August 5th 2017..Up,over and around Gowbarrow fell.

"Been sitting around too long we need to get back to the hills for some serious walking" i said to my wife Karen...... A few years back on my 50th birthday I finished my round of Wainwright fells, it was a sunny day in March, a day I wont forget in a hurry, finishing off with the summit of Mellbreak. Since then the bagging of hills has been put on the backburner,occupying my time with long distance paths such as the Pennine way,Cleveland way and a few local walks around the Peak district...but the call of the fells is too strong and now they are calling me back.
Today we have chosen to walk to the top of Gowbarrow fell. It is always exciting to wake up and instantly think "HILL DAY"...Its quite a drive from where we live up to the lakes but it is always worth it.We pulled into the High cascades car park just south of the village of Dockray. The sun was out and all was fine and dandy. It has been many years since I climbed Gowbarrows slopes and time had blurred my memory so it felt like a new hill to me...A lovely sight greeted us as we started our walk as we passed through a group of the most beautiful horses I have ever seen, they didn't bat an eyelid at Alfie [ our Springer] I think they liked him  and I think Alf like them too.

It was downhill to cross the Aira beck then a left turn to slowly gain height, I noticed a sign for the Ullswater way, not a walk I am familiar with, I shall be looking it up when I get home I thought to myself.

Onwards and upwards now as we climbed gently up the heathery slopes of the fell,nowhere was it too steep, no difficulties. Looking back we were treated to a nice view back down to Dockray, the weather seemed to be changing and we noticed rain heading our way

Somehow it missed us and the blue skies soon returned, in no time at all we were stood on the summit.We leant against the trig point to take a traditional selfie. The summit is set too far back for any great views over Ullswater. My fave view was looking north towards Little mell fell a beautiful scene.

We had only come a couple of miles from the car park but by now we were buzzing.Sadly though it was downhill from here but we still had much to look forward to. We followed the path down through slopes of bracken until we came to the path that traverses the eastern side of the fell. The views across Ullswater were second to none. We stopped here for a coffee and a butty on a little rocky outcrop, could have sat there all day.

It was heaven sitting there looking out across the water to the Far eastern fells,the High street ridge at the back with Hallin fell and  the emerald green fields of Martindale in the foreground. after half an hour or so we pushed on, wondering what was round the next corner. In all my visits to the Lake district I have never followed the path along the side of Gowbarrow before, its now a path I would recommend to anyone as every step is a delight, a surprise around every corner.....It certainly was a surprise when we rounded Ivy crag to be greeted with this lovely atmospheric view up along Ullswater.

Once again luck was on our side as the rains somehow missed us. This view was the view of the day for me....dropping down more steeply now. The walk still had something to look forward to though as we were nearing Aira force waterfall...we knew we were getting near by the amount of people that we met, from the one or two folks we saw on the fell we know came across dozens upon dozens of folk...on the bridge below the waterfall I had to push my way through about 50 people to get this shot of the waterfall.

From here it was back uphill alongside Aira beck..things slowly got quieter, back at the start the horses were still standing quietly by the gate...The walk was only about four and a half miles but it took us about 4 hours which was perfect as we don't like to hurry...slow down and enjoy each moment..back at the car I congratulated Karen on her 136 Wainwright top and I congratulated myself on my 29th second round top...aye its been a grand day.