UNDER SKIDDAW

It was a beautiful spring day yesterday and where better to spend it than the Lake District?
We were on the road early and by 9:00 we found ourselves sitting down for a full English breakfast in Keswick...very nice too.
Back in the car for the short drive beside Bassenthwaite Lake with eyes peeled for the Ospreys which nest in Dodd Wood (more on the Ospreys to follow), a few minutes later the car was parked and we were on our way over lovely pastures to pick up the ridge for Ullock Pike.

Ullock Pike and the ridge.

The ridge itself was a delight, lovely grassy paths lead over several bumpy bits with views of Bassenthwaite Lake and the surrounding fells opening up all the while.

Looking back towards distant Binsey

Ullock Pike provided the steepest walking of the day but it was such a pleasure on a day like this and there was no need to hurry. Once over the Pike the going is very easy along Longside Edge under the shadow of Skiddaw. 

Ullock Pike from Longside Edge

A short stroll from Longside leads to Carl Side, which unbelievably was our third Wainwright in the space of a mile with hardly any effort required.. I can't recall an easier 2000 feet of ascent than this.
The views all around were superb and we spent quite some time wandering around on the top picking out hills that we recognised. The Scafells, Helvellyn and Skidaw were all in view

Snap happy on Carl Side

The path from here up to Skiddaw didn't look very inviting at all, however this was not our concern as we were headed downwards towards Dodd, our final Wainwright of the day.
AW dedicated 14 pages in his Pictorial Guides to this fell and it appears that it has changed considerably since the book was written. Today the upper part of the fell has been stripped bare the pine trees which completely enveloped it back in AW's day. What is left behind is a mess of fallen trees and tree stumps and an ugly road which more or less goes to the top of the fell..
What it lacks in height and beauty though, it more than makes up for by providing a superb vantage point of Derwent Water, Bassenthwaite lake and the surrounding fells.

Derwent Water and memorial stone on Dodd

The path down to the forest was a little tortuous and Mark took a nasty tumble at one point, luckily no harm done. The view of Bassenthwaite Lake was grand though.

Bassenthwaite Lake

Jumble of fallen trees on the descent

Eventually the forest tracks were gained and we came across the RSPB Lake District Osprey project in a clearing.
Lake District Osprey Project

Osprey watch

The Ospreys were down in the valley, perched on a tree to the east of the Lake and we got good views from one of the scopes that the RSPB had set up....stunning.

The walk back to the car was pleasant enough through the forest and completed a lovely day out in the Lakes.