Exploring the fells around High Street - Haweswater,     9miles 2800ft 

Setting off from Mardale Head on the climb to Blea Water. Haweswater  reservoir was somewhat depleted but nothing like as much as those  in Yorkshire 

Arriving at the outflow from Blea Water with the High Street ridge climbing to the right

Looking back to Blea Water on reaching the Riggindale ridge

Zooming in on two of the islands in Haweswater 

The view back down Riggindale

Haweswater again with the northern Pennines on the horizon

Ill Bell and Yoke, part of the Kentmere round, from Mardale Ill Bell

Now you see me......

.....Now you don't!

Haweswater and Riggindale from Mardale Ill Bell

After crossing to the west side of the High Street ridge I had views to the central fells - here showing Fairfield....

.....and here cloud rising from Helvellyn

Looking down on Hayes Water as opposed to Haweswater!

High Street and the Straights of Riggindale....

....and then to Kidsty Pike the last climb of the day 

Where I met Nico from Nuremberg - Germany, who was on his fourth day of walking the Coast to Coast Path. "Nice to meet you Nico and good luck with the rest of the walk"

Part of the steep descent from Kidsty Howe to Haweswater

Meet Charlie from London - another Coast to Coaster! "Good luck with the rest of the walk Charlie, should be a bit easier on the knees from here on!"  

Looking back up Riggindale  

The final stretch of path back to Mardale Head with the car park just visible centre left

Thirlmere's Western Fells 

Goat Crag, Bleaberry Fell, High Seat & High Tove returning along the reservoir path. 10 miles 2100ft

Setting off from the reservoir dam at the north end of Thirlmere, Raven crag rises above

The path crosses Shoulthwaite gill and  climbs steeply to a grassy shelf immediately below the face of the crags 

Zooming in on the bridge just crossed from the grassy shelf

Traversing the shelf with Helvellyn still in cloud on the other side of Thirlmere 

Following a further short climb to the summit of Bleaberry fell, (1936ft) there were views to Bassenthwaite & Derwentwater.....

......Keswick.....

.....and Skiddaw behind

I then continued along the ridge to High Seat summit (1995ft) with a view south west to Great Gable still in cloud....

....and to the south east the Helvellyn ridge now clear of cloud

The path from High Seat to High Tove crosses a depression once reknowned in Lakeland as one of the wettest, boggiest crossing on the high fells. However much conservation work has recently been completed resulting in a mile long paved path which both preserves the peat bog's unique habitat from walkers and giving easy access to its crossing and flora.

This is just one small example from taken from the path

From the summit of High Tove the path starts the descent to Thirlmere down Fisher gill, the heather is just coming into bloom

Thirlmere appears as the gill descends

Having aborted my first attempt at lunch an hour earlier on the fell tops due to a myriad of flies descending on me, I stopped fly free, on the side of Thirlmere with a lovely view to Blencathra

I think these two paddleboarders had spotted my butties as they hurried towards me!   

The last leg of the walk was a lovely gentle stroll along the lakeside path with sunshine lighting up the route

.....and again

.....and again

Now looking into the sun back down the lake

Finally the dam at end of the reservoir comes into view

A wonderful day's walking with a great variety of  terrrain and scenery. Lakeland truly looking it's best!

In Search of Water!

With a visa for Yorkshire on my passport I drove over the M62 and parked up next to Baitings reservoir. My route was to take me round the reservoir, climb Rishworth moor  to Blackstone Edge and descend via Green Withins reservoir and Ryburn reservoir. 13miles 1450ft 

After parking up I walked onto a modern bridge crossing the reservoir giving this view down to the original crossing long since covered by water until very dry conditions such as this summer's heat wave. 

 Looking back at the view of both bridges

Zooming in on the bridges from the dam at the far end of the reservoir  

Nearing the top of Rishworth moor I joined the old packhorse road crossing Blackstone Edge from Yorkshire to Lancashire

This carved plaque explained the purpose of .....

.....the carved stone on the ridge

After following the Pennine Way a short distance along Blackstone Edge I arrived at the summit trig point 1549ft

Looking down on Manchester with a heat haze or maybe air pollution over the city skyline

 

Looking north over the Pennine moors with Stoodley pike monument visible above Blackstone Edge reservoir

 

 

There was also a good view down to Hollingworth lake and Rochdale 

The Pennine way continues over Blackstone Edge and  then crosses the M62 by this rather attractive footbridge .....

.....ditto 

My route then took me past Green Withins reservoir.... 

.....and then climbed Dog Hill 1427ft

From the summit I could see Rishworth below and Ripponden in the distance

Finally my last reservoir of the walk was Ryburn reservoir also looking very dry, from where it was just a short walk to the car