Walkhighlands

Posted: **Mon Mar 14, 2016 10:28 pm**

Morning ascent of Barf.

On this, the 33rd leg of my Wainwright odyssey, it was necessary to avail myself of public transport again. This entailed a train ride to Penrith, and then a bus out to the Swan Hotel at Thornthwaite. Thereupon I was in position at 10:30 am to begin the stiff little climb of Barf, overlooking Bassenthwaite. Not that I could see Bassenthwaite from the top, because I was in cloud up there. It was windy too, a chilly and grey start to an unfamiliar group of fells for me. This cluster of 7 were not high, but getting between some of them, especially the last 4 might be awkward. Nature, nor the National Trust appeared to have deemed them to be a single walk. Not to worry, I would find a way.

The trusty compass dealt with the challenge as far as Broom Fell with no trouble. That part certainly did make a convenient single outing, and I encountered a walking group doing just that, coming the opposite way out of the mist. After Broom summit, it was a matter of a lot of improvising. The cloud was lifting as the day went on, which made the way obvious if turgid at times. Lots of bog, lots of heather and gorse especially between Ling Fell and Graystones. Whinlatter was particularly frustrating, from this direction a kind of hill fort defended by Forestry Commission plantations. After negotiating a fence and the maze of tracks down, I cut steeply up through one of said forests to acquire the fell proper. It was easy enough, if a tad guilt-ridden. I was rewarded by splendid late-winter views and, most of all, a shock encounter with a quite lifelike Gruffalo on the way down through Whinlatter Forest Park. At first I thought it was a Norwegian troll lost its way, or a throwback from the Viking visits to these parts.

I made good time, was able to have an extended coffee in Keswick before catching my connections home. A neat little cluster to have ticked off, and Whinlatter looks a like a great place for a family day out in the summer. As for this winter, only 6 more walks to do!