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.

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Another fantastic fine and sunny morning and the forecast was for it to be a bit cooler. It is a while since we visited the northern end of the Lake District so it was an earlyish start which had us parked up at Great Wood and ready to walk for just after 8am. I wanted a bit of a steep climb today to see if there were any signs of the pains which bothered me so much last week. There was plenty of huffing, puffing and wheezing as we made our way up Cat Gill but fortunately no pains.

Route Map

A empty Great Wood car park when we arrived.

Booted up, we made our way through the woods to Cat Gill.

On the initial part of the climb up Cat Gill the views are mainly restricted to the gill itself. As there was little water coming down and it was quite dark the camera saw no action until some views started to appear through the trees.

Catbells across Derwentwater with Northwestern Fells in attendance.

Out of the gill and things are improving quickly. Here with a view to Maiden Moor, High Spy and Dale Head.

It was getting warm now so we decided to cross the wall to see if we could get a bit of shade.....

....but all we got was bracken.

Opening up the views southwards to the high fells.

Nearly there!

On arrival at the summit we had it to ourselves. The views over Derwentwater were beautiful.

The North-Western Fells in all there glory.

Looking N'wards along Derwentwater and Bass Lake the Scottish coast just visible in the haze.

Over Keswick to the Skiddaw Fells...

...and to the ridges of Blencathra.

Edith sits and takes it all in.

The summit cairn

Heading down the path to Rakefoot with Blencathra ahead

A look back along the well trodden path.

The Skiddaws....our route will eventually take us past that mast in centre picture.

Almost down

Up to now there had been no animal distractions to bother Dr Dolittle but then we saw the mare and her foal.

It took a while but....

.....eventually over they came.

Looks like it's been haircut day at Rakefoot as we pass.

Shortly after passing Rakefoot we took a path off to the left which would take us down towards Kewick. Along the way the views across Derwentwater to the NW Fells were delicous.

Walking through Springs Wood.

We stopped at the cafe at Springs Farm and enjoyed watching the chucks have a dust bath as we had our tea.

We didn't want to go into Keswick with its attendant noise and commercialism so instead took the path through Castlehead Wood....

.....which led out onto the Borrowdale Road which we crossed....

to take a path through Cockshott Wood...

.....which took us down to the shores of Derwentwater.

Causey Pike, Outerside and Barrow across Derwentwater.

Catbells.

Walking back to the car with Walla Crag ahead.

And finally ....a rather busier Great Wood.

Next Walk:      30th June 2011 - NW Lancashire - "Secret Britain - Sunderland Point"

Last Walk:      27th June 2011 - Local - A walk from home into Morecambe

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