Date & Time: Friday 23rd November 2007. 10 am start.

Location of Start : St Margaret's Church, Wythop, Cumbria, Uk. ( NY 191 302 )

Places visited : Dodd Crag, Sale Fell, Lothwaite, Chapel Wood, the Old Chapel, Kelswick Farm, back to St Margaret's Church.

Walk details : 3.75 mls, 1000 ft of ascent, 2 hrs 40 mins.

Walked with : Peter and Barbara Penrose, their friends John and Kate, Jenny Riley, Celia Kelly, Ann and Roy Whithear, Ann and the dogs, Harry and Bethan.

Weather : A beautifully clear, cold, crisp, sunny winter's day.

As part of George Fisher's 50th Anniversary events, I was asked to lead a guided walk on Sale Fell. The date was decided many months ago and being organised so far in advance the weather could not be predicted. As it happened it turned out to be one of the best days of this Autumn / Winter season so far.

A bright and frosty Loweswater sunrise - heralds a good day weather wise.

The low winter sun casts long shadows which will be slow to melt the overnight frost around Loweswater Church.

With eight people expected for the walk, Ann and I travel over to Wythop and park just along from the Church.

The party duly assembled at the start of the walk.

(l to r) Myself, Roy, Celia, Ann, Jenny, John , Barbara, Peter and finally Kate. (Happy Birthday to Ann by the way !)

They were all up in the Lakes on various holidays, having travelled from Liverpool, Wakefield or Buckinghamshire.

What a great start to a walk ~ the view of Binsey on a crisp fresh winter morning.

The lake is Bassenthwaite.

The straight line running across the photo is the A66 trunk road

which follows the line of the old Penrith, Keswick and Workington railway.

As we round the corner we lose the traffic noise and gain a fine view of the adjacent Ling Fell.

Closer at hand, the morning sunshine was illuminating these old Scots Pines in Fisher Wood. (no relation !)

On the north facing slope however, the morning sun had failed to warm the morning frosts around Eskin Farm.

To the north across the Solway Firth was Criffel and the Dumfries and Galloway coast of Scotland.

One of the discussions of the day was about the many coastal wind farms that could be seen, and the effect they are having on the landscape.

Roy seems to have beaten the dogs to the summit cairn as we reach the top of Sale Fell.

The hill all around are so clear we gather on the top just to admire the view.

The one thing not really visible from here on the top is Bassenthwaite Lake,

so we set off across to the high ground of Lothwaite opposite.

More chance to stand and stare.

Skiddaw summit has a heavy frost covering but hasn't really seen any snow yet this year.

Looking up the valley past Skiddaw, Ullock Pike and Dodd, towards Keswick.

The long ridge of Helvellyn was showing in the far distance, hidden slightly by the sun's glare.

Reflections on trees.

The sun has failed to melt the frost under the trees, so the strong sun cast clear shadow tracings on the unusually white grass.

From Lothwaite ridge we backtrack slightly and cut down to the bridle way at the base of the fell.

East takes you over to Wythop Woods.

In the distance are the Back o' Skiddaw fells of Longlands, Lowthwaite and the unusually named Great and Little Cockup Fells.

However we turn west towards Kelswick.

Before long we are walking through Chapel Woods, an old deciduous woodland area with a fine variety of trees.

Many have bird boxes attached to attract the small woodland bird species to breed.

The Old Chapel alongside the path. It was believed to have been built in the 14th or 15th century

but was demolished in 1865 once the new Church was built on the opposite side of Sale Fell.

A memorial stone marking the old chapel site . . .	. . . and a reprint of an old 1865 photo plus a brief explanation of the ruin.

Another group shot, this time with Ann in the picture.

Rounding the corner, we continue along the path to Kelswick Farm.

Our route then took us across the bracken covered side of Sale Fell in order to regain our outward path near Fisher Wood.

Back into the frost and shadows on the northern side of the fell.	The new St Margaret's Church, itself now over 140 yrs old.

With a few spare minutes we took the opportunity to look inside.

Wipe your feet, the church wardens have just finished the hoovering !

Harry and Bethan wait outside . . .	. . . as we view the delightful interior.

We were soon back at the car and on our way to the second half of the day.

Click on the picture above, or follow the link below, for our afternoon visit of the Jennings Brewery.

- - - o o o - - -

Technical note: Pictures taken with a Canon G7 Digital camera.

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

This site best viewed with . . . the pleasure of introducing new folk to new fells.

Part Two, later this same day - 23rd Nov 2007 Lunch and the Jennings Brewery Visit

Go to Top

© RmH.2007 # Email me here # Guest book (on the front page)

Previous walk - 17th Nov 2007 On Ilkley Moor - bah'torch

A previous time up here - 19th November 2006 Blowing the cobwebs away on Sale and Ling