~Brim Fell to Dow Crag~
19th May 2018
Molly ~ Brim Fell Summit
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Saturday 19th May and an early start sees Molly n' me head for the Coniston Fells. Mists rises gently over Yew Tree Tarn and the sky is completely clear by the time the walk starts at the rough car park on the Walna Scar Road. Time: 0545hrs. A good few cars are already there, one guy is in a bivvy-bag next to his car and I suspect the rest are "wild camping".
On The Way
We booked an extra night at the cottage because there was no booking following ours and to celebrate having an extra "last day" I thought it would be a good idea to go for a walk and allow Karen a lie in and keep out of the way, so she could watch the Royal Wedding.
Crowberry Haws
The chosen route is to head for Boulder Valley and Levers Water and so we leave the well-worn path to Low Water and head up on this miners' track.
To Boulder Valley
Boulder Valley is in the shadowed territory; Wetherlam summit is the pointy one in the distance with Raven Tor high up on the left.
Levers Water
We walk along the shoreline on the south-west side (left).
Molly Takes a Dip
And so to find a way onto the summit ridge as close as possible to the cairn marking the summit of Brim Fell. Initially we walk up the path to Levers Hawse, but readers of the OS map will notice "Cove Beck" and that's the route towards Brim Fell Rake.
Ascent Route
I chose a scramble over the rocks up the cleft in shadow near the centre of the photo. A few awkward bits and certainly not an established route, but soon enough we were above the difficult bits and looking back down.
Looking Down
Dotterel on Brim Fell
A pleasant surprise to see my second dotterel of the season, having seen one on Pendle Hill recently. This was one of at least four up here.
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Molly was a little put out that she was not the only one seeking to find the top and earn a treat, but soon enough the lamb wandered off and Molly grabbed her chance. Brim Fell Summit is 2,611ft above sea level, we gain the summit at 07:55hrs, two hours and ten minutes after setting off, needless to say we've not seen any other walkers.
To Coniston Old Man
A simple half-mile walk lies ahead as we seek the next and more well known summit.
Molly on top of Coniston Old Man 2,633ft asl
The View
The view is fantastic up here and over there to the north is the Scafell range. The plan is to head down to Goat's Hawse. If we carry on this rate, we might end up watching the wedding!
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There's Low Water with Wetherlam further away and soon we have a great view of Dow Crag.
Goat's Hawse
We've been in the Lakes for a full week now and just one evening and only for ten minutes I had to put a coat on. Other than that it's been sunshine all the way, sometimes less blue, occasionally cooler but really a fantastic eight days (two Saturdays). How much more would you pay for a week of good weather?? Or do you just go abroad for just that? Each unto their own...
Dow Crag
The Scafell Range
Molly nearly at the top of Dow Crag 2,555ft asl
A most uneven summit territory making the customary "at the top of" photo unsafe, one of us would probably fall off. The sight of Blind Tarn is too much to resist, so we head off down the slopes to find the water.
Blind Tarn
Two wild campers are all that remain from a larger group which settled down there last night. Blind Tarn has no visible outlet, but the water seems fresh and Molly took her usual dip.
Walna Scar Road
Meadow Pipit
Easy walking down Walna Scar Road and back to the car.
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Walkers: Molly and Me.
Time taken: 5hrs over a distance of about 7 miles.
Route: Walna Scar Road car park, Crowberry Haws, Boulder Valley, Levers Water, Brim Fell via Cove Beck, Coniston Old Man, Goat's Hawse, Dow Crag, Blind Tarn, Walna Scar Road back to the car.
Weather and conditions: Sunny and warm.
Wedding: I got back in time to see some of the proceedings, but left the room during the sermon by the American Preacher and didn't return. How un-British! I wish Harry and Meghan all the best and hope that they find the time to climb a Lakeland mountain or two without the crowds, it's a beautiful place and on sunny days, hard to beat.
All photos copyright Richard Ratcliffe 2018 ©
Take me back to the start ....