Southport Fell Walking Club

  Threlkeld Walk    13 Feb 2022 It was an extremely wet and windy day – the rain never stopped all day ! Reluctantly the first groups got ready to leave the warm coach at the Swirls Car Park. Three of them were heading for Great How and the Riggs. By different routes: John’s, Paul’s and Mike’s groups all met up on the Thirlmere Dam. But the next time they met up was in the bus shelter on the main road as the three groups vied for a sheltered lunch space. Mike’s group decided to withdraw to the abandoned saw mill along St John’s Valley road. Each group then made their different ways – along High Rigg Ridge, or along the valley bottom to St John in the Vale Chapel. From here the local place names – Moss Dikes, Mire House, Birkett Mire and Bridge House should have discouraged anyone from crossing the low lying fields to Threlkeld. But it didn’t - with predictable results ! However the wonderful restoration of the Keswick Railway Footpath with its spectacular bridges and sound

GRASMERE  The weather forecast was not promising - severe strong winds and heavy rain was expected later in the day. So planned walks were understandably modest – always a relative comment. The Oldhams had 8 Wainwrights and 3500 feet on their card but were distracted by the open air gymnasium on the summit of Helm Crag. Their ambitious targets were amended and while they did most of the Easedale Round, omitting only the remote peak of Eagle Crag, they returned with very little time to spare. Steve J made similar adjustments to his card and used his planned alternative   route to cross from the head of Easedale to Wythburn Fells and Steel Fell. Geoff Ryan led his group in the reverse direction – up Steele Fell, across Far Easedale and over to Ash Crags to descend by Easedale Tarn. The two other groups started out together - heading for Loughrigg Fell.   Mike J and Pat’s group used the Dow Bank path to access Red Bank and then ascend Loughrigg Fell. They achieved that, but by mut