After the return of the “beast from the east” a couple of weekend’s ago we had to abandon our plans to spend a couple of days up by Ullswater. Last Saturday, though the weather looked much more promising so we decided to chance a day trip up to the lake for our first proper walk of the year. It turned out to be a good decision.
It’s about an an hour and a half’s drive up to Ullswater and although we left a little later than planned we arrived around midday and managed to park up in the National Trust carpark close to Aira Force. A post by Mark of Beating the Bounds had give me the idea of a walk to have a look at the water fall which was sure to be looking good after all the rain and snow the previous weekend. A popular walking route goes up past the waterfalls then over and around Gowbarrow fell. Nothing too ambitious given that our walking legs were rather rusty!
Setting off from the car park we followed the course of the river and soon came to Aira Force, the first of a series of waterfalls. As expected it was quite a sight, which the photographs cannot give justice to.
A little further up the river – High Force
After about a kilometre walking along the river, we turned right following the path that would take us up on to the fell.
Great views across to the lake and the high mountains soon opened up behind us.
It was a relatively modest climb to the summit at Airy Crag.
This is the view over to Blencathra and Skiddaw
and over towards Ullswater with the Pennines in the distance, still capped with snow.
After a short break to admire the view, we resumed the walk which would take us west and then south parallel to the lake but high up on the side of the fell.
Part way round we got “picked up” by this lady
who seemed unwilling to return to her owner.
We reached the viewpoint at Yew Crag
More good views
There’s the steamer sailing towards Glenridding
Coming towards the end of the walk, as we started to descend, we passed Lyulph’s Tower. It looked like one of the fortified farmhouses which are common in this area close to the Scottish border. However, although there used to be a Pele Tower on the site at one time the current building was constructed in the 1780s by Charles Howard, the 11th Duke of Norfolk, as a hunting lodge.
Returning to the car park, we decided it was too nice to head straight back home so we drove the short distance to Glennridding to take an easy stroll along the Lake by the steamer jetty
The view to the head of the lake
Driving back along the lake, the evening light was fantastic so I pulled up to take a few snaps
ON a fine day, there’s nowhere I’d rather be than the Lake District.
Down by the Dougie 