North East Ullswater round

[Phooooey]

Park Foot Campsite - Arthurs Pike - Bonscale Pike - Loadpot Hill - Wether Hill - Red Pike - Steel Knotts - Howtown - Park Foot Campsite

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Let's start by saying that we need a Diamond Jubilee every year.
An extra day off work is just the ticket and we headed up to Pooley Bridge at the northern end of Ullswater to Park Foot Campsite for a nice quiet weekend with my father and his partner Mags.
A few other thousand people also had the same idea and we joined up with Mags's family and friends ... and kids ... and dogs.
The weather held out for the majority of the weekend and Jubilee day itself was lovely and included a Birds of Prey show and a dog competition. Damson was great for the entire weekend but got freaked out when entering a squared off grass arena with 50 or so other dogs during the competition and she didn't even win the waggiest tail prize.

On the Sunday it was time for Damson & I to escape the gang and head for the hills.Heading out of the back of the campsite and straight into the boggy marsh , we hooked right after a few hundred yards and headed for the somewhat drier grass bank that runs up the right hand side of a gully stream up to the bridleway and the way up onto the old Roman Road and Arthurs Pike.

Tree in gully

Ullswater from Arthurs Pike flank

A couple of false summits later (the ones that make you think you've made it only to reveal a bit more behind) and we were on top of the days first.

View back to camp site

Damson on Arthurs Pike Summit

It was a bit fresh on the tops with a brisk breeze making it quite cold when we stopped moving.
The summits of Bonscale Pike, Loadpot and Wether Hills are very straight forward heading south in an almost straight line over each summit.

Ullswater from Bonscale Pike

For larger version of this panorama, please visit link http://www.dermandar.com/p/ecgTpG/ullswater-from-bonscale-pike

Loadpot Hill Summit

Wether Hill summit

After Wether Hill we hooked up left on to Red Crag (I covered this as I wasn't sure whether it was a Wainwright or not ... turned out not to be ) and headed up into the rain clouds. No photos up here as it was so wet.
We climbed over the fence at the top to ensure we claimed the summit and wandered back down the other side heading for Steel Knotts with a detour over Gowk Hill.

View down to Gowk Hill & Steel Knotts

Steel Knotts was my favourite section of todays walk (even though the rain had followed us down) with a clamber over a ridge and a suitably craggy top. Squatting on the summit cairn was also an adventure as the wind had picked up and standing on the overhanging rock felt a little too dangerous.

Ascending Steel Knotts

Looking back across to Bonscale Pike from Steel Knotts

Steel Knotts Summit

Damson guards my new rucksack on Steel Knotts

The way down to Howtown is a steep grassy bank with great views to Ullswater and across Hallins Fell and Howtown Village.

Steep descent to Howtown

From the bottom we crossed over to the lake edge to get a view of the Ullswater Launch and possibly a lift back up to Pooley Bridge but it was very busy so we decided to walk back down the road for the couple of miles back to the camp site.
14 miles later and we arrived back at the tents and the start of the drinking & bbq fest that summed up the weekend (with kids discos, trips to The Sun Inn at Pooley Bridge, Aira Force & Keswick thrown in).
Happy Jubilee Weekend to all !!

[ChrisW]

lovely report Phooooey, great to hear of a fantastic family weekend and a bit of an escape to the hills thrown in, a fair old wander this one......surely Damson should be getting an award of some sort for this alone great report, really enjoyed it

[SusieThePensioner]

Thoroughly enjoyable report, Craig, and some great photos

she didn't even win the waggiest tail prize.

She gets my prize for being a lovely dog

So glad you had a wonderful time with family and friends. Jeff and I were up at Loch Ard in the Trossachs and had good weather (lot of sun) all weekend

[Phooooey]

Thanks for your kind words.
All yomping on hold for a couple of weeks whilst my next 2 weekends are taken up in "celebrating" 40 years on the planet. Shortly after this (as soon as we get our British summer) I will be attempting a 16 fell - 2 day marathon around Loweswater, the High Stile ridge, Rannerdale Knotts and summits around Grasmoor. This should bag another 12 newies and re-cover a small amount of old ground. I've mapped it out and pretty sure its big enough to see from space if I was to take a spray can with me and paint the route (maybe thats just what it looks like on paper ).

[SusieThePensioner]

my next 2 weekends are taken up in "celebrating" 40 years on the planet

CONGRATULATIONS!!! Believe me, you're just a mere youngster

Good luck for your 16 fell trip and hope the weather is kind for you