free to be able to rate and comment on reports (as well as access 1:25000 mapping).
Anybody who read the report of our first day in the Lakes will know of the camera related disasters of day one. Fortunately it was discovered that Graces camera could be charged by the same lead as our phones so at least I’d be able to snap away till my heart was content.
We decided it would be prudent to stick to the lower fells as we made our way to Troutbeck again (this time parking at Church Bridge) to bag the strangely named Sallows and Sour Howes. There is some rhyme that derides the English naming of hills giving all the different Scottish/Gaelic words for hill, peak etc. Who ever wrote it had certainly not looked at a map of the Lakes because there’s some truly strange and original names given to the fells in this part of the world.
As with our ascent of Wansfell our walk started up a track (that would eventually become the Garburn Road). Unfortunately (for Grace at least) this track was largely snow free and this led to much grumpiness from our daughter and statements of how “boring!” this route was. Personally I quite liked the easy incline with great views towards Threshthwaite Mouth but then again I am 40.
Troutbeck by
johnkaysleftleg, on Flickr
Thresh't mouth by
johnkaysleftleg, on Flickr
Garburn Road by
johnkaysleftleg, on Flickr
Graces Woes were forgotten however once we reached Garburn Nook and we set off up the open fellside which being North West facing still had a huge amount of wind blown snow. It might have only been a small fell in the English Lake District but for a brief time it could have been just about anywhere and really added to what could have been a somewhat nondescript route. Once we reached the ridge the snow petered out somewhat due to scouring by the wind and it was a simple wander to the summit mound of Sallows.
Garburn Nook by
johnkaysleftleg, on Flickr
Wind driven snow on Sallows by
johnkaysleftleg, on Flickr
Grace & Hughie on Sallows by
johnkaysleftleg, on Flickr
Hughie looking cute by
johnkaysleftleg, on Flickr
We enjoyed fantastic views of the Kentmere horseshoe from the summit with the more distant Howgills also grabbing the attention. We dropped down to an area of small rocky outcrops for a bit shelter and had lunch.
Howgills from Sallows by
johnkaysleftleg, on Flickr
Sallows summit panorama by
johnkaysleftleg, on Flickr(click for bigger version)
The remainder of the walk was very simple as we followed the wall, with more fantastic snow drifts towards the collection of lumps that make up Sour Howes summit. This is one of those tops that nobody quite knows just what the highest point is (certainly AW didn't). Some people will lose sleep over ensuring they ascended the exact lump but for me as long as nothing looks higher and I'm in the right vicinity I'm fairly happy.
Grace on the Stile by
johnkaysleftleg, on Flickr
Along the Wall by
johnkaysleftleg, on Flickr
Drifts by
johnkaysleftleg, on Flickr
Ill Bell by
johnkaysleftleg, on Flickr
Grace on Sour Howes Summit by
johnkaysleftleg, on Flickr
Once we had taken in the sights we set off across some rough pathless terrain heading towards the wall that traverses the fell to the South West. As luck would have it we came across a stile that had a fairly clear path (not shown on OS maps) from it that led us back to the track we initially set off on.
Sallows by
johnkaysleftleg, on Flickr
We had had the micro-spikes on since Garburn Nook but due to less and less snow we had taken them off before we crossed the last bit of snowy ground. The worth of these things was proven beyond doubt as Nicola immediately slipped on her backside as she attempted to cross the slippy white stuff.
It was another great day out (with or without my DSLR) and with the weather holding we had another two days to enjoy the Lakes is such superb conditions.
