Author Topic: TR Wild camp below Coldbarrow Fell Sat 18 to Sun 19 May 19  (Read 1674 times)

April

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Day 1

We started from Armboth Road End on Saturday. We had planned a shorter route. I had a left knee problem, I think it is fluid on the knee and every step was uncomfortable so I was nursing it over the weekend.
 
Before we got the bus from Keswick we took Squeaky for a walk in Hope Park to give her a break from the buses.

Hope Park


We popped down to the Boat landings.

The obligatory shot of Cabells


The Mountain Festival was at the weekend and Keswick was very busy.

Now the start of out walk proper. We walked along the Armboth Road until we reached Stenkin and took the footpath that leads to Harrop Tarn.

Right of shot is Steel Fell from the ascent


Squeaky on the way up


It was quite warm and so far no rain which had been forecast. We also had high cloud above the tops, that was unexpected too we expected low cloud.

The beacon at the start of the Wythburn fells


We weren't going up there we were going around Harrop Tarn then up to Blea Tarn to find a pitch.

A stile over a deer fence


We got over it although care had to be taken because of the height. I had a feeling the path should be on the other side of the fence, we had been here before but neither of us could remember the route exactly. We followed a path from the stile downward toward Harrop Tarn but we came to felled trees and progress was difficult. We hadn't seen an escape stile right, where we could see a clear and easy path, the one we should be on.

The felled trees on the way to Harrop Tarn


A large rock marked a place where countless other people had climbed the fence. We had no option but climb it ourselves we couldn't proceed and we didn't want to go back over the fallen trees. My knee was protesting. We thought the path might have once come over the stile before the felled trees covered the path.

We reached Harrop Tarn turned left on the Watendlath path and we spoke to the first people since we started the walk proper. We had stopped for lunch in the trees.

Looking back at our route up from the trees near Harrop Tarn


Blea Tarn


We spoke to the only other person we'd see all day at the fence when we reached it.

A big boulder at Blea Tarn


We'd walked around the tarn to get onto the Coldbarrow Fell ridge. We thought we would get the best views from there for our pitch.

The view west from the ridge


The view up to Coldbarrow Fell


We climbed the ridge looking for a good place to pitch. The wind wasn't a factor it wasn't strong.

Our pitch below Coldbarrow Fell


We found a great spot and pitched. It was early before 3 but there we were well away from the main path.

We descended to get some water from the beck below Low Saddle, put it on to filter while we got our gear sorted.

North to Bass Lake


There was a little light rain for a short time. We scoffed our tea and had some wine. We weren't hopeful of a sunset because of the cloud but we didn't mind. It was such a peaceful spot, no traffic noise or people noise. We could hear sheep and birds and it was a fabulous wild camp. Er, sorry I mean it was rubbish here, you really wouldn't like it, go to Sprinkling Tarn, it is much better there  O0

View from the MSR


We sat with the doors open watching the clouds


Standing Crag lit up by the sun


The MSR with the sun dropping behind cloud


The sun disappearing


Dramatic dark cloud over the North Western Fells


We finished our wine and went to sleep happy. We will come back to this area to pitch again, it is a wonderful place. But Sprinkling Tarn is better  ;)  :)

Day 2

We awoke on Sunday to low cloud. It dropped lower by the time we'd had our breakfast and it had covered the fell we were going to do, Great Crag. As the route was pathless we sacked it, neither of us could be bothered with a pathless route through clag. We descended the way we'd come up the day before, down to Harrop Tarn. We'd seen a wild camper at Blea Tarn and we'd waved as we passed. There were more people camping at Harrop Tarn and we said hello as we passed them.

In the trees leading to Harrop Tarn


The repaired gate and stile over the deer fence


On our way back we followed the path near the wall and it led to a repaired gate that is no longer a gate, it has to be climbed. The stile from the day before is on the right of the deer fence. Remember it is pointless if you want to go to Harrop Tarn, it leads to no-man's land, we couldn't see another stile to get over the deer fence and onto the path. We stopped for a brew and some food near the ruins of West Head.

The Binka Stone


We had a bit of a wait for the bus so we walked toward the Binka Stone before turning right at the Armboth Road and back to the Road End to get our bus.

My knee survived the weekend and it is a bit better now it isn't as swollen. We were very lucky with the weather except for the low cloud on Sunday morning. I hope we are lucky again this weekend, it does lucky a bit rainy on Sunday and Monday.

