Day 2 Bowness on Windermere to Bowness on Solway

Grasmere to Keswick 15m 2750ft

Leaving my car in Keswick I caught the bus to Grasmere and set off into Easedale....

.....and continued into Far Easedale following the Coast to Coast path westward

The lakes continue to very dry underfoot with little in the becks & rivers

Looking back down Far Easedale....

....before continuing to Greenup Edge on what used to be a very boggy path but has been subject to a great job by 'Fix the Fells' teams

Looking back from Greenup Edge to Calf crag 

Greenup Edge has great views to Scafell Pike

 Bow fell

High Crag and the Buttermere fells and many more....

....then a final climb to Ullscarf today's highest point at 2382ft

The descent took me over Standing Crag with a view to one of the many Blea tarns

Looking back to Standing Crag

Blea tarn again

Arriving in Borrowdale sat above Watendlath tarn for my lunch....

Derwentwater from Surprise View point...

With a view down to Lodore Hotel

The view point is a very popular place

Looking to the ever present Skiddaw the 4th highest fell in the Lakes....

.....and again....

....before finally arriving in Keswick....

....with the Moot Hall....

....and Fitz Park where I had parked my car.

Day 2 proved to be another fabulous day's walking in the outstanding beauty of the Lake District!

 My next long distance path

Bowness on Windermere to Bowness on Solway

Day 1: Bowness on Windermere to Grasmere 14.5m 1950ft

Windermere lake ferry landings at Bowness

Bowness marina

My walk started with a crossing of Windermere on the car ferry to Far Sawrey

Bowness marina again as the ferry set off

Looking north up the lake

This excellent path follows the lake on the west side

Looking east to the fells of the Kentmere horseshoe 

Continuing on the lakeside path to.....

.....the grounds of Wray castle....

.....then on to Clappersgate with Holy Trinity church and Loughrigg fell behind

There was a lot of RAF low flying practice today including this Galaxy C5 transport aircraft, helicopters & fighter jets

The footbridge crossing the river Rothay into Rothay park as I passed by Ambleside....

....and then on to Rydal village and Rydal Mount the favourite home William Wordsworth

Above Rydal Mount an 'Old Corpse Road' continues north towards Grasmere....

.....with lovely views over Rydal water to Rydal caves....

....and Rydal water

When I reached Town End I started the climb to Alcock tarn with a view to the Langdale pikes on the western Horizon....

....and Helm Crag above Grasmere

Zooming in on Garsmere village below....

....and Helm crag again....

....before arriving at Alcock tarn.... 

It was all downhill after that with a view up Greenhead gill to Stone Arthur

As I descended further I saw the Galaxy C5 plane again just visible centre, below the fell line

Finally finishing day '1' at the Swan Hotel Grasmere

This really was a Magnificent 1st day's walking in perfect weather on my route to Bowness on Solway 

 Yockenthwaite Moor

My last climb to complete the 'Dales 30' ie the fells in the Yorkshire Dales National Park over 2000ft

Yockenthwaite is renowned as the boggiest fell in the Dales. I've been waiting for a long dry spell to complete this last one

Setting off from the hamlet of Marsett in Raydale

Looking across the dale to Billinside moor which will be my route down

Passing through the hamlet of Stalling Busk

Stalling Busk again with Marsett across the dale

Looking up Cragdale to Yockenthwaite summit ridge

Interesting cloud formations

Now on the vast expanse of the summit plateau covered in bog and mini tarns....

.....However in this long dry spell the bogs were all dried up!!

Leaving the summit trig point 2110ft just as the only other walker I saw all day arrived

Sitting in the comfy dry grass for my lunch

Now descending into Raydale with Semerwater lake 

in the dale

A place in the shade to rest awhile on the steps of the hunting lodge....

....continuing the descent to....

.....the grounds of Raydale House....

....back into the hamlet of Marsett

I finally got round to completing the 'Dales 30' on a perfect day after a long dry spell. The summit plateau is around 3 miles long covered in peat hags to be climbed or walked round. A very taxing experience when wet. Today however, whilst still hard going was at least dry underfoot making for a grand days walking in the Dales National Park