Parking at the National Trust car park at NY386189 I headed out on this bitter cold morning and headed South to join the footpath West through a lovely mixed woodland to Seldom Seen. I was lucky enough to see 4 red squirrels racing through the trees and down to the cottages for their breakfast. I headed up the steep, icy path to Bleabank Side and at NY364184 I headed up to the East, across the boggy moorland to the summit of Sheffield Pike. At 600m I encountered a lot of icy patches and though it wasn’t bad enough for full sized crampons, micro spikes were needed. The views were marvellous from the summit with blue sky and sun overhead but cloud pouring over Helvellyn and Catstye Cam it was certainly a sight to see! But there was a very strong wind with severe wind chill, so I hid in boulders on the Southern side of the summit to eat lunch. Heading back the way I’d came, I turned SW at NY364184 and travelled down to the disused quarry at NY359179. I walked down the path below Lucy’s Tongue to the YHA building and followed the easy track into the village of Glenridding. Then I headed North and picked up the lakeside path (now part of the Ullswater Way) which I followed back to the car park at Glencoyne Bridge.
Parking at the National Trust car park at NY386189 I headed out on this bitter cold morning and headed South to join the footpath West through a lovely mixed woodland to Seldom Seen. I was lucky enough to see 4 red squirrels racing through the trees and down to the cottages for their breakfast. I headed up the steep, icy path to Bleabank Side and at NY364184 I headed up to the East, across the boggy moorland to the summit of Sheffield Pike. At 600m I encountered a lot of icy patches and though it wasn’t bad enough for full sized crampons, micro spikes were needed. The views were marvellous from the summit with blue sky and sun overhead but cloud pouring over Helvellyn and Catstye Cam it was certainly a sight to see! But there was a very strong wind with severe wind chill, so I hid in boulders on the Southern side of the summit to eat lunch. Heading back the way I’d came, I turned SW at NY364184 and travelled down to the disused quarry at NY359179. I walked down the path below Lucy’s Tongue to the YHA building and followed the easy track into the village of Glenridding. Then I headed North and picked up the lakeside path (now part of the Ullswater Way) which I followed back to the car park at Glencoyne Bridge.
