wetherlam                             

Parking up near Tilberthwaite farm (2miles from Coniston)

Sunrise from the climb out of Tilberthwaite Ghyll

 ditto

 ditto

Continuing the climb towards Wetherlam

Looking down into the Ghyll

Looking south from the path to Wetherlam Edge

After the steep climb up Wetherlam Edge the views opened out to

Crinkle Crags & Bow Fell....

....also to the Langdale Pikes 

I then noticed this very unusual Brocken spectre

https://www.britannica.com/science/Brocken-specter

Arriving at the summit of Wetherlam with views to Coniston Old

Man....

 ....and the route ahead to Swirl How (left) and Great Carrs (Right)

Looking across the ridges towards Windermere and a sea of cloud to

the south 

The way ahead up Prison Band to Swirl How and beyond; coming soonin Part (2)

 

Dunmail Raise...and beyond

Dunmail Raise, Grisedale Tarn, Dollywagon & Nethermost Pikes, Helvellyn,Whiteside and Raise, descending via Sticks Pass - 

9miles 3450ft  

Passing Grisedale Tarn with Seat Sandal of last week's walk behind

Following the cornice round to Dollywagon Pike

Looking south from Dollywagon to Windermere and 

Morecambe Bay

Continuing across the ridge to Nethermost Pike

Striding Edge from its entry on to Helvellyn summit

Catstye Cam, Red Tarn and Ullswater on the horizon

The shelter on Helvellyn summit plateau (3118ft)

A very experienced & well equipped climber descending onto SwirrelEdge!

Looking back from Whiteside summit shelter to Helvellyn....

....and ahead to Raise summit, where if there is sufficient snow,

skiers use the tow lift on the other side  

Looking back again from Raise summit 

The view north to Ullswater from Raise 

Skiddaw range from Sticks Pass 

Legburthwaite (St. John's Vale) my destination

A final glimpse of Thirlmere