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17/06/2013

Helm Crag and Gibson Knott Ridge


A moderate 9 mile walk from Grasmere; taking in Helm Crag, Gibson Knott and Far Easedale Gill
Firstly a quick photostop at Hammarbank to capture Windermere in all its early morning glory

A beautiful ivy clad B&B at the foot of Helm Crag






A song thrush serenading us from a nearby tree stump




Sign reads:
Please Leave - It Keeps The Deer Out!
Saw the sign, didn't see any squirrels







Sour Milk Gill pours down from Easedale Tarn





Helm Crag













Good thing I didn't bring the Roller!






A disused quarry below Jackdaw Crag had a magical atmosphere

Grasmere and Loughrigg Fell from Jackdaw Crag 
Seat Sandal and Fairfield from Helm Crag
Grasmere from The Lion and Lamb, not the highest point on Helm Crag, but a great place to take in the view
Easedale Tarn and Sour Milk Gill
Amazing coloured slabs of stone make up the footpath
Looking back to Helm Crag on the path to Gibson Knott

A well camouflaged Meadow Pipit
Looking back along Gibson Knott and Helm Crag, with Far Easedale Gill below

 The Gibson Knott Ridge is a little boggy in places; nothing a good waterproof pair of boots can't handle though. The good thing is that it's a perfect habitat for dragonfly and damselfly.



Golden Ringed Dragonfly


Large Red Damselfly
 
Did you know that a dragonfly rests with its wings open, while a damselfly rests with them closed? Neither did I! 

Bog Cotton thrives in the peaty soil
A glance back up to Gibson Knott Ridge...


... finishing off with a pleasant meander through the grounds of the Lancrigg Vegetarian Restaurant.
                         


An idyllic scene as we make our way back down to Grasmere

Thanks for visiting my photoblog, hope you enjoyed the walk!


11/06/2013

St. Sunday Crag

Starting at Patterdale and climbing gently towards Grisedale Tarn, continuing more steeply up to the summit and along the ridge of St. Sunday Crag; finishing with a steep descent of stone steps back down into Patterdale.
Unfortunately the glorious weather of the previous week was replaced by low cloud, driving rain and extremely gusty winds, so the much aniticipated fantastic view from the summit was almost completely obscured.
Just to illustrate what a difference a change in the weather can make, I'm including a photo taken near the summit by another "These Boots" walker, who was much luckier with the weather on her walk a few days earlier.

Setting off from Patterdale, the weather not yet looking too unpleasant
Inquisitive sheep come over to see who's walking along "their" valley




A little further on the clouds begin to descend.

Looking back down the valley towards Patterdale

Ruthwaite Lodge visible on the slope below the summit of High Crag






 


Ruthwaite Lodge, a climbing hut is built on the site of former underground mineworkings, with the remains of some shallow open workings visible near the Lodge.

A rather murky first glimpse of Grisedale Tarn appears through the low cloud

The view back towards Patterdale now completely obscured
Grisedale Tarn
Leaving Grisedale Tarn and starting the ascent to the summit of St. Sunday Crag, Grisedale Beck can be seen meandering its way down the valley towards Patterdale.

Grisedale Tarn slowly disappearing from view
Another walking party pick their way carefully down the slope towards Ruthwaite Lodge
 At this point in the walk the weather took a decided turn for the worse. Dense cloud cover, high winds and driving rain made it impossible to take any more photos until the summit was reached.

Made it!
Now just for comparison's sake.... here's the view of Ullswater that greeted us on Tuesday ...
 .....and here's the view that the lucky walkers saw a few days earlier...
...hmmmmm!

Glenridding, on the edge of Ullswater
Ullswater
As we descended the weather began to clear


Bluebells seem to be enjoying a very long flowering season this year




Fresh green bracken growth contrasts with the dead brown fronds from last year

An apparently dead and rotting tree somehow still manages to put on new leaf growth, at the same time providing an important habitat for insects.

Arriving back into Patterdale, with the musical accompaniment of running water throughout Waterfall Wood.

 Thanks for visiting my blog, I hope you enjoyed the photos.


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