Welcome to my day walks

The dates listing these walks are the dates I uploaded the stories. They are in no particular order, and it doesn't matter because you were directed here from elsewhere!! I hope you enjoy the journey..


The Nantlle Ridge or part of it

25th March 2009.
Map: Landranger 115
Weather: Overcast, light rain and blowing up a storm.

From the road near Rhyd-Ddu up to Y Garn to follow the Nantlle ridge as far as Trum Y Ddysgyl. Then down to the col which was too windy to continue the ridge. Down to the old mine workings below Y Gyrn, and then back to the car via a gentle path through the plantation and across fields: a 6 mile stroll with plenty of fresh air!



Copyright OS-Click on map to enlarge, then hit the back button to return to blog - The route we did



Copyright OS-Click on map to enlarge, then hit the back button to return to blog - The route we should have done



I first laid eyes on the Nantlle ridge when walking with Robbo and Mike in the snow up Moel Eilio in early February this year. There was a lot of snow around that day and looking across to the Nantlle ridge it looked very steep in places and very inviting. Robbo advised us to make it a linear walk so we arranged to meet up in Rhydd-Ddu car park at the train station. We arrived in good time at our agreed start of 8am after a trouble free drive down, and we waited for Robbo to arrive, and waited, and waited. Eventually he turned up after having taken the wrong turning and driving the long way around – not bad for a local! But we forgave him and we drove off to drop his car off at Nebo – a small village at the other end of the ridge. We parked in front of the school which would have looked a bit suspect later on in the day, but it was too early and there were no curtains twitching. Returning to the start Mike parked up the road from Rhydd Ddu saving us a £4 car park charge in the process and cutting out a boring bit of roadwork. There wasn’t really a hint of the wind to come down below Y Garn (the small Y Garn – not the one in the Glyderau), and we set off at a steady pace towards the steeper path directly in front of us.

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A little glimmer of light further south on Moel Hebog

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Our first target

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Looking back down over Llyn-y-Gader

The cloud base was low enough to obscure the tops today, but periodically they swept away allowing a glimpse of what we thought was to come. I had been on a diet since the New Year and made the mistake of not eating enough last week before walking the Snowdon horseshoe. Consequently I really struggled at times, so I had a good plate full of pasta last night and this proved to be a great supply of energy this morning. It must have worked because I was taking pictures of the other’s below me and usually it’s the other way around – Robbo blamed it on too much exercise the previous evening. We could see the top of Moel yr Ogof at 655m, but not much above it, and as our highest peak today was 734m we thought we were in for some misty walking along the crest of the ridge. It was a steep ascent up to Y Garn and we stopped frequently for a breather on the way. The path was mainly grassy to start with but turned shalier the higher we got, and there were plenty of steps eroded into the hillside which made walking a deal easier. The views back down to the valley below and across to Snowdon would be spectacular on a clear day, but at least we could see the two Llyns below us ok – one a reservoir and the other a natural lake. Towards the top we walked over a boulder field to get to the summit and as we reached the crest of the rise the wind hit us with a vengeance.

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Come on you two…

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Looking down on the reservoir at Llyn y Dyvarchen

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Gloomy up above

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A little breezy on top

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The broad ridge over to Mynedd Drws-y-coed

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Mike going up a steep bit to Trum y Didysgyl

But even at this stage we didn’t think it would stop us from walking the ridge as it was blowing us back onto safe ground, and not the other way around. The next hill along the ridge was Mynydd Drws-y-coed and the path was broad here and misty ahead, so we couldn’t really see the climb up. It was rocky and full of boulders but nothing too strenuous yet, although we had to take care as it was slippery in the wet. Up on the top it was windy, but again nothing for us to be concerned with, and the forecast on Metcheck was a maximum speed of 35mph. The third peak of the day was Trum y Didysgyl at 709m. It was still misty and this one required a little more of a scramble, but there were plenty of good handholds and the route took us to the sheltered side of the mountain. We stopped for a chat and a bit of refreshments and were enjoying it so far. When we set off again we could see the clouds being swept up the steep face of Cwmyffynnon – don’t ask me to pronounce that – and then barrelling over the top down the valley. We could see that there was a bit of turbulence in the air but as we walked down towards the col we had no idea what was waiting for us. Within a space of 20m we went from being able to stand up without problems, to a state of crawling along the ground due to the force of the wind. I have never been blown off my feet before, but I was literally taken off my feet and had to crouch down to the ground for safety. I tried to get along at a crawl but every time I stood a little to try and get across the gap I was knocked back. So I made my way back to Mike and Robbo and we decided that it would be foolhardy to continue along the ridge as the bigger scramble was to come at the next Bwlch along and it wouldn’t have been any different there.

