Another early call for photographs, this time heading through Keswick at Silly o clock to catch sunrise at Surprise View over Derwentwater.
This as accessed along the Borrowdale road before the Lodore Falls hotel turn left (see the hotel and you have gone too far). A steep narrow track winds up towards Ashness Bridge, and go over the old stone bridge, carry on for about another mile and these is a NT car park on the left. Walk over to the view on the right hand side.
All was quiet at 06:00, and after setting up tripod and equipment in a similar spot to that back in November 2015 (though it was sunset then). I took several shots at different points as the sun came up and began to illuminate the fells.
Changing to a zoom lens, the view at the far end of the lake around the marinas looked interesting lit up by the rising sun.
Nice reflection too!
Packed the gear away once the sun was up and headed back down to Ashness Bridge, parked up there ,and set up tripod down in the rocks looking towards the bridge and the fells in the background. Classic Lake District shot that is already well known!
With shots in the bag, I headed back to the lodge for breakfast, and plans to head out with my dear wife on a higher level fell walk.
Dash Falls/Great Calva from Peter House Farm
(Nr/ Bassenthwaite) 8.5 Miles
Great Calva is the pyramidical fell often glimpsed between Blencathra and Lonscale fells from the A66, but few tread its summit as it is at the "back o' Skidda" and away from the masses.
We parked in a cut-in near to Peter House Farm (room for maybe 6 vehicles) and a couple of quid in an honesty box. Setting off on the sunniest day of the week at 10:30 we found a gate just up from the parking taking us along a well constructed long track
After a mile or so the track joined the Cumbria Way, now getting a little rockier after the gate shown above, and starting to slowly climb its way to Dash Falls.
A couple of miles in and we rested on the approach above Dash Falls.
A little further along the track and the falls can be seen form above cascading down to Dash Beck.
The real work began after Dash Falls, and the climb up to 1500ft was quite torturous. It was either through thick purple heather or as recommended in the guide, to follow the fence line, up a rather steep and crumbly "path", using the fence as support to haul ones self up the fell side.
We met a couple on their way down this route and it looked even more perilous, thankfully out intended route was not back the way we came but a circular one.
However, the terrain became kinder, and levelled, but became quite boggy, and the best advice would be to continue to follow the fence line to the right and this heads up Little Calva, before an up an over and a final push to the top of Great Calva at 2265ft.
Pretty good views across to Skiddaw and Thirlmere , but carry on past the first cairn as its a false summit and the true cairn lies a little further on with possibly better views as well.
By now it was well past lunch, so we ate, rested and then headed back down the way we came.
Once off Great Calva we headed off right away from the route we came, and after a short rocky section following a stream bed through a small ravine, and some rocky, shale twists the path got easier and grassier.
The grassier section led us down slowly to a lane and an easier 1.5 miles back to the start at 16:50 , some 6.5 hrs after starting out.
A good day in the fells with warm weather, and we headed back quite tired for baths and suitable sustenance.
Friday was an easier day off from strenuous activity and we headed for Keswick, a boat ride on Derwentwater, lunch at the Lodore Falls hotel, and an amble around Keswick. Saturday we travelled home.
Our Walk Score: 7/10
