Three Wainwrights to say farewell to 2016.
Posted: Thu Dec 29, 2016 8:27 pm"Twixtmas" I've heard it's called, you know, that week between Christmas and the New Year where you spend time decorating, resisting temptation to eat more, twiddling thumbs or even wishing you were going to work for a couple of days just to relieve the boredom, it's just, well, irritating to put it mildly.
Ah, but, hang on a mo, we've all got a trick up our sleeves, mountains, lets get out into the mountains where we enjoy ourselves, get some exercise and get rid of some of those Christmas excesses.
So, it was decided, we'd have a day in the Lakes and, with the weather looking good, we decided on Tuesday 27th, the destination was Glenridding and three new Wainwrights we've wanted to do for a while, Glenridding Dodd, Sheffield Pike and Hart Side, all within easy reach of each other, it's an ideal day out for the winter.
We parked up in the N.T carpark at Glencoyne Bridge and set off walking towards Glencoyne farm.
Car park view.
This route takes you through the farm house garden which felt a bit strange, almost imposing, but that's the way you're directed, this heads towards and below the cottages at Seldom Seen and meets the track just beyond the cottages at a gate in the wall.
View to Brown Hills from beyond the farm.
The way ahead.
Through the gate and then on the well made path towards Nick Head. There are nice views of Ullswater as you gain height and the way ahead feels quite remote.
Ullswater.
There's gonna be sunshine up there.
Sheffield Pike.
Glencoyne.
Ullswater from higher up.
First view of Hart Side.
At Nick Head there's a short but pretty steep climb up Green Side to the broad ridge that takes you to Hart Side.
That's the only bit of hard work on this walk and once you're up the views are pretty good especially over to the Dodds and looking back over Ullswater.
Sheffield Pike from the top of Green Side.
The walk to Hart Side is on a very broad ridge, almost moor like, the path is excellent and surprisingly dry considering its topography. It skirts the head of Glencoyne where you can see the evidence of past mining and quarrying.
Hart Side summit is basically a big swelling in the landscape but you do get some nice views of the Dodds, Blencathra and the Mell Fells, looking west and south the views are subdued by the landscape but you do get a sense of bigger things especially in the direction of Helvellyn.
Hart Side summit.
Views.
The Mell Fells.
Blencathra.
Skiddaw behind Great Dodd.
Towards Helvellyn.
Great Dodd.
Hills, hills and more hills.
We set off from the summit the way we'd come bound for Sheffield Pike, on the way over we decided to visit Whitestones, a small diversion and, again, just a bulge in the landscape but it is higher than Hart Side so we made sure we'd visited all that Hart Side had to offer.
Whitestones.
Views from Whitestones.
The way forward to Sheffield Pike.
From here you can access the Dodds easily and would make a nice long day in the summer, but we were Sheffield Pike bound so re-traced our steps down Green Side and back down to Nick Head, Sheffield Pike in view all the way.
Sheffield Pike from above Nick Head.
From Nick Head the walk up Sheffield Pike is on a nice steady incline, we were soon on the summit.
On Sheffield Pike, looking over to Ullswater.
Again, the views are nice, you get to see Glenridding Dodd for the first time, Place Fell looks impressive and towards Kirkstone Pass with Glenridding and Patterdale nestling in the valley.
The views are really good, it was a bit hazy but this is what we could see:-
The Dodds.
Place Fell, right, and Ullswater.
Towards Whiteside and Helvellyn, Catstye Cam is in the middle, you can just make it out.
Glenridding.
Moving on to Glenridding Dodd from this direction is quite steep down a loose path threading its way through the crags.
The view to Ullwater from Heron Crag, on the way down to the col, you can just make out Glenridding Dodd below.
The final part down the steepest section is slippery as it heads towards the wall in the col between Sheffield Pike and Glenridding Dodd so care is needed.
The climb onto Glenridding Dodd is straight forward, the views from the top are really good even though you're surrounded by much higher fells, Ullswater looks fine and Glenridding further away than it is.
On the summit of Glenridding Dodd.
Ullswater again.
Place Fell left, Patterdale, Highstreet in the distance and tiny Arnison Crag to the right above the houses.
St Sunday Crag etc.
Sheffield Pike.
Towards Patterdale.
From the top we headed back to the wall and then followed it to the gate above Seldom Seen, from there we followed the outward path through the farm and back to the car park.
