Another walk in this lovely winter weather, such a change from
the rain and winds of Autumn.
Loes and I planned to climb Sale Fell but because of the cloud
we drove into on the way towards our destination,
we turned back and headed up the old Mosser Track instead,
taking advantage of the midday sunshine closer to home.
The roads are slippery and so Loes and I decide
to park on the valley road close to the Low Lorton Bridge.
The actual parking space was around the corner
. . . that's a courtesy car by the way . . . don't ask about
my lovely Subaru !
While we were stopped, I walked back a few yards
to picture the bridge in its winter mantle.
You can see the wide span steel arch under the
roadway, a product of the rebuild
following the 2009 floods.
Looking up the tranquil River Cocker, to Mellbreak
and the cloud covered Buttermere Fells.
The houses on the east bank, the Lorton Village
side of the river.
The Old Mill on the opposite bank.
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The walk
started along the frosty Mosser Road . . . |
. . . the vegetation
here hasn't seen much warming sunshine today. |
We make a start on the climb, up the steep valley
side towards High Bank Farm.
The views across to Whinlatter improved as we
progressed.
Above the houses now and near the edge of the
woodland,
so the trees are wider apart and the sunshine
is more able to penetrate and clear the frost on what is now
an un-made road.
We pass a "header reservoir" for the
Village of Lorton water supply.
On the other side of the road a clear farm gate
gives us views back down into the Lorton Valley.
Looking up to Hatteringill Head and the slopes
of Fellbarrow beyond.
The first part of road climb done and the track
levelled out and gave us views north towards the Solway . .
. somewhere out there.
A wider panorama once the full extent of the
cloud was on show.
It was this cloud we drove into earlier, on
the way to Embleton.
The cloud bank lying over Cockermouth.
Soon after this we enter the shade behind this
side of the hill, take a left turn and head up on the Hatteringill
Track.
It hasn't seen strong sunshine up here for some
time . . . by the look of the ice !
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See what
I mean about the conditions ! |
By walking the centre
ground we could avoid the worst of ice. |
Looking across to Lorton's Kirk Fell, Hopegill
Head and Whiteside.
Had we driven to Sale Fell now it would have
been clear, but the weather is great here so no matter.
What better winter views do you need . . . all
the way up the valley to Great Gable in the distance.
That's Hatteringill Head . . . with the northern
slopes of Fellbarrow beyond.
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- - - o o o - - -
We could have gone further along the track
but it dips significantly
before reaching the next landmark,
that of the old farm.
We decide to make this the mid-point of the walk
and so turn for the return leg,
re-tracing our steps back down towards Lorton.
Discretion encouraged us to pause before we set off
and we strapped our micro-spikes on our boots
to ensure a better grip on the way back down.
- - - o o o - - -
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We were soon back on the Mosser Track . . .
but it looked different now.
The gentlest of breezes was bringing the cloud
up the slope and over our heads.
It looks a lot colder when you remove the sunshine.
By the time we reached the farm gate by the
reservoir, the cloud had blown over us and was starting to dissipate
allowing us views of the Lorton Valley once
again.
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Lower down
and back into the cold air of the valley . . . |
. . . it had kept the
frost on the walls and on the stalk of the cow parsley. |
A fine and clear view of Lorton as we end the walk and head
home for a late lunch.