Thursday, 1st October 2015

Walk: Brother's Water, Dovedale, Dove Crag, Hart Crag, Fairfield, Cofa Pike, St Sunday Crag, Gavel Pike, Birks, Thornhow End, Patterdale, Deepdale Bridge
Start Point: Cow Bridge car park Grid Reference: NY 403 133
Distance: 12 miles Ascent: 3,600 feet
Time: 8 hours
Weather: Sunny with very little breeze
Comments: Walking up the lesser known Dovedale Valley the views over Brother's Water were fantastic with a little early morning mist still lingering. Entertainment was provided as I watched some sheepdogs shepherding a flock of sheep into the farmyard, helped by a couple of farmers. More interest higher up the valley was provided by some men using a quadcopter to film the valley for Secret Britain. The last part of the climb, where it is quite steep, is stepped making the climbing easier. As expected, Dove Crag to Fairfield was much busier but after descending over Cofa Pike I met only a handful of walkers. A very enjoyable walk, quite steep in places, in perfect weather.

The reflections on Goldrill Beck . . .

are just great today

Brother's Water . . .

is also worthy . . .

of spending some time . . .

taking in the different views . . .

especially with a covering of mist . . .

and a duck or two . . .

or three

However, a walk is waiting . . .

and I really need to move on

Cattle queue

Time for the sheep to be gathered in . . .

with a couple of farmers to help

Dovedale Beck . . .

provides yet another photo opportunity

Walking beside Dovedale Beck . . .

there seems to be a constant humming noise . . .

which turns out to be a quadcopter . . .

filming for Secret Britain . . .

and what a view they have chosen

Looking up the valley the route heads to the right before the rocky outcrop

A huge rock bridges a small beck . . .

its surface showing various markings . . .

and patches of lichen . . .

as well as marks that look like they could be man-made

Higher up are the ruins of a small building . . .

and higher still ridges are seen layer upon layer

Dove Crag with its upright slabs of rock . . .

and the top of the cairn points to Hart Crag

Zooming in on the unmistakable dome of Great Gable . . .

and in the opposite direction Kidsty Pike pops into view . . .

and Ill Bell shows its face

Hart Crag with views to . . .

Windermere

The summit cairn of Fairfield with St Sunday Crag in the background . . .

but it is a long way down to the path

The sun highlights the Helvellyn range . . .

and zooming in on Helvellyn

Grisedale Tarn . . .

seen as I descend to . . .

Cofa Pike . . .

from where I get another view of the Helvellyn range

Trying to get a view . . .

back over Cofa Pike to Fairfield

Can't see anyone on Striding Edge today

St Sunday Crag, looking back to Fairfield . . .

and down to Gavel Pike

Ullswater, seen on the way to . . .

Gavel Pike . . .

and looking back up to St Sunday Crag

Birks

From Thornhow End . . .

Ullswater looks splendid . . .

but it's still a long way down . . .

and the sun highlights a dead tree as I descend

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