Hiking
Dramatic lighting, interesting lines and fascinating reflections are great rewards for hiking in February here in the Lake District. Staying on the low peaks, here are pictures from our hikes from Keswick out to Walla Crag (379 m.) above Derwent Water and Rannadale Knott (355 m.) looking out over Crummock Water, Buttermere and on to Great Gable. And the first light of the dawn showing on the snow on Grizedale after the coldest night of this winter, -4°C down here in Keswick.
Cap Morgiou (221 m.): view of the massive limestone cliffs flanking Mt. Puget (564 m.) down to the Mediterranean in the Calanques National Park between Marseille, Cassis and Cap Cannaille (394 m.), just visible far away in the mist.
A brisk hike up from Les Baumettes prison, the terminus of the convenient bus route. Once on the cliff route, misty despite a breeze but big views over the Calanques of Sormiou and then Morgiou. A rare treat to see the snows on the peak of Mt. Ventoux (1912 m.) far away to the North whilst hearing the waves of the Mediterranean crash on the base of the cliffs 200 m. below the cliff path. What a view for lunch on my first hike of 2016!
The prominent peak top centre of my photo is La Grande Candelle (454 m.) which I hiked up to in 2014: see Massif de Mt. Puget, Sept 2014
Walking from Keswick on Derwent Water to Patterdale on Ullswater along the atmospheric Old Coach Road between St Johns, Castlerigg & Wythburn and Threlkeld / Matterdale was a pretty good stomp. The Old Coach Road route itself is 8.43km (about 5 miles) at a high level across Threkeld Common and Matterdale Common, beneath Clough Head and ending at the hamlet of Dockray.
Clear air, blue skies and autumn colours for our hikes on the granite of the vallée de la Gordolasque and the Vallon de lSalèse, all at the high end of the vallée de la Vésubie in the Mercantour national park in the Alpes Maritimes, the range of mountains forming the border with Italy for a few dozen kilometres up inland from the coast at Nice.Territory that used to be Savoy/Nice, not France or Italy.
One of the best waterfall systems you could hope to visit and some magnificent cirques, gauged by the glacier of the most recent Ice Age. A treat to enjoy the family cooking at a small restaurant in St. Martin Vésubie, underground in a cellar with a balcony looking out over the valley. I think Mother cooking and daughter doing the tables. But an indifferent family hotel, very two star and nothing more, but the wifi works!
Great Gable (899 m.) is a bit of a scramble to reach the summit but today’s climb was rewarded with clear views in all directions: Scafell Pikes, Skiddaw Old Man, Morecombe Bay, the Pennine escarpment and ridge, Dumfries and Galloway, even Snaefell far away on the Isle of Man.
The route from Honister Pass has much the same total height gain/loss as the more popular stomp up from Seatoller and Seathwaite in Borrowdale. As well as being less populous, there are fine views during the ascent over to Buttermere, then Ennerdale and even Wasdale and glimpses of Lake Windermere. There are some fine ponds, teeming with little frogs.. It was something of a surprise to encounter the numerous climbers on Windy Gap and Green Gable, then the hordes on the summit at 899 m.
