Whitehaven (Wasdale-on-Sea) Festival looking good

I was in Whitehaven yesterday and this weekend's festival is shaping up nicely (although the weather perhaps less so).  The festival is on all this weekend so if you've nothing planned it's well worth a visit.


 .....and here's a few shots to give a flavour.......

                                                       The harbour in festive mood

....and apart from the things you would expect to see there were also some unusual things going on

                                                mobile 'rock nun' belting out some classics


...but back to the expected, there are some tall ships on show and a host of other activities

....but behind all the festivities Whitehaven is still a working port, and long may it remain so

An afternoon on Wasdale's less visited fells

I recently spent an afternoon on Wasdale's less visited fells - quite a revelation. Weather conditions made for some great views and I saw the Scafells in particular in a new light.

Middle Fell, Haycock and Seatallen are not on everyone's 'must do' list - but they should be as they offer stunning views. Myself, a fellow walker and his dog set off for Greendale Tarn (where I used to camp and fish as a lad) - a haven of peace even on a bank holiday.

                                 Greendale Tarn (bit blurred - I was standing on a loose rock!)

From Greendale Tarn we headed up to the col between Middle Fell and Seatallen, aiming for Haycock. It was here that I saw an amazing view of the Scafells - looking like something out of Yosemite.

                         The Scafells from above Greendale Tarn, looking across Yewbarrow.

I think it was something to do with the weather, light and clouds - but they looked damn impressive. It also gives a very different perspective of Scafell Pike, with the top looking totally symetrical as if it has just dropped out of a huge blancmange mould.

Further up towards Haycock gives a different perspectivee on Great Gable too - not the classic pyramid so well known from the National Park logo and as seen in Britain's Favourite view.

                                        Great Gable from between Middle Fell and Haycock


Then on up to Haycock - surprisingly high for a less known fell (2618 feet) and a fairly steep slog. From the summit there are huge views - down into Ennerdale and little visited Blengdale, across to Skiddaw and Blencathra, the Coniston fells and of course back to Wasdale - an amazing viewpoint.

Looking back to Wasdale from Haycock, showing Wastwater and it's Screes, with Greendale Tarn just visible in Middle Fell's embrace.


From Haycock we headed for Seatallen,  looking grassy and serene across the col - but it involved losing a lot of height then another slog back up more steep slopes - it was worth it though - more great views as the evening sun picked out the Scafells.

Scafells  from Seatallen

It was getting on a bit now, so time to head for Nether Wasdale and the pub - sharpish! It's a bit of a hike from Seatallen when you're thirsty, but a good incentive. There are two great pubs in nether Wasdale - the Screes and the Strands - a nice quandary.....

                                               Best view after a long afternoon?

Ends

Three faces of Wasdale - soft, hard and mysterious.

I like contrasts and so here's three different faces of Wasdale

First of all, soft -
Violet and White - crocuses and snowdrops at Hallflat Farm, Santon Bridge yesterday

Next, hard -
Rock is what Wasdale does best, so heres a view from the top of the Screes today, looking over the Valley towards Yewbarrow

And finally, mysterious -
A study in moss, Hallflat Farm woods yesterday

Wasdale sunset life cycle

It's been clouudy and claggy for days, without a view up the valley - but its back with a vengeance today so here's a few shots as the day progressed

This was early afternoon - it was just good to see Great Gable and the valley again after days of cloud

-and now it's late afternoon, with the first inkling of a fine sunset 

-Great Gable and the Screes are picked out as the sunset progesses

- and finally the last rays of the sun on clouds above Irton Pike, where the Wasdale Screes finally run out of steam

- and to end a grand day in Wasdale, early doors in the Bridge Inn (tho' this is cheating as this photo isn't from today!)

Wasdale cloudscape - a change from mountains and lakes

Went up the mighty Irton Pike yesterday afternoon (appx 30 mins easy amble!) to catch the sunset but instead I saw some fanatstic clouds - the valley was bathed in sunshine but the tops were the start point for some towering pillows of cloud.

If ever you're in Wasdale don't miss the Irton Pike experience in the late afternoon/evening - ideal as a prelude for a couple of beers at the Bridge Inn at the foot of Irton Pike, or to help digest their huge sunday lunch carvery.

                                               clouds over gable, kirkfell and yewbarrow

                                        looking towards buckbarrow craggs and middle fell

Two sunsets - one Wasdale viewpoint

Having missed the Wasdale view for a few cloudy weeks it's back with a bang -

Unusually I took a photo looking away from the valley towards the sea yesterday as it was a superb sunset

- and today I took a shot looking the 'usual' way up the valley, this time not Great Gable but towards the Wastwater Screes

- it's hell living at Hallflat Farm!

Wasdale mountain rescue team update

Wasdale mountain rescue team have joined facebook - and produced a brief review of their year - its on their website
http://www.wasdale-mountain-rescue.org.uk/general~news.htm

This is some of the team bringing a stretcher down Lingmel Nose, above Wastwater

The website is worth a visit with all sorts of interesting and useful stuff  - and if you're a lover of Wasdale you may want to become a supporter (see website for details) of the team  which consists totally of volunteers and relies on public contributions to keep their vital service going.