Far Eastern Fells

After a family day yesterday, I really didn't know what I wanted to do today.  I should really have done a long fell run but didn't really have a lot of energy.  I had considered having a go at Wrynose and Hardknott passes on my bike.  Eventually, I decided to head to Pooley Bridge for a walk.

Here is the route:

The walk started with a wander along the shore of Ullswater from Pooley Bridge.  I set off quite late and the sun was already high.  The water was really still which made for some beautiful reflection shots.

looking west from the north end of Ullswater

I really hadn't considered the route I was going to take.  I wanted to head up towards Arthur's Pike so I climbed up through Park Foot Caravan/Camp Site until a path lead off along the right hand (west) side of Aik Beck.

Looking back down Aik Beck.  The path goes along the side of the wall in between the wall and the beck

At the corner of the wall, the path splits.  I headed south-west, not quite on the path of the Roman road, crossing Barton Fell to the multi-cairned summit of Arthur's Pike.

corner of the wall

heading up to Barton Fell

the climb to Barton Fell with a view over Ullswater

Barton Fell summit

From Barton Fell, the track continues to Arthur's Pike.  There are three cairns on Arthur's Pike.  The views over Ullswater were just getting better and better.

Arthur's Pike cairn and Beacon

and the other cairn (I think this is the top)

On to Bonscale Pike and the two towers.

According to Wainwright, the bottom tower is "The work of a craftsman" and the higher one is "The effort of amateurs"

Bonscale Towers

summit of Bonscale Pike (Hallin Fell behind)

From Bonscale Pike, I did some planning and decided to head up to Load Pot Hill.  The track crosses grassy land, going across the Roman road.

up to Load Pot Hill

looking towards the Eastern Fells

trig column on Load Pot Hill

looking back to the summit.  Directly in front is a boundary stone with an L on it,
maybe it stood for Lowther after the Lowther Estate.

There are lots of ancient stones, stone circles, cairns etc around here.  A bit further south from the picture above are the remains of Lowther House, an old hunting lodge.  When Wainwright wrote book two in the late fifties, there was a complete chimney there (what a great place it would have been for a wild camp!) now it is little more than a pile of stones.

remains of Lowther House

Wether Hill

Further along, across the muddy top, to the cairn of Wether Hill.  I then took a path off the summit ridge west to head towards Steel Knotts.

The ridge of Steel Knotts.  My route goes more or less along the wall

heading to Steel Knotts

Ullswater along Fusedale valley

The Nab

along to Steel Knotts

looking back from Steel Knotts

Steel Knotts summit

cairn at the north of Steel Knotts

From here, there was a steep descent to St Peter's Church and then straight back up to Hallin Fell.

Hallin Fell.  St Peter's Church centre

climbing up Hallin Fell, looking back

summit of Hallin Fell

Hallin Fell does occupy a pretty special place overlooking Ullswater.  It seems like a popular thing to do was to park at the church and head straight up and down.  There were plenty of people who were doing this.

I headed down from Hallin Fell, heading around the steep craggy parts.  Soon enough I was in Howtown and looking at a long flat walk along the shore.

Howtown

But then, as I was walking past the pick up point for the Ullswater Steamers, I had an idea...

I got to the pick up point, just as one of the steamers were coming.  I decided it was meant to be!

Relaxing now on the steamer, I finished my drink and enjoyed the scenery, looking back at the route I had just taken.

The Sharrow Bay Hotel, where Paul McCartney proposed to Heather Mills