3rd September 2010 - Lake District

Area:	Lake District	Ascent:	1080feet
Walk No:	443	Time:	4hours
Date:	3rd September 2010	Parking:	Blea Tarn NT car park
Distance:	4.00miles	Weather:	Fine & Sunny with a slight haze.

Route:

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.

I wasn't too sure how I would be with this walk. Although only short and not a lot of climbing both the ascent and descent routes have steepish bits which would test my lungs on the way up and my knee on the way down. We arrived at Blea Tarn to find we had the place to ourselves and after a walk down to the Tarn for a few pictures we mad our way to Bleatarn House from where we followed the gill upwards. On arrival at the wall that leads up to the summit we decided nor to take the direct scrambly path but to walk eastwards to pick up the path coming up from Elterwater to give the walks a bit of length. Views from the summit were magical even with the slight haze. A descent to the cattle grid near Side Pike where a longer break was taken before returning to the car via the tarn.

Route Map

Early morning at Blea Tarn and not a soul in sight.

It would have been nice to stay longer but it's going to be a warm one and I've got some wheezing to do.

From the car park we made our way towards Bleatarn House...

....to take the path up the side of the gill. I don't think this path is shown on the OS Map but it is a well trodden route with no difficulties except in my case a little steep.

It was a gorgeous morning and nearby views were good but those distance away were spoilt slightly by the haze.

Gaining some height and you can see what I mean about the haze.....

....no real complaints though, it looks just great.

Views from an old gateway.

The Langdale Pikes start to show above Side Pike.

Looking over Blea Tarn towards Blake Rigg and Pike O'Blisco.

The sun was interfering with the views towards Wetherlam and Swirl How.

Looking over Rakerigg to Kettle Crag with the Crinkle Crags, Bowfell and The Band behind.

Eventually we arrived at the top of the steepish bit. The summit of Lingmoor remains hidden behind the trees.

Having got ourselves over the wall we have a choice. We can follow the path alongside the wall up to the summit or take a path away from the summit to join the main path coming up from Elterwater. As the walk was only short in distance we opted for the latter finding ourselves a buttie stop along the way.

Pictures from a buttie stop.

We have now picked up the Elterwater path and there's the summit ahead of us.

Another graceful climb over the stile.

This was the only summit picture. Edith was meant to be in it but just as we were getting ready she was invaded by the "biddies" that came from the heather....hence the hasty exit along with my pole! We moved on to the next knobble on the ridge, a better place for pictures anyway.

The Langdale Pikes.

An hazy Helvellyn ridge from Lingmoor.

Having made our way along the ridge this is where the way down starts to get steeper. My right knee hadn't been that bad on the way up so let's hope it is OK going down.

Side Pike and the Langdales.

Just below here we stopped to have a chat with a couple who were on their way up. They were the only people we saw on the fellside throughout the walk.