Walkhighlands

My day out started from the pay and display car park (£7 for 10 hours) in Ambleside in cold clear weather. The intention being to do the Fairfield horseshoe in an anti clockwise direction but couldn't find the path as my map only covered the top end of the walk. So I walked down the road then up the track and onto the route to Nab scar and a clockwise route which worked out fine in the end.



Here are a few pictures of my (and Friends) accent to Fairfield as you can see the higher we got the less viz we had until on fairfield summit there was complete white out.













As I said earlier fairfield was a complete white out and navigation was extremely difficult quite a few people were wondering around up there lost including a fell runner who we saw three times running in a different direction each time and a couple who were walking in the completely wrong direction in the end we all got together with five maps and two compasses and worked it out, took a while though. The walk round the top to hart crag was completely in cloud but as we got lower the weather started to improve.









All in all a cracking day in the fells

Parking charges in the Lake District are ridiculous. I suppose it is not too bad for a whole day out but if you are there for a week you can spend a fortune. I wonder what they spend their ill-gotten gains on.
Navigation on Fairfield can be very difficult - never been up there in clear conditions.

It sounds like you knew where you were, Chris, when others were lost. Good job you were there to help.

Fairfield horseshoe was my first winter mountain walk, two years ago.

Good report and photos. Glad you managed to get off the top and head in the right direction

I've been up there before and had to use map and compass and, one August, there was a heavy snow shower

I've done that walk in both directions and think I prefer ending up at Nab Scar

simon-b wrote:It sounds like you knew where you were, Chris, when others were lost. Good job you were there to help.

Fairfield horseshoe was my first winter mountain walk, two years ago.

Thanks, but I think it was a team effort lol

SusieThePensioner wrote:Good report and photos. Glad you managed to get off the top and head in the right direction

I've been up there before and had to use map and compass and, one August, there was a heavy snow shower

I've done that walk in both directions and think I prefer ending up at Nab Scar

Thanks, I think the problem is the map makes it look like there is a good distance to the top off the path when actually the path takes you right onto the top. Snow in August seems a bit extreme

Great stuff Chris, I laughed at the "5 maps 2 compasses" bit but the seriousness of it still hits home, so many people all struggling to find the correct route Anyway, all in all it looked like a great hike and you still got some nice shots, that parking is a rip off though £7 for 10 hours

ChrisW wrote:Great stuff Chris, I laughed at the "5 maps 2 compasses" bit but the seriousness of it still hits home, so many people all struggling to find the correct route Anyway, all in all it looked like a great hike and you still got some nice shots, that parking is a rip off though £7 for 10 hours

Cheers chris, yes it was a great day out the parking was a little expensive, there are places you can park for free round and about but we took the safe option and to be fair to them eight in the morning and the toilets were open and had just been cleaned so they do use the money wisely. It was funny on the top everybody wondering round lost, hope the fell runner was ok