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Regions - Trip reports, destination advice, recommended routes, etc. => Lake District => Topic started by: karl h on 14:33:46, 17/06/20

Title: TR - 14th June A round above Ulpha
Post by: karl h on 14:33:46, 17/06/20
Back to the Lakes at last although still nibbling around the margins, although this particular margin is one of my favourite areas
(http://www.karlswalks.co.uk/2020/images/ulpha-14-06-2020/P1120820.jpg)
Already quite warm as Rob and I pull up to the parking area near Ulpha Bridge and after booting up we make our way up the track past Birks farm and along the valley. Caw is the prominent peak ahead.
(http://www.karlswalks.co.uk/2020/images/ulpha-14-06-2020/P1120821.jpg)
Looking back along the track to The Pike and in the distance beyond, Plough Fell and the Buckbarrow group.
(http://www.karlswalks.co.uk/2020/images/ulpha-14-06-2020/P1120825.jpg)
An idyllic bathing spot in the Duddon.
(http://www.karlswalks.co.uk/2020/images/ulpha-14-06-2020/P1120828.jpg)
Kiln Bank stepping stones.
(http://www.karlswalks.co.uk/2020/images/ulpha-14-06-2020/P1120831.jpg)
Looking downstream from the steps.
(http://www.karlswalks.co.uk/2020/images/ulpha-14-06-2020/P1120832.jpg)
I think that possibly the path could be this way.
(http://www.karlswalks.co.uk/2020/images/ulpha-14-06-2020/P1120834.jpg)
I was telling Robert about the avenue of Poplars  ( with him working with forestry ) and wondering how much they would have changed since April, Beefy, David and I had come this way in 2015.
(http://www.karlswalks.co.uk/2020/images/ulpha-14-06-2020/P1200389.jpg)
And they have progressed. We did bump into the man who planted them and had a good blather about the recent strange times.
.(http://www.karlswalks.co.uk/2020/images/ulpha-14-06-2020/P1120838.jpg)
Although the route we took isn't the most walked route in the Lakes we did notice that a lot of the paths had become overgrown with the lack of use. This is the quarry track through Low Wood.
(http://www.karlswalks.co.uk/2020/images/ulpha-14-06-2020/P1120841.jpg)
View from Low Wood quarry with Caw on the right leading on to White Pike, Buck Pike, Dow Crag and on the left Grey Friar.
(http://www.karlswalks.co.uk/2020/images/ulpha-14-06-2020/P1120843.jpg)
Climbing over the hill towards Grimecrag with Whitfell neatly bracketed by The Pike on the left and Hesk Fell.
(http://www.karlswalks.co.uk/2020/images/ulpha-14-06-2020/P1120850.jpg)
On to the Birker Fell road heading for Woodend. Scafell and the Pike behind Great Crag.
(http://www.karlswalks.co.uk/2020/images/ulpha-14-06-2020/P1120857.jpg)
From Woodend we headed across the pathless hillside in the direction of Woodend Height and Yoadcastle. It was incredibly warm and uncomfortably close now and the climb was hard work. Devoke Water below.
(http://www.karlswalks.co.uk/2020/images/ulpha-14-06-2020/P1120858.jpg)
Our lunch stop had a great view over Woodend to the full range of the high fells from Kirk Fell then Great Gable peeping out then Scafell and the Pike and then Ill Crag, Esk Pike, Bowfell and finally Crinkle Crags.
(http://www.karlswalks.co.uk/2020/images/ulpha-14-06-2020/P1120859.jpg)
Onward up towards Woodend Height. We contoured left here to meet the main path which runs from the Corney Fell road to Devoke Water
.(http://www.karlswalks.co.uk/2020/images/ulpha-14-06-2020/P1120861.jpg)
We were both suffering in the heat so a unanimous vote was taken not to summit Whitfell but to risk the bogs of Storthes.
(http://www.karlswalks.co.uk/2020/images/ulpha-14-06-2020/P1120867.jpg)
This is looking down to Storthes. Although there has been a little rain recently we hoped the bogs wouldn't be too bad.
(http://www.karlswalks.co.uk/2020/images/ulpha-14-06-2020/P1120868.jpg)
There were a couple of juicy sections but we found a way around them. This is the view back to the main ridge.
(http://www.karlswalks.co.uk/2020/images/ulpha-14-06-2020/P1120871.jpg)
Whitfell from the climb by the fence to Bigertmire Pasture.
(http://www.karlswalks.co.uk/2020/images/ulpha-14-06-2020/P1120874.jpg)
The Pike again from the descent to Hole House. It's gone very dark over Stickle Pike but the clouds didn't bring any rain.
(http://www.karlswalks.co.uk/2020/images/ulpha-14-06-2020/P1120876.jpg)
On to the road down to Ulpha now. This gang of reprobates eyed us up and followed us down through a few fields. We were glad they were on the other side of the wall.
(http://www.karlswalks.co.uk/2020/images/ulpha-14-06-2020/P1120881.jpg)
On the last leg back to Ulpha with Grey Friar catching the sun.
I realised we hadn't reached any named summits but with the heat we were both very weary. When we got back to the bridge it was like Blackpool promenade with lots of people picnicking and bathing in the river.
Our route was -  Ulpha bridge - Birks - Kiln Bank Stepping stones - The Low - Low Wood - Grimecrag - Woodend - Ulpha Fell - Storthes - Bigertmire Pasture - Hole House - Mill Brow - Ulpha Bridge ( about 11 miles 2100 ft ascent )
Title: Re: TR - 14th June A round above Ulpha
Post by: richardh1905 on 14:49:43, 17/06/20
Gorgeous photos Karl - I love Dunnerdale. Who cares about not reaching a summit if you are walking in such beautiful countryside?

