Category: Lake District
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Carrock Fell
The Northern Fells of the Lake District are composed mainly of Skiddaw Slates but one exception is Carrock Fell where the bedrock is a hard and grainy igneous rock called gabbro. I have encountered gabbro before. Just a few days ago on Mull whilst walking through the extinct volcano there. But at between 23 and 66…
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Anniversary Waltz
Some couples for their wedding anniversary go out for a romantic meal, others give each other the traditional gifts according to the year (cotton for 1st, paper for 2nd etc.). Wynn and Steve organise a fell race. And have done so for the last nineteen years. The Anniversary Waltz Fell Race starts at Stair, near Keswick…
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The Cockpit
A neolithic stone circle, not as grand as Stonehenge but very impressive high on the lakeland Barton Fell above Pooley Bridge. What a contrasting three days in the Lakes. Friday warm and hazy, I was wearing shorts and T shirt. Yesterday clear but a strong, bitterly cold wind and today rain and low cloud with…
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Glenridding
In the Lakes for three days; supervising a DofE expedition. Hazy weather must be due all this continental air that we are supposed to have. This is looking down on Glenridding from the top of Lucy’s Tongue. There’s a g;impose of Ullswater in the distance.
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Whitewater Dash
A second day in the Back o’ Beyond as Wainwright put it. Discovered this superb waterfall. Probably the best I’ve seen in the Lake District. The photo only shows one of the several cataracts, about a quarter of the total drop. Higher up there was lying snow at 600m and a bitterly cold easterly wind.
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Skiddaw House
In the Lakes yesterday, Back o’Skiddaw. Stayed at Skiddaw House. No wifi, no mobile reception, no mains electricity, a great place.
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Binsey
After two good days training in the Lakes with the North East Junior Orienteering Squad, horrendous weather was forecast for today. Headed to Binsey for an event hoping to finsh before the weather broke. Binsey is the most northernly Wainwright fell. An isolated 447m high hill a few miles north of Bassenthwaite Lake. Wainwright describes it as “the odd man…
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Tarn Hows
One of the jewels of the Lake District. Originally three tarns that were dammed into one in Victorian times.
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Great Tower Plantation
In the Lakes for the weekend. This is the high point of Great Tower Plantation, a small remnant of oak woodland used as a Scouts activity centre, looking north to Windermere, the largest of the England Lakes. All the high fells are in cloud.
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Brotherswater
Brotherswater is named after two brothers who drowned in there on New Year’s Day 1812 whilst skating on the frozen lake. Before that the lake was known as Broad Water. ‘Water’ of course comes from ‘vatn’ a Norse word for a lake.