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Dunnerdale Done

Dunnerdale Done


Postby The English Alpinist » Sun Mar 13, 2016 6:06 pm

Wainwrights included on this walk: Great Carrs, Green Crag, Grey Friar, Hard Knott, Harter Fell (Southern Fells), Swirl How

Hewitts included on this walk: Grey Friar, Harter Fell (Southern Fells), Swirl How

Date walked: 23/01/2016

Time taken: 8

Distance: 25 km

Ascent: 1791m

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13 Harter.jpg
Scene from 'A werewolf in Cumbria'. No, actually Harter Fell in amazing mist.


Leg 22 of my Wainwrights in Winter campaign. The forecast was once again 'questionable', but at least was not supposed to rain. I'd made a hash of the Coniston fells lately, taking 3 bites at them so far. However, with some inspired route-planning I realised I could tag the remaining 3 onto this walk, which was originally only meant to be Hard Knott - Harter - Green Crag. It made a rather long day of 2 halves, either side of Dunnerdale. This was one of the remotest valleys I've ever driven into (the 'backdoor' to the Coniston fells, as it were), and I had thoughts of jacking the whole enterprise in before even starting to walk. There was intimidating low cloud everywhere, and Seathwaite Tarn, although beautiful (on a good day), seemed one heck of a lonely place. Rain and sleet made Swirl How, Great Carrs and Grey Friar jobs to get done and out of. I took the obligatory photos of the Great Carrs crash site: extremely atmospheric in these conditions.

Hard Knott was 'okay', in and out of mist with the rain at least stopped, and the trek to Harter was a swampy chore. The summit itself was a true mountain, though, dramatic rocky outcrops and bleak and windy. On the last of the day, Green Crag, the creeping clouds made for stunning visions. I was pretty relieved to get through the lower forests before light went, and delighted to emerge exactly at the car park. A good job done, salvaging hope for the complete campaign. I took a kind of satisfaction in the fact it started to pour down only I was driving out of Dunnerdale, safe and dry behind the windscreen. I won't be returning in a hurry, not in winter at any rate.

1 Dunnerdale.jpg
Morning drive into remote Dunnerdale.


2 Seathwaite.jpg
Seathwaite Tarn.


3 Tarn2.jpg
Still Seathwaite Tarn (it's a big one).


4 Swirl edge.jpg
The edge to Swirl How.


5 Carrs site.jpg
Great Carrs crash site.


6 Cross.jpg
Timeless, amazing.


7 plaque Carrs.jpg
Moving.


8 Swirl.jpg
Swirl How, Great Carrs, Grey Friar? They all looked the same today.


8a AW.JPG
I believe this is where I was in last pic.


9 junction signs.jpg
An iconic Lakeland junction.


10 sign.jpg
Indeed.


11 pass.jpg
Hard Knott Pass. Note car high up, left off-road.


12 car.jpg
Parked deliberately like that, I think not. More likely 'slid' there in all the snow of a few days ago.


13 Harter.jpg
Harter Fell, seen from Green Crag.



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The English Alpinist
Mountain Walker
 
Posts: 297
Munros:56   Corbetts:11
Fionas:22   Donalds:18+10
Sub 2000:1   Hewitts:136
Wainwrights:214   
Joined: Oct 27, 2015
Location: Lancashire England.

Re: Dunnerdale Done

Postby ChrisW » Mon Mar 14, 2016 2:39 am

There's some hard graft in that for a winter day TEA...rather you than me :lol: Like the atmospheric "one of the summits" shot :lol:
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ChrisW
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Posts: 4941
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Joined: Jan 25, 2011
Location: Cochrane- Alberta - Canada

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