Fairfield by the side door

There are just so many options of nice short jaunts from Ambleside but we'd decided on Fairfield in the hope we'd get some nice sunset shots. As I'd spent so much time drooling in the gear shops in the morning it was going to be a quick dash up from the A591 rather than the full classic horseshoe. Arriving at the lay-by just before 2pm we headed up towards the side of Tongue Gill aiming for Grisedale Hause.

Seat Sandal, Great Tongue & snowy Fairfiel Brow

The weather peeps had promised that as the day went on it would clear but we still had lots of dramatic clouds floating about with glimpses of blue sky. Amazingly for a Lakes wander we had been going for about 45 minutes before we started meeting people on their way down. Those that we spoke to appeared rather high from getting down through the snow - what were we about to encounter? From Grisedale Hause it was just a straight pull up the snow covered Fairfield Brow to the summit plateau. Crampons weren't required as it was certainly soft enough for kicking steps but there was lots of evidence of slides. Maybe that was why those people we'd met were feeling a bit high!!

Looking down Tongue Gill

St Sunday in the sun

Dollywagon Pike & Grisedale Tarn

Seat Allan from Fairfield

The summit was the quietest I've ever seen on Fairfield with just another couple of folk and a skier about, the joy of the late ascent :-) Unfortunately for us the promised clearing of the clouds didn't happen. It was just the opposite in fact. Not to worry. We enjoyed the views that we had and headed off towards Great Rigg for our descent. There was one last good patch of snow that us kids could have a wee play before heading over to Stone Arthur and back to the road. What was nice was the fact that the route over Stone Arthur ended up being a wee bit more craggy than I had figured for - nice :-)

Fairfield summit with St Sunday behind

Looking west from Fairfield summit plateau

Looking towards Great Rigg

Heading down Great Rigg

Playtime :-)

Stone Arthur

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Blethering Blonde

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