~Pike O'Blisco to Crinkle Crags~
12th December 2009
A cold spell of weather led to an opportunity to do a winter walk from Great Langdale. One of the many benfits of winter is the later sunrise, so you can watch the sun come up without having to leave home ridiculously early. I parked at the NT car park at the The Old Dungeon Ghyll....
Three Tarns
Scroll down for photos and a description of the walk
Early On
The road over to Little Langdale was covered in heavy frost and I struggled to find a level enough spot to cross over. Certainly no time for motor vehicles.
Bowfell and The Band (in sunshine)
Pike O'Blisco with Crinkle Crags behind
It was a straightforward climb up to the top of Pike O'Blisco. I've only visited this summit twice and both times in frosty December conditions.
Boulder of The Day
This website offers an occasional award to the author's favourite boulder found during a walk. This one caught my eye as being solitary and substantial.
Red Tarn
The frozen tarn is preceeded in this photo by a little puddle higher up the terrain. In the sunshine is Great Knott and Bowfell lurks in the background.
Me on top of Cold Pike
My first visit to the top of Cold Pike, leaving me with two "Southern Fells" summits yet to visit.
The Crinkle Crags
Every now and again we all come across something unexpected whilst out and about. This Broken Spectre had me and another walker transfixed. We kept a few feet apart from each other, so as not to mess things up and spent a good five minutes getting the best photos we could. I found that my camera wouldn't focus properly on the image, maybe that's because it has no physical prescence.
Brocken Spectre
The Spectre and Crinkle 3
Well that's enough of the spectral images, time to climb again and I went up the Bad Step to attain the first Crinkle.
The Bad Step
Frozen Langdale Valley
Really enjoying the atmosphere up here and the great views into The Langdale Valley.
Bowfell from The Crinkle Crags
Pike O'Blisco to the left
Three Tarns
This is one of my favourite places in the Lake District. We all have them, don't we? Especially on a winter's day like this. I think views such as this can be appreciated more if significant effort is needed to get to the viewing point. Unlike "Britain's Favourite View" - just drive your car along to Wastwater..
The Band
Possibly 2nd placed today in the boulder competition, you can see how erosion is undermining the boulder and before too long it will topple into a new position. Pity the sheep taking shelter at that moment in time.
Mickleden and Rossett Pike
Pike O'Stickle and Mickleden
Well, that's just about it. A really great day to be out walking. I quite like the last stretch along the flat to the car parks of Great Langdale. I try to imagine all the fine folk that have concluded their days walk through these fields, viewer, you're probably one of them.
Walkers: Just Me
Time taken: 6hrs 15 minutes over an undetermined distance, could be a 10-miler?
Route: ODG, Pike O'Blisco, round the back of Red Tarn, Cold Pike, Crinkle Crags, Three Tarns, The Band, ODG.
Weather and conditions: Fantastic, clear skies - but a little slippery under foot.
Greetings Count: Low, my only conversation was with the other BS photographer.
Richard's Refreshment Review: Coffee and cake in Esquires, Ambleside. My first visit here and it's not bad.
All photos copyright Richard Ratcliffe 2009 ©
Take me back to the start ....