Sunday, 18th November 2018
After a lovely night's sleep in the world's most comfy bed ever I got packed up and paid up at my B&B and set off home. Only, it was such a lovely day I didn't want to get home... not just yet.
I decided on doing a "walk on the way" and remembered Gowbarrow Fell was off the Dockray road. Though I didn't have my paper map for it, I knew I had the map tiles on ViewRanger and it's not a complicated walk anyway.
I got parked up at the higher of the Aira Force waterfalls car parks and was delighted to see that the pay and display machine was out of order! An excellent start to the walk!
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| Start of the walk |
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| The bridge above Aira Force |
As I've done the Aira Force waterfalls walk before (from Dockray) I didn't go down the gazillion steps to the proper viewpoint this time. Instead, I continued ahead and skirted the lower flanks of Gowbarrow Fell.
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| Views of the fells surrounding Ullswater starting to appear |
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| Hallin Fell |
I've got my eye on Hallin Fell for a future walk.
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| Hmmmm, can you tell what direction the prevailing wind blows?! |
This path along the flanks of Gowbarrow Fell is "reasonably" easy. There is one bit not far from the beginning which ramps up the gradient a bit but once that's done it's a pleasant and undulating meander. There's a steep drop down to the right - a bit unnerving in places but my trusty walking staff kept me steady.
I tried a couple of pano shots from a particularly good viewpoint but the sun hasn't really done the pics any favours (can't believe I've just complained about the sun, on a weekend, mid-November, in the Lakes!)
Out of the wind the sun was very warm and it was a jackets on jackets off, and repeat, type of day.
Eventually I rounded a corner and turned away from the stonkingly good views of Ullswater, to be faced with the lumps, bumps and crags of Gowbarrow. It reminded me a little of High Rigg.
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| Rounding the corner and seeing Gowbarrow fell "proper" |
After a fair old length of time upping and downing along the hillside, the summit came into view.
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| Airy Crag - Gowbarrow's summit |
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| 250 yards eh? is that all? |
So at the above sign I "got an inkling" that those 250 yards might be a bit steep, particularly as I'd just seen a fabulous view of Airy Crag. To be fair, it wasn't bad. Steep in places but the path zigged and zagged its way up to the top, lessening the gradient somewhat.
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| Trig point on Airy Crag (and my Shadow Monster) |
The wind was pretty chilly up here and I didn't stick around too long after I'd taken the obligatory summit shots.
After sitting in the sunshine for a while and nibbling on a sausage roll, I decided the wind was actually too cold to loiter too long so I continued on my way in the hope of finding a more sheltered spot a little further down. I did - it had a lovely view of Ullswater and the Helvellyn range and I enjoyed my coffee and biscuits in total silence (as opposed to the little ledge I found just off the top of the fell where there were people coming and going and chittering and chattering).
For whatever reason, I didn't take my "Brew With A View" pic.
Suitably watered I carried on. The descent is horrid. Steep. Rocky. And a quad killer. It's only short really in comparison but, yuk. Despite there being what can only be loosely described as stone steps/pitching I'm glad I had my trusty walking staff to help steady me. I did let quite a few people overtake me because I just wanted to take my time and not feel rushed by having people queuing up behind me.
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Steep, rocky descent - the pic doesn't do it justice
(I wish it was as tame as the pic makes it look) |
Eventually I made it to the track at Dockray but sadly, this also meant that I was low enough for the sun to disappear behind the mountains.
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| Signpost OCD |
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| A last look up at Gowbarrow Fell, still bathed in sunshine |
I followed the riverside path. A walk I'd done before so I didn't take any pictures this time round, nor did I swap over to the other side of the river at the wooden bridge at High Force. I probably should have done as I seem to remember all the waterfalls are seen better from that side and I needed to be over there eventually anyway.
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| A couple of trees hanging onto their autumnal colours |
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| Nice woodland walking, crunching through leaves in Gowbarrow Park |
Towards the very end of the walk I decided it would be wrong of me not to take at least a couple of waterfall pics...
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| Getting ready to drop |
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| The first drop |
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| Looking down on the main drop from the bridge above |
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| Can you spot the steps down to the proper viewpoint? |
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| Aira Force |
Shortly after this it was an uphill finish back to the car.
What a lovely walk and it was great to see so many people out enjoying the fells and the sunshine but, next time, can they all enjoy a different fell to the one I want to walk on please!!
I felt a lot better today so I'm glad to have managed a nice Lake District hill before winter.
As I write this, my legs ache pleasantly and my face feels suntanned. An excellent result for a weekend away in November.
Thanks for looking 😊
