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Raven Crag to Ullscarf

Raven Crag to Ullscarf


Postby mike202 » Sat Feb 14, 2015 12:26 pm

Wainwrights included on this walk: Armboth Fell, High Seat, High Tove, Raven Crag, Ullscarf

Hewitts included on this walk: Ullscarf

Date walked: 06/02/2015

Time taken: 8

Distance: 23 km

Ascent: 1440m

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Whilst the ground was still frozen I decided to do some more hills to add to my list in the central fells. These fells are notoriously boggy most of the year so as the thaw had not yet set in properly I expected mostly frozen paths, and mostly that was true. I was also hoping I might get lucky with a cloud inversion. :wink:

Raven Crag, Armboth Fell and Ullscarf were still outstanding from my tick list, the last two not exactly getting a big up from the old curmudgeon ,Wainwright. He said of Armboth Fell that it's a waste of time and energy to climb it, and for Ullscarf the top is a cheerless place, inexpressibly dreary :lol:

Oh well here we go anyway!

Raven Crag from the dam road
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looking south down Thirlmere
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Path up is quite steep but good, although there was a lot of ice today. Glimpse of Raven Crag through the trees.
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From the top, Great How across the water and the dam.
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My car is down by the road before the trees on the promontory down there, free parking :)
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view south again down Thirlmere, clouds on the higher tops on the Helvellyn range
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Dunmail Raise -zoom
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Legburthwaite and the start of High Rigg
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Back to the path, Iron Crag on the side of High Seat ridge
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stile to path to High Seat. I decided to add in the ridge of High Seat and High Tove as well.
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High Seat top appearing
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Trig point on High Seat
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view south to High Tove. Ullscarf about 5 miles away in mist.
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selfie on High Seat the eastern top behind
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High Tove summit
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then on to Armboth Fell. It's actually got a nice bit of rock on show for the top when you get nearer.
Looking back to High Tove and High Seat
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It's then a long trudge over to Blea Tarn to get to the start of the climb to Ullscarf. I mainly just followed the fence. Even though most of the ground was frozen there were still some sneaky boggy bits and I had one or two near misses but kept my feet dry!
Blea Tarn (frozen over) and Standing Crag on the left at the far end of the tarn.
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close up now to Standing Crag. I chose the path around it to the left.
There was a lot of ice on the rock
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Near the top I met someone who had just come from the top, and he said yesterday was better. :lol:

keeping the fence on my right until nearer the top when I took a right following an older fence line. I was completely in the clag now. No cloud inversion for me, more like cloud submersion! :lol:
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From there I took one of the tracks that radiated from the cairn, that my compass indicated was the right direction to head down a shoulder down to Harrop Tarn and then Dob gill. However the path veered to the north so it was a case of heather bashing and bog trotting to get back to the pathless line of descent.

Eventually I got to Harrop Tarn which was also frozen.
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Saw some geese
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The path down Dob Gill was also a stream of ice and was tricky going but eventually I emerged at the reservoir road and took the shore path back some of the way
Hawes How island , Raven Crag behind
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It wasn't a bad day and I enjoyed the walk. It wasn't quite as bad as Wainwright made out, and weather-wise I could have picked a better day for views . But then any day on the hill is a good day 8)
Attachments

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mike202
Munro compleatist
 
Posts: 31
Munros:148   Corbetts:7
Fionas:2   
Hewitts:99
Wainwrights:214   
Joined: Feb 27, 2012
Location: Northumberland UK

Re: Raven Crag to Ullscarf

Postby hooter2014 » Sat Feb 14, 2015 2:05 pm

Strange how deceptive photographs can look. I was on those fells the day before, starting and finishing below Walla Crag and the snow in places was up to my knees! From your photos and some I took you would find that hard to believe.

Ps. Check out some of my posts Mike G.
Regards 2171.
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hooter2014
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Re: Raven Crag to Ullscarf

Postby mike202 » Sat Feb 14, 2015 7:26 pm

hooter2014 wrote:Strange how deceptive photographs can look. I was on those fells the day before, starting and finishing below Walla Crag and the snow in places was up to my knees! From your photos and some I took you would find that hard to believe.

Ps. Check out some of my posts Mike G.
Regards 2171.


Hi Iain, the snow was still deep in places but maybe the slight thaw overnight reduced the volume.

will send pm.
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mike202
Munro compleatist
 
Posts: 31
Munros:148   Corbetts:7
Fionas:2   
Hewitts:99
Wainwrights:214   
Joined: Feb 27, 2012
Location: Northumberland UK

Re: Raven Crag to Ullscarf

Postby simon-b » Sun Feb 15, 2015 6:48 pm

Dramatic pictures, Mike. Plenty of good stuff to see from the parts of the route below the cloud. Nice views or the Thirlmere valley and surrounding snowy hills.

That day I was on Swirl How - no view from the top either, but great, clear views from halfway up (including Blackpool Tower!). I was on Ullscarf the day after having climbed from the southern end of Thirlmere - a bit like the next stage in a relay after your route; I went on over High Raise and Sergeant Man.
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simon-b
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Re: Raven Crag to Ullscarf

Postby mike202 » Mon Feb 16, 2015 7:51 pm

simon-b wrote:Dramatic pictures, Mike. Plenty of good stuff to see from the parts of the route below the cloud. Nice views or the Thirlmere valley and surrounding snowy hills.

That day I was on Swirl How - no view from the top either, but great, clear views from halfway up (including Blackpool Tower!). I was on Ullscarf the day after having climbed from the southern end of Thirlmere - a bit like the next stage in a relay after your route; I went on over High Raise and Sergeant Man.



Thanks Simon, yes the views were still good below the cloud level. Its been a good winter but I'm looking forward to warmer sunnier days now. 8)

Ok I'm a softee at heart :lol:
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mike202
Munro compleatist
 
Posts: 31
Munros:148   Corbetts:7
Fionas:2   
Hewitts:99
Wainwrights:214   
Joined: Feb 27, 2012
Location: Northumberland UK

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