Walla Crag • Walking the Cumbrian Mountains

Name of walk	Walla Crag
Date of walk	2013-01-12

The last few weeks have been awful weather wise, so there has been no opportunities for walking. I went back to work on Wednesday,just as the weather changed and brought us three days of thermal inversions (mountain tops in blue skies above the cloud and fog), typical!!!!!

So when Brendan said he had a meeting in Keswick on Saturday afternoon and that I could have just over two hours in Keswick, I jumped at the chance.

There are only two mountains that I could walk up and down from Keswick in two hours, Latrigg and Walla Crag. I chose Walla Crag (1243ft) as it would mean the end of the walk was along the lakeshore at sunset.

I set off from Costa Coffee at 2pm. A wee highland beastie at Springs Farm.

Walking through Springs Wood

The start of the climb

Looking over to Skiddaw from the climb up by the wall.

Cloud on the top of Blencathra.

Looking back along the wall to the Helvellyn range.

Looking down on Derwent Water

Walla Crag summit cairn.

Walla Crag view out. Quite a few people about this afternoon. The Lab looks pleased to see me!

Looking along Derwent Water to Bassenthwaite Lake.

Derwent Water, Bassenthwaite Lake, Skiddaw and Blencathra with Keswick in the foreground.

It was now 3pm, time to head down. Bleaberry Fell ahead.

The route down Cat Gill is steep, but it only took me 25 minutes to reach Great Wood car park.

The setting sunshine is highlighting the trees.

At the lake shore.

At Friars Crag

View down the lake.

The jetties at the lakeshore.

Almost time for sunset.

I was back at the Theatre of the Lake for 4pm. So the walk of just over 5 miles had only taken two hours. I walked to Booths for a coffee in their cafe. Brendan and Anne had finished their meeting just as I had finished my coffee. Perfect timing! I had another one with them!

An excellent little walk! I have never climbed Walla Crag by itself before, I have always climbed it along with Bleaberry Fell, High Seat and High Tove then back via Watendleth to the Ashness Bridge car park. So the route up and down was new to me.