Catbells

Name of walk Catbells
Date of walk 2019-12-18
Distance walked (miles) 4
Duration of walk 3 hours 0 minutes
Weather Good visibility to start
Peaks on walk Catbells
Walked with Ged
Parking Road to Skelgill

With one thing and another it has been a month since my last walk. I decide on Catbells, good views for minimal effort! Plus there could be snow! The weather was only going to be reasonable in the morning, so we went early.

01

I parked in the parking spaces on the Skelgill road. A pity that some people park without the sense to realise that they have taken up four spaces!

02

The route up starts directly from the car park.

03

View over to a snowy Blencathra.

04

Ged behind me, looking over to Causey PIke.

05

The colours of sunrise still over Bassenthwaite Lake.

06

Grizedale Pike on the right.

07

View over Derwent Water.

08

A large cloud bank meant that we would not see the sun again.

09

Memorial stone on the first rocky scramble on Catbells.

10

Ged on the top of the first rock section. Catbells summit is to Ged's left.

11

Looking back towards Skiddaw.

12

Ged and snowy Skiddaw.

13

Bassenthwaite Lake.

14

View back from the final scramble to the top.

15

Bits of snow and ice on the climb.

16

A new cairn since last I was up here.

17

18

Causey Pike on the right, leading to Scar Crags, Sail, Eel Crag and Grasmoor.

19

Hindscarth with Robinson behind.

20

It looks very cold and wintery! Brrrr!

21

Maiden Moor ahead. We will be descending from Hause Gate. The wind was now getting up, as forecast.

22

We make a detour to some snow.

23

It was quite deep!

24

We are big kids really!

25

Descending the pitched path at Hause Gate. This was icy, so I wore my Microspikes for this section. We meet a family with two small children coming up, warning them of the conditions that lay ahead. They didn't continue much further before sensibly turning around.

26

We meet the terrace turn off.

27

The memorial stone that goes with the seat.

28

A good view.

29

Blencathra in cloud. Cloud was descending on all the fells now.

30

View back along the terrace.

31

View ahead.

32

Another view back.

33

When we descend to the road we detour to Hawes End Jetty, through the woods.

34

Hawes End Jetty.

The walk took just over three hours, and with the detour to Hawes End Jetty, was 4.6 miles. Always a pleasure to be on Catbells, especially out of season when tourists are rarer! Generally one to be avoided at all other times.

Jo.

 

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