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The wind was sweeping up from right to left

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We were ok here but 20m further we weren’t

So after discussing the way ahead, Robbo pointed out the old mine workings down below where we could go for a mooch around. We were a bit disappointed but happy with the decision we made, but there was no point in being another statistic. We had to make our way gingerly down Cwm Du about 300ft, and contoured around the slope towards the ridge that comes down between many Cwm’s – 4 of them if you look at the map, so no wonder the wind didn’t know what to do. As we gained the ridge we pondered if we should try and walk up to Moel yr Ogof or not, but we thought the best of it and contented ourselves with a mooch around the mine workings. The walk down was over nice springy grass and the ground wasn’t too boggy either, and although there wasn’t a path marked out on the map it looked like this was an oft used route to the top. Robbo told us the mine workings were interesting and they were, with a few old entrance tunnels, old buildings and some remnants of the industrial process – old channels and roadways. It must have been a busy place in the past and produced a lot of ? lead/slate as further around the valleys there are huge slate spoil heaps littering the landscape, which gives it a rather forlorn look. The old accommodation blocks had thick walls and would have had low roofs as well – cold and damp in the winter. It made me wonder how long the miners stayed up here at a time. A harsh life really and I don’t think most of us can appreciate the hardships that these people had to endure.

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The ridge ahead that took us down to the old mine workings

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Looking north from further down the slope – safe here

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Moel Hebog in the distance behind Moel yr Ogof

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Nice springy grass here – Moel Hebog in the back

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Looking back up to where we would have been

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Shelter in one of the mine tunnels

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The mine hotel

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Some splendid mossy quarry walls

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Looking down below the mine

But to brighten the day we met a couple walking along without a map and just a guide book – but she was a stunning blonde so we let them off and sent them on their way – well we are three blokes with a twinkle in our eyes. Actually that’s not true, as Robbo used his twinkle up recently! We sat and had some lunch below the quarry wall and enjoyed the setting despite the weather, and then had a little explore around. We could see where we were meant to be and it was half tempting to try again, but that would have been folly. So we set out towards Bwlch-y-Ddwy-elor at the head of the valley and then disappeared into some plantation forest of Beddgelert, walking North West back towards the car. From here it was a gentle stroll back along an easy gradient, crossing over a picturesque little stream, and passing by some hut circles, before rejoining the path we took this morning.

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Making our way back

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Robbo told me this would be a good shot

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We should have gone further south to the bright spot

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Annoyingly the top of Y Garn was clear now

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And the other end of the ridge where the car was parked

As we got back to the car we took time to look back to where we were and agreed that we had had a good time despite the setback of the weather. As Mike opened the boot of his car and we got our waterproofs off, he asked ‘who’s keys are these?’ To which Robbo replied ‘there mine’ – and then the comedy moment struck as Mike asked ‘Robbo, how were we meant to get back from the other end if your car keys are here?’ That was the queue for much guffawing and a bit of leg pulling and I still have a chuckle now and again. Poor Robbo didn’t know what to say – a bad car day this was. But we consoled him with the fact that he would have had to go around Nebo where the car was parked and try and get a lift. Never mind we said, the village of Nasareth was close by so maybe we could have ridden a donkey back. Walking, it’s a funny old game.

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…… oops!

Helvellyn via Striding Edge

Hanging around Helvellyn, via Striding Edge

Date: 12th July 2008.

Map: Landranger 90

Weather: Overcast at first, with a low cloud base lifting above the summit.

A Helvellyn round, up to Birkhouse Moor and on to Striding Edge. Up to the summit of Helvellyn, on to Whiteside and Raise, returning to Glenridding via Greenside valley: 10 miles on the map, but felt like much less for a change.

Copyright OS-Click on map to enlarge, then hit the back button to return to blog

A typical British summer was developing, with high pressure over Europe and a constant stream of depressions flowing across the UK. Good for the grass and garden but not much else. I usually play golf on a Saturday but the chance of walking up Striding Edge was too good to miss. I walked today with Stuart, who had been putting off this walk because of wet weather for many weeks. But we decided to take a chance and with my lucky T-shirt on, I knew we wouldn’t be disappointed. As we approached Troutbeck on a minor road the views ahead were superb at 7 am, but the tops of the hills were obscured with a low cloud base.

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Would the clouds lift later?

