Knott Rigg and a frozen Moss Falls

Date & start time: Monday 1st February 2010, 11.50 am start.

Location of Start : Newlands Hause car park, Buttermere, Cumbria, Uk ( NY 193 176 )

Places visited : Moss Force (waterfall) and Knott Rigg.

Walk details : 2.1 mls, 825 ft, 1.20 hrs mins.

Highest point : Knott Rigg, 1824ft ( 556m)

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

Weather : Overcast with a very cold wind, forecasted to deteriorate into possible snow showers!

Tonight we were due at a Chris Bonnington / Doug Scott lecture evening at Rheged.

We therefore needed a shorter walk today, but at least we had sufficient time to travel a little further up the valley.

So . . . it was up onto the cold fells near Buttermere to check out a local waterfall and the views east from the top.

Our start point at Newlands Hause.

Moss Force (waterfalls) are this side of the road, Knott Rigg is the fell opposite.

Looking behind me I get a view of all three of the Moss Force waterfalls

as the beck cascades off Buttermere Moss and High Snockrigg.

The lower falls and frozen plunge pool.	Ann's picture of me (in yellow) as I climbed higher.

The middle falls, more of a cascade over the rocks.	A close up of the frozen beck.

The top falls from below . . .	. . . and from closer up.

This is the second freeze of the winter and not as cold as the December period,

consequently the stream is still flowing. These falls have been ice-climbed when really frozen . . . but not by me !

Returning to the car for the main part of the walk.

This is the Newlands Valley looking east, down the valley and across to Blencathra.

Ann and I then set off on the climb up Knott Rigg.

Looking west, our view looks down on the Buttermere Valley and the head of Crummock Water.

The overnight snow has left a dusting on Robinson Fell . . .	. . . and on Starling Dodd, now clear beyond Lingcomb Edge.

The North Western Fells

of Whiteless Pike, Wandope and Sail, their tops hidden by cloud.

The hard work of the climb nearly over, there is now a more gentle section along the ridge.

High cloud on Blencathra too as we look down over Derwent Water.

There may be cloud about but the air is clear enough to see across to distant Helvellyn.

However Harry and Bethan are looking at Ann . . . maybe she has a spare dog treat handy ?

That view, with a subtle variety of colour shades, deserved a close look.

From our fell, Knott Rigg, there are four valleys before you reach the snows of Helvellyn and Catstycam.

Oh ! . . . can't you find a bigger cairn for the summit ?

You want me to stand here and look warm ?

The dogs continue on in search of the snow . . .

. . . which they immediately start to eat !

The weather forecast seems to be coming true as bad weather approaches from the north (right to left).

Time to turn round.

I'm wrapped up from the cold too as the snow flurries start and the cloud base lowers.

That air is COLD.	Walking back along the ridge towards the car and home.

- - - o o o - - -

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 . . . clear roads to get up Newlands Pass in the first place.

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Previous walk - 31st January 2010 The Knock Murton Track

A previous time up here - 8th Sept 2007 Knott Rigg, Ard Crags at sunset

Next walk - 3rd February 2010 Fleetwith and Black Star