- An almost other-planetry looking Ullscarf.
As yesterday, I took a bus ride from my accommodation at Scales and began this walk from Grange. Not before having morning coffee and a teacake breakfast in Keswick Costa, before catching the connection into Borrowdale. The weather was somewhat wilder today, alas, but the biggest factor was that there'd been a heavy snowfall during the night. It stayed fine all the way onto Eagle Crag (stiff climb!) and Sergeant's Crag, and I had some views to remember. I'll remember the name 'Greenup Edge' too. This is a valley rim one has to negotiate to get onto Ullscarf from this direction. It was where cloud and squally weather came in with a vengeance. Furthermore, I'd made the mistake of thinking I could skirt below the crags there to avoid unnecessary height gain, but once on it I found the going was too rocky with some torturous snow drifts. Eventually, I just had to get onto the top to be able to prgress, which entailed real mountaineering hardship for a few minutes, hauling myself over rocks and virtually swimming through snow. A lot of swearing too.
The wind and precipitation relented on Ullscarf, but it was an endless and exhausting snow-trudge (knee-deep on average) in a whiteout to the summit. It felt like it would never come, and I worried I might not even find it. Happily I did, but the descent over the other side was not all that easy either. This too was drawn out, leading eventually to Great Crag, the terrain around there being snow-free (much lower) but an incessant dirty squelch. Finally it was Grange Fell, and a race against time to catch the last bus into Keswick (Greenup and Ullscarf had been such slow-going). If I failed it would mean a 4 mile road walk to tag onto a tiring day, or an expensive taxi ride, or hitch-hiking I guess (only done that once in my life, as a teenager hacked off with a wet day in Buttermere). Well, I made the bus, so all's well that end's well!
- Pre-walk routine in Keswick during my 3-day stay (also after-walk routine, if I finished early enough).
- The approach to Castle Crag.
- AW explains its appeal better than I could.
- Castle Crag has lots of slate.
- It looked very much like this today.
- The view north off the summit.
- AW on top form here: love this little piece.
- Excellent overview of the challenge ahead: Eagle Crag - Seargent's Crag - Ullscarf - Great Crag.
- Stern little climb of Eagle Crag is imminent.
- A fall here would have been bad.
- The long and distinctive Glaramara is to the right (will be on it tomorrow).
- Close to Eagle Crag summit, looking back down Borrowdale.
- Onward to Sergeant's Crag (High Raise in the background).
- Ullscarf across there. Looks very white!
- Around the basin of Greenup Edge, the blizzard hits.
- The whiteout slog up Ullscarf went on and on.
- Immense happiness to reach Ullscarf summit, though I might not show it.
- Emerging from the cloudline, looking back across to Eagle Crag.
- The descent none too easy on untamed snow-covered heath.
- Getting there, finally: on Great Crag.
- On Grange Fell.
- Nice view of old friend, Castle Crag, as I work my way down from Grange Fell.
- 15 minutes to spare!
Keep it up mate....you're going to make it 
