Lake District Walks
Cat Bells
Date: 22nd October 2006
Distance: 3.2 miles
Ascent: 1130 feet
Time: 4 hours 15 minutes
With: Lisa, Rachel & Sally
Start Grid Ref: NY246214
Walk Summary:
Cat Bells is a classic little fell walk and perfect for giving some friends a taster of the Lake District.
Route Summary: Hawse End - Skelgill - Hawse Gate - Cat Bells - Skelgill Bank - Hawse End
Pictures:
1. Barrow
2. Lisa, Rachel and Sally on the path above Newlands
3. Borrowdale
4. Derwent Water
5. Looking down Newlands towards Bassenthwaite Lake
6. Little Town, Hindscarth and Robinson
7. Rainbow over the Newlands Valley
8. Sally on Cat Bells
9. Derwent Water and Skelgill Bank
10. Causey Pike and Grisedale Pike
11. The girls on Skelgill Bank
12. Cat Bells
Walk Detail: While the route itself was an exact replica of our first Lakeland walk over a year before this was was perhaps even more special. Firstly we took Sally and Rachel along with us for their first taste of the Lake District. Secondly despite a wet and cloudy start we had some amazing breaks in the cloud and saw numerous rainbows.
The walk along the flanks of Skelgill Bank and Cat Bells with the views across Newlands to Hindscarth, Robinson and Causey Pike was just as lovely as I remembered it. The excitement really began though when we reached Hause Gate and made the final climb up to the summit.
The views were stupendous. Looking south along Borrowdale there were some dramatic breaks in the cloud over Grange Fell, Castle Crag and Glaramara. Meanwhile the sun had broken out over Newlands and Causey Pike which was clothed in lovely brown bracken. The views north over Skelgill Bank towards Bassenthwaite Lake and Skiddaw were equally as good.
We lingered at the top for a while and endured a brief shower before making our way slowly down to Skelgill Bank. I was once again surprised by the amount of scrambling required when returning this way. The highlight of the walk for me was a spectacular double rainbow in Newlands in front of Barrow.
There is not much else to say except that we had a fantastic little walk and celebrated afterwards with a lovely bit of greasy food at our old favourite the Old Keswickian. Less a fell walk and more a lovely trip out with friends.
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