We had a nice day out, the weather was good, the route was easy to follow and we took our time.
Our next trip to the Lakes will be next year but that's not far off now so,
Happy New Year to you all and stay safe in the mountains.
Ah, but, hang on a mo, we've all got a trick up our sleeves, mountains, lets get out into the mountains where we enjoy ourselves, get some exercise and get rid of some of those Christmas excesses.
So, it was decided, we'd have a day in the Lakes and, with the weather looking good, we decided on Tuesday 27th, the destination was Glenridding and three new Wainwrights we've wanted to do for a while, Glenridding Dodd, Sheffield Pike and Hart Side, all within easy reach of each other, it's an ideal day out for the winter.
We parked up in the N.T carpark at Glencoyne Bridge and set off walking towards Glencoyne farm.
Car park view.
This route takes you through the farm house garden which felt a bit strange, almost imposing, but that's the way you're directed, this heads towards and below the cottages at Seldom Seen and meets the track just beyond the cottages at a gate in the wall.
View to Brown Hills from beyond the farm.
The way ahead.
Through the gate and then on the well made path towards Nick Head. There are nice views of Ullswater as you gain height and the way ahead feels quite remote.
Ullswater.
There's gonna be sunshine up there.
Sheffield Pike.
Glencoyne.
Ullswater from higher up.
First view of Hart Side.
At Nick Head there's a short but pretty steep climb up Green Side to the broad ridge that takes you to Hart Side.
That's the only bit of hard work on this walk and once you're up the views are pretty good especially over to the Dodds and looking back over Ullswater.
Sheffield Pike from the top of Green Side.
The walk to Hart Side is on a very broad ridge, almost moor like, the path is excellent and surprisingly dry considering its topography. It skirts the head of Glencoyne where you can see the evidence of past mining and quarrying.
Hart Side summit is basically a big swelling in the landscape but you do get some nice views of the Dodds, Blencathra and the Mell Fells, looking west and south the views are subdued by the landscape but you do get a sense of bigger things especially in the direction of Helvellyn.
Hart Side summit.
Views.
The Mell Fells.
Blencathra.
Skiddaw behind Great Dodd.
Towards Helvellyn.
Great Dodd.
Hills, hills and more hills.
We set off from the summit the way we'd come bound for Sheffield Pike, on the way over we decided to visit Whitestones, a small diversion and, again, just a bulge in the landscape but it is higher than Hart Side so we made sure we'd visited all that Hart Side had to offer.
Whitestones.
Views from Whitestones.
The way forward to Sheffield Pike.
From here you can access the Dodds easily and would make a nice long day in the summer, but we were Sheffield Pike bound so re-traced our steps down Green Side and back down to Nick Head, Sheffield Pike in view all the way.
Sheffield Pike from above Nick Head.
From Nick Head the walk up Sheffield Pike is on a nice steady incline, we were soon on the summit.
On Sheffield Pike, looking over to Ullswater.
Again, the views are nice, you get to see Glenridding Dodd for the first time, Place Fell looks impressive and towards Kirkstone Pass with Glenridding and Patterdale nestling in the valley.
The views are really good, it was a bit hazy but this is what we could see:-
The Dodds.
Place Fell, right, and Ullswater.
Towards Whiteside and Helvellyn, Catstye Cam is in the middle, you can just make it out.
Glenridding.
Moving on to Glenridding Dodd from this direction is quite steep down a loose path threading its way through the crags.
The view to Ullwater from Heron Crag, on the way down to the col, you can just make out Glenridding Dodd below.
The final part down the steepest section is slippery as it heads towards the wall in the col between Sheffield Pike and Glenridding Dodd so care is needed.
The climb onto Glenridding Dodd is straight forward, the views from the top are really good even though you're surrounded by much higher fells, Ullswater looks fine and Glenridding further away than it is.
On the summit of Glenridding Dodd.
Ullswater again.
Place Fell left, Patterdale, Highstreet in the distance and tiny Arnison Crag to the right above the houses.
St Sunday Crag etc.
Sheffield Pike.
Towards Patterdale.
From the top we headed back to the wall and then followed it to the gate above Seldom Seen, from there we followed the outward path through the farm and back to the car park.
We had a nice day out, the weather was good, the route was easy to follow and we took our time.
Our next trip to the Lakes will be next year but that's not far off now so,
Happy New Year to you all and stay safe in the mountains.
Happy New year to you too mate 