Angletarn Pikes
Walk Date – 28th December 2014
Distance – 4.6 miles
Weather – Cloudy start, then sunny and cold
We decided on a short walk up to Angletarn Pikes today knowing that there would still be some snow around at a higher level, even though there is none at ground level. The forecast said good visibility and blue skies. We arrived in Patterdale with heavy grey cloud overhead looking for all the world as if it might rain, with the surrounding views looking about as appealing as an mouldy dog blanket.
Route
Looking south over Brothers Water this morning we were beginning to wonder where the blue sky and good visibility had got to.
Looking across the valley towards Hartsop above How as we climb steadily towards Boredale Hause.
From the same spot I turn a little to my right for this view towards Deepdale.
The top of Arnison Crag catching some low cloud.
I suddenly notice a splash of sunlight but will it last?
More sunlight appears on the fell side behind Glenridding Dodd, this is looking promising.
That patch of sunlight is certainly getting bigger, perhaps we will get blue sky after all.
Place Fell from the path to Boredale Hause, and the sky is definitely bluer.
It is becoming much brighter now, perhaps the cloud will go completely. Stop obsessing about the cloud and get on with the walk.
We reached Boredale Hause, stopped for a drink, looked behind us and saw the most spellbinding sight. Helvellyn appearing, as if by magic, through the thinning cloud. Everyone at the Hause was staring at the sight unfolding across from us, cameras clicking away and lots of excited conversation.
Behind us is Place Fell with some walkers coming up from Rooking, they didn’t seem to have noticed what was going on across the valley.
Imperceptibly the cloud dispersed, gradually revealing more and more of the view. The length of the Striding Edge ridge is now visible with Catstycam showing over on the right, What a fantastic sight.
If you aren’t interested in looking at snow covered fells it might be an idea to leave now as I think I got a little carried away and couldn’t stop taking photos.
Helvellyn looks as though its suspended in mid air.
A little ribbon of mist, at snow line level, wanders in front of Helvellyn, Catstycam, Birkhouse Moor and Raise.
There’s no snow on Arnison Crag, in the foreground, but behind it Birks has a sprinkling, and Saint Sunday Crag, over on the left, has a good covering.
Saint Sunday Crag, over on the right, is nicely visible, with Fairfield and Hart Crag just beginning to appear above the remaining cloud.
Its difficult to explain why it was so good to look at, it just was.
What a fabulous morning its turned out to be, I take back all my dark mutterings about the Met. Office and their forecasts.
A close up of Helvellyn, which had a good number of walkers making their way across Striding Edge.
Why bother going to the Alps? Just come to the Lake District when the snow is down.
The cloud has gone and now we can see more of Fairfield and Hart Crag, to the left, alongside Saint Sunday Crag over on the right.
We’ll never get to Angletarn Pikes at this rate, but we just can’t stop admiring the views.
We finally tear ourselves away and continue on up to Angletarn Pikes, but I couldn’t take any photos as we walked up the path from Boredale Hause as the sun was directly in front of us and everything ahead of us was in deep shade.
Looking west towards Stybarrow Dodd, in the centre, as we near the top of Angletarn Pikes.
A close up of Stybarrow Dodd, in the centre, with Green Side to the right of it.
Eventually, after all the photo taking, we reach the north top of Angle Tarn Pikes.
Looking eastwards across Beda Fell to Bonscale Pike. No clear view of the Pennines today.
Looking across The Nab toward Loadpot Hill and Wether Hill.
Rest Dodd in the centre of the picture.
High Street on the skyline with Gray Crag over to the right, and Thornthwaite Crag just behind it. Photos any further to the right were impossible today.
Dodging the sun for a quick shot of Brothers Water.
Behind us Place Fell is in direct sunlight so the snow is melting as quickly as an ice-cream in a toddler’s hand.
From the south top of the pikes my favourite view, this is Angle Tarn looking just fabulous in the winter sunshine.
High Street, on the skyline, across Angle Tarn
On the south Pike.
All was sunny and still up here today. There were hardly any people around, I counted only six and they were a good way across from us and heading for somewhere else.
Lunch with a view, it was just lovely to sit here in the peace and quiet and absorb the views.
All good things come to an end though so I took a look back at the north top with the moon above it as we made our way back down.
Finally, back at valley level and the last chance for a shot of Hartsop Dodd now that the sun has moved to the west. The walk turned out to be better than we had first thought given that the start was so unpromising and we had a wonderful time in the snow and the sun.