Holme Fell & Hodge Close • Walking the Cumbrian Mountains

Name of walk	Holme Fell & Hodge Close
Date of walk	2022-01-07

The weather was due to be showery with gale force winds on the high fells, so we decided not to venture too high. We parked at Yew Tree Tarn and would walk up to Holme Fell via Ivy Crag, visit the reservoirs, then Hodge Close Quarry, and walk back via the High Oxenfell Road to Yew Tree Tarn. Hopefully there would be some snow to trudge through on the route.

We walk around Yew Tree Tarn in sunshine and snow showers.

As you head past the end of the tarn you soon reach a sign post for Holme Fell. We head through the wall and follow various tracks in the direction of Uskdale Gap.

View back down to Yew Tree Tarn.

Views of Wetherlam and some blue skies as we reach a view of Ivy Crag, our first destination.

Ged catching me up as we head up to Ivy Crag. Langdale Pikes on the left.

View across to the Langdale Pikes and down to the reservoir we will visit later.

The snow showers keep coming, but then the sun comes out and makes a rainbow. View over to Helvellyn, Fairfield, Red Screes etc

Ivy Crag summit cairn. It is blowing a gale up here!

Ged heading up to Ivy Crag. Holme Fell summit on the left, Wetherlam behind.

View south to Coniston Water.

Ged and summit view. Another shower is coming over. We head for Holme Fell summit.

Ged at the top of the rock step that leads to the summit.

Hail with strong winds stings exposed skin! I sit for a photo so I don't get blown over!

We head south to get some views of Coniston Water, and to get out of the wind.

We make our way down to the reservoirs.

Another rainbow.

The first of the reservoirs is frozen as it is shaded. We walk to the next.

This one is in sunshine. There is another snow shower so we stop under the trees and have an early lunch.

A wintery view.

A complete contrast when the sunshine returns.

Always a delightful place to stop.

We head down towards Hodge Close Quarry.

We head towards the Oxenfell Road for the quarry entrance.

We head down into it.

It has always reminded me of something from Middle-earth!

Some of the second season of Netflix's 'The Witcher' was filmed here. My son watches it, it was on in the background when I recognised the surroundings, I thought it looked like Hodge Close, and it was! It must have been quite a task to get film equipment and actors down here.

A huge space.

Henry Carvil and Kim Bodnia's characters were sat on the rocks having a conversation. I was only interested in the scenery!

Looking towards the waterfall, but water was cascading down from the rock ceiling today as well, so we didn't go in and climb the rocks to reach the second opening, as we usually do.