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" Fangs Brow and weather "

Date & start time: 8th - 11th December 2013.

Location of Start : Keswick Town, Cumbria, then  Fangs Brow Farm  ( NY 105 226 )

Places visited : The National Trust Centenary Stone, then The Chair on Burnbank's fellside.

Walk details :   Walk One 3.75 miles (level) Walk two 2.2 Miles, 800 ft of ascent.

Highest point : Mountains are generally higher than lakes !

Walked with : Dee and John Ann and the dogs, Amber and Harry.

Walk two: Keith, Ann and myself plus Harry.

Weather : Variable ... from the ridiculous to the sublime.

" Fangs Brow and weather " at EveryTrail
 

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Playing catch up here as we return to the Lakes after a trip south to see family.

I finally get time to download the camera of photos, taken a seemingly rather long ten days ago. 

The weather recently has been variable with a poor day in Keswick, followed by a lovely afternoon for a walk locally just a few days later.

Dee, John and Keith feature in these recent pictures.

While I was slaving away trying to serve customers in Keswick I could see the weather was bad

and thought of Ann relaxing in Dee and John's flat in town, supping a nice cup of tea and perhaps enjoying a biscuit.

The reality was slightly different.

They had taken the dogs out for a walk alongside Derwent Water . . . and the weather had turned rather wet to say the least.

Roaring down from the head of Borrowdale came a mighty wind pushing along a wild rain storm

that obstructed the view across the lake, let alone this one down the lake towards Castle Crag.

A quick view of the Centenary Stone beach sculpture . . .
. . . and head back to the shelter of the trees.

Ann had never visited the stone which sits on the edge of the water in Calfclose Bay.

It celebrates 100 years of the National Trust, which was founded here in the Lake District.

Back via Friars Crag . . . though it is difficult to make it out in these conditions.

Three cheers for lunch at a certain Keswick Outdoor retailer's Abraham's Cafe.

- - - o o o - - -

After the storm blew through the weather improved (it couldn't get much worse)

and we had a glorious morning sunrise to start a non-working day.

As I sat and watched, camera in one hand, breakfast cereal in the other, the colours changed beautifully.

Half an hour later and it had a totally different look

the sun now high, but hidden behind the cloud, reflects vividly on the surface of Crummock Water.

A morning valley Christmas event was followed by lunch at home. A friend joined us for lunch and a walk in the afternoon.

The clouds had cleared and it was a lovely day as we set out, stopping the car briefly at the Village Hall to show Keith the view.

Click here or on the photo above for a Loweswatercam larger annotated panorama

Spot the difference

As a Millennium Celebration the village erected a bronze plaque showing the view from where we stood.

Ahead is the Church and the Kirkstile Inn . . . leading all the way back to Great Gable at the head of the Buttermere Valley.

Hold your cursor over the picture to see how well the artist did !

Our walk started properly near Fangs Brow Farm

where the "Coffin Road" from Loweswater re-joins the tarmac road leading on (eventually) to the Priory at St Bees.

Clear visibility, but a light sea haze obscures the base of that famous Scottish hill, Criffel.

Harry encourages me not to hang about !

Keith and Ann wait a moment as I catch up.

We're just about onto the open fell but not quite.
The ladder stile leading back to Jenkinson Place and Waterend.
   
We'll take the bridleway towards Loweswater via High Nook.
It seems I'm holding back again !

. . . but that gives Ann and Keith chance to enjoy the view over the wall.

Criffel again . . . but I rather liked the wall myself !

Graythwaite Farm across the valley is on the edge of the afternoon shadow.

Ahead is the fine prospect of Grasmoor and Crummock Water over Loweswater.

Hopegill Head and Whiteside across the face of the nearer Low Fell southern slopes.

The triangular crags on the front of Grasmoor

but our elevated position here allows us a view of the true summit of the fell, normally hidden from the our home in the valley.

The Chair on the Coffin Road.

Dedicated to the memory of Ray Barrett,  a keen fell walker and lover of fine views it seems.

It has been repaired and is is fairly good condition at present.

Keith and Ann stop to appreciate the view too.

The shadow of Mellbreak is gradually rising as the sun sets towards the west.

Zooming in on Lanthwaite Hill.

The isolated hill in the centre of the valley catches the last of the sun and is a great viewpoint that we love well.

To proceed further would probably mean returning home in the  dark

so we leave the view of Mellbreak behind as we turn and make our way back.

The temperature has dropped as the path back is now in  shadow itself.

Sunset and all the yellow lighting has ended in favour of a more subdued evening glow.

The moon was out as we travelled over but is really noticeable now as we return.

The sheep are well used to walkers and line up to watch us pass.

One last photo as the sun sets . . .

" Come on or they'll be back at the car before us ! "

- - - o o o - - -

 

Technical note: Pictures taken with either Ann's Canon Sureshot SX220, or my Canon 1100D SLR digital camera.

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

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Previous walk - 7th Dec 2013 - St Bees on a Winter's Afternoon

A previous time up here - 29th July 2010 Fangs Brow and Holme Force

Next walk - 13th Dec 2013 - Finlay of Borrowdale