Haweswater Round

catching up with my mates up to Harter Fell with my detour of Branstree on the right

Walking today with David and Alastair around Haweswater.  I've had a malingering cold which has put paid to fell running of late so a walk seemed ideal.  When I got in the car, I realised that we all had the same condition and the three of us were coughing plenty today.  So it was at an easy pace that we set off on up the Gatesgarth Pass.  So much so that at the top, I felt compelled to have a quick run up and down Branstree.  I did this, knowing that David had designs on a particular photo on Harter Fell and was likely to spend some time getting the shot just right.  The route up Branstree from the path junction is straight up the fence, I plodded up, took some time and some photos on top, coughed quite a bit, and then enjoyed an easy grassy run down before starting on the climb of Harter Fell.  I found David and Alastair as expected, posing and photographing respectively at the third cairn on Harter Fell.

From here we continued along to the summit then dropped to the col where the Nan Bield Pass crosses and back up to Mardale Ill Bell and over to Thornthwaite Crag.  Resting and fuelling on Wine Gums, we turned back over High Street, posing for Dorking photo's on top of the trig column before heading back down over Rough Crag.

10 miles (including my little detour of about a mile up and down Branstree)

setting off from the car park at the far end of Haweswater.  Plenty of parking at the start of the walk but it was very busy and full when we got back.

 

looking back to the path junction from my climb up Branstree.  David and Alastair are somewhere on the path going right over to Harter Fell.

Branstree summit

A control for the GL3d mountain marathon which started on the same day.  It's an event I did last year and was going to do again this year but pulled out due to injury.  We saw quite a few competitors running around the tops, dibbing in and it made me feel quite sad but as I sit here typing on the Sunday, looking out to drizzle and cloud, I'm not too sad.

 

Here is David, exactly where I thought he would be.  Now, where have I seen that before?

hmmm.

I don't think I quite got it.

Harter Fell summit.  The pitchfork like fence remains that Wainwright was so fearful of have been flattened over the years.

 

David in front of Kentmere Tarn and the Ill Bell range

Alastair Dorks on Mardale Ill Bell

tempting to head this way...

Thornthwaite Beacon

From the Beacon looking back over High Street

and South to Windermere

the lads refuel

on High Street

a cautious Alastair on High Street summit trig column

Blea Water on the right with our descent down Rough Crag to the left of it

it was a steep descent down here.  There was a helicopter buzzing around and it looked as though it landed on High Street after we descended.

looking down to the car park in the centre of the picture below the trees with the climb up Gatesgarth Pass and Branstree to the left and Harter Fell to the right.

last steep bit of the descent.  It was nice to get back on level ground.