Date & start time: Sunday 13th September 2009. 10.30 am start.

Location of Start : Seathwaite Farm, Borrowdale, Cumbria, Uk ( NY 235 122 )

Places visited : Sour Milk Gill, Gillercomb, Base Brown, Taylor Gill Force, Grains Gill and back.

Walk details : 3.75 mls, 1700 ft, 3 hrs 35 mins.

Highest point : Base Brown 2,120ft ( 646m)

Walked with : Myself, Koen and Ans with Harry and Bethan.

Weather : Sunshine and blue skies.

[Click the drop down menu bar for your choice of Google map or photo hybrid ]

I met up in Seathwaite with two Belgian friends, Koen and Ans, viewers of our Loweswatercam website.

We set off in the direction of Green Gable via Sour Milk Gill but due to pre-arranged afternoon plans

I had to leave them at the hause below Base Brown and I returned via Taylor Gill.

On the way over to Borrowdale I just had to stop to capture the classic view of the Buttermere Pines.

A slightly closer view, with Haystacks in the background.

Start point at Seathwaite . . . the campsite is busy this weekend.

It is a the start point for many major walks, including those to Scafell Pike. A predicted fine weekend has added to the numbers here today.

For your information:

The bridge at the base of Sour Milk Gill is about to be repaired and the path across from the farm will be closed for a short time staring tomorrow.

Its open today though and we use it to cross the River Derwent at the start of the climb.

Koen and Ans climb the ladder stile.	The start of the Sour Milk Gill waterfalls.

If you've ever ordered Borrowdale Trout at a local pub or restaurant then this is where they grew up, the Borrowdale Trout Farm.

Higher up and a small Rowan has grown near the slabs.	Some rare flora as we scramble up though a rock cleft.

Bracket Fungus on a tree base a little further up.

The path has been well pitched with stone all the way.	The top falls where the water starts it's rapid descent.

Just below the fell wall the dogs pause for a photo shoot . . . behind is the upper Borrowdale Valley and Great Crag.

The popularity of the valley today can be judged by the number of cars parked on the roadside below.

Reaching the top we were suddenly surrounded by a fast moving flock of sheep.

The local farmer has been gathering his sheep for dipping today.

Looking back . . . a sheep free Gillercomb Valley.

At the top end of the valley we start the steep climb up onto the hause between Base Brown and Green Gable.

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Koen and myself at the top of the hause - photo courtesy of Koen and Ans

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Due to prior arrangements for the afternoon I had to cut short my walk, so we wished each other well and parted company.

Koen and Ans continue on their way, heading up the track towards Green Gable.

Meanwhile I just had time for a slight diversion to the adjacent Base Brown summit.

This was the wider view I saw on the short climb to the top.

The high fells on the left are Esk Pike and Great End, leading to Broad Crag and Scafell Pike on the right

Koen and Ans should be a fair way way up the slope to the right by now, heading for Green Gable.

The fine weather of the last week continues and visibility is again superb.

Looking east the distant fells include the whole length of the Helvellyn Range.

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From the top I took a direct route towards Taylor Gill.

Looking down on Sty Head Tarn . . .	. . . and finding the top of the gully I needed

I had planned to descend the gully but found the grass spur easier to negotiate.

A new route for me but route-finding was helped by having two guide dogs !

I had descended the central spur and joined the scree . . .	. . . below was the waterfall I was aiming for.

At this point I crossed the Taylor Gill path and could look across at the gate, part way up the climb from the valley.

Where were the dogs ?

What a surprise . . . they were already down below in the stream .

The dramatic Taylor Gill Falls.	In the damp environment these fungi are growing well on an old log.

The falls cascade into a shallow pool at it's base

Harry ventures in for a swim . . .

. . . so I decide to join him !

Suitably dried off, I re-join the normal path and exit out of the ravine into the main Borrowdale Valley.

I crossed the main river and stopped to look back at the ravine that contained Taylor Gill Force.

The water in the pool was beautifully clear and you could see every rock and stone all the way to the deep base of the pool.

The water was actually warmer in the main river than in Styhead Gill . . . so there was nothing for it . . .

but to have another dip !

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A short walk down the valley brought me back to the farm where Gordon had brought the flock down

and was preparing them to be dipped in order to prevent pests and ticks from attacking the sheep.

It was back to the car and then retrace my route over Honister Pass.

A slow trip down the valley following the holiday traffic

so I decided to stop for a couple more photos . . . in order to give the queue to time to move away.

It has always been an ambition to get the perfect shot of the Pines

ever since Ann and I bought a water colour picture of them nearly twenty years ago.

Today was not a bad time as there was sparkling sunlight on the lake and an interesting blue and white sky.

One of these days I'll find the perfect conditions . . . but for today, this will have to do !

Due to the two brief swims, my lunch will be a little later than planned.

I hope Koen and Ans are enjoying theirs . . . somewhere up there on the high fells.

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Technical note: Pictures taken with either Ann's Canon 75 or my Canon G10 digital camera.

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

This site best viewed with . . . two route finding dogs ahead of you.

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Previous walk - Sat 12th Sept 2009 Coniston Old Man via Grey Friar

A previous time up here - 19th / 20th April 2005 Fishers / North Face Training Days on Gable

Click here for Koen and Ans Belgian Website

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