Title: Re: TR - 14th June A round above Ulpha
Post by: pdstsp on 14:57:25, 17/06/20
Looks a cracking day out in lovely walking country.  Those poplars look like they have made good progress.  Some wonderful open views there  O0


Sure was close on Sunday wasn't it?
Title: Re: TR - 14th June A round above Ulpha
Post by: Ridge on 15:39:34, 17/06/20
Lovely photos of a lovely area. Could there be a better view than your lunch stop?
It looks like there was only one cow and you've photoshoped it to make a herd.
Title: Re: TR - 14th June A round above Ulpha
Post by: karl h on 17:53:22, 17/06/20
Gorgeous photos Karl - I love Dunnerdale. Who cares about not reaching a summit if you are walking in such beautiful countryside?


Thanks Richard O0
We certainly didn't feel that we had missed out and had a great day :)


Looks a cracking day out in lovely walking country.  Those poplars look like they have made good progress.  Some wonderful open views there  O0 
Sure was close on Sunday wasn't it?
Thanks Paul O0
It was very uncomfortable at times and about half an hour after returning home there was the mother of all storms. :o


Lovely photos of a lovely area. Could there be a better view than your lunch stop?
It looks like there was only one cow and you've photoshoped it to make a herd.


Cheers Ridge O0


Those cows were a bit unnerving as they kept charging down the field parallel with us. The thunder of their hooves on the grass was incredible.

Title: Re: TR - 14th June A round above Ulpha
Post by: April on 19:25:40, 17/06/20
Great pics Karl  O0 I am never bothered if summits aren't visited these days, I good walk is a good walk wherever it is.

I don't recognise the poplar lane thing  :D I think I may have been blocking out the bad memories of the Karls Kut Price Tour though  :D

Them coos do look like trouble, imagine being in the same field with them! 
Title: Re: TR - 14th June A round above Ulpha
Post by: pleb on 19:36:25, 17/06/20
Very very nice  :)
Title: Re: TR - 14th June A round above Ulpha
Post by: vghikers on 20:24:47, 17/06/20
Lovely pics of a good day out in the foothills  O0
Title: Re: TR - 14th June A round above Ulpha
Post by: karl h on 22:45:44, 17/06/20
Great pics Karl  O0 I am never bothered if summits aren't visited these days, I good walk is a good walk wherever it is.

I don't recognise the poplar lane thing  :D I think I may have been blocking out the bad memories of the Karls Kut Price Tour though  :D

Them coos do look like trouble, imagine being in the same field with them!


Thanks April O0
It was a good walk but bloomin' hot. Fully understand the need to block out memories of a KKPT else you'd never go on another  :D


Very very nice  :)
Thanks mate it was O0
Lovely pics of a good day out in the foothills  O0



Cheers VG O0  Didn't feel much like foothills when we slogging our way up ;)
Title: Re: TR - 14th June A round above Ulpha
Post by: dittzzy on 22:02:21, 18/06/20
Nice.
You've reminded me that I've not had a proper walk in the Lakes for ages.  We're sticking to the Dales at the mo, but we'll work our way over there I'm sure.

