| Name of walk | Holme Fell from Hodge Close |
| Date of walk | 2017-02-24 |
| Distance walked (miles) | 3 |
| Duration of walk | 2 hours 20 minutes |
| Weather | Blue skies and sunshine |
| Peaks on walk | Holme Fell |
| Walked with | Ged |
| Parking | Hodge Close |
It was predicted a week in advance that the day after Storm Doris would be a good day for a walk. I haven’t been able to post any walks for a while as my knee problem has prevented me from driving for any more than 20 minutes; but today Ged volunteered to drive. The higher fells were predicted as having high winds so we decided on a short walk up Holme Fell. It’s an easy ascent and has good views out to the surrounding snowy fells. We would extend the walk by descending into Hodge Close Quarry.
Looking down into Hodge Close Quarry. We would be descending into its depths at the end of our walk.
We head up towards the first reservoir with Ivy Crag, centre, and Holme Fell summit on the right.
Sunshine, blue skies and no wind is very different to yesterday's stormy weather! There were some big fish splashing about.
You can just about make out the snowy hills through the trees.
The dam wall of the smaller reservoir.
We head up.
It is an easy ascent, but a bit wet underfoot. We are now in the gap between the two summits and head up to Holme Fell summit.
View over to the eastern fells.
View back down to the reservoirs with Pavey Ark and Lingmoor on the far left.
The summit cairn, which is just 20m away from the actual summit.
For such a small effort you get some great views. The Langdale Pikes.
Grisedale Hause with Dollywaggon Pike and Seat Sandal on the left and Fairfield on the right.
Looking down on Low Tilberthwaite with Birk Rigg behind.
View down Coniston Water.
Wetherlam. The cloud is fast approaching.
Coniston Old Man.
I'm now standing on the actual summit.
Fairfield Horseshoe.
Helvellyn, Nethermost Pike, Dollywaggon Pike and Seat Sandal with walkers Kevin and Pam below.
We met and chatted with walkers Kevin and Pam Bibby on Holme Fell. There was a very quick shower at this point, and the cloud had now covered Wetherlam. If we had been half an hour later we would have missed the sunshine.
On the walk down we met and chatted with Stephen Metcalf, who was on his mountain bike heading for Coniston. Stephen is a bell ringer at Great Urswick, where I ring occasionally. We end up back at the quarry.
Looking down to the two entrances where we will be standing in ten minutes time.
We walk past the few isolated cottages then head off right at the sign post to Stang End and Oxen Park. After 20m the entrance down into Parrock Quarry is on your right. The photo shows Ged next to the drop down.
Heading down into the bottom of the quarry.
Game of Thrones could be filmed here
We head for the entrance to Hodge Close Quarry.
The two entrances that can be seen from above.
This used to be a popular scuba diving site, but now seems to be used by Outdoor Education Centres for abseiling. There is a group at the top getting ready to descend.
The abseiling victims.....rather them than me!
I'm getting wet while taking this photo, there is a waterfall coming off the top of the quarry wall, and it is misting the whole area.
Ged retreats out of the wet.
A large pool of water makes for some interesting reflections on the quarry wall.
Looking back to the waterfall.
We head back.
The Holme Fell walk took us one hour and fifty minutes. The descent into Hodge Close took half an hour. It was a very pleasant day and surprisingly warm. It was a relief to get back up on a hill, I was beginning to get a little stir crazy! Fell walking seems to be the only activity that alleviates the insanity of existence.
Jo.
