Bowfell from Cockley Beck - By 'eck! Print
Written by Peter Burgess   
Tuesday, 24 February 2009

Route finding on a fog bound Hardknott Fell
Compass bearing
As is usually the case, I'll let my short video do the talking, but this was an interesting day out for me.  I had never explored the upper recesses of Lingcove Beck before and I really enjoyed it.  Having crossed Hardknott Fell in thick fog, the swirling cloud near Swinsty Gill gave tantalising glimpses of the Crinkle Crags which were unusual in form from these westerly, close quarters.  The going here is excellent and a simple path leads gradually up past Bowfell Links to Three Tarns.  It really was a remote mountain approach and one I can recommend to everyone.  Get out there and explore.

I won't pad out this description much longer, but once at Three Tarns I opted to ascend a snow gully on Bowfell Links (relatively easy conditions with the security of an ice axe) and then once on the summit of Bowfell the most eerie of views were to be seen.  Cloud was swirling around like the fermament of some primeval world but the views were made magnificient - Lakeland became truly Alpine, positively Himalayan!

Descending the Great Slab I turned along the Climbers' Traverse before handrailing around Flat Crags to intercept the path at Three Tarns.  There is no need to descend all the way to the path ascending The Band - this is a path of ascent and descent by climbers, not one they would use for bothering to ascend to Three Tarns.

A group of walkers crossing Crinkle Crags
Walking party
Crossing Crinkle Crags was amazing with the mists and a group of chaps (see photo) were just about the only people I saw all day.  Descending the Bad Step, always a bit trickier on the way down I think, I crossed snow fields to Cold Pike before traversing the fellside making a beeline for Cockley Beck.  It's easier to walk around to the road bridge, but in summer droughts might be worth the risk of crossing the infant Duddon.

Enjoy the walk, I don't get out that often!

 

 



Bookmark with:What's this?

Reddit!Del.icio.us!Facebook!StumbleUpon!Yahoo!
 
RSS

Fellrunning's Links

email Send Peter email

Join Us

Want to participate in the OFC? Then why not join the Yahoo Message Board




"I'd just like to say what a great weekend it has been and thanks to everyone who made it such a great time." Liz Lemal on the Honister 2007 weekend