As for your coos, I came up to a much bigger crowd of them today - same breed at a guess, with calves, all bunched up at the left side of the lane I was just about to turn left on.  Thankfully they were behind a rickity old wooden gate and fence, and thankfully,  cows haven't worked out they could easily take them fences and gates down if they tried.

Nice foties, I really like your third to last, and the last pictures.  They make me wanna be there.  Thanks for the reminder....  now checking calendar and weather.   ;) ;)
Title: Re: TR - 14th June A round above Ulpha
Post by: Mel on 22:41:40, 18/06/20
What a fab looking walk, with possibly the neatest, best maintained path I've ever seen through a field!


Even the small hills look dauntingly big to me at the moment.


Can't believe the difference in the weather over my side of the country to your walk on the same day!
Title: Re: TR - 14th June A round above Ulpha
Post by: Brandywell on 10:15:46, 19/06/20
Great photos Karl. O0   Sometimes if the weather was fine I used to drive along the Birker Fell road on the way to work which was always the highlight of the day.  :(
Title: Re: TR - 14th June A round above Ulpha
Post by: pdstsp on 10:40:50, 19/06/20
Great photos Karl. O0   Sometimes if the weather was fine I used to drive along the Birker Fell road on the way to work which was always the highlight of the day.  :(


Now that's a commute I wouldn't mind doing!  One of my favourite roads.
Title: Re: TR - 14th June A round above Ulpha
Post by: karl h on 16:33:28, 19/06/20



Thanks Dizztty, Mel and Brandywell  O0



Now that's a commute I wouldn't mind doing!  One of my favourite roads.


It's one of my favourites as well  O0
. Fantastic views from the road itself and loads of walks from the parking areas
 
Title: Re: TR - 14th June A round above Ulpha
Post by: forgotmyoldpassword on 17:26:56, 19/06/20
Lovely area I don't know well, seems well worth an explore.  Some lovely quiet little corners and as much as the tops can be worthwhile for the views, ambling by streams and over stepping stones has a charm of it's own.  I've been trying to link together a 'Borrowdale traverse' (from E Borrowdale to the more famous centre lakes one) and decided to include the Ulpha area based on this alone as a bit of a rest day.  The Walna Scar side/Long Mire/Park Head Road down to Ulpha looks a particularly fine valley route I doubt I'd have ever gone to without 're-jigging' the route, so thanks for that karl  O0
Title: Re: TR - 14th June A round above Ulpha
Post by: karl h on 17:56:14, 19/06/20
Lovely area I don't know well, seems well worth an explore.  Some lovely quiet little corners and as much as the tops can be worthwhile for the views, ambling by streams and over stepping stones has a charm of it's own.  I've been trying to link together a 'Borrowdale traverse' (from E Borrowdale to the more famous centre lakes one) and decided to include the Ulpha area based on this alone as a bit of a rest day.  The Walna Scar side/Long Mire/Park Head Road down to Ulpha looks a particularly fine valley route I doubt I'd have ever gone to without 're-jigging' the route, so thanks for that karl  O0
Cheers forgotmyoldpassword    O0



The Duddon/Ulpha area is a lovely and comparatively uncrowded corner of the Lakes and well worth a visit. Coincidentally I was planning a Borrowdale to Borrowdale walk before the lockdown, the idea being I'd go for a walk with the family along the eastern valley then I'd carry on through the central Lakes to the more famous Borrowdale. I still might do it this year ;)
Title: Re: TR - 14th June A round above Ulpha
Post by: richardh1905 on 18:03:14, 19/06/20
A Mosedale to Mosedale would work well too.
Title: Re: TR - 14th June A round above Ulpha
Post by: April on 18:05:57, 19/06/20
Fully understand the need to block out memories of a KKPT else you'd never go on another  :D

Squeaky keeps asking "When are we camping with the Kipper Man again?" We could (obviously) do without your company but it seems Squeaky cannot  :D

