Route: Walla Crag and Ashness Bridge
Area: Central Lake District
Date of walk: 19th February 2015
Walkers: Andrew
Distance: 7.5 miles
Weather: Mostly overcast with brighter spells at start and end
I’d last been up Walla Crag just over a year ago and decided to revisit this lovely little fell, following the same route as I’d used last time
I parked in the car park near the Theatre by the Lake and walked out of Keswick via Castlehead Wood. At Rakefoot I headed out onto open fellside. The terrain leading to Walla Crag is desolate (and juicy) and a complete contrast with the first part of the walk
I was soon at the top of Walla Crag admiring the wonderful view over Keswick and Derwent Water. Unfortunately it started to rain so I didn’t hang around and made the easy gradual descent to Ashness Bridge. I managed to get a photo here for once – there’s normally a crowd scene at this beauty spot, which is accessible from a public road
I followed the road down to the shore of Derwent Water and made my way back into Keswick, partly along a path beside the road, and partly using footpaths
For other walks here, visit my Find Walks page and enter the name in the ‘Search site’ box
Click on the icon below for the route map (subscribers to OS Maps can view detailed maps of the route, visualise it in aerial 3D, and download the GPX file. Non-subscribers will see a base map)
Scroll down – or click on any photo to enlarge it and you can then view as a slideshow
Red squirrel in the garden before I set off this morning
On with the walk - in Cockshott Wood, after leaving the car park in Keswick
Emerging from the wood, today’s objective - Walla Crag - is in the distance
Walking towards Castlehead
Derwent Water and Catbells from Castlehead
Keswick behind the pine trees
Walking past Castlerigg
Various options here - the correct one is to the right
For the record - the featureless terrain leading to Bleaberry Fell
Looking back to Blencathra
The summit cairn of Walla Crag is just beyond the stile
Derwent Water, Bassenthwaite and Keswick from Walla Crag
Keswick and Skiddaw from Walla Crag
Start of the gentle descent in the direction of Borrowdale
Further along the path - it started to hail at this point
Looking down Cat Gill over Derwent Water and its islands, with Bassenthwaite beyond
A view back to Walla Crag
Head of Derwent Water, looking into Borrowdale
Mossy tree by Barrow Beck
Barrow Beck
Ashness Bridge
Down to the landing stage on the shore of Derwent Water
The Millenium Stone - in the water today, but in drier weather it may be found on the shore
Causey Pike from Calfclose Bay
Looking back up to Walla Crag
A break in the clouds at last - looking across Derwent Water to Causey Pike
Looking along Derwent Water
……and again
Derwent Isle
Approaching the landing stages
Derwent Isle from the landing stages
This is the place to come if you want to see ducks and geese, there are hundreds of them
Back to the start - Keswick, with Skiddaw in the background