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The path up besides Glenridding Beck through the village

As we arrived in Glenridding the car park was fairly empty, which gave us hope for a clear run at Striding Edge come rain or shine. It would take some of the enjoyment away having to wait for a queue of people, and don’t expect to be able to push on past walkers who are taking their time along the ridge. It would be too dangerous for all concerned to get frustrated here, but in my humble opinion it is a safe route when the weather conditions are good. Once we were kitted up and had paid £6 for a full days parking, we crossed the beck and made our way up through the village, quiet at 7:30 in the morning. I thought it was quiet until we passed by the campsite – a not very attractive sight or site. The place was a tented village and there was a queue of campers at the toilet block, most of them looking like they needed a good nights sleep amongst other things - not my idea of fun. A little further uphill was a mobile buttie van, with the unmistakeable aroma of freshly cooked bacon floating on the early morning air, mmmmmmm. But we decided against a big bacon buttie just before the first ascent of the day, although I was mighty tempted. There are numerous paths up to Helvellyn from both the east and west sides. Wainwright nominates 7 routes from each side, with some easier than others, but whichever you choose it is a delightful area. So much so that you may end up forgetting any pain that you might have in your legs – Helvellyn is after all over 3000ft.

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The stone path up to Birkhouse Moor – turn right at the col

We wound our way along turning left & right, Stuart checking the map, and eventually we started up a clear path towards Birkhouse Moor. The paths today were all in good condition, with no real scree walking, which makes life much easier on the legs. We kept stopping to take in the retrospective views over Ullswater and the surrounding fells – a theme for the day, and we didn’t break any records for speed. But oh what views, and an ever changing palette of colours as the sunshine came and went. Glenridding Dodd across the valley was looking particularly resplendent in freshly bloomed heather, a lovely contrast of purple and green. We didn’t see much wildlife today (apart from the campsite) and the mountain vegetation didn’t vary much from the sheep grazed grass. There were some large flocks of crows making much noise below Catsycam, and later on at the summit there was a large flock of seagulls floating on the wind coming in from the west.

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A green and mauve Dodd

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Looking across to St Sunday Crag from the wrong path

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Both ends of Ullswater as we gained height

As we gained height up the hillside we veered off onto some zigzag paths which took us up to the first summit at Birkhouse Moor. We could have walked straight up the hillside but we were too busy chatting and looking at the views, but it was an easier route than the one that ran up alongside the wall. That wasn’t the last diversion of the day either! There were fine views of both ends of Ullswater, and here was probably the only place that you can see both ends of the lake. The surrounding fells of Birks and St Sunday Crag were prominent to our left side with the valleys falling away below us. The way ahead up to Striding Edge was clear, but unfortunately the cloud base continued to swirl over Helvellyn and down over the surrounding area.

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Catsycam and Striding Edge ahead in the clouds

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By the wall looking towards Seat Sandal in the distance

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The path is clear ahead with not a soul around

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Looking back down Birkhouse Moor with Ullswater now far below

We passed by the hole in the wall, which is where the old path comes up across the slope – a gentler ascent from Glenridding which by-passes Birkhouse Moor, and onwards to the ridge. It was distinctly chillier here and we togged up in base layers and windproof layers. Anticipation built as we got closer to the start of the ridge, and for me it was good to be able to compare the exposure felt here with the Crib Goch walk I did back in April this year. The weather continued to hug the ridge, but with ‘Lucky’ being my middle name I assured Stuart that it would be good. The way along the ridge is clear enough as thousands of feet have worn, scratched and scuffed the surface over many years of walking.

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Up towards the start of Striding Edge with Red Tarn below

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Looking down into Grisedale Beck – probably the longest drop off the ridge

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All polished and clearly marked out for you….

There are clear crampon marks from the brave or foolhardy souls who walk this way in winter conditions, and you will see that there is no lichen or moss growth along the top of the ridge. In places the path has worn smooth, probably from people taking a breather to take in the great views from up here. We certainly sauntered along and enjoyed the experience, there was always only one route for us and that was along the top. For any of you with a fear of heights – what are you doing up here anyway? There is an alternative path that runs down below the ridge that will give you shelter from the worst of the elements, although it is quite narrow in places. But for me Striding Edge in benign weather conditions is nothing more than a careful walk with one or two short climbs and drops. But like all good ridge walks you need to concentrate and it is dangerous in inclement weather. The steepest drop is at the beginning of the ridge, but the path is wide here, with Nethermost Cove far below you to the left and Red Tarn to your right side, unless you are walking backwards. The shapely peak of Catsycam catches the eye all the way along this walk, as it is central to this round, added to the fact that Helvellyn still had its head in the clouds.

