| Name of walk | A Gorgeous Day in the Snow on Blackcombe |
| Date of walk | 2016-01-14 |
| Distance walked (miles) | 5 |
| Duration of walk | 3 hours 0 minutes |
| Weather | Blue skies and sunshine |
| Peaks on walk | Blackcombe |
| Walked with | On my own |
| Parking | Whicham Church. |
I wasn’t working today and had every intention of catching up on a few chores, until I looked out of the window. A blue sky day with snow on the hills. It is windy, but Blackcombe is safe enough. Ged was busy and Brendan was in Manchester, so I set off for Whicham for a solitary walk, which would only take about three hours. The walk is 5.25 miles.
The view this morning of Blackcombe with snow on the summit from out of my window.
I parked my car in the car park at St Mary's Church, Whicham.
The route up is grassy and wet.
View back. The church is in the trees on the right.
View out to sea.
Once some height is gained I can see the snow ahead.
I can just about make out the Isle of Man with the naked eye.
Entering the snow line. The wind is getting up so when I stop to put on my Microspikes, I put on my balaclava.
Some bits take a bit of effort!
View back to Walney Island. Too much glare to make out my house.
The virgin snow is getting a bit deeper. The only tracks are those of either a lone dog or fox.
The Isle of Man is clearer now.
Behind me (I later find out) is Dave and his dog Milly.
View up the coast to Sellafield.
It is hard work walking uphill through virgin snow. I keep sinking up to my ankles.
I sensibly let Dave and Milly pass me. It is far easier to walk in someone's footprints, and you can tell in advance how deep the snow is. Thanks Dave!
Wonderful!
The fuzzyness is the spindrift......wind blowing the powder snow.
Onwards and upwards....nearly there.
The wind and the snow again.
Ta da! Blackcombe summit shelter. It has taken me one hour and forty five minutes.
Dow Crag and Coniston Old Man on the far right.
The Ordnance Survey Cairn has been spray painted with "Jan, marry me". I hope Jan replied "No, you total knob head".
Thankfully the snow obscures the paint on this side.
Winter wonderland!
Dave and Milly are in the shelter. Not that it is providing much respite from the wind. Milly checks the map for the route down while Dave has a coffee in the minor blizzard.
The Scafells on the left and the Helvellyn range.
Towards the back left is Kentmere Pike, to the right the Howgills.
Dave takes one of me next to the cairn.
I have a walk north towards the edge and look down on a tarn, it could be Black Dub Tarn.
View back to the shelter, the wind has already almost hidden my footprints.
View east.
View back south.
View north up the coast
I head back down.
I meet quite a few people on my way down.
Walney Island comes back into view.
Walney Island in Close up, I still can't see my house, but Jubilee Bridge is clear.
I get down quite quickly, an hour and a quarter. This photo is taken from the back of the church of the route up the lane.
An excellent walk! It definitely blew away the cobwebs. After the appalling weather of recent weeks, I felt it was well deserved. This weekend looks good too! 🙂
Jo.