Day 1 was Keswick bus station - Hope Park - Boat Landings - Hope Park - bus station. 3.2km. Then Armboth Road End - Stenkin - Harrop Tarn - Blea Tarn - pitch below Coldbarrow Fell 5.6km with 350m ascent.

Day 2 was Pitch - Harrop Tarn - West Head - Binka Stone - Armboth Road End 8km with 120m ascent.
Hate will never win

beefy

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Cracking pics and write up as usual Ape O0
What a great place to pitch, so quiet, and lovely views
Fancy another WC this weekend  :)
Leave only footprints, take only photographs, kill only time ...

April

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What a great place to pitch, so quiet, and lovely views

Sprinkling Tarn is much better  :D

I do fancy a wild camp, I hope the forecast improves  :)
Hate will never win

beefy

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Sprinkling Tarn is much better  :D

I do fancy a wild camp, I hope the forecast improves  :)
Styhead tarn is better  :crazy2:
Leave only footprints, take only photographs, kill only time ...

Ridge

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Lovely pics April the light on Standing Crag really pics out all the details of the rock  O0

Innominate Man

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What a rubbish spot, despite you trying to tart it up with photo-shopped pictures. I hope everyone takes heed of your better recommendations  O0
I'd go, but only to see just how poor it really is.


Hope your knee is on the mend for this coming weekend, you'll need it in fine fettle to reach Styhead  :D
Only a hill but all of life to me, up there between the sunset and the sea. 
Geoffrey Winthrop Young

sunnydale

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Great report & pics April O0
Hope your knee improves soon! :)
***Happiness is only a smile away***

Dovegirl

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Lovely photos April, especially the one of  Standing Crag in the golden sunlight   :)


Hope your knee is better soon





karl h

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Sorry A. I'm with IM on this one, despite your lovely pictures this is a rubbish wild camp spot and should be avoided at all cost. :D


Up at Sprinkling tarn however you will have mates to talk to and join in dancing to their hardcore techno played at 1000 decibels, If you are cold there is sure to be a big fire burning on the grass and even spare toilet paper lying around if you have forgot yours
( we really need one of those vomit emojies )


PS. Hope the knee is better soon ;)

vghikers

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Great light and sky effects at the pitch. The whole Ullscarf ridge has loads of pitching ground and good views from its central position, just avoid Blea Tarn itself that seems to attract tents.
They've made a right mess on that approach line near Harrop Tarn, don't know that one. We've only ascended on the Dobgill Bridge path and that was a long time ago.

Mel

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Yet another smashing write up and pics  O0


You might not have got a sunset but the clouds were putting on an atmospheric display for you  :)

pleb

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Best treatment for a swollen knee is to get a vampire on it to suck the fluid out............ ;D
Nice pics as usual  O0
Whinging Moaning Old Fart

April

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Thanks Ridge  :)

What a rubbish spot, despite you trying to tart it up with photo-shopped pictures. I hope everyone takes heed of your better recommendations  O0
I'd go, but only to see just how poor it really is.

 ;D My knee is a lot better now. Thanks IM, sunnydale and Dovegirl  :)

Sorry A. I'm with IM on this one, despite your lovely pictures this is a rubbish wild camp spot and should be avoided at all cost. :D

Quite right, I don't know why we ever went  :)

Great light and sky effects at the pitch.

It was great light for the photos, thanks vghikers  :)

You might not have got a sunset but the clouds were putting on an atmospheric display for you  :)

Thanks Mel, the clouds did make it special  :)

Best treatment for a swollen knee is to get a vampire on it to suck the fluid out............ ;D

 :o

Thankfully that isn't necessary  :)

PS Re the gate that used to be a gate. Zip Off: Lakes Watch have reported it to the LDNP. The ROW does go through the gate. Someone needs to put a notice on that bleddy stile!!!

https://www.facebook.com/zipofflakeswatch/photos/a.1443291392418173/2188024334611538/?type=3&theater


Hate will never win

Jac

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Great TR but getting Squeaky over those stiles must be awkward :-\ .
Glad your knee has improved
So many paths yet to walk, so little time left

richardh1905

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Looks like a lovely quiet corner. But h[/color]  
igh stiles are a real obstacle to dog owners - I certainly wouldn't fancy trying to get over that with a struggling spaniel under my arm!


Hope that the knee mends - be careful with it, April.



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