Walk 127 in the far west

View west from Flat Fell summit. The rise ahead is Blakely Raise, with Grike peeking up to the left.

For the second year in a row I managed to go on a walk on Easter Monday, this year’s being walk 127 which took me around to the far west of the Lake District via the Cumbrian Coast rail line (a landscape odyssey of its own, disregarding any walks taken from it). I was setting out to do a longer walk, but didn’t really have enough time on the day. At nearly 13 miles the one I did was long enough though, and it bagged me three fells, Dent, Grike and Flat Fell. Read the details, with the usual crop of extra pictures on the walk 127 page.

As of today, then, I have bagged 99 of the 330 Wainwright fells on my second round. I hope I can make number 100 a significant fell, so let’s see what the weather looks like in two weeks’ time, my next window of walking opportunity.

 

Walk 126 completed

Barrow from the Stoneycroft Gill mine road. Blencathra behind.

After the drizzle that beset my last walk (walk 125) and limited me to one low-altitude fell, it was gratifying to be up higher again yesterday on walk 126. Three and a half hours of effort, setting out from and returning to Braithwaite, and five summits bagged: Barrow, Outerside, Sail, Scar Crags and Causey Pike.

I do like the Northwestern fells. This is great walking territory, fells packed into a compact space and plenty of climbing needed, but none of it excessively difficult, and the added bonus of clear and fairly dry paths. The light wasn’t all that great for photography yesterday, no sunshine or shadows until the very end (the first glimmers of it caught on the picture of Barrow above), but the whole day worked out very well — I was back home by 6.35pm, thus out of Hebden Bridge just over 12 hours for a fine day out. You can read about it in much more detail and see photos on the walk 126 page.

Scar Crags summit

As of today, then, I have done 96 of the 330 Wainwright summits a second time, and thus have 234 to go on my second round. I intend that my next walk be Easter Monday (17th): and it’s time to get round to the west. The summer bus services have started as well. There were plenty of hints of springtime in the air today — let’s hope it develops well.