Front o'Skiddaw

[richardkchapman]

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Our final walking day for this holiday, and the weather forecast was good. Thomas wanted to do 3 summits today to get up to 100 completed, so the ridge from Ullock Pike to Carl Side via Long Side seemed like a good option (with an option to include Skiddaw if fitness and conditions permitted).


We parked at High Side

Obligatory pre-walk photo

Ullock pike was clearly in view for the whole ascent - always a nice feature of any walk.

Ullock pike approach

Behind us, views of Binsey where we had been a few days before.

Binsey

The walk starts off through fields full of sheep, so the dogs had to be on their best behaviour (and their leads).

Trees and sheep

Soon the path reaches open hillside, and branches off to "The Edge" as we climbed towards Ullock Pike.

Destination in sight

Robert and Tommy taking a rest

The path up is very pleasant and not too steep.

Path up Ullock Pike

Before long we reached the top. Nice views all round.

View from Ullock Pike

View from Ullock Pike

The ridge to High Side was lovely though all too brief. In just a few minutes we reached our second Wainwright of the day.

Long Side ridge

On top of Long Side

At this point the cloud came down and views were a little restricted...

Looking back towards Ullock Pike

The path to Carl Side was only a little longer than that from Ullock Pike to Long Side.

Path to Carl Side

Approaching Carl Side summit

Tommy was very pleased to reach his 100th

Tommy's 100th Wainwright

Lorraine was all for carrying on up Skiddaw, but the weather didn't look good and I talked her out of it (in the interests of being able to make it down ok - her knee is still playing up). We didn't want to return the way we came up, so we opted for a descent via the Southerndale valley.

View down the valley

The "path" down from Carlside Col was indistinct to the point of being non-existant for most of the descent, but it didn't really matter - any route would do.

No sign of a path

Once past the ruined sheepfold and across the stream the path became clearer.

Taking a breather

Good views behind us of where we had climbed.

Ullock Pike ridge

An easy enough walk back to the car through heather and gorse.

Track through the heather

Binsey

Robert taking a rest

Ullock Pike and the Edge

Sheep pens and ford

Skiddaw finally out of cloud

Gorse

Front o'Skiddaw

Skiddaw

Bull in field

Ullock Pike

Ullock Pike

Bassenthwaite and Gorse

Ullock Pike through the Gorse

Skiddaw through the Gorse

[ChrisW]

Oh yeah...now it's the last day everyone's keen to get their numbers up ..

Great close out to the week RC and better still that it included the 'Ton' for Thomas Lovely shots again for the closing day of a wonderful week