Day walks again for us last weekend. Although forecast to be dry it was the strong winds that put a stop to wild camping on the fells. We drove to Stone Ends to go up Carrock Fell. There was very little wind as we set off and there was some sunshine.
Carrock Fell from Stone Ends
On Rake Trod
It is steep in places and some of the scree path has been swept away and a new path zig zags above some of the scree bit. It is about 6 and a half years since I did this particular path, I wonder if the damage was done during the 2015 floods?
Above Wainwright's "rowan tree on crag"
The Rake of Death
It isn't pleasant walking here as it turns to the right after the rowan tree and goes up above Further Gill. The camber of the path slopes so much you feel as if you will slip and fall at any moment. The wind was making itself felt too as we got higher and the path got steeper again.
Almost at the end of the steep climb
When we got to the top of the steep bit I said "Well at least the wind is not incessant". No sooner had the words come out of my mouth the wind got worse and became incessant
We struggled to get to the summit as the gusts were really strong and we were both almost blown over a few times.
On Carrock Fell summit
We could hardly stand here and we quickly dropped down off the summit. We had planned to go on to High Pike. This idea was sacked, the wind was horrendous. I'd had been blown to the ground by this time and I was lucky I didn't hurt myself on the rocks that were below me on the path.
Skiddaw, Great Calva and Knott from below Carrock Fell
High Pike from below Carrock Fell
We turned north here on a trod that leads eventually down to Carrock Beck
Looking back at Carrock Fell
As we descended the wind gradually got less and less. It had been awful up there, the gusts must have been at least 40mph.
The footbridge across Carrock Beck
We had some lunch sitting by the beck. It was mostly out of the wind. The walk back along the road to Stone Ends seemed to take forever because the wind was now much stronger than it was when we had set off and it was right in our faces. We were pleased to get into the car! Our walk was Stone Ends - Rake Trod - East Peak - Carrock Fell - Carrock Beck - Stone Ends 4.5 miles and 420m of ascent.
We stopped in Dalston on the way back to give Squeaky a run in the parkland they have there. We had seen it many times from the bus but never got off or stopped here before. It is part of the Cumbria Way. We walked about 3/4 of a mile then walked back to the car making our total mileage 6 miles for the day.