Date & start time: Monday 26th January 2009. 2.30 pm start.

Location of Event : Rakefoot Farm, Castlerigg, Keswick, Cumbria, Uk ( NY 283 222 )

Places visited : Rakefoot, Walla Crag and back.

Walk details : 2 ml, 600 ft of ascent, 1 hours 40 mins.

Highest point : Walla Crag viewpoint.

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

Weather : Overcast and grey.

Skiddaw from the ascent of Walla Crag

A bright and cheerful dawn but the weather deteriorated and by the time we got out for a walk it was decidedly grey again.

Still, lots of jobs done during the day and a fine little walk was in prospect as the light faded.

We parked near Castlerigg camp site and crossed the bridge onto the fell.

Plenty of signs of high river levels and flooding abound.

The path up to Walla Crag was looking decidedly eroded too.

The recent heavy rains have allowed the water to wash out sections of the normal path.

Still, the summit of Blencathra hasn't been eroded that much I imagine.

It still has a reasonable amount of snow, but if Helvellyn is anything to go by, the snow will be more like ice.

Bassenthwaite Lake in the distance, framed by one of the Yew Trees that grow well up here.

We follow the wall up and the view opens out to reveal the north western fells.

The cloud cover is down below 3000 ft and it is just touching the tops of Eel Crag and Grisedale Pike.

Behind us, the snowy slopes of Bleaberry Fell.

Looking across to Catbells.

The slight colour in the afternoon sky was casting a pink hue on the water.

Below us is Derwent Isle and Friar's Crag.

To our left, looking up Borrowdale, the dark summit of Kings How

with the Central Fells forming a snowy backdrop to the scene. Castle Crag is the diminutive wooded fell above the three highest of the pine trees.

The summit cairn of Walla Crag is set back from the viewpoint.

The low cloud this afternoon is just obscuring the tops of the fells behind.

A close up of Helvellyn and the valley leading up to Brown Cove.

Time to climb the stile and return along the outside of the wall towards Castlerigg.

The first lights of Keswick are on as we retrace our steps.

- - - o o o - - -

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

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

This site best viewed with . . . slightly better weather in the north west.

Go to Top

© RmH.2009 # Email me here # or leave me a Guest book Entry

Previous walk - 22nd January 2009 Dale Head on a grey afternoon

A previous time up here - 2nd May 2006 Walla Crag with Ken Ledward of KLETS