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I was wanting to get my 2019 off to a good start, so managed to wangle a New Year's day walk out of MrsR
I thought it would be advisable to be home at a reasonable time to enjoy the roast MrsR was cooking, so opted for something relatively close to home.
I must admit though that Fell of Fleet had never been a hill that had filled me with much enthusiasm. I'd always had it in my head it was going to be something of a slog.......involving trees
Thankfully though the tree fellers have been felling and with good access tracks to the foot of the hill gaining the summit did not involve quite as much huff n puff as I'd feared.
P1050767 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
Parked up at NX546751, where there is plenty of room for a few cars to park without blocking the trackP1050769 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
Nice pleasant walk to the foot of the hill - only met a couple of couples out walking their dogsP1050780 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
the OS map shows a track heading off the main track at NX552714, although if you blink you'll missit, given it is overgrown.........I blinked and missed it P1050783 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
Once you're on it ther track actually provides an excellent and quite gentle ascent up the side of the hill. Got me up to about 370 metresP1050787 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
Nice views opening up as I gained heightP1050788 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
The track continued, making easy work of the initial climbP1050790 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
All changed as I hit the high point of the track. Now was time to gird loins and head off on to the open hillside. This was tough going, with much tussocky terrain, with plenty of potential to break ankles....or worse.P1050792 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
Somewhere in there I was following a vague track of sorts. Could have been animal or human, but if it helped make it easier I was using it.P1050797 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
Once I'd hit the plateau I was faced with this Reminded me of Fleet's neighbour Cairnsmore, the Black Craig of Dee - something of a b'st*rd of a hill that had taken two attempts to overcome previously. There were though plenty of tracks on Fleet (I assume animal) that made progress a little less painful and soon I was making the final, very short climb to the summit cairnP1050804 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
First summit of the year P1050805 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
P1050808 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
P1050811 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
A selection of summit viewsP1050814 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
The Black Craig of Dee.......looks so benign, but don't be fooled It was a tad chilly on the summit, so I wasn't for hanging around. For my descent I chose to make a circuit by heading off down the north eastern spur toward Shaw Hill(ish). Pathless, heathery stuff, but pretty uneventful. That was until the final steep descent was reached
P1050825 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
Looking back to Fell of Fleet as I dropped off the hillP1050828 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
The photo makes it look not too bad, but truat me it was a bit of a pig, even if it only lasted a short distanceP1050831 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
Looking back the way I had been descendingUnfortunately I had conspired to not head quite where I'd wanted. Had I hugged the edge of the forestry I'd have been in a wide fire break........but I didn't and so somehow ended up confronted by some very nice trees and horrendous underfoot conditions - the detritus from previous fellings, which were all very slippery and often rotten, as I discovered when I trod on it
P1050837 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
OopsP1050839 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
Eventually sourced another firebreak, although to be honest it was still pretty rough going until I was finally deposited on to the main trackP1050843 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
My descent off the Fell of Fleet. Certainly slowed me up somewhat P1050844 by
Pete Riedel, on Flickr
Easy going from now on en route back to the carAll in all a really good walk and a pleasing way to kick off my 2019 walking. My second walk of the year was something very different, but that's another story.......