Today Ann and Roger and Jo arrived at Fornside for an afternoon walk.  Jodie has a bit of back trouble (on the mend now) so she would be left at Fornside for the afternoon.  The weather refused to clear up (damp but warm) so we had a slow lingering cup of tea before driving to the big laybay on the A591 at Shoulthwaite to start our walk.  This laybay is over 150 yards long, would accommodate at least 75 cars, never has more than 10 cars in it and is lined with signs saying "Waiting limited to 2 hours, return prohibited for 2 hours"!!!  In 12 years of passing it since I owned Fornside, have I ever seen a traffic warden there?  I don't think so!  We ignored the signs like everyone else who parks there.

Damp humid conditions but with a strong wind on the tops meant this would be a walk where clothing was put on and taken off frequently.  Our route went through Shoulthwaite Farm and into Thirlmere forest.  We soon broke out of the forest and crossed over Shoulthwaite Gill and up the fellside to a steep but easy ascent just north of Goat Crags.  Then a meandering ascent of Bleaberry Fell via the old grouse moor.  The wind shelter at the summit faced the wrong way so we huddled on the outside of the shelter for lunch.

The route to High seat was mainly dry but with a few boggy stretches but nothing to give any riask of getting a soaking.  High Seat is a rather nice double rocky summit with quite good views - rather better than you would expect from the desolate slopes in all directions.

Then down towards Thirlmere Forest over trackless ground.   Soon we reached the upper reaches of Shoulthwaite Gill.  We took the faint but improving path above the west bank of the Gill.  This is an Unfrequented Wainwright route and is rather charming with a couple of nice crossings of minor gills and good views of Thirlmere forest, Castle Crag fort and Iron and Goat Crags.  It is full of interest all the way in ascent or descent - do it sometime!

A full album is available on Webshots http://outdoors.webshots.com/album/564131335VpPaWd

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