Outerside and Barrow

[richardkchapman]

With Lorraine, Robert, Sarah, Thomas, Sapphie, Gem.

Today's plan was to head up the Outerside ridge, and return via Grisedale Pike. As often seems to happen, the plan changed as events unfolded...

We parked in Braithwaite, by the river, and set off towards the Coledale path. We noted a sweet shop on the way, and promised that we would visit it on the way back...

Navigating through the village was by far the trickiest bit of the walk (from a navigation point of view), but eventually we found ourselves on a footpath through a wood that ran beside the Coledale road.


Footpath through the trees

After a while this led out onto the Coledale road itself, which climbed steadily up towards the ruined farm at High Coledale.


Looking back down the Coledale Road


Heading up towards High Coledale

Looking across the valley towards Barrow, it seemed to be full of families out for a morning's walk.


Looking across to Barrow

Skiddaw in cloud seems to be a feature of all of our views this week.


Skiddaw in cloud

From High Coledale our destination was clear ahead of us.


Stile End and Outerside

Unfortunately, so was the oncoming rain. We managed to get our waterproof trousers on just before the rain arrived.


Lorraine in full rain gear

Along with the rain came the wind - blowing directly in our faces, so the remaining walk up to Outerside was a bit of a slog. In better conditions, it would have been a lovely walk.


View from Outerside

When we got to the top of Outerside, the wind was blowing a gale, and the prospect of carrying on into the teeth of the gale towards the head of the valley did not appeal to anyone, so we decided to turn around and head down via Barrow.


Panorama

With the wind now behind us, the rain at least becoming intermittent, and lunch now inside us, things seemed a lot more positive, and the walk down the ridge to Barrow was much easier going.


View from Barrow

From the top of Barrow the views were pretty good, considering the conditions (still pretty grey behind us). Too windy still to linger for long though


View from Barrow


View from Barrow


View from Barrow


Cat Bells, from Barrow


Near the top of Barrow


View from Barrow


Atmospheric view from Barrow


View from Barrow


View from Barrow


View from Barrow


View from Barrow


View from Barrow

With the promise of the Braithwaite sweet shop ahead, we soon descended from the Barrow ridge onto the Coledale Road and retraced our steps back to the car.


Heading back down from High Coledale

The return half of this walk was decided more pleasant than the outward part...

[simon-b]

Those are two of the lower Lakeland fells well worth climbing, Richard. I gather from the absence of photos of the spectacular views of Grisedale Pike, Hopegill Head and Eel Crag that those hills must have been obscured by cloud. You got a nice picture of Causey Pike though, and despite the weather you saw some great vistas of the valleys, lakes and lower hills. So it looked like a good day overall.

[richardkchapman]

Those are two of the lower Lakeland fells well worth climbing, Richard. I gather from the absence of photos of the spectacular views of Grisedale Pike, Hopegill Head and Eel Crag that those hills must have been obscured by cloud. You got a nice picture of Causey Pike though, and despite the weather you saw some great vistas of the valleys, lakes and lower hills. So it looked like a good day overall.

Yes, the head of the valley and Grisedale Pike were in cloud throughout. But definitely a good day overall - any day in the lakes that includes a summit tends to be, in my experience!