" Local and Hen Comb with Paula "

Date & start time: Mon 29th and Wednesday  31st July 2013.

Location of Start : The red phone box, Loweswater , Cumbria, Uk ( NY 143 211 )

Places visited : Crummock via Scale Hill and Hen Comb via Harry's Pool.

Walk details :   Hen Comb ~ 5 miles, 1350 ft of ascent, 3 hours 15 mins including swim.

Highest point : Hen Comb 1,669ft - 509m

Walked with : Paula, Thomas and Abigail and the dogs, Harry and Bethan.

Weather : Sunshine and summer skies.  Warm with a breeze.

 

While the family were here recently we did several local walks and the children wanted to swim,

so this combination of several outings hopefully gives an impression of just that.

Let's hope the water is warm enough to enjoy the swimming . . . the sunshine is certainly warm enough for walking.

The car park at Scale Hill Bridge . . . where we take to the riverside track for a walk alongside the River Cocker to Crummock Water.

Four of my companions at the village sign.	Tom scrambled up to see the old Scale Hill mine entrance.

Bright sunshine through darker trees makes it difficult for the camera.

It made it difficult for Paula to identify the beaver too, floating in the water just the other side of the stick dam !

In fact it took us quite a while to convince her we were joking about the beavers as one of the sticks did look particularly convincing.   Rumour has it though that otters have been spotted here in the Cocker. The local National Trust warden says he has seen them on Crummock and I have had another confirmed sighting, this time in Buttermere. Needless to say, they are never around when I go looking for them !   - - - o o o - - - The picture (left) is of another favourite swimming pool, this time on a bend in the main river. While Tom and Abi were here we did take a dip in this pool but there were no photos to record the event. - - - o o o - - -

Summer woodland . . . and a fast flowing bend in the river just above that last pool.

Where the lake changes to a river . . . the outfall over the small weirs at the foot of Crummock Water.

Too strong for swimming so I'll stand here and look handsome . . .

[ Hold your cursor over the picture to attract his attention ]

We decide on a short round-trip and continue on over the footbridge towards the Pump House.

Photo time . . . picture by Mum.

The bridge over Park Beck,  the river that has drained down from Loweswater itself.

Looking back at the straight cut of the Park Beck water channel and at cloud-topped Grasmoor on the other side.

Sunshine and summer grass as we cross the fields back to the cottage.

- - - o o o - - -

On the Wednesday, the day before they had to return home, we set off on a slightly longer walk.

Just the four of us and Harry as Ann had an important Vet's visit booked for Bethan .

Starting point, so often the case, the Red Phone Box, Loweswater.	1st photo stop . . . Wainwright's negative signpost at the Kirkstile.

We headed out along the Kirkhead Lane past the Pub and the farm heading up into Mosedale, the valley between Mellbreak and Hen Comb.   The request was to climb Hen Comb itself so once out past the trees we cut down to Harry's Pool.   The river levels are low and the river is slow moving at present so crossing at the stepping stones won't be a problem.   Abi takes the lead . . . Don't forget to turn right at the end of the wall !

Safely across, Tom looks over to see the others across.

Behind him four young teenagers are having a whale of a time doing their own form of gorge walking (no organised group outings for them).

They float down the river in wet suits to keep themselves a little warmer and a little more protected against the sharper rocks.

As we climb we get a better view which now includes Loweswater to the left.

A brief pause after the short steep rise to enjoy the view. 

Paula and Abi take then took the main path that skirts the next summit.

Tom and I decide to be different and go for a 'Birkett point' . . . gaining a notional credit for reaching the summit of Little Dodd.

From here there's an impressive view into the White Oak Beck Valley.

The girl's path was never far away . . . which is more than can be said for Mellbreak on the other side of the Mosedale Valley.

By the time we are on the last climb to the summit of Hen Comb we were all back together.

" Concentration "

Tom concentrated on placing the smallest possible stone on the summit cairn . . .

the problem being that too small a stone and the wind would blow it away.

That wind has an effect on people too

but Tom seems to have found a winning formula for the stone.

A quick refreshing snack as it is well gone midday.

We've moved just below the summit and added a layer of clothes in order to keep warm.

For the return route scan back up the page . . . as we came back down the same way that we went up.

- - - o o o - - -

With all the recent July sunshine the land, the rocks and consequently the water has warmed nicely

so we decide to drop in for a swim.

We came prepared with bathers, now to pluck up courage to enter the water.

I'm sure Harry pushed me in !

Yes . . . it's fine . . . puff . . . puff . . . but a few degrees cooler than last week I think . . . puff . . . puff.

Tom takes the plunge.

The light levels are lower here so the camera chooses a slower speed . . . hence the slight blur . . . do not adjust your eyes.

A swim to the rocks and then around through the waterfall . . .

. . . finds him safely on the other side away from the overflow.

Abi, a confident swimmer, still preferred a piggy back into the falls for the first time.

Time to be thinking about getting out  before we get cold . . . come on Harry.

- - - o o o - - -

Whilst out on the walk to the lake we met a friend of ours who was staying locally on holiday with her parents.

We fixed a table at the Kirkstile and this evening we all gathered for a chat and a nice meal.

Conversation ranged widely and included our visit yesterday to Black Sail, as it was there (in the last century) that we first met

Elizabeth and John and Ruth.

She was here today with her partner Luke and her son, Elizabeth and John's grandson, Laurence (next to Abi at the head of the table).

Ruth was more Abi's age than Tom when Ann, Paula and I met her all those years ago . . . hasn't she grown ( as they say !)

- - - o o o - - -

Following their departure south to Manchester, and Ruth and Luke back to Holland where they live, the weather changed.

A return visit to the pool a few days later provided the following spectacle.

. . . I think river swimming is off the agenda for the moment !

- - - o o o - - -

Technical note: Pictures taken with either Ann's Canon Sureshot SX220, or Paula's similar digital camera.

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

This site best viewed with . . . a chocolate biscuit at the summit.

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Previous walk - 30th July 2013 - Black Sail to meet Friends

A previous time up here - 4th March 2008 Hen Comb in the snow

Next walk - 3rd August 2013 - Three People ... Four Stones