March 1st; and the upper slopes of Blencathra are still a winter wonderland. We took the X5 bus from Keswick to Scales and walked over into the valley of the Glenderamakin from Mousthwaite Comb, following the old mine track above the river up to the 600m col between Blencathra and Bannerdale Crags. I took this picture at about 500m, well above the snow line, as Katie, Jeff and Simon climbed towards the col above.
From the col we climbed up towards the top of Foule Crag 845m with a fine view of Sharp Edge to our left, there were few walkers out and the Edge was left in peace for a change. Here you can see the col below and the peak of Bowscale Fell rising behind Simon in all its winter glory.
Hallsfell Top; the summit of Blencathra, 868m/2847ft. There was a breeze blowing now and it was freezing on the top, we piled on more gear, ate a hasty lunch and took some photos. Behind Katie is the shapely top of Gategill Fell 851m, one of the subsidiary peaks of Blencathra. We traversed the whole Blencathra ridge from Atkinson Pike to Blease Fell, which is hidden behind Gategill Fell here.
As we descend Blease Fell a fine prospect of the snow covered Helvellyn range opens up before us; Clough Head rises on the left, Helvellyn itself is in the distance. We're below the snow line here at about 500m and have just picked up an old sheep trod that leads easily down towards the Blencathra Centre from where we'll walk down to the old road that leads back through the Brundholm Woods to Keswick.
Grisedale was surely at its very best in early March when Lyn, Rita and I set out from Glenridding to walk over by Lanty's Tarn and up the valley to the Brothers' Parting Stone near Grisedale Tarn. The snow clad ridge beyond the walkers is part of the Helvellyn Range with Nethermost Pike on the right and the shapely peak of Dollywagon on the left. Grisedale Tarn, 540m, nestles on the snow line below her SE ridge, far in the background, masked by the dark shoulder of St. Sunday Crag on the left.
