Date & Time: Wednesday 15th March 2006. 1.15pm start.

Location of Start : White Moss, Grasmere ( NY 350 065 )

Places visited : White Moss, Grasmere, Loughrigg Terrace, Cave and Badger Bar.

Walk details : 2.9 mls, 650 ft of ascent, time - longer than expected.

Walked with : Ann and the dogs.

Weather : Grey turning blue, windy turning calm. Temperature above freezing.

 

As the snow was fast disappearing from Loweswater we decided to have a quick look over Dunmail Rise as they say the weather was different there. The dogs needed a walk and I think I was suffering from snow deprivation syndrome.

High Rigg Panorama from the A 591.

The weather reports were right. As soon as we passed Keswick the fields started to take on that winter mantle again.

   
The AA Box on Dunmail Rise.
Helm Crag - a little whiter than last time.

The Snow on Dunmail Rise had been thick enough to close the road in the last few days,

and the countryside here was a lot different to Loweswater, that's for sure.

Above:

The Gingerbread Shop at Grasmere.

The home of Sarah Nelson's famous Gingerbread

 

Left:

A Man left out in the snow without a sufficient supply of

Sarah Nelson's famous Gingerbread.

That'll teach him.

 

   
White Moss car park just beyond Grasmere
Harry chewing a stick in the car park

We drove back onto the main road and parked on the National Trust car park beyond the lake and decided to walk Loughrigg Terrace, maybe to the cave, or even to the summit if it was suitable. Who knows where we would end up ?

Delightful River Rothay . . . horrible paths

The snow looked an absolute delight, here was a pristine, white winter wonderland, but in truth the snow was melting fast and it was six inches of near slush on the paths. This made it very slippery and very slow going. Plans for the summit were put on hold.

Two "slush puppies" taking the wrong route. (couldn't resist that one !)

We stayed on the near bank rather than cross over, and then made our way towards the lake.

Baneriggs Wood with the river down to our left.

   
The top bridge
and the weir at Grasmere

Loughrigg Terrace was supposed to be more or less level

but every slight up and down variation became exaggerated in these slippery conditions.

Ann had some new "Spider" instep crampons on which helped prevent some of the sliding, but even these did not completely stop the problem. The Trek pole was a great help too.

 

The dogs had no problems with grip though and bounced about in their usual fashion, just stopping long enough at this rock for me to get a picture of them with Heron Pike behind.

 

 

A sudden level piece of ground announced that we had reached Loughrigg Cave, an old slate quarry.

The level ground was part of the old spoil heap.

Loughrigg Cave - winter wonderland - framed.

 

Deeper inside, Ann gives scale to this large man made cavern.

 

" Papillion "

( French for butterfly )

   
A second quarry cave lower down.
Taking the path on towards Rydal.

Nab Scar from the Rydal path.

Click here or on the image for a larger and better view.

Down to Rydal Water

looking back towards Silver How and High Raise in the distance.

   
Nab Cottage with Cormorants on the rocks.
Back to the first footbridge and the car.

 

Due to the poor walking conditions, Ann walked the short distance down Rydal Water, stopping to enjoy the view from the woods, before crossing to the main road and our agreed meeting place.

In the mean time the dogs and I walked back the length of the lake, and across the bridge they had tried earlier, in order to get to the car. From there it was a short road trip to meet Ann for a glass of something hot to warm the cockles of your heart.

A very pleasant stop at the Badger Bar, and we recommend the hot mulled wine too.

 

 

The weather on our return journey was considerably nicer than on the way over so we diverted around the other side of Thirlmere in order to get better views of Helvellyn.

   
The back road was open . . .
but only as far as here !!

So we turned and retraced out route

and had this fine view of Steel Fell on the way back to the main road.

St John's in the Vale and Blencathra beyond.

Colour was returning to the valley as we travelled north from Dunmail Rise.

By the time we got back to Loweswater only the high fells were showing signs of the recent snow.

A complete change of climate, one side of the Lakes to the other.

 

- - - o o o - - -

Technical note: Pictures taken with a Canon IXUS 400 Digital camera.

Resized in Photoshop, and built up on a Dreamweaver web builder.

This site best viewed with . . . big non-slippy things on your feet.

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Previous walk - 13th March 2006 Derwent Water and Keswick in the rain

Previous time here - 24th August 2005 GPS and Geocaching at Rydal Water