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Loweswater - Mosser Road - Darling Fell - Low Fell - Fellbarrow - Lorton - Wheatsheaf Pub (Low Lorton)
What a horrible week ! The rest of the country in glorious sunshine and Lakeland not being able to break out from it's constant cloud cover. It didn't really matter as I'm locked in a windowless box all week anyway.
So prospects for the weekend weren't looking convincing either.
Ellie was venue dressing for a wedding at Winder Hall in Low Lorton over the weekend, setting up on Saturday and picking up on Sunday, so a half plan was devised to traverse High Stile ridge from Honister to Low Lorton.
Bag packed with tent and sleeping gear and a stash of goodies, we set off on Saturday morning to radio reports that the clouds were thickening and thunder storms were expected in the evening starting with rain after lunch.
So, after reaching Loweswater, I dumped most of the gear back in the car and changed my plan to cover the northern Loweswater fells ending up back at Winder Hall preferably before lunch and the rain.
From Loweswater, Damson and I took the old Mosser Road (no more than a single track road where the tarmac had been eroded by the constant water rolling off the hillsides) up to a hidden stile on our right. From here a steep ascent over grass and heather crosses to the first of many fences which guide you up and down over the areas fell tops.
Up to Darling Fell first where the first spots of rain started to fall turning the morning from sunnyish and warm to windy and chilly in less than 5 minutes. We dropped into the gully on the opposite side and straight up the fence to the southern summit of Low Fell. By now the cloud had really dropped and the wet weather gear was donned. Also the views, that half an hour ago had been pretty clear, were now starting to fade shortly to disappear altogether.
A quick dip down to the wall and hop up the grass bank on the other side took us to our first Wainwright summit of the day in Low Fell. The traverse across to Fellbarrow was only memorable due to the shear amount of rain that fell in that period. By now the rainproof cover for the sack had gone on (first time I've had to use this) and my boots were well and truly squelching by the time Fellbarrow was claimed.
Marching on, we dropped down to the next wall where the map claimed we followed the wall down to the beck and then on to Low Lorton. This was easier said than done as no clear path presented itself from this junction and we ended up breaking through bracken and crashing through swamped land heading down the gully and then through a series of sheep fields before reaching the road. A kilometre or two back down the road lead to Low Lorton and the Wheatsheaf where Ellie was waiting with a quick half of bitter.
Loweswater from Mosser Road
Loweswater from Mosser Road
Gavel Fell from Darling Fell ascent
Low Fell from Darling Fell (Whiteside, Grasmoor & Rannerdale Knotts in background)
Mellbreak, Hen Comb & Gavel Fell from Darling Fell
Blake Fell & Burnbank Fell from Darling Fell
Damson on Low Fell southern summit
Crummock Water & Buttermere beginning to fade
Damson on Low Fell
A rather damp Damson on Fellbarrow
Even the rain cover went on the bag !
Fields of foxgloves on descent to Lorton Valley
It's a lovely area of the district which I don't get to visit very often! Incredibly picturesque and lush at this time of year. I'll be back when the weather improves
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