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.

This walk as long been one of our favourite valley walks and I was determined to do it again even though the weather forecast was for a hot day. There were many short diversions along the way and I was fine until around noon at Blea Tarn when the sun on the back of my neck set of some osteo-arthritis which gave me a lot of pain. Welcome relief was found in the Sticklebarn and with an ice cream back at Elterwater.

Even though we were at Elterwater fairly early early I preferred to leave the car outside the village. I can put enough little scratches and dings in the bodywork myself without needing other peoples contributions.

A very peaceful Brittania. When we returned it was heaving.

Having walked up the round past the Youth Hostel we took the lane off on the right and then the track over to Little Langdale. So far, so good....it's cool and shaded.

Out into the open now and a splendid view of Wetherlam. There's a choice of paths here down into Little Langdale but we kept on ahead.

It just gets better and better as we open out views to Swirl How and Great Carrs above Greenburn.

Dale End farm with a rather decent backdrop.

Looking across Little Langdale Tarn into Greenburn.

A little bit of heaven. Looking over Little Langdale Tarn towards the Wrynose Pass.

The delightful Slater Bridge.

Our route now leads up the valley....

....past Low and High Hall Garth..

...with a view of Lingmoor across the valley.

Our path is an old mine track leading towards Greenburn however we will take a right turn.....

....to take us down past Bridge End and ten towards Fell Foot Farm.

Approaching Bridge End.

Not the best viewpoint of the Langdale Pikes but one that always fascinates me.

Looking over to Fell Foot Farm with Blake Rigg behind. We walked along the road to the farm and after having a look at the Ting Mound which is just behind and available to view courtesy of the National Trust we carried on along the Wrynose road...

....to pick up the path to Blea Tarn. We are still on the road here but the path can be seen on the left.

Some welcome shade was found at Blea Tarn with its magnificent views of the Langdales along with Side Pike.

After a brief stop we took the path alongside the tarn to the left which would lead us to the road near Side Pike.

The valleys of Oxendale (l) and Mickleden (r) are divided by The Band, the eastern spur of Bowfell.

Looking into Oxendale with the Crinkle Crags at the end.

And into Mickleden with Bowfell to the left and Rossett Pike in the centre.

Langdale Crags, playground to the climbers.

We took the path above the NT Campsite towards Side House.

So beautiful from down here. Exciting to climb....but a rather bland ridge behind.

We made our way down to Side House and then across to the Sticklebarn where a pint of iced Cola helped cool me. My neck at this point was giving me a lot of trouble and I was even considering something really drastic....getting the bus back to Elterwater. However after a break in the cool such thoughts were discarded and we set off on the final leg.

A look back at the Sticklebarn and wondering should I have had another one.  ;-)

A look back as we walked down the valley.

And gain from the footbridge over Great Langdale Beck at Oak Howe.

It was at the footbridge that Dr Doolittle met Jenny (well I think it was female) who took a real fancy to the bag of dog biscuits that Edith carries in her rucsac. This is why the various canine members of the Online Fellwalking Club on our next walk were rationed.

"Stop encouraging it Edith" (not that it needed much) "It'll never fit in the car!"

Almost back and the neck is playing up again as we pass Chapel Stile.

This helped!!!

And finally back to the car.

Next Walk:     5th June 2010 - Lake District - Orrest Head, 80 years on.

Last Walk:     2nd June 2010 - Lake District - 2 short walks near Kendal

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