Indian Summer in Cumbria
The weather ruined all plans I had this weekend. With Friday free for walking I had set most of the time to sort out all the detritus life which accumulates in brown envelopes.
But then the sun came out! Autumn rolled in on hazy sunshine, clear skies and soft winds nonchalantly picking leaves off trees as though reluctant to turn the season.
The result. I have spent most of the time outdoors in the hills shrinking my list of Wainwrights.
I had been itching to to walk the line from Arthur’s Pike to Wether Hills since hiking up Hallin in June.
Ridiculously I went out dressed for cold winds and rain. I felt somewhat foolish when, lacking ‘shades’ my eyelids caught the sun and I spent the next 24 hours mimicking a red panda.
In my defence it was a little dull when we set off from Martindale Church.
Walking north a little so that we could head up the hill to Arthurs Pike, managing to walk past the footpath up at first, then deciding it would be just as easy to go straight up the crag rather than up the track.
Arthur’s Pike
May be folly, but the changing colours were lovely to see.
The direct route
Once up it was a fairly easy stroll.
The sun came out and hills appeared!
Though the Romans and Wainwright clearly had different agendas.
Beda, with the Helvellyn range behind Ullswater
There is definite deviation from High Street to hit Arthur’s and Bonscale Pike, so take a choice, Romans or Wainwrights.
High Street is quicker but Wainwright brings you closer to the edge over Ullswater and away from the rather tedious moor.
On High Street
After the relative drama of Bonscale just head for the high point of the fell, Loadpot hill. The Romans took the easy route round it.
Loadpot Hill
The two lines eventually converge more or less on Wether Hill.
The Nab, Beda and Steel Fell
My original plan had been to head back down but I realised that High Raise was a mere two or three hundred steps away and I had been remonstrating with myself since I had realised how close it was to the Coast to Coast route and I missed it!
High Raise – basking in sun
Once on High Raise there was a serious temptation to head across to Rest Dodd and the Nab,
Looking back up the valley
but by this stage I had had a message inviting me out on the fells again the next day so I decided may be to leave it to another day, and take time to visit the Old Church instead. And the brown envelopes remain on my desk.
The Old Church, Martindale
Map and associated wiggles
It was just over 13 miles.
