walkhighlands

This board helps you to share your walking route experiences in England and Wales... or overseas.
Warning Please note that hillwalking when there is snow lying requires an ice-axe, crampons and the knowledge, experience and skill to use them correctly. Summer routes may not be viable or appropriate in winter. See winter information on our skills and safety pages for more information.

Stupid idea - a circuit of Windermere (with added Marilyn)

Stupid idea - a circuit of Windermere (with added Marilyn)


Postby Jaxter » Mon Sep 28, 2020 11:41 am

Date walked: 17/09/2020

Time taken: 0.48

Distance: 2.31 km

Ascent: 108m

1 person thinks this report is great.
Register or Login
free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).

Previous day - evening delight on Black Fell

Bike - 53.43km, 765m ascent, 3 hours 40 mins

It had been a remarkable week so far - I'd managed to do things every day since we'd arrived (as well as working Monday to Thursday) and although I had been limited in what I could do and careful not to over-do it, I wasn't feeling too bad. At the moment I seem to be able to do more cycling without feeling awful so we thought we'd take the bikes for a spin after work. I like going around things, so I'd suggested a cycle around Windermere.

We left Langdale and passed through Ambleside. After this it got pretty busy - probably didn't help that the weather was good and the whole world was trying to get somewhere. After Bowness we turned off the main road and climbed up towards Winster. It got very hilly around here and we met a tractor on possibly the narrowest bit of road in the country (if only it had been a magic tractor and turned into a field :lol: ) The views were spectacular though!
Image

There were some brutal climbs, and the hot weather was making life even more difficult as we climbed endless steep hills (turns out there were arrows on a lot of them that hadn't showed up on the less detailed map :roll: ) but at last we had arrived at the Gummer's How start point - when I'd suggested a cycle, Malky had made sure to include a Marilyn on it; although he claims it was to avoid the main road :roll: )
Image

After a short breather and some water, we headed along the well-built path, which worryingly seemed to be going slightly downhill :shock:
Image

Views down to Newby Bridge at the end of Windermere were awesome 8)
Image

The path soon started to climb steeply up a sort of rocky staircase
Image

Although steep, the climb was mercifully short and before long we found ourselves at the summit of Gummer's How, looking down Windermere to Helvellyn and High Street
Image

The big hills
Image

East towards the Dales
Image

Selfie on Gummer's How
Image

Asleep on my feet, literally :lol:
Image

The summit
Image

Image

At this point we realised that we were only about halfway around and that I was shattered...I phoned my Mum to tell her that they should probably just eat dinner and not wait for us as we were going to be late!
Image

We started to head back down
Image

Image

Apparently these are cows from the isle of Luing!
Image

Back at the bikes I felt knackered :lol: Fortunately it was an "easy" freewheel down the very steep hill - stopping for a picture of the whole of Windermere on the way....
Image

Glad that my brakes (and me!) had survived the challenge, we got on with the return cycle - although not as hilly as the outward route there were still a lot of hills. We did note that despite having cycled around Windermere we hadn't seen an awful lot of it :lol:

The light disappeared and it got very cold, especially in the glens where we would drop into freezing temperatures before climbing back out into warm spots! The lights went on relatively quickly and as we passed through Hawkshead the light had gone completely
Image

We were very pleased to be back in Langdale - turns out that my parents hadn't deliberately waited for us, they'd just sort of forgotten to start cooking early enough, so we even had time for a quick shower each before food miraculously appeared on the table 8)

Next day - small but perfectly formed Harter Fell
Attachments

activity_5552263970.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts


Gummer_s_How.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts

User avatar
Jaxter
Wanderer
 
Posts: 1486
Munros:217   Corbetts:139
Fionas:90   Donalds:49+13
Sub 2000:129   Hewitts:69
Wainwrights:81   Islands:35
Joined: Aug 8, 2011
Location: Glasgow/Inverness

1 person thinks this report is great.
Register or Login
free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).



Can you help support Walkhighlands?


Our forum is free from adverts - your generosity keeps it running.
Can you help support Walkhighlands and this community by donating by direct debit?



Return to Walk reports - Outside Scotland

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 10 guests