We are down to Covid level three now and the country is totally [censored] financially. I suspect we will be able to stay overnight and spend our money again soon. I've taken a days hol on Fri 3rd Jul so I can pick beefy and the kipper eater up, bring 'em northward and we can meet you on the 4th somewhere  :)
Title: Re: TR - 14th June A round above Ulpha
Post by: karl h on 18:06:50, 19/06/20
A Mosedale to Mosedale would work well too.
But which Mosedale to Mosedale ?  ;)
Title: Re: TR - 14th June A round above Ulpha
Post by: karl h on 18:11:13, 19/06/20
Squeaky keeps asking "When are we camping with the Kipper Man again?" We could (obviously) do without your company but it seems Squeaky cannot  :D

We are down to Covid level three now and the country is totally [censored] financially. I suspect we will be able to stay overnight and spend our money again soon. I've taken a days hol on Fri 3rd Jul so I can pick beefy and the kipper eater up, bring 'em northward and we can meet you on the 4th somewhere  :)


Squeaky is a great pal it's such a shame she cant get rid of the hangers on  :D


I think that I should be ok to travel on the 3rd and to be truthful I'm coming up no matter what ( keep that to yourself )  ;D
Title: Re: TR - 14th June A round above Ulpha
Post by: April on 18:22:25, 19/06/20
I think that I should be ok to travel on the 3rd and to be truthful I'm coming up no matter what ( keep that to yourself )  ;D

Ok. I won't tell anyone  :D

Title: Re: TR - 14th June A round above Ulpha
Post by: forgotmyoldpassword on 19:05:54, 19/06/20
Cheers forgotmyoldpassword   O0



The Duddon/Ulpha area is a lovely and comparatively uncrowded corner of the Lakes and well worth a visit. Coincidentally I was planning a Borrowdale to Borrowdale walk before the lockdown, the idea being I'd go for a walk with the family along the eastern valley then I'd carry on through the central Lakes to the more famous Borrowdale. I still might do it this year ;)


Oh! You mean recruiting the family for a convenient lift? I like your thinking..  ;D


The route I came up with was definitely a bit of a slog, 17 WRs and about 90km, but one of those which you're hopefully glad you're done with by the end of it.  So many little crags, viewpoints, woods and tarns which are completely new to me in that area - seems like I could potter for a while
Title: Re: TR - 14th June A round above Ulpha
Post by: karl h on 21:25:25, 19/06/20

Oh! You mean recruiting the family for a convenient lift? I like your thinking..  ;D

What an outrageous suggestion. The thought never crossed my mind :D
Title: Re: TR - 14th June A round above Ulpha
Post by: richardh1905 on 21:33:13, 19/06/20
But which Mosedale to Mosedale ?  ;)


Wet Sleddale to Wasdale basically. Possibly could continue on to Egremont, and catch the train home on the coast.


Edit - 36 miles, taking in Harter Fell, High Street, Red Screes, Fairfield, Dead Pike, Thunacar Knott, Styhead, Great Gable and finishing with the Mosedale Horseshoe.
Title: Re: TR - 14th June A round above Ulpha
Post by: dittzzy on 23:28:05, 19/06/20
Cheers for that Beefy. 

Looks like a nice walk. I love the lunch spot and the drone footage.   Which drone have you got - Mavic pro air II or a Mavic pro mini
My other half is jealous.   ;D
Title: Re: TR - 14th June A round above Ulpha
Post by: April on 21:55:16, 20/06/20
 :)
Title: Re: TR - 14th June A round above Ulpha
Post by: beefy on 09:12:50, 21/06/20

Just caught up with this
Great pics karl O0

Cheers for that Beefy. 

Looks like a nice walk. I love the lunch spot and the drone footage.   Which drone have you got - Mavic pro air II or a Mavic pro mini
My other half is jealous.   ;D
Thank you

I think you must have posted this on the wrong thread  :)
It's a mavic pro dittzzy
Title: Re: TR - 14th June A round above Ulpha
Post by: GnP on 13:58:07, 21/06/20
Karl , superb views of some wonderful countryside..Those heifers looked very feisty too . !  :)
Title: Re: TR - 14th June A round above Ulpha
Post by: dittzzy on 15:30:45, 21/06/20
Just caught up with this
Great pics karl O0
Thank you

I think you must have posted this on the wrong thread  :)
It's a mavic pro dittzzy
OK.........  so now you know how I got the name Dittzzy.    Sorry Karl, and Beefy.  Have put the right comment on the right post now.
Still like your pics Karl.   O0 O0