Helvelyn,Nethermost pike and Dollywaggon 0ct 21 2012

Another day in the mountains, i set off for the lakes with no real idea where to climb, but Helvelyn always seems to appeal to me.  so i decided as it was looking a sunny day for a change and the possible chance of a cloud inversion i decided Helvelyn was to place to go. driving through Windermere and through Rydal & Grasmere it was thick fog, a cloud inversion was a good possibility.  i parked at the swirls car park at Thirlmere and started climbing up the Gill path.

                  early morning mistiness with sun just hitting Blencathra in the distance.

                            climbing higher and looking back down the mist is building :)

       using 300mm lens to show the dramatic mini cloud inversion building over st johns in the vale.

         the full view :)  amazing standing here watching it building and flowing into/over thirlmere!

i am seeing some very atmospheric conditions , taking loads of images as i climb steadily upwards:)
zooming in on Thirlmere , the colours are starting to look good.

as i climb to the top of the crags i get my first view towards the Coniston fells, unfortunately no cloud inversion but the low mist looks wonderful.

 

 a "sun dog"  Yay!   rainbow in sunlight :)

                                                   a wonderful panorama, view LARGE

       Looking down Swirral edge with a superb looking sky:)   a great day to be up in the mountains.

      i cant believe there are no other people up here yet on a beautiful day like this! i guess it will be packed up here later :)     the summit cairn on Helvelyn.

                 
                              looking the opposite direction towards langdales and coniston fells.                                                                       view LARGE

 heading across to the summit ,a view of Red tarn from Helvelyn with Swirral edge on the left, Striding edge just visible over to the right.

       i am at the summit, only 2 other people here and two just coming up swirral edge onto the top,             Looking towards Nethermost pike and Dollywagon ,on the left.   my next destinations :)

 i have made my way across to Nethermost pike, i think this is the summit but not too sure  lol
but who cares, its wonderful up here today :D

                                                         Dollywagon ahead, i think  lol

                                    i am on the tongue now on Dollywagon summit What a view!

           looking back towards Nethermost pike top right corner. sitting in the warm sun eating lunch

                               i can just make out Windermere  through the mist :)

                Looking back towards Nethermost pike and Helvelyn where i have just walked from :)

  i have started walking back towards Helvelyn now , using 300mm lens to show Harrop Tarn across  Thirlmere.

                                           stunning views today and great big skies :D

 Thirlmere in view now, what a day it has been up here.  i will take a drive round Thirlmere later to shoot some of the autumn colours :)

                               The autumn colours are looking fabulous now in the sun

                that is the end of a great mornings climb , of to drive around Thirlmere now :)

Great Gable return sept 23 2012

Since my first climb up Great Gable with the twitteratti  Here  when we didn't get to see any of the amazing views, i promised myself i would return on a clear day.  So today is the day , forecast is looking good for sunny periods but more importantly no low cloud :)
so arriving at Seathwaite car park early in the morning, i was surprised to see very few other cars there!  my route starts with climbing up Sour milk gill  then across Gillercomb up to Green Gable.

                                                   up the path that runs beside the falls

           i am up high now, looking down to  Seathwaite and Thorneywaite farm in the distance.

                                  walking through Gillercomb  and say hello to the locals :D

                                                 looking back from where i have just walked.

  here is a view of Base Brown on the right, but having come up the path from the left i have turned right to head towards Green Gable now .

 

  a first view of Buttermere , what a view with Haystacks and High crag/High stile on the left ,Fleetwith pike, Robinson/Whiteless pike/Grassmore over to the right.  i think lol

 Shot with 300mm lens , you can clearly see Rannerdale knots in the centre of image, amazing in the spring when the bluebells are in flower  Here  and Melbreak on the left.

Heading up to Green Gable the views are superb, and i have not seen a single person up here on such a wonderful morning .  i am at the summit cairn looking across Ennerdale and Buttermere valleys.  Kirk fell and Pillar on the left side , High stile near the centre.

                                   and the Helvelyn range in the distance in the opposite direction

          now heading down into windy gap and then up the steep climb up to Great Gable summit:D

            Panorama from Great Gable summit ,looking across Ennerdale & Buttermere valleys again
                                                                       VIEW LARGE

 

 looking down on to Wastwater,Scafell on left, Illgill Head next to Wastwater, and Kirk fell and Yewbarrow on the right.

it is so nice up here, only 2 other people here, a bit chilly but sheltering out of the wind very pleasant to take in the views and relax :D      using my 300mm lens to pick out "Inominate tarn" on Haystacks, AWs resting place.  a really special tarn that i must visit again sometime.

                                                    and Wastwater and Great Gable's cairn

        after over half an hour here i decide to make my way around to shoot a view of  Napes Needles

what a wonderful location, i spend another half hour here sitting in the warm sun with this amazing view :D   but it is time to start the long way back now :(        one last shot :)

                                           the way down , and its clouding over fast now!

                                                                     this is Styhead tarn

 

                                    the path decends down Styhead Gill back to Seathwaite

and eventually back down to the car, i have only seen a couple of people all day, very strange!
                                                the views have been amazing all morning :)