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The Dixon memorial – patron Saint of electrical goods

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The sunshine breaking through as we progressed

We passed by the Dixon memorial of 1858, a small steel post painted in black with a white top. It marks the spot where Mr Dixon was shouting ‘Tally-Ho’ moments before shouting ‘Tally-oops’ as he followed the local fox hounds on High Spying How. Once we were on the ridge the mist lifted higher up the slopes of Helvellyn, giving us a clear view ahead and to the adjacent fells and Ingleborough 30 odd miles in the distance – distinct with his flat top. At the end of the ridge before the climb up to the summit there is an awkward spot which drops down a small chimney of about 15ft. It has good foot and hand holds, but there is an easier route to drop off before here if you don’t fancy a little scramble. I think we both took it easy along here to savour the moment, made more enjoyable by being the only ones up here. Later in the day there was a long crocodile of people silhouetted against the skyline, and the only person we saw early on was a lone walker (not the Lone Walker) making his way up Catsycam.

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Just go back down there and take a picture – OK just this once then

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Stuart cleverly using only one leg

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Just go down there and take a picture – Stuart negotiating the chimney drop


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The entire ridge looking back to the start

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A great panorama now that the mist had lifted

Once up on the summit we met two walkers who had come up the west side from Wythburn, a direct and very steep route – you would spend a lot of time looking at your feet on this route up. At the end of the ridge there is the remaining walk up to the summit on fairly sound stony ground. It isn’t too far up, and zigzags around a bit until you arrive at the second memorial on this walk. This one is a square stone slab dedicated to a man called Gough who died on this spot in 1890. His dog stayed faithfully beside his remains until someone found him some time later. It makes a good marker for descending down to Striding Edge if you are going that way. The summit area is stony but easy to walk along with the main paths almost like a metalled surface; a well graded gravel and stone is easy on the feet.

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Looking across to Nethermost Pike from the ascent to Helvellyn

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The Gough memorial – a good landmark

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Looking over to the summit trig point from the summit cairn

We made our way past the pathetic summit cairn and along to the cross shelter. Someone should build a cairn worthy of this mountain to sit and take in the breathtaking views from the top. Maybe Andy Goldsworthy and his chums should come up here. The third marker is just below the summit cross shelter and marks the spot where an aeroplane landed in 1926! The somewhat flat summit made the first British mountain-top landing of a plane possible, when John Leeming and Bert Hinkler successfully landed and took off again; no doubt the journey started with those famous words “I bet you a fiver you can’t land on top of a mountain”. With the wind chill and low cloud it felt closer to freezing – a reminder to be well equipped even in the middle of summer. Stupid me didn’t bring my gloves and paid the price with some severely numb fingers for a while, until Stuart kindly loaned me his gloves for a quick warm up. After a quick snack, it was on with the woolly hat and waterproofs as the low cloud became thicker. The summit cross area was clear of rubbish which made a refreshing change, and it doesn’t need an incinerator after all Mr W. Stuart had planned a short detour out along Swirral Edge to Catsycam and back again, but as we couldn’t even see Catsycam or the route down to Swirral Edge it seemed a bit pointless, so we abandoned the idea. As we wandered past the trig point I felt a bit disappointed that once more the best views were denied to me by the low cloud base.

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Striding Edge now covered in low cloud

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Let there be light – draw back that rain curtain

But if your born lucky and karma is on your side…a last shower passed and the clouds parted left and right as if someone had pulled apart a set of curtains. It was a wondrous moment and we couldn’t believe our luck as not only could we take in the views we could actually see for miles and miles – no heat haze to obscure anything. We spent quite a bit of time clicking away on the camera and then identifying the surrounding fells. A copy of Wainwright would have been useful as there are so many tops to see. I suppose the best views were to the north to the bulk of Skiddaw and onwards from there to the Solway Firth and Scotland beyond.

