Date & Time: Sunday 12 th October 2008. Start time 11.10 am

Location of Event : The Mirehouse Sawmill Tearooms, Keswick, Cumbria, Uk ( NY 235 283 )

Places visited : Ravenstone plantation, Ullock Pike, Longside Edge, Carl Side Tarn, Carl Side, White Stones and back to the tearoom.

Walk details : 5.8 ml, 2450 ft of ascent, 5 hours 30 mins.

Walked with : Thirteen folk and eight dogs (see below)

Highest Point : Carl Side 2,447ft (746m)

Weather : Sunshine and wonderfully clear visibility, cloud spreading in from the south later.

We met at the Mire House Sawmill Tearooms . . .

This walk started out with David, Ros, Gary and Sheena arranging to meet up for a walk.

Someone told the OFC and loads of others turned up, including six friends for their two dogs, Rosie and Holly.

Andrew, Anne, Jayne, John, Jo(hidden) Sheena, Terry (in the hat) Gary, myself, David, Douglas, Ros.

[ Photo by Ann ]

Canine representatives were Rosie and Holly, Jodie, Polly, Tim, Abbey, Harry and Bethan. (in no particular photographic order).

The notice reminds us that the Ospreys have flown.	The weir that powered the old Sawmill.

Our walk started along the forest path parallel to the road,

heading towards the northern end of the Ullock Pike Ridge and the start of our climb.

Along the way, free range forest bees !

Sheena walks the forest track and we get our first long distant views.

Opposite are Barf, Lords Seat and Broom Fell.

To the right, Sale Fell and the northern end of Bassenthwaite Lake.

Gradually climbing towards the open fell, above the Ravenstone Hotel.

A brief stop to admire the view.

Gary and Jo lead the next part of the climb.

John is the centre of attention as a bag of dog treats sees the light of day.

Jo, Ann and Andrew.

Reaching the true ridge path, we get our first sight of Skiddaw Fell, partially covered with cloud.

A short while later, the full view from Skiddaw round to Ullock Pike could be seen.

Anne, myself, Gary and Sheena.

Tell Ros that the top's not far now . . .

Jo climbing one of the rocky sections near the top.

The recent rain has left Bassenthwaite lake with quite high water levels

as can be seen by the flooded woodland far below.

Gary uses his binoculars to watch the passing helicopter.

More evidence of the recent rains with the top end of the lake looking particularly flooded.

Dodd Fell with distant Derwent Water and the Newlands Valley.

Binsey in the distance.

David reaches the final part of the climb.

Ullock Pike summit, complete with people, dogs, blue skies and a gentle breeze.

Time for lunch . . . someone pick a place . . . sunny but sheltered please !

Jodie, Jo, Jayne

and John caught mid sandwich !

Come on you lot . . . time to get going !

The climb to the next summit, Longside Edge.

Another summit, another summit photo.

The diminutive summit cairn and the path we will be following over to Carl Side.

Behind is Skiddaw with Skiddaw Little Man to the right.

Carl Side Tarn and chance for the dogs to have a drink.

Jayne supervises the dog watering.

Harry heads for the middle of the tarn.

Abbey	Polly	Holly and Harry

Swim over, Tim dries off in true canine style.

The Carl Side Tarn panorama, with the Carsleddam spur below us.

From the tarn, we make for the summit of Carl Side.

All the while the cloud is moving in from the south. It has now engulfed the full length of the Helvellyn Range.

Andrew takes a short break on Carl Side summit with Bethan.

The Skiddaw Slate stones again fail to make a good summit cairn.

David and John stop to admire the view south to Derwent Water and the Central Fells.

Anne and Sheena start down the White Stones path.

A wide angle view from Latrigg round to the Newlands Valley.

Andrew, David, Jayne and John making their way down to White Stones.

A para glider suddenly appears . . . below us.

White Stones, on the descent ridge from Carl Side.

That's me on the rock trying to take a photo of the para glider as he passes.

Enjoying the breeze and up draughts.	Shortly after, he crossed back towards Keswick.

A man and his flying machine.

John about to lead the way down towards Dodd.

Dodd and the gap between it and Carlside, named on the map as Long Doors.

Another short stop to re-group.

Terry and Andrew divert up to Dodd summit but the rest of us head down the main track.

Autumn fruit.	Autumn sunshine.

Gary reaches the tearoom . . . yeah !	John plays mum with the afternoon tea tray

All the best walks end with refreshments of course.

- - - o o o - - -

Technical note: Pictures taken with with my Cannon G7 or Ann's Ixus 75 Digital cameras.

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

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