For those of you that are thinking of going onto the hills I would strongly recommend that you read the advice given by the Mountain Rescue organisation of England and Wales. To read this advice, which will open in a new page please click HERE. If you would like to make a donation to the Mountain Rescue organisation which is purely voluntary please click HERE. Please make the time to read the advice page.

Another walk which proves once again that you do not need to be on the high fells to have the best views. The idea for this walk came from Bill Birkett's "Exploring the lakes and Low Fells" Vol 1 to which I added a circuit of Blelham Tarn and also a walk through Heald Wood to Bass How. The going is fairly easy throughout.

After leaving the car at Red Nab we walked northwards along the waterside path.

A splendid view up Windermere to the fells of the Fairfield Horseshoe, Red Screes and Wansfell Pike

Wansfell Pike

An old jetty and boathouse near Pinstones Point

Windermere is a playground for many.....but keep within the speed limit!

Looking across High Wray Bay with Epley Point to the right of the boathouse. We would return to this point later in the walk.

Looking across to the Low Wood Hotel with Wansfell behind

And in close up. The promortory near the yacht is Watbarrow Point

One of the ferries leaves the jetty at Low Wray Bay. It had just discharged its passengers who were doing one of the "Cruise and Walks"....details HERE (Opens in new window)

The magnificent boathouse and dock near the jetty. I assume that it belongs or belonged to Wray Castle.

From the jetty we walked up a rising path towards Wray Castle with views opening up around us, here to the Langdale Pikes.

The imposing structure of Wray Castle. For more information about the buiding and lots of interior pictures click HERE

From the castle we walked towards the gatehouse with views of the Fairfield Horseshoe.

And the Coniston Fells

The Gatehouse. This is where we diverted from Bill Birketts walk to take in a circuit of Blelham Tarn where we last walked in the late 1990's

There is no actual watersedge path but it is a delightful walk around here with views towards Latterbarrow

Now at the far end of the tarn the bridleway we are on continues to Outgate. Fortunately for us there is now a "permissive" path which leads up to High Tock How farm on the other side.

A short climb soon brings us to High Tock How with an array of Easter Fells before us.

Now this really got my interest. Built on the lines of a Morecambe Bay "Nobby" this vessel was near the farm. Both my Grandfathers, both fishermen at Morecambe at the time used to be "invited" to Windermere in the summer months around the beginning of the 1900's to race yachts for the owners and I wondered if this vessel was from that era. A visit to the farm revealed no further information, the vessel is shortly to be removed to the boatbuilders at Hawkshead.......A visit will be made

Coniston Fells from High Tock How

Eastern & Far Eastern Fells from High Tock How.

A short walk took us to Hole House and a path back to the gatehouse at Wray Castle

Back at the gatehouse and this time a visit to the Church.

St Margaret's Church at Low Wray. It was here that Canon Hardwicke Drummond Rawnsley was vicar from 1877 till 1883. He later became co-founder of the National Trust and also formed The Lake District Defence Society later to become The Friends of the Lake District.

History lesson over we then took the bridleway back down to the waterside path

Back at High Wray Bay

It was far too nice a day to stop at the car so we carried on walking past Belle Grange and through Heald Wood to the waterside at Bass How opposite Windermere where there was an air-show going on.

We rested awhile at Bass How and watched a view of the planes before making our way back to Red Nab. My only regret is that we didn't know the Vulcan was appearing and missed it.

A unusual view of the Kentmere Fells from near Bass Rock

Belle Grange

And finally back to Red Nab....There isn't much room at this car park and it fills up quickly. There is some roadside parking near the gatehouse and church.

Next Walk:      27th July 2009 - Lake District - The Kendal Scars

Last Walk:       23rd July 2009 - Lake District - Hugill Fell & Reston Scar with "Hey You"

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