Date & Time: Friday 15th February 2008. 11.30 am start.

Location of Start : Kirkstone Pass car park, Cumbria, Uk. ( NY 401 081 )

Places visited : Kilnshaw Chimney path, Red Screes, Smallthwaite Band, Middle Dodd and back the same way. A slight diversion whilst on the top - down and back to Raven Crag.

Walk details : 2.85 mls, 1650 ft of ascent, 3 hrs 45 min including lunch.

Walked with : Jill and David, Ann and the dogs, Harry and Bethan.

Weather : Blue skies, sunshine and a low level distant haze.

Jill and David on Red Screes Summit

Steady on . . . This fine weather is getting predictable and we were able to plan a walk the day before and what 's more, complete it exactly as expected !   That plan was to walk Red Screes and Middle Dodd as they were outstanding fells in Jill's quest to complete her round of Wainwright summits.   Only twenty or so till the bottle of bubbly !   - - - o o o - - - Left : Red Screes from the Kirkstone summit start. - - - o o o - - -

The Kirkstone Inn, seen through a bit of a heat haze.

Looking east, the summit with three cairns is Ill Bell, with Kentmare Pike beyond.

The path climbs steadily up the steep sided Red Screes.

The view, slightly north of east this time, to Caudale Moor, Thornthwaite Beacon and High Street.

Windermere is lost in the haze as we climb yet another bend in the path.

Below is "The Struggle", up here we're taking it easy, as there's no rush is there ?

Action shot of someone climbing the stone pitched path.

It's a warm day and it looks like shorts are in order !

Nearing the top there is still some snow lying in the hollows.

Jill taking advantage of the white stuff.

On the summit, the temperature has been cold enough to freeze the summit tarn.

The dogs go across to explore the ice . . . no chance of a swim today.

The High Fells from Coniston to the Scafells, Gable and Grasmoor across the frozen tarn.

Zooming in on the distinctive outline of Great Gable, with Pillar to the right.

Helvellyn and Striding Edge with the pointed Catstycam above St Sunday Crag.

Middle Dodd from the trig point on Red Screes.

Before we leave the top . . .

Not a bad view from our lunch spot above the remaining snow cornice.

Middle Dodd overlooking Brothers Water, with Place Fell beyond.

This summit is unusual in that most folk walk down to it as a viewpoint, rather than climb up to it from the valley below.

Jill's happy with her summit and so we return to Red Screes. The dogs lead the way again.

Jill test the snow and finds it hard to make an impression. The snow has melted and re-frozen so no snowball fights this time.

I seem to remember stepping gingerly from rock to rock in order to cross safely over the solid ice. Sensible people just went round the side.

Back to the summit and the warm sunshine still takes precedence over the slightly cool breeze.

We extended the walk slightly by walking down past the summit tarn to catch the view of Snarker Pike from Raven Crag cairn.

The haze has not improved and Windemere still fades into the background.

We returned to the summit and retraced our steps down the steep fellside to the cars below.

A refreshing hydration stop in the hostelry had to be foregone today as the pub was closed due to the owner being away on his winter vacation.

It will probably be open again by the time you read this.

- - - o o o - - -

Technical note: Pictures taken with my Canon G7 or Ann's Ixus Digital cameras.

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

This site best viewed with . . . time to enjoy the views.

Go to Top

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

Previous walk - 13th Feb 2008 Local to home - Crummock hovering

A previous time up here - 8th July 2006 A cool walk up Red Screes and Middle Dodd