Last Sunday was a new walk for me, exploring the length of Ullswater, but from the opposite side to this Place Fell hike we did back in 2014.
We started at the town of Pooley Bridge at the head of this rather long, skinny lake.
We then ambled over some fields heading towards Little Mell Fell - that curved hill in the distance. It looks small - and compared to many of the Lakeland fells it is - but it's still classified as one of the 214 Wainwrights and I'd not climbed it before, so I was quite excited to tick it off the list.
And after a shortish steep climb, here is the Trig Point at the top.
Where you can look back at Ullswater and where we started.
You can also see most of the length of the lake - still a way to go.
I liked the pattern of the path down. It reminded me of cables, or a fishnet stocking.
Our next climb was also a Wainwright - Gowbarrow Fell. From the top you really do have a great view of the imposing fells to the south.
And still the lake snakes its way - here you can see how much further we have to go, although the rest of the route was flat.
With a brief stop at Aira Force.
And here we are at the other end - the tourist steamer just heading back to its dock.
We finished the walk at Glenridding. It was about eleven miles and quite pleasant, although given the choice, I think the path on the east side of Ullswater is more interesting and picturesque.
However, it was good to climb two new Wainwrights. I have just started reading this lovely book that I found recently in a used bookshop in Buxton. It's a collection of essays celebrating Alfred Wainwright and it's such a well designed and pretty book to read. Small and compact with nice paper. I am glad to have discovered Millrace Books which publishes not only walking books, but walking book history. Through their website, I've also found Vertebrate Publishing which now publishes some of their titles, along with many walking books of their own. I feel a new collection making its way to my shelves. . .
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