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The Scafells and Bowfell – a flock of seagulls frolicking on the thermals

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Vast views all around

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The shapely Catstye Cam with Ullswater in the distance

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The view north over Thirlmere with Skiddaw beyond

After dropping down to Lower Man we wandered on in a daze and took the wrong path, both too busy admiring the views to notice. But it wasn’t much of a diversion and we soon gained the route back up over Browncove Crag and onto the path to Whiteside. The walking along here was a delight, with great views over Keppel Cove, Catstye Cam and Glenridding beyond. The sun was out and we gently warmed as the scenery continued to unfold before us. There is an old dam in Kepple Cove which once contained an artificial tarn, although today the bed was looking very green & marshy. The water from the tarn was used in a hydroelectric scheme to drive electric winding gear at the Greenside Mine. Commissioned in 1891, this was the first such system in the country. It continued in use until the night of 29th October 1927 when the Kepple Cove dam burst during a heavy storm, leaving an 80 ft wide gap in the earthworks. The resulting wave passed down the valley and through Glenridding village, flooding buildings and causing extensive damage, but was much loved by the local surfer dude apparently.

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The path over to Whiteside Bank from Lower Man

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Brown Cove below Catstye Cam, with the Keppel Cove dam below

Now looking down you can see the big hole at the bottom left side of the dam, and numerous leets that channelled water to the tarn. The old man made dam in Brown Cove can just about be seen, with a puddle of a tarn behind it. There were more people around now, mostly on their way to the summit – many teenagers doing their Duke of Edinburgh awards, a few groups of mountain bikers – fast down but not so quick up, and some fell runners who didn’t hang about due to the temperature. We discussed sprinting to the top of Whiteside Bank to overtake one of them, but neither of us took up the challenge. Along the path up to Whiteside there were good views over to the ridges and a queue of people crossing Striding Edge. We were happy knowing that we had had the best of the day when we were over there.

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A look back to Helvellyn, Swirral Edge and Catstye Cam

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Move along now…are we there yet…I need the toilet….

The path continued gently up towards Raise with several piles of stones masquerading as cairns marking the way. Once we reached the top of Raise it was now all downhill from here, but not before taking in the wonderful views once more, with Skiddaw and Blencathra prominent in our line of sight. Raise has a nice shapely cairn and from here the path dropped down to the col between two valleys, both marked on the map as Sticks Gill. So be careful if someone advises you to go down Sticks Gill, turn right for Glenridding.

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The summit cairn on Whiteside Bank with Skiddaw in the background

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Magnificent scenery – not so benign in winter time

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Looking towards Raise – nice and easy walking

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The summit cairn on Raise – the path drops down to the col from here

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Looking back up to raise from the Sticks Pass cairn

We were getting progressively warmer as we dropped down into the valley as the cold wind died away. Up to our right we saw what appeared to be a ski run, probably the shortest run I have ever seen. Apparently it is run by the lake district ski club and they managed 10 days skiing last year - www.ldscsnowski.co.uk/, but having read a little I don’t think I’ll take up skiing now. Especially as there is a fairly steep gully that lies below the ski slope! The path followed the hillside gently down beside the beck, with a good flow of water on the actual path for much of the way. We peeled off the outer layers and I almost got the sunscreen out, but it wasn’t that hot.

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The ski lift, ski run and ski hut – don’t get too excited now.

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Down in the valley the spoil heaps below Greenside come into view

The old spoil heaps from the Greenside mines come into view and the valley floor is barren in places, a legacy of the old lead mining industry. There are not many remnants of the old mine buildings, and although I had a quick look, I couldn’t see much in the way of Galena (lead) lying around the place either. After crossing over a small wooden bridge the path continued down into the valley and Glenridding and the youth hostel. Looking at the spoil heaps here it is obvious that much remedial work has been carried out over the years to stabilise the slopes and obviously to prevent pollution to the groundwater from the old lead workings. There is a great wall of stone and a water channel to guide excess water away from the steeper slopes into the course of the beck. There was an interesting looking birdcage sitting above what looked like a well, but when we walked over for a look, it was just a fancy storm drain cover.

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The old spoil tips and somewhere beneath here the old mine works

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Getting closer to Glenridding – note the neat and tidy spoil heaps

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Looking back up Glenridding Common to the still shapely Catstye Cam

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I thought I saw a puddy cat a creeping up on me…..

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Glenridding Beck managed through the spoil heaps and old mine works

The old mine buildings have been converted for use by the YHA for school field trips etc. From here it was a short walk down through a few cottages and fields to the main car park at Glenridding which was now full to the brim. Here there is a fibre glass model of the hills of the surrounding area. I took a picture as I thought it would look good at the end of the story, but it ended up looking like someone’s false bottom or worse. It was a great short walk, taken at a leisurely stroll –it’s good to wander along enjoying the landscape. We both must be getting fitter as my legs felt like I could have gone around again, so walking is definitely good for you. Try it sometime, honestly it’s brilliant.

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Enjoying life. Work in Norway, walk